By Bruce Boyer

What Arnold King likes about Kernersville is that he has the opportunity to enhance the quality of life in the community.  Few people in Kernersville have done as much to help the community expand as that of Arnold King.

Growing up in Winston-Salem, Arnold spent his youthful summers in Kernersville working on family tobacco farms.  After graduating from Wake Forest University, Arnold worked for 20 years in the trucking industry in the Southeast before returning to Kernersville in 1982 as Vice President of Linehaul operations for Pilot Freight.  

The real starting point in his community service came in 1987 when he became a small business owner of multiple businesses in the downtown area.  He quickly became one of the community’s most visionary leaders.  The list of community ventures in Arnold King’s resume is a testimony to a man who loves his community.  Anyone who knows Arnold knows he is a man of action.  

Arnold is one of five remaining charter members of the Kernersville Rotary Club (1987), where he is noted for perfect attendance for 28 years.  His Rotary Club experience is the inspiration and catalyst for his leadership in the community.

In 1992, Arnold successfully encouraged Joe and Eunice Dudley to donate eight acres of land that became the Kernersville campus of Forsyth Tech.  In the same year, he and Doug Anderson co-founded the chamber’s Leadership Kernersville program.  Then in 1993, Arnold and Mayor Tom Prince co-founded the Downtown Revitalization Committee, which would become KDPDC, an advocate for downtown development.

As the Chamber of Commerce board chair (1993) he started Spring Folly, kicking off the event with a leg of the nation’s most noted bicycle race, the Tour DuPont.  The race’s Kernersville leg in 1994 was broadcasted to 100 countries worldwide.

When you ask Arnold what his most satisfying accomplishment is, he will tell you it is the establishment of the Kernersville Foundation in 1999.  The community foundation provides a vehicle for people to contribute to local nonprofit organizations.  The first year the foundation dispersed $2,700 to Kernersville charitable nonprofit organizations and has grown to annual disbursements of $50,000, not including “donor advised funds.”  $410,000 has been awarded to area nonprofits and an additional $500,000 of donor-advised contributions.  The foundation now has assets of $1.8 million, insuring the long-term support of charitable community organizations.

Arnold saw the opportunity to create two recent Kernersville resources.  In 2011 he co-chaired the fundraising and construction of the Kernersville Farmers Market, providing a permanent location on town hall property.  In addition to providing a source for locally grown food products, it also has provided a programming space for community events.  In the same year the Kernersville Medical Center opened, Arnold played a major role in its development, which is becoming the catalyst for additional medical services in the community.  The newly-opened VA clinic is a prime example.  Medical care is becoming a key economic driver for the community.

Arnold is most motivated by the people of Kernersville.  He said, “This community is filled with a lot of very special folks who care deeply about the community and volunteer literally tens of thousands of hours annually to continually improve the quality of life for all its residents.”  Arnold is exemplary when rallying community leaders and bringing about support for key projects.

Undoubtedly, Arnold is one of those very special folks.  He was the Rotary Club President in 1990-91 and is scheduled to lead the club again in 2017-18 for their 30th anniversary year.  He has chaired the Chamber Board, Economic Development Advisory Council, Kernersville 2020, KDPDC, Spring Folly, Summerfest, Farmers Market, and the Kernersville Foundation.  But, his community service is not just about the high-profile community projects.  Arnold particularly enjoys his one-on-one time with a Cash Elementary School student, a role he has enjoyed for 26 years as a Study Buddy.  He takes great pride when a once struggling elementary school student graduates from college and enters the workforce.  

His Rotary Club involvement enhanced his interest in regionalism, connecting Kernersville to neighboring cities.  He has chaired or co-chaired the Piedmont Triad Chambers of Commerce, the Triad Leadership Network, Heart of the Triad Steering Committee, and Piedmont Triad

Sports Club.  His broader vision also paved the way to serve on the City/County Planning Board

(2000 to present) and Forsyth Technical Community College Board of Trustees (since 2012).  He has served more years on the City/County Planning Board than anyone in the history of the planning organization.  Arnold values this service because it provides Kernersville influence within the region.  “It is all about building relationships,” he said.

As a testimony to Arnold’s service Governor Pat McCrory presented him with the Order of the

Long Leaf Pine (2016), the highest civilian recognition in the State of North Carolina.

In Arnold’s eyes, the future is bright for Kernersville.  Kernersville’s central location is ideal for businesses that have a regional interest.  He was particularly pleased when the Council of

Governments (COG) located their office in Kernersville.  Progressive elected and civic leadership have positioned Kernersville for quality growth.  Arnold’s dream for Kernersville is a multi-purpose civic center that can host banquets, stage productions, large meetings, and other events.  “Since day one, that has been at the heart of the Kernersville 2020 visioning process.”

Arnold credits his wife, Kim, for allowing him to pursue opportunities to help Kernersville grow.  “She has been patient and understanding of the time and effort it takes to make things happen.”  His love of Kernersville has motivated him to create the foundation for a better quality of life and economic development of the community.  He sees an opportunity for Kernersville and steps forward to make it happen.  Without the efforts of Arnold King, Kernersville would not be where it is today.