James M. “Jimmy” Rogers is a lifelong Haywood County resident whose deep roots in the community have shaped his life of service, leadership, and stewardship. Born and raised in Clyde and educated in the local school system, from Clyde Elementary through Pisgah High School. Jimmy’s commitment to this community began long before he ever sought public office. He continued his education at Campbell College and Appalachian State University, studying business and finance, foundations that would later support both his entrepreneurial work and his approach to responsible community leadership.
That lifelong connection to Haywood County has shaped Jimmy’s approach to public service. His values are grounded in personal responsibility, fiscal discipline, and respect for the local institutions that know their communities best. Having balanced real budgets and managed a small business, Jimmy understands that leadership is about representing the people you serve, not advancing a personal agenda. He is committed to listening first, exercising restraint, and supporting decisions made closest to home, where accountability is clearest and trust is earned.
While enrolled at Appalachian State University, Jimmy worked two seasons at Beech Mountain Ski Resort, including time in cash control and accounting. After returning home, he joined his family’s business founded by his father and grandfather in 1952. That business, Haywood Tractor Company, became not just his workplace but a vehicle for economic contribution and service not only in Haywood and Madison Counties, but across all of Western North Carolina. When his father’s health declined in 1980, Jimmy stepped in to help run the business, eventually taking the reins after his father’s passing in 1987. Today, the business continues to serve local farmers and enterprises, embodying Jimmy’s belief in hard work, accountability, and community support.
Jimmy has also served his community in many civic and volunteer roles. He was a long-time member and multiple-year president of the Haywood County Fairgrounds Board (now the Smoky Mountain Event Center), where he helped bring significant improvements to the fairgrounds, including new exhibitor and arena buildings, and supported events that brought the community together. He has been involved with the VFW Auxiliary serving as the Senior Vice President, the Waynesville Moose Lodge, and the Waynesville Masonic Lodge, where he has served in leadership roles including Worshipful Master and Treasurer. Jimmy has also served on Haywood EMC and the North Carolina Farm Bureau boards.
Educational opportunity has been a consistent focus for Jimmy. He served on the Haywood County School Board representing the Clyde District for more than two decades, bringing thoughtful stewardship to challenging budget and policy decisions and helping shape the direction of local schools. He has participated actively in the North Carolina School Boards Association and contributed to committees focused on finance, policy, building stewardship, and legislative action.
Jimmy’s commitment to service extends to local government and his church. He has served on the Town of Clyde Planning Board for several years and has been deeply involved in the life and ministries of Canton First Baptist Church, serving as a deacon and on various committees, including finance, transportation, and building & grounds.
Family has always been at the heart of Jimmy’s life, and his greatest pride is his daughters, Jessie Ruth and Bethanie Nicole. He raised them to be strong, compassionate women, always placing their well-being above all else. Their mother, Imogene Beavers Rogers, was the heart of their family—her faith, kindness, and devotion left a lasting imprint on their lives. Though she is no longer with them, Imogene’s love continues to guide and shape the women Jessie Ruth and Bethanie Nicole have become.
Jimmy and Imogene built a home grounded in faith, love, and service to their community, instilling values that continue to define their family today. Jimmy carries that legacy forward every day, honoring Imogene’s memory through his devotion as a father and his commitment to living out the principles they instilled together. In 2025, Jimmy married Terra Messer Rogers, beginning a new chapter marked by gratitude, humility, and deep respect for the journey that brought them together.
As the leading Republican candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives, District 118, Jimmy brings decades of local leadership and a lifetime of service to the campaign and, soon, to the NC General Assembly.
That lifelong connection to Haywood County has shaped Jimmy’s approach to public service. His values are grounded in personal responsibility, fiscal discipline, and respect for the local institutions that know their communities best. Having balanced real budgets and managed a small business, Jimmy understands that leadership is about representing the people you serve, not advancing a personal agenda. He is committed to listening first, exercising restraint, and supporting decisions made closest to home, where accountability is clearest and trust is earned.
While enrolled at Appalachian State University, Jimmy worked two seasons at Beech Mountain Ski Resort, including time in cash control and accounting. After returning home, he joined his family’s business founded by his father and grandfather in 1952. That business, Haywood Tractor Company, became not just his workplace but a vehicle for economic contribution and service not only in Haywood and Madison Counties, but across all of Western North Carolina. When his father’s health declined in 1980, Jimmy stepped in to help run the business, eventually taking the reins after his father’s passing in 1987. Today, the business continues to serve local farmers and enterprises, embodying Jimmy’s belief in hard work, accountability, and community support.
Jimmy has also served his community in many civic and volunteer roles. He was a long-time member and multiple-year president of the Haywood County Fairgrounds Board (now the Smoky Mountain Event Center), where he helped bring significant improvements to the fairgrounds, including new exhibitor and arena buildings, and supported events that brought the community together. He has been involved with the VFW Auxiliary serving as the Senior Vice President, the Waynesville Moose Lodge, and the Waynesville Masonic Lodge, where he has served in leadership roles including Worshipful Master and Treasurer. Jimmy has also served on Haywood EMC and the North Carolina Farm Bureau boards.
Educational opportunity has been a consistent focus for Jimmy. He served on the Haywood County School Board representing the Clyde District for more than two decades, bringing thoughtful stewardship to challenging budget and policy decisions and helping shape the direction of local schools. He has participated actively in the North Carolina School Boards Association and contributed to committees focused on finance, policy, building stewardship, and legislative action.
Jimmy’s commitment to service extends to local government and his church. He has served on the Town of Clyde Planning Board for several years and has been deeply involved in the life and ministries of Canton First Baptist Church, serving as a deacon and on various committees, including finance, transportation, and building & grounds.
Family has always been at the heart of Jimmy’s life, and his greatest pride is his daughters, Jessie Ruth and Bethanie Nicole. He raised them to be strong, compassionate women, always placing their well-being above all else. Their mother, Imogene Beavers Rogers, was the heart of their family—her faith, kindness, and devotion left a lasting imprint on their lives. Though she is no longer with them, Imogene’s love continues to guide and shape the women Jessie Ruth and Bethanie Nicole have become.
Jimmy and Imogene built a home grounded in faith, love, and service to their community, instilling values that continue to define their family today. Jimmy carries that legacy forward every day, honoring Imogene’s memory through his devotion as a father and his commitment to living out the principles they instilled together. In 2025, Jimmy married Terra Messer Rogers, beginning a new chapter marked by gratitude, humility, and deep respect for the journey that brought them together.
As the leading Republican candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives, District 118, Jimmy brings decades of local leadership and a lifetime of service to the campaign and, soon, to the NC General Assembly.
Faith. Family. Service.
A lifetime of leadership grounded in strong values, local roots, and a deep commitment to putting community before self.
