About Us
Donna Hicks Spencer has had the honor of serving the citizens of Catawba County as the Register of Deeds since December 6, 2004, when she won her first election with the support of her family, friends and Ruth M. Mackie (former Register of Deeds). Her fifth term began after winning the 2020 election. Donna continues to strive to make the office convenient and as customer friendly as she did from the first day she took office.
- Submitted 2024/2025 budget to County Manager and Commissioners to have a Passport Agency within the office of the Register of Deeds (2024)
- Made DOT State Highway plans searchable by DOT numbers (2024)
- Began accepting Assumed Business Names through eFiling (2024)
- Implemented a statewide electronic birth registration system (NCDAVE-birth) which allows the submission on birth amendments, legitimations and search of birth records back to 1971. Allows the issuance of out of county birth certificates right here in the office (2024)
- Began accepting EXEMPT plats through eFiling (2023)
- Completed scanning of Corporation Images (2023)
- Removed microfilm readers for modern computer viewing and printing capability (2023)
- Made request to County Manager and Commissioners to have a Passport Agency within the office of the Register of Deeds (2/2023)
- Researched the need of an additional Passport Agency with the county and got confirmation for our office by US Department of State Passport Services (2/2023)
- Accepted grant money through Office of State Budget and Management for preservation of older real estate binders (2022-2023)
- Implemented a statewide electronic death registration system (NCDAVE-death) which allows loved ones to get death certificates that were filed from 2022 forward in any NC county, right here in their own local Register of Deeds’ office
- Completed the scanning of all real estate documents back to 1842 (2022)
- Made available to public Sam Rowe Sr/Jr and Joe Robinson surveys as Deceased Surveys (2022)
- Began Property Notification for property owners to register and get notification of real estate documents filed within the office. This is a local effort to help combat property fraud (2019)
- Completed a successful renovation and move of the office (2019)
- Completed the scanning and indexing of all vital records
- Implemented an Online Real Estate Temporary Index and Image system.
- Began a program to honor our veterans called "THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE"; a way to encourage the veterans to record their DD214's within the office and for the community to give back
- Completed the scanning and indexing of DD214 military records
- Completed Scanning of State Highway Plans images and indexing (2018)
- Implemented a statewide electronic birth registration system (EBRS) which allows citizens that were born from 1971 in another NC county to obtain their birth certificate right here in Catawba County Register of Deeds' office
- Began sharing notary data with Secretary of State (2017)
- Completed the scanning of the real estate index from 1842 to 1992
- Began accepting electronic vital records requests which provides the public with the ability to request birth, death and marriage certificates. electronically. Although certificates still have to be mailed to you in order for you to obtain your certified copy, this does speed the process up in us receiving your request
- Began receiving notary packets from SOS electronically
- Began accepting all real estate documents except maps for electronic recording. eFiling is helping the public and private sector be more efficient and find better use of their resources (2014)
- Began sharing data with tax office for a faster turnaround time in tax information
- Recipient of the Shining Star Award from the North Carolina Association of Register of Deeds (2013)
- Fought for and began a better communication between the State Vital Records Office and NCARD by meeting with Secretary of DHHS
- Began the scanning of issued Notary Certificates
- Fought for and began the use of PDF forms for the 100 Register of Deeds to provide a smoother service for the citizens statewide
- Completed a successful renovation of office (2006)
- Fought for your protection against identity theft by redacting social security and driver’s license numbers from all real estate documents back to 1935
- Began a Marriage Program that allows couples to enter their information in house and online
- Began the scanning of plats from 1842 to current
- Began a user friendly online system that connected the GIS office with Register of Deeds real estate documents for a customer service to the citizens
- Implemented the preservation, a new back-up and disaster recovery process to protect Catawba County’s history which is on-going
- Provided access to the Clerk’s AOC judgment computer system to assist those who utilizes office daily
- Began the process to restore, preserve and scan the vital records and placing them in protective sleeves. This is an on-going process
- Began the process to restore, preserve and scan the oldest of our real estate records
- Was the first within the office to obtain professional certification through the North Carolina Association of Register of Deeds (NCARD) and for 95% of the staff within first two years. This is the continuing education for UNC School of Government (2007)
- Began a user friendly website to include and update Real Estate program (2005)
- Installed computers and updated software technology for each employee (2005)
- Upgraded public terminals with updated software technology (2005)
- Began accepting credit and debit cards with no fee to the citizens (2005)
- Installed a fax machine (2004)
- Register of Deeds – 2004 to present
- Annual training through NCARD and UNC School of Government
- Completed and stayed within county budget each year
- Passed county yearly audits since first summitted budget (2005)
- Owner and President of Donna's Unlimited Searches, Inc. - a freelance real estate paralegal, title searching business – 1992 to 2004
- In house paralegal at Sigmon Clark Mackie & Hutton in Hickory
- In house paralegal at Johnson & Hughes in Newland
- Legal Secretary William Cocke in Newland
- Former North Carolina Notary and eNotary Instructor
- Former Member, North Carolina Paralegal Association
- North Carolina certified Paralegal in real estate with annual training
- Member, North Carolina Association of Register of Deeds (NCARD)
- Current Elections Committee Chair
- Current Member: Elections
- Current Member: Vital Records
- NCARD vice-chair of District II
- Former District II: Treasurer
- Former District II: Secretary
- Past Member of Vitals Records, Automation Technology, Special Recognition-Awards, Scholarship & Strategic Long-Range Planning Committee
- Past member of Scholarship Committee
- Past Elections Committee Chair & Secretary
- Past Member of Land Records Management Advisory & Indexing Committee
- Special Sub-Committee for Minimum Standards for Indexing Real Property Instruments
- Special Sub-Committee for New Manual of Proceeding
- Past Vital Records: Chair & Co-Chair
- Special Sub-Committee - EDRS Business Partners Advisory Group
- Special Sub-Committee - Working Vital Records Group through the School of Government at UNC
- Clerical Science Degree from Mayland Technical Community College
- Associates Degree in Paralegal Technology from Central Piedmont Community College
- Register of Deeds certification from the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – 2005
- Advanced Register of Deeds certification through NCARD from the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Experience Register of Deeds certification through NCARD from the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Ethics Class certificate through NCARD from the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Leadership Class certificate through NCARD from the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Part of the Educational Video for Register of Deeds through the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Real Estate Law certificate through NCARD and the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Various workshops through NCARD since 2005
- North Carolina Notary
- North Carolina Certified Paralegal
- Former eNotary
- Former North Carolina Notary & eNotary Instructor
- Youth Advisory Committee member, Highland United Methodist Church
- Bible School teacher, Highland United Methodist Church
- Twice a year open to the Citizens Academy Program
- Speaker to Genealogy Class, Rotary Clubs, Career Day, local Paralegal and Bar Association
- Valentine's Day Weddings for couples
- Sports Coach Assistant
- Band Booster Parent
- Past School Bus Driver
- Past Parliamentarian CCRWC
- Past 2nd Vice-President CCRWC
- Past Assistant Treasurer CCRP
- Volunteered in "Walk in My Shoes" program
- Married to Donald Spencer (works for NCDOT) since 1993 and lives in the St. Stephens area
- Triplet sons: Aiden (NCSU), Dawson & Gavin (WCU) all 2021 graduates at these great North Carolina Universities.
- Moved here from Avery County in 1989
- Member of Highland United Methodist Church in Hickory