About Jeff Thigpen

Jeff Thigpen is the Guilford County Register of Deeds covering the major cities of Greensboro and High Point, NC. He has served in this capacity since December 2004 and won reelection without opposition in the 2008, 2012, 2016 and won handily in 2020. 

Jeff’s core message in elected leadership is that government is a shared responsibility in our future and politicians should stop running for or against government but rather start running it well. He is not for big or small government, but effective government. Jeff believes that true leaders should work for the citizens that elect them and understand the lasting value of building genuine partnerships between business, government and civic institutions to improve local communities. We can’t build better neighborhoods by ourselves or for each other, it requires personal and collective responsibility and leadership that focuses on solutions that improve the lives of everyday people. 

As Register of Deeds, the office has focused on increasing technology, transforming the workplace, and exceeding customer expectations. In 2009, Jeff’s Employee Cross-Training Initiative saved Guilford County over $300,000 and the Guilford County Register of Deeds office was awarded a Local Government Productivity Award from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. Jeff’s efforts included increasing employee pay and increasing their skills while reducing the overall Deeds’ staff from 33 to 25 during the past two years. He has also been a trend-setting leader in the sensitive areas of protecting personal information in an elected public records office. 

During the Foreclosure and Financial Crisis, Jeff created the Alamo Emerging Issues Forum for Registers of Deeds across the nation. The group focused on how public recorders can adapt to the challenges facing them in the 21st century. Over 200 Registers have participated in these ongoing forums. 

Jeff has championed Guilford County Thank A Vet. Thank A Vet is a partnership with 400 local businesses to provide veteran discounts to those who’ve served our country.  There are a number of projects including the Slave Deeds of Guilford County, Community Interview Series, Good Grief Podcast Series and the Lance Corporal Christopher Phoenix "Jacob" Levy Flag Retirement Project.  Jeff helped create Guilford County's ONLY "Walk-In" Passport Acceptance facility.   Lastly, Jeff implemented Guilford County “Fraud Alert” which is a sign up service to allow citizens to know when land record documents are filed in their name. A third party vendor surveyed the Guilford County Register of Deeds land and vital records services and received outstanding ratings! 

Thigpen is a former member of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners serving from 1998-2004. He served on the Board for six years being re-elected to a second term in 2002. Thigpen served as the Vice-Chairman on the Board in 2003. His main accomplishments were increased funding for education, support for regional transportation, and promoting fiscal responsibility. 

Jeff grew up near Burgaw in southeastern North Carolina working on a small farm. Thigpen is a graduate of Pender High School and Guilford College obtaining a Bachelor Degrees in Political Science and Justice and Policy Studies in 1993. He played collegiate baseball player for the Quakers. He earned a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs from UNC-Greensboro, NC in 1997. 

The Guilford County Register of Deeds office is one of the premier offices in North Carolina. I’m thankful to many of you who’ve helped make that happen over the years. 

Please consider supporting my re-election as Register. Here’s why.

As a leader I believe in fundamental values like innovation, fairness, opportunity, and service matters. The Register of Deeds received the Greensboro Regional Realtor’s Public Service Award in 2018.

We’ve opened Guilford County’s only “Walk-in” Passport Services office processing over 13,000 first time passport applications and generating over $530,000 in new county revenue. 

Guilford County Thank a Vet was the first in NC and a partnership with over 320 local businesses providing veterans discounts on goods and services. Now, there are 34 counties with Thank a Vet’s.

Lastly, our Slave Deeds Project has led to partnerships with colleges, universities, museums and serves as a model for North Carolina counties. 

· Chair, Coalition on Infant Mortality

· Juvenile Crime Prevention Council

· Criminal Justice Advisory Board

· Triad Highland Games- Board of Directors

· Communities In Schools-Board of Directors

· Forward Guilford- Guilford County Economic Development Board

· Board of Visitors-UNC-Greensboro

· Other Voices Program Committee-Greensboro Chamber of Commerce

· Servant Leadership School of Greensboro

· Member, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church

· Business/Pulpit Forum Work Group

· School Budget Committee

· Guilford County Efficiency in Government Committee

· Trained Mediator, Carolina Dispute Settlement Services

· Executive Committee, The Refugee Network

· Member, Young Elected Officials Network

Recognized by Greensboro Regional Realtors Association, Latino Community Coalition of Guilford County Corazon Award, Guilford Green, Equality NC, NC Register of Deeds Association, Guilford College Young Alumni Award, 40 Leaders Under 40, UNC Greensboro Martin Luther King Award