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Office | District | Status |
| Treasurer | Statewide | Incumbent | |
| Party | In Office Since | Term Ends | |
| Democrat | 2008 | 2012 | |
| Level of Government | |||
| Council of State | |||
| Date of Birth | Birthplace | Now Lives In | |
| July 19, 1968 | Memphis, TN | Raleigh, NC | |
Synopsis | The daughter of a Methodist minister and a public school teacher, Cowell grew up in Kentucky and Tennessee. She moved to Raleigh in 1997, working as a business consultant. Starting in 2001, she served two terms on the Raleigh City Council, voting to open Fayetteville Street and build a new convention center. In 2004, she was elected to the state Senate. In office, she worked on bills to promote energy efficiency in state buildings and pursue data integration in state government. She defeated two opponents in the 2008 Democratic primary for state treasurer and defeated state Rep. Bill Daughtridge to become the state's first female state Treasurer. |
Trivia |
She was in China during the pro-democracy demonstrations in 1989. |
Endorsements |
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Biography
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Marital Status
Single
Spouse
Children
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Janet Cowell, a Democrat is the state Treasurer.
Early Life and Education
The daughter of a Methodist minister and a public school teacher, Cowell grew up in Kentucky and Tennessee.
She graduated from John Overton High School in Nashville, Tenn., in 1986.
She then attended the University of Pennsylvania, earning a bachelor of arts in Asian history in 1990.
She earned a master of business administration from The Wharton School of Business and a master of arts in international studies from the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania in 1995.
Professional Career
She moved to Raleigh in 1997, working as a business consultant.
She worked as an independent consultant for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals among other clients and taught at Peace College and N.C. State University.
From 2003 to 2005, she worked for the Sustainable Jobs Fund, a Durham-based venture capital firm that invests in North Carolina businesses that create green jobs.
Since August of 2005, she worked as an associate consultant with Fountain Works, a Raleigh firm that does strategic planning. Among other things, she handled a Defense Department contract for the health care system in Fort Bragg and wokred with local government to the performance of its programs.
She went on leave to campaign in September of 2007.
Political Career
Starting in 2001, she served two terms on the Raleigh City Council, voting to open Fayetteville Street and build a new convention center.
In 2004, she was elected to the state Senate.
In office, she worked on bills to promote energy efficiency in state buildings and pursue data integration in state government.
Treasurer Campaign
In 2007, she announced she would run for the Democratic nomination for state treasurer.
She defeated Raleigh attorney Michael Weisel and Buncombe County Commissioner David Young in the Democratic primary, winning with 46 percent of the vote.
Her campaign was endorsed by former state Auditor Ralph Campbell, the Conservation Council of North Carolina, the state chapter of the AFL-CIO, the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, the N.C. Academy of Trial Lawyers, EMILY's List, NARAL North Carolina, Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina, and the N.C. Police Benevolent Association.
Late in the campaign, a former staffer in Cowell's senate office accused her of blurring the lines between her campaign and her state office.
She defeated state Rep. Bill Daughtridge in the November election. After an election season in which the dominating theme was "change" Cowell said it was a promise to do more of the same that won it for her.
"What they're looking for is continued conservative management, so I think the treasurer was a little different," Cowell said.
Occupation
Community Involvement:
Not specified.
Contact Info
Email: janet.cowell@nctreasurer.com
| Treasurer's Office 325 N. Salisbury St. Raleigh, NC 27603 |
Online http://www.nctreasurer.com |
Education
| bachelor of arts University of Pennsylvania Graduated: 1990 |
master of business administration University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business Graduated: 1995 |
master of arts University of Pennsylvania, Lauder Institute Graduated: 1995 |
