County recognizes retiring leaders

ASHEBORO — Three veteran staff members who helped lead Randolph County agencies got their retirement send-off at the beginning of the Board of Commissioners’ Jan. 5 meeting.

Tim Mangum, Donovan Davis and Cindy Trogdon retired respectively from planning and zoning, emergency services and public health at the end of 2025.

“All of them are special,” Commissioner Chair Darrell Frye said. “These three people that we’re honoring tonight represent over 95 years of service to Randolph County, and they served this county in some of the most important and significant events that have taken place.”

Chief Davis served in emergency services for more than 31 years, rising through the ranks from 911 telecommunicator to chief. County Manager Zeb Holden highlighted his work in adding ambulances and EMS bases in Trinity, Pisgah and Erect, constructing a new headquarters in Asheboro and starting the Community Paramedic and drone response programs. At a retirement celebration in November, Davis was presented with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina governors’ highest honor for exemplary service to communities.

Mangum spent 33 years with planning and zoning and retired as a senior planner. Planning Director Kim Heinzer listed many initiatives he led: The creation of county-wide zoning, road naming and E911 addressing and site plan design and mapping.

Trogdon worked in Randolph County’s public health department for 30 years. Public Health Director Tara Aker said she was one of the first to graduate from the University of North Carolina’s child care health consultant (CCHC) course. She held the county’s CCHC position for 25 years, providing training and technical assistance for licensed child care programs. Aker credited her with guiding programs through the COVID-19 pandemic.

As is tradition, the commissioners gave them a clock as a going away present.