Let’s Meet Albert
Get to know the person advocating for you and for the future of our community.
Like so many Surf City residents, when I moved my family here, I was searching for a better quality of life, a stronger sense of community, and a place to put down lasting roots. But for me, Surf City was never just another beach town — I already had long-standing family ties here. My family has proudly served our country through the United States Marine Corps and has been part of this community for many years.
I am and have been well vested in this community, I have two amazing daughters that were honored to be one of the first of the many students to attend the new Surf City Elementary school grand opening, moving on to SCM. 1 is currently now in THS and my Older daughter just graduated THS.
My connection to this area began shortly after September 11, 2001, a 9.11.01 GZ first responder, I had firsthand knowledge what our men and women were about to face. While going into Jacksonville, NC. Back then, trips to Wilmington or the Topsail beaches were simple and peaceful. We would cross the old swing bridge and stop at some of the few local restaurants that existed at the time, like Sears Landing, the Quarter Master (now low tides) or Rick’s in Sneads Ferry — which was still fairly new back then.
Many people may not remember or know this area before the rapid growth. The Lowe’s at Highway 210 and Route 17 used to feel like the halfway point to Wilmington. There were very few residential developments, limited commercial businesses, and long stretches of farmland along Highway 17.
Surf City and Topsail were known as “the Marine beaches.” Military families would spend weekends here together before deployments following 9/11. During those uncertain years, family time mattered more than ever because many of us knew our time together would soon be limited.
You could drive from Jacksonville to Wilmington in under an hour with almost no traffic. In fact, it was such a quiet drive that we always made sure we had enough caffeine to stay awake. Outside of Hampstead, there wasn’t much development at all.
Back then, “For Sale” signs on beach property would sit for months because this area was still a hidden gem.
Eventually, I made Surf City my permanent home. Even then, it remained quiet, close-knit, and community driven. Then Hurricane Florence struck.
What stood out most during that difficult time was watching neighbors come together. People helped board up homes, delivered supplies, checked on elderly residents, and inspected properties for families who had evacuated — often before taking care of our own homes. We may have started as strangers, but we acted like family.
Then, only a few years later, COVID changed everything again. Families from across the country began moving here in search of a safer, better future and a stronger quality of life. Surf City was no longer a secret.
National media outlets began recognizing Surf City as one of the best beach towns to live in, and growth accelerated rapidly. As did many advertise on social media.
Do many of us wish things could have stayed the way they were? Of course. But great communities rarely stay hidden forever.
Now, our responsibility is to move forward with common-sense leadership, responsible budgeting, smart growth, and transparent government that puts residents first. We need leadership focused on facts, results, and positive long-term planning that benefits us all in this community
We cannot stop change, but we can guide it responsibly in a way that protects our community, preserves our values, and ensures Surf City remains a place families are proud to call home without the financial burden. We can capitalize on the hand we are now dealt with, a path with a smart, common-sense approach. No false promises, no wheel chocks for positive change, just facts and results
There’s more to come as I continue sharing my story as I advocate and become a voice for a better Surf City’s future.
Respectfully,
Albert Almeida
More information to be shared as this site is slowly built
My history of dedicated Service to the Community
Life Experience & Public Service
Public service has been a part of my life since I was a teenager. At the age of 16, I began serving as a Volunteer EMT in a busy urban community, where I quickly developed hands-on experience responding to emergencies and serving residents during some of their most difficult moments.
My dedication and work ethic were recognized early by both local leadership and emergency service professionals. I was recruited by a paid emergency services department and encouraged by the Mayor and Emergency Services Director at the time to join a team of highly respected providers. I began that chapter of my career in 1988.
Throughout my 25-year career in emergency services and emergency management, I was fortunate to advance through leadership positions while receiving highly specialized training and certifications across the nation. My training included:
Terrorism Incident Management and Response in New Mexico
CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear) training through the U.S. Army program formerly located at Fort McClellan in Anniston, Alabama
FEMA National Incident Management certifications through the National Emergency Management Institute
Multiple State Police certifications, including becoming an Instructor Trainer responsible for training future instructors
As my experience grew, I was appointed to one of the busiest and most specialized emergency response units in the nation at that time. My responsibilities included:
Instructing advanced technical courses for State Police training programs
Serving as Executive Officer for the Special Operations Division
Managing mass casualty incident operations
Providing medical support alongside a busy urban SWAT team
Serving as Deputy EMS Coordinator for County Office of Emergency Management
One of the most significant responsibilities of my career came during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, where I was tasked with managing Special Operations resources during that critical time in the NJ/NYC inter agency command.
