Episode 32
Guest: Jay Egolf
Role: Henderson County Commissioner, District 5
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Listen to Episode 32 on Spotify
Episode Summary
In Episode 32 of Living Local with Frisbee Real Estate, Ed sits down with Jay Egolf, a longtime Henderson County resident, former school board member, local business owner, and current Henderson County Commissioner for District 5. Jay shares stories from more than five decades in the area, his family's history in the local automotive business, and what led him into public service.
Jay has called Henderson County home since 1972 and attended local public schools before heading to college at Chapel Hill. After working in the automotive industry in Utah and North Carolina, he became increasingly involved in local issues, first serving six years on the Henderson County Board of Education and later running for County Commission. Today, he represents District 5 while emphasizing that his responsibility extends to residents throughout Henderson County.
The conversation offers a practical look at what the Henderson County Board of Commissioners handles, including county budgets, property taxes, zoning and ordinances, courthouse projects, sheriff's department funding, growth, and coordination with local municipalities. Jay also talks about one of the themes that matters most to him: communication. Even when people disagree, he believes sitting down, listening, and understanding another person's perspective can solve a lot of problems before they grow larger.
Jay also shares the history of Egolf Motors, his family's longtime Henderson County automotive business. His grandfather began operating locally in the early 1970s, and Jay started washing cars at age 13 before eventually working in sales, service, management, and dealership ownership. He shares stories from selling his first vehicle in Salt Lake City, expanding into Brevard, navigating the automotive industry during the 2008 recession, and eventually selling the family dealership after decades in business.
The episode also touches on Jay's experience living with celiac disease and the challenges of finding truly gluten-free dining options. He mentions businesses including Arabella's, Chick-fil-A, and Jimmy John's as places where he has found workable options.
When it comes to enjoying Henderson County, Jay encourages residents and visitors to explore beyond the usual stops. He recommends Carl Sandburg Home, Jump Off Rock, downtown Hendersonville, local farmers markets, apple orchards, and farms along Highway 64 East. His broader message is simple: support local farmers, explore different parts of the county, and appreciate the mix of growth, agriculture, small towns, and rural character that makes Henderson County unique.
This episode is a wide-ranging conversation about Henderson County growth, local government, community leadership, small business history, agriculture, and what it means to truly know the place you call home.
As always, keep living local.
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Transcript
Transcript lightly edited for readability.
Ed: Hey, thanks again for watching and or listening today. Our special guest is Mr. Jay Egolf. Normally I give people a title, but Jay is a man of many hats and many careers and journeys. So we're just going to talk to Jay and hear about them. Jay, thanks for taking time to talk with us.
Jay: Yeah, absolutely.
Ed: Tell us a little bit about yourself and then I'll have some random questions for you depending on what you answer.
Jay: I was born in Portland, Oregon, and moved here when I was two in 1972. My sister was born here in 1973 and she lives in Portland, so we've switched. I've lived in Henderson County since 1972. I attended public schools, starting at Bruce Drysdale in 1975, and went all the way through the local school system. Back then it was the Hendersonville city school system, and later it merged into Henderson County Public Schools.
I went to Chapel Hill, sold cars in Utah, then came back here and sold cars. I first got involved with the school board when Hendersonville High School was getting built. The county pays for school construction expenses, but the school board designs the project, so they have to work things out together. I knew people on both the school board and county commission and felt like I could help.
I served on the school board for six years, from 2018 to 2024, and then I wanted to get involved with the county. I enjoy serving Henderson County. I've lived here for more than five decades and I care about the way the county is growing. I had concerns, I was encouraged to run in 2024, and I won the primary and was elected. Now I serve as a Henderson County Commissioner for District 5.
Ed: For District 5.
Jay: Right. And people sometimes get confused by that. I represent a district, but every person in the county can vote for me, so anything in the county is of concern to me. If anybody has complaints, ideas, or problems, let me know. I don't care if you're in my district or not.
Ed: What kinds of things do people typically ask you about? What does the county commission actually vote on or decide?
Jay: We deal with growth issues and the county budget. We deal with sheriff's pay, courthouse projects, how county money is spent, property taxes, sales taxes, zoning, ordinances, and working with municipalities.
I live in Laurel Park, so I pay a Laurel Park tax and a county tax. Laurel Park handles some things I'm grateful for, and the county handles other things I'm grateful for. Sometimes a municipality needs help from the county on something. That's part of how the system works.
Ed: You mentioned trash pickup. I moved here from Buncombe County about ten years ago. In Buncombe County you don't really have a choice of trash provider, and I appreciate that in the county here you can choose who you're going to pay to pick it up.
Jay: That may not be true in Laurel Park because the town arranges it there. But I will also say this: I've only been serving as commissioner for about two years. Even though I've lived here a long time, I don't want anybody to think I know everything, because I don't. Every day I try to learn more than I knew the previous day.
If somebody hears me on this podcast and says something I said was not correct, there is a good chance of that. I try to do the best I can, but I'm always trying to get better. Let's talk about it.
That's another thing I think matters. Whether we're talking about elected officials or neighbors, there could be more communication. A lot of problems and issues could be worked out if people would sit down and talk. I don't care what nationality you are, what color you are, what language you speak, or what political party you represent.
I remember a time when neighborhoods looked out for one another and if you had a problem with somebody, you talked with them and tried to work it out. I miss that. We've lost some of the ability to disagree and still be friends.
I've always said, whether serving on the school board or county commission, that I will sit down and talk with anybody. I will do my best to understand where you're coming from. I may not agree, but I will try to understand and help where I can. I wouldn't expect you to agree with me on everything either. At least sit down and talk and understand where the other person is coming from.
