Brian Irving edit
Yankee by birth. Southerner by choice. American by the grace of God
Brian Irving is a libertarian activists and freelance writer living in Cary, N.C. He is a retired U.S. Air Force officer.
Born in The Bronx, New York on January 2, 1949, Brian was raised on Long Island. After graduating high school in 1967, he joined the U.S. Air Force and served 12 years as an enlisted man, mostly in the public affairs field. In 1980, he was commissioned a second lieutenant and served as a public affairs officer at bases in Italy, the United Kingdom and Florida, and North Carolina, where he spent five years at Pope AFB in Fayetteville.
When he retired after 25 years service in 1992, he and his wife Lisa moved back to Fayetteville. He worked as communications director for the United Way of Cumberland County and as an administrative assistant for Catholic Social Ministries and St. Ann Catholic Church. Brian became a regular contributor to Fayetteville's alternative newspaper, Up & Coming Weekly.
He began his political career in Fayetteville by helping form a Libertarian Party chapter in Cumberland County and running as the Libertarian candidate for Cumberland County commissioner (twice) and N.C. Senate District 21. He also ran twice for the non-partisan Fayetteville city council and was appointed to two terms on the Fayetteville City Planning Commission from July 2000 to July 2004, including two years a chair.
After moving to Wake County in 2006 to be near his two married children, Annalisa and Daniel, and six grandchildren, Brian continued his political career in the 2008 race for N.C.Senate District 17.
Brian has been a member of the Libertarian Party of North Carolina's executive committee and served as press secretary, newsletter editor and communications director.
He holds a bachelor's degree in social studies from the University of the Philippines at Clark Air Base, a master's degree in public administration from Webster University and a master's degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University (New Orleans).
He has been married to the former Maria Elisa C. Quiambao of Angeles City, Philippines for 40 years.