My experience also expanded into large-scale planning, policy development, and interagency coordination. I worked closely with Fire, EMS, Police, public sanitation departments, health agencies, and State and Federal partners to develop and implement specialized emergency response plans and operational policies.
While many assignments involved responding during difficult and historic moments, I was also honored to help coordinate operations for major public events and dignataries, including:
The 1995 visit of Pope John Paul II
The 1995 visit of Mother Teresa
Multiple Presidential visits, where I was selected to participate due to my experience, operational background, and successful federal vetting processes coordinated alongside the United States Secret Service
These experiences strengthened my leadership abilities in:
Budgeting and fiscal management
Strategic advanced planning
Policy development and implementation, working with Elected leaders with its implementation
Operational leadership under pressure
Multi-agency coordination during large-scale events
Working with other Local, State and Federal elected Leaders
One of the most valuable lessons I learned throughout my career was the importance of accountability and continuous improvement. After every operation or event, my teams and I conducted after-action reviews to evaluate what worked, what needed improvement, and how we could operate more effectively and efficiently while remaining fiscally responsible.
Over the course of my career, I was honored to be recognized for multiple acts of bravery during high-risk emergency responses, as well as for dedicated, exemplary service and professional performance. Those experiences reinforced the values that have guided me throughout my life: leadership, accountability, preparation, teamwork, and a commitment to serving others during both everyday challenges and critical moments.
Today, I hope to bring that same level of leadership, accountability, planning, and commitment to service to the residents of Surf City. Collaborating with fellow elected leaders has consistently been a strong approach that delivers positive outcomes during my tenure.
Life after Public Safety service:
Following my dedicated career in the Emergency Services and Emergency Management sectors, I transitioned into private business ownership, focusing on Real Estate management, construction, and project management. Since 2010, I have successfully owned, managed, and operated my business, gaining valuable experience in budgeting, planning, contract oversight, problem-solving, and long-term project execution. This experience has strengthened my leadership abilities, fiscal responsibility, and commitment to delivering results efficiently and effectively for the community.
Through both my professional and business experience, I understand the needs of the community, as well as the growing concerns surrounding rapid growth, overdevelopment, and the need for responsible planning.
I recognize the importance of proper zoning, effective ordinances, consistent code enforcement, and accountability.
Growth must be managed responsibly to protect the character of our community and ensure that developers are held accountable for the impact of their projects, rather than placing unnecessary financial burdens on our residents and taxpayers.
Although I may have retired from my Professional career in the Emergency Services Sector, I still do continue to volunteer my time today, serving on various Boards, both Locally and elsewhere
We can use the situation we're in to capitalize and make Surf City better for everyone. Remove the wheel chocks, and let’s move forward with positive impacts in the community and let’s make common sense great again so that we can all prosper!
Albert Almeida
Proven Leadership: As a current Elected leader of a local HOA Board of Directors within my community, I have built a proven track record of fair accountability, active listening, and collaborative problem-solving. I work closely with residents to identify concerns, evaluate ideas, and develop practical solutions that benefit the community as a whole.
I have focused on responsible financial oversight by carefully reviewing budgets line by line to identify wasteful spending, improve efficiency, and uncover opportunities for meaningful cost savings. Through competitive bidding for services and contracts, I have worked with other Board Members to ensure that dues-paying residents continue to receive high-quality services at fair and fiscally responsible costs. As a result of these efforts, our community has avoided any increase in HOA dues for the past three years.
In addition, we have successfully identified savings within the budget that allowed us to establish an additional reserve account dedicated to future stormwater management needs — one of the community’s most significant long-term expenses — all without placing additional financial burdens on homeowners.
Throughout this process, I have remained committed to maintaining high standards of transparency, accountability, and responsible leadership. I strongly believe in community involvement, open communication, and ensuring residents always have a voice in the decisions that impact their neighborhood and future.