Ed: You made me curious when you mentioned Utah. What took you there?
Jay: Our family had a car dealership in Hendersonville beginning in 1972. That's why we moved here. Where the AutoZone is at the end of Main Street used to be Bud Egolf Motors. Bud was my grandfather. I was third generation.
I started there when I was 13 washing cars. I worked in service, parts, Saturdays, summers, and all through school. I went to Chapel Hill and also worked in service at a dealership in Raleigh.
After college, a group of friends and I moved to Salt Lake City. We had spent breaks out there skiing, and one of our friends went to the University of Utah. When we graduated, we decided to move out there together.
I needed a job, so I put together a resume and went to different places asking for sales work. Everybody kept asking if I had experience, and I had to say no. Eventually one dealership said, "You're just the person we're looking for." I went through five days of training.
On my first real opportunity with a customer, the experienced salespeople told me to go ahead and see what I could do. I went out, worked with the customer, and ended up selling him a truck. I was so excited. I realized, "I can do this." I sold cars out there for five years and then came back here.
Ed: Give us a quick history of Egolf Motors here in Henderson County.
Jay: We moved here in 1972 and had the store at the end of Main Street where AutoZone is now. In fact, an old parking lot beside the Ecusta Trail is where the mechanics used to park. It still brings back memories.
We had that store from 1972 to 1985. Then Dad bought our location on Duncan Hill Road. We had Dodge at the end of Main Street and Chrysler Jeep on Duncan Hill.
In 2003 we bought the Brevard Chrysler store. It was in a rough old building across from the Ford store. The roof leaked and we had plants positioned around to catch drips so they wouldn't land on the carpet. I remember looking across at the Ford store and thinking how nice it would be to work there.
In 2008, while the economy was crashing, the Ford store owner came to Dad and said he had a month to buy it before it shut down. Chrysler was in bankruptcy, General Motors was in bankruptcy, Ford stock was way down. It was a difficult time, but we bought the store and moved Chrysler over with Ford in Brevard.
We survived. In 2013 Dad decided to step back. He sold the Duncan Hill location, and I continued working in Brevard. By 2024 Dad was 82 and I realized I had never bought or sold a dealership myself. A buyer had been calling our store every Christmas since 2017 asking if we wanted to sell. I finally called him back and asked if he was still interested. Nine months later, we sold the Brevard dealership.
Ed: Do you find that happening more often with car dealerships, where smaller local stores are becoming part of larger regional groups?
Jay: That was part of what I was thinking about. I didn't have a son or daughter who wanted to take over the business. My kids were following their own paths, so we needed to figure something out.
I'm glad I did, because now I have a lot more time to dedicate to county work. Before I came in here today, I was on the phone with a constituent about an issue in another part of the county. Now I have more time to do that job properly, and I love it.
Ed: We're running out of time, but I want to ask if you eat out.
Jay: I have celiac disease.
Ed: So your choices are limited.
Jay: They are and they aren't. Everywhere you go, you have to ask about cross-contamination. Are the fries cooked in their own fryer? Are utensils shared? It's a hassle.
Jimmy John's does a good job with lettuce wraps, and Chick-fil-A does a good job because they have a separate fryer for fries. There are other places too, but those are examples I've found workable.
Jerry Smith, who's running for mayor, recently called and asked if I wanted to have breakfast at Arabella's. I wasn't sure if I could eat there, but they did a great job and understood gluten-free preparation. I had a great breakfast there on Main Street.
Ed: In my experience, celiac seems like a whole different level from simply trying to eat gluten-free because you can actually get sick.
Jay: Exactly. For some people it is very serious. I have about an hour before I can tell something is wrong. There isn't medicine I take to fix it. I just have to let it work through my system, so I have to be careful, especially if I'm going somewhere where I need to speak or sit through a long meeting.
Ed: Last question. When people come to visit, what places do you recommend they check out?
Jay: I like outdoor things. I like Carl Sandburg Home for a hike. I like Jump Off Rock in Laurel Park and watching a sunset there. I enjoy parking on Main Street, walking up and down, and seeing the shops.
I also really enjoy the diversity of the county. One Saturday I told my wife, "Let's go farming tomorrow." She asked what that meant. I said it meant we were just going to go see some farms.
We headed out Highway 64 East, visited apple places, stores, and farms. I encourage people to do that. Buy produce in the county and support local farmers. Go to farmers markets. Head out 64 East, do a corn maze, visit an apple farm, and experience the agricultural side of Henderson County.
This county is a great place to be.
Ed: I agree. We love living here. For a while we thought this might just be a stopping place, but we realized this is where we want to dig deeper roots.
Jay: We do have to all get along. We can't move here and then shut the door behind us. We need to take care of everybody, work with everybody, and talk with everybody. Some parts of the county need to grow, and other parts need to stay rural. That's part of what attracts people to Henderson County.
Ed: Do you want to leave people a way to contact you?
Jay: I have a county number, but I don't even know it off the top of my head. I also give out my personal cell number and my county email. I'm not on social media. I would rather somebody call me and talk about an issue directly than fight about it online.
If we're doing something wrong, I want to know about it. Tell me and let me try to fix it. If you have a praise, let me know that too.
Ed: That's old school.
Jay: It's the way it should be.
Ed: Thank you again, Jay, for taking time.
Jay: Yes, sir. I appreciate it very much.
Ed: And as always, thank you for watching and or listening, and keep living local.