North Carolina's former chief investment officer, Pat Gerrick, asked some of her then-subordinates in the state treasurer's office to help her daughter with college homework.
In April 2007, Gerrick provided her daughter, Meredith, with the email addresses for five members of Gerrick's staff, who are charged with overseeing the state pension fund, currently worth more than $60 billion, according to emails provided under a public records request. The staff members responded with answers to several questions from an investment-oriented group project for Meredith Gerrick. The staff members included the operations manager for the investment management division and the fixed income portfolio manager.
Gerrick was fired by State Treasurer Janet Cowell in August amid questions about travel expenses and cell phone bills. Questions have also been raised about Gerrick's relationships with firms that did business with the state.
Gerrick said last week that she asked her staff for help with the homework but made clear it was not an order.
"I just sent it around," Gerrick said. "I think you’ll see on the email, it says, 'If you have time, if you want to do it.'"
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