This news item expired on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
Doris Giezentanner had a long career as a public servant.
Doris’s life passion was serving and helping others. Doris began her long commitment to public service on the Town of Woodfin's Board of Alderman. She and her husband John, were involved in the creation of the Town of Woodfin. She then served Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania counties on the Western North Carolina Health Systems Agency Board of Directors. In 1976, she ran for Buncombe County Commissioner, was elected, and served for almost four terms. As high vote getter, she was the first Buncombe County woman to serve as Vice Chairman and was also selected as a District 16 supervisor, entitling her to be on the State County Commissioner Board. She served seven years on that board, driving to Raleigh once a month. Doris served on many other boards, including the Blue Ridge Mental Health Board (12 years), Land of the Sky Regional Council (10 years), and the Asheville/Buncombe Technical College Board of Trustees. She was a charter member of Caring for Children, member of Mayor’s Downtown Commission, associate member of the Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District, and she was instrumental in establishing the Women’s Involvement Council.
In 1989, Ms. Giezentanner was instrumental in changing the County's official motto from “Men” to Match Our Mountains, as designed by Roy Fox, to “People” to Match Our Mountains.