Glen Lang

Glen Lang (born January 4, 1968) is an American businessman and politician who served as mayor of Cary, North Carolina from 1999 to 2003.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref> He also was a professional hockey player.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />

Early life

Lang was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> He attended St. Paul High School where he played hockey and graduated in 1988.<ref name=":0" />

Lang then attended the University of Minnesota Duluth from 1988 to 1989 where he played hockey.<ref name=":0" /> He transferred to the University of Wisconsin–Superior receiving a B.S. in business communication in 1993.<ref name=":0" /> While at the University of Wisconsin–Superior, he played hockey all three years and was named First Team All-American two times.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref> He "is considered to be among the best offensive players in team history and in NCAA Division III hockey history."<ref name=":3" />

Hockey

After graduation, he was a professional hockey player in the position of right wing and forward.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> From 1993 to 1994, he played for the Johnstown Chiefs and the Raleigh IceCaps.<ref name=":0" /> From 1994 and 1995, he played with the Columbus Chill.<ref name=":0" /> He played with the Tulsa Oilers from 1994 to 1996.<ref name=":0" />

Career

Early in his career, Lang worked in technology marketing for Sun Microsystems, Control Data Corporation, and Intergraph.<ref name=":1" />

Glen co-founded Accura Innovative Services in 1991 and served as its CEO.<ref name=":1" /> After rapid growth, the company was sold.<ref name=":1" />

Lang is the chief executive officer of Capitol Broadband, a wireless communications company.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Dead link</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2002, he founded and became the Template:Clarify of the Cary-based Capital Broadband's subsidiary Connexion Technologies which specialized in FTTH networks, providing Internet and television services to multi-family housing complexes.<ref name="biz1">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":5">Template:Cite web</ref> Investors in the Connextion Technologies include James Goodnight, founder of SAS Institute.<ref name=":5" /> In 2010, Connextion Technologies was selected by Inc. magazine as one of the nation’s fastest-growing companies, with a 263% growth rate over three years.<ref name=":5" />

In 2012, Connexion Technologies declared bankruptcy with a debt of some $500 million.<ref name=":5" /> From its workforce of 600, it laid off eighty people in January 2012, and cut 140 jobs at its headquarters in April 2012.<ref name=":5" /> The company's downfall was the loss of a contract with DirecTV.<ref name=":5" />

Politics

Lang is a liberal Democrat.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He first entered politics in 1997 with a self-financed bid for the Cary Town Council in Cary, North Carolina.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref> He won, and, two years later, sought and was elected mayor in 1999.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":1" />

During his time in Cary politics, Lang was an outspoken advocate of slower growth for the rapidly expanding town as well as for infrastructure improvements, incurring the ire of local developers by supporting increased fees for residential development.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="biz1" /> As mayor, he enacted the Adequate Public Facilities ordinance and other controls on growth.<ref name=":6">Template:Cite web</ref> As a result, Cary's growth slow significantly—the growth rate changed from 13% to under 3% under Lang's leadership.<ref name=":7">Template:Cite web</ref> However, councilwoman Maria Dorrel though his style was abrasive and created a "hostile atmosphere."<ref name=":7" />

Lang filed for re-election but did not campaign. In the 2003 race Lang placed third, and said the reason for his loss was because he only spent $10 to file and nothing on his campaign.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":7" /> He was succeeded as mayor by Ernie McAlister.<ref name=":6" />

In 2017, Lang started a bi-partisan political action group called New Southern Voices.<ref name=":8">Template:Cite web</ref> The groups' focus is working on policy that the majority of people can agree with, such as gerrymandering and voting rights.<ref name=":8" />

Honors

• University of Wisconsin–Superior Athletic Hall of Fame, 2006<ref name=":3" />

Personal life

Lang is a millionaire.<ref name=":4" />