Biography

Janet Cowell is the State Treasurer of North Carolina.

Elected in 2008, she is the state’s 27th popularly-elected Treasurer and is the first woman to win the post.
As the state’s fiscal advisor, Treasurer Cowell oversees more than $70 billion in state investments, including the following:

• $56 billion in pension fund investments, affecting 820,000 public employees including teachers, firefighters and other government employees
• $12 billion in short-term cash investments for state agencies, universities, community colleges and trust funds
• $4 billion in 401(k)/457 supplemental retirement funds, affecting 250,000 North Carolinians

Cowell and her staff manage the issuance of several billion dollars of debt each year and help cities, towns and counties by monitoring their financial condition while providing professional technical assistance on audit and financial reporting. Her expertise in government operations comes from hands-on experience as a member of the North Carolina Senate and the Raleigh City Council.

Cowell is at the forefront of economic development in North Carolina, serving as chair of the State Banking Commission and on the boards of State Education and Community Colleges.

An investment professional, Cowell earned an MBA from the Wharton School of Business and a Master’s degree in International Studies from the Lauder Institute. She worked as a financial analyst with HSBC Bank and Lehman Brothers before making her home in North Carolina.