Anthony Starr is the Executive Director of the Western Piedmont Council of Governments (WPCOG) in Hickory, North Carolina. He supervises a staff of 78 persons that facilitate regional collaboration and administer a range of programs on behalf of the 28 local governments in the Western Piedmont region that includes Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba Counties. Western Piedmont COG services include community planning, transportation planning, environmental planning, code enforcement, Center for Research and Data Analytics, workforce development, community and economic development, senior adult services (Area Agency on Aging), financial administration for local governments, human resource services for local governments, and serves as the regional housing authority. Anthony brings with him over 28 years of local government experience, including time as a firefighter, deputy sheriff, county planning director, and town manager. Anthony’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Community & Regional Planning and a Master of Public Administration from Appalachian State University.