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Written by Amanda Stiles
Interviewed by Nikki White
Haywood County local and owner
of Chad McMahon State Farm,
fills a need – with the tools to succeed –
one backpack at a time.
As Haywood County acclimates to the influx of
tourism, it’s more of a rarity to run across a true,
Haywood County local. Chad McMahon, owner
of Chad McMahon State Farm, is a native of the
area through and through. The son of dedicated
educators, his mother, a teacher for 30 years in the
Haywood County school system and his father, a
retiree of Haywood County Community College,
McMahon’s passion for community and service
started at a young age.
Upon graduation from Tuscola High School,
McMahon attended college and then headed east
to the Charlotte area to further his career. Two kids
later, McMahon and his wife began to consider a
move back home. “The kids were young at that point,
and we just decided that Haywood County would be
a good place to raise kids,” McMahon explained. “We
were very blessed that State Farm had an opportunity
for us to get back to this area.” McMahon opened
Chad McMahon State Farm in July 2010.
McMahon has seen change and growth in the county
over the years, especially in terms of industry.
“Tourism wasn’t the driving factor in Waynesville
and Haywood County when I was growing up. We
still had more of a manufacturing mentality,” said
McMahon. Through the changes, McMahon noted
that one thing remained constant–the people. “This
is one of the most passionate, caring communities
I’ve been involved in,” he said. “Time after time,
you see someone in need, and the call goes out to