Stephen Holmes admits that he is somewhat of a newcomer to politics - joking that he learned about campaigning only by visiting a "how to run a campaign" website. However, he believes that his business experience gives him unique insight into the economic-development needs of Wareham, a town he has known since spending summers with his uncle Larry Trahan on Blackmore Pond.

"This is a great place, but what's really pushed me into the race is that we're nowhere near our potential," Holmes said. "I know that with my background and my demeanor, I can help the town advance."

After graduating from Bishop Conway High School in Fall River, Holmes entered the Army National Guard where he was a senior medical non-commissioned-officer and ran the field hospital - a "mini-M.A.S.H unit," he said - for most of his 13-year service. He also joined at St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford, working his way up from the nursing unit to materials management for medical supplies for the Southcoast Hospital Groups.

He left Southcoast after 23 years, the last few of which he split time between Tobey and St. Luke's to join J.J. Wild consulting, traveling internationally to provide technology solutions for healthcare systems. The business has been purchased several times and now is known as MEDITECH Solutions Group, where he is the Director of Business and Product Development, a position that he jokes is 'cushy' in comparison with his previous position that required six years of constant travel.  The new position also enables him to spend more time with his son from his first marriage and his fiancee.

He believes that his business experience can help Wareham refocus its energy on economic development, and the more that he has been investigating the issues and speaking with people to learn about their needs and visions for Wareham, the more he has been inspired to serve.

"We're a seaside community with no money; that just makes no sense to me," Holmes said. "If this town were welcoming to businesses, if we encouraged tourism, we would get more people here and more people wanting to stay here."

He says that in many regards, Wareham needs a simple change of perception.

"There was the Onset Crime Watch sign that said something like 'Crime Watch will keep you safe,'" he said. "What message does that send to tourists about our community? The Board of Selectmen talk about transparency and open government, yet they have all these executive sessions."

Holmes believes that the citizens want this change of perception. He mailed over 5,000 letters and brochures to introduce himself as a candidate to Wareham voters. He is still receiving responses.

"Normally people would just throw mail out if it's something that they aren't going to respond to right away," Holmes said. "But people kept the letter and still were thinking about it weeks later... that tells me that they're looking for something new."

Holmes even wrote back to the people who sent back less-than-polite responses, thanking them for their opinion and inviting them to give him a call. He said that some of his most rewarding experiences have been just sitting and talking casually with people, many of whom don't realize he is running for Selectman until after the conversation, in barber shops, at the Redmen's Hall, at the basketball games and around town.

"People really want change and to get away from the divisions in town," Holmes said. "I've found that listening to voters rather than reading the newspapers or blogs, you find out the real issues in town."