{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nNeal Appelbaum is an Independent candidate challenging incumbent Norma Knox for Cannon County Trustee in the August 6, 2026 county general election [3].\n\n## Background and education\n\nAppelbaum holds a bachelor's degree in economics and passed the Certified Public Accountant exam in his late twenties [1]. He grew up around his father's Ford dealership, purchased when Appelbaum was 12 after his father had worked for Ford Motor Company; Appelbaum has said he learned accounting, budgeting, customer service, and facility management through that family business [1]. He moved to Cannon County in 2002 [1].\n\n## Career\n\nAt the time of a 2018 campaign for Cannon County Executive, Appelbaum described more than 25 years of business experience and cited service on the Cannon County Chamber of Commerce board (six years, two as president), the Industrial Development Board (four years, two as chairman), and the Stones River Watershed Association (five years, two as president); he was also Executive Director of the Arts Center of Cannon County from 2013 to 2017 [1]. He has more recently worked as Cannon County's Deputy Finance Director, according to his LinkedIn profile (LinkedIn requires login; reflects the public profile as of July 2026) [2].\n\n## Office history\n\nAppelbaum announced a campaign for Cannon County Executive in the 2018 election [1].\n\n## Sources\n\n[1] [\"Neal Appelbaum announces for Cannon Co. Executive\"](https://www.cannoncourier.com/neal-appelbaum-announces-for-cannon-co-executive-cms-17512), The Cannon Courier, May 2, 2018 - accessed 2026-07-06\n[2] [Neal Appelbaum - Deputy Finance Director, Cannon County](https://www.linkedin.com/in/neal-appelbaum-27094519) (LinkedIn requires login; reflects public profile as of July 2026)\n[3] [\"2026 Election Field Continues to Grow\"](https://www.wbry.com/2026-election-field-continues-to-grow/), WBRY FM 107.1/1540 - accessed 2026-07-06","campaigns":[{"contest":"trustee","county":"Cannon","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"TN","title":"County Trustee"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"NEAL","fullname":"NEAL APPELBAUM","lastname":"APPELBAUM","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"trustee","contest_title":"County Trustee","county":"Cannon","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"trustee","office_title":null,"party":"I","pgr":"general","state":"TN"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"trustee","contest_title":"County Trustee","county":"Cannon","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"trustee","office_title":null,"party":"I","pgr":"general","state":"TN"},"party":"I","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"trustee","office_title":"County Trustee","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"summary":"Independent candidate for Cannon County Trustee in 2026, challenging incumbent Norma Knox; former Cannon County Chamber of Commerce board member and Arts Center director.","terms":[],"token":"c8PehuZgnm"}