Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Cherryville, NC (WNN) - Jeff Cash is a recognized name in Cherryville, North Carolina. Whether you know him for his time spent at the Cherryville Fire Department or his time serving the city as the City Manager, he has certainly left a mark on the community. He spent much of his life in leadership roles, and for this, he has been recognized with induction into the Inaugural 2026 Timothy L. Bradley Hall of Fame by the North Carolina State Firefighters' Association. He received this honor in August 2026 at the 139th Annual NCSFA Meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina. The induction is for his roles in not only leadership, but advancing firefighter education, health and safety initiatives, legislative advocacy, and the professional development of those around him.
Growing up in Cherryville, Cash watched those around him serve the community. He recalled watching his uncle, who lived next door, serve as a Cherryville volunteer firefighter. This influence inspired him and set him on his path forward. To Cash, the life of a public servant was not a career or job, but a calling. Over the years, various mentors and family led him to refine this calling into the ability to be a “servant leader”. This childhood calling blossomed into a full career of service when, in 1979, Cash joined the Rock Hill Fire Department as a Firefighter. He eventually found his way to Shelby and then back home to Cherryville in 1981. After spending time as a Driver Engineer, Cash worked his way up to Fire Chief. He eventually stepped back into a different role, however, becoming Cherryville’s City Manager.
During this time, Cash not only served the local community but also spent time serving at Ground Zero in March after the twin towers in New York fell. He spent time responding to many natural disasters, from deployment to New Orleans during Katrina to local emergencies such as Helene.
Credit: Cherryville Fire Department
Now in retirement, Cash enjoys a life spending time with his wife, Cynthia, filled with travel, NASCAR, and crappie fishing. However, he still isn’t quite done with public service. Despite 45 years of dedication, he continues to serve as the chaplain for both the Howards Creek Fire Department and the NC Fallen Firefighters Foundation. To further this, he also serves on the Conference Planning Committee for the International Federation of Fire Chaplains. For those who do not know, it is the duty of a Fire Chaplain to support and mentor firefighters, especially after traumatic situations. When he is not serving his community in this manner, Cash spends his remaining time in devotion to his savior at First Baptist Church of Cherryville. He feels one of the most important verses in his life is Colossians 3:23-24:
“ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
- Colossians 3:23-24
After a life spent devoted to the public and the Lord, Cash was still humbly amazed by the decision to induct him into the Timothy L. Bradley Hall of Fame’s inaugural group.
“It is truly one of my life’s most awesome blessings. I was totally surprised due to the fact that there are so many others, past and present, who deserve this recognition.”
- Jeff Cash
Despite the surprise and believing that there were plenty of other people who deserved the same recognition, Cash was still honored to receive this award.
To Cash, a good public servant is defined through their “willingness, desire, and passion to serve your fellow man”. He believes in doing so through strong communication paired with a stronger ability to listen. Cash quoted, “Be not afraid of moving slowly; be afraid of standing still,” referring to how he manages these positions. He believes in continuous movement forward, towards what is needed by everyone around him.
Currently, Cash sees the biggest need for many municipalities as having a plan for their aging infrastructure. He sees this as something that will catch up to many communities. This is plain to see in recent situations, such as the water quality in Kings Mountain and in Cherryville’s current plans to overhaul much of the water and sewer system.
Jeff Cash and his sons, Quentin Cash (left), Chad Cash (middle), and Jeff Cash (right)
Credit: Cherryville Fire Department
In his time as interim City Manager and City Manager, Cash did what he could to address this issue by helping to develop a Comprehensive Strategic Plan for the city. This outlined improvements to Cherryville’s downtown, water, and sewer needs, as well as guidance on the customer service culture among city employees. He also helped facilitate the new Cherryville Fire Station Headquarters, which helps serve Cherryville and the surrounding areas as a local hub for first responders.
Overall, Cash speaks to the importance of having love and compassion for all those in your community and considers his own ability to do so a blessing in his life.
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