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Janet Cowell
Mayor of Raleigh
Incumbent
Assumed office December 2, 2024
Preceded by	Mary-Ann Baldwin
27th Treasurer of North Carolina
In office January 10, 2009 – January 1, 2017
Governor	Bev Perdue Pat McCrory
Preceded by	Richard Moore
Succeeded by	Dale Folwell
Member of the North Carolina Senate from the 16th district
In office January 1, 2005 – January 1, 2009
Preceded by	Eric Miller Reeves
Succeeded by	Josh Stein
Personal details
Born	(1968-07-19) July 19, 1968 (age 56) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	University of Pennsylvania (BA, MA, MBA)

Janet Cowell (born July 19, 1968) is an American politician. She was elected the 63rd mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina on Nov. 5, 2024. She served as the North Carolina State Treasurer from 2009 to 2017, making her the first woman to hold that position in North Carolina. She was previously a two-term member of the Raleigh City Council and a two-term Democratic member of the North Carolina Senate, representing Wake County.

Early life and education

Cowell was born in Memphis, Tennessee. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania (BA), Penn's Wharton School of Business (MBA), and the Lauder Institute (Master's in International Studies).

Career

Cowell previously worked as an analyst with HSBC and Lehman Brothers, coming to Raleigh, North Carolina in 1997. While in Raleigh she was also a consultant with SJF Ventures as well as Sibson & Co. and, in 2000, went to work for the Common Sense Foundation.

After declining to run for reelection as State Treasurer, Cowell was named CEO of Girls Who Invest, a nonprofit whose mission is to increase the number of women and people of color in leadership positions in the finance industry. In 2021, Cowell was selected to be president and CEO of the Dix Park Conservancy. Cowell helped raise $40 million in private funding to improve the park before resigning in October 2024 to run for mayor.

Political career

In 2001 Cowell decided to run for Raleigh City Council. She was elected to one of the At-large seats along with Neal Hunt. She was re-elected with Hunt to the At-large seats in 2003.

In 2004, Cowell ran for the District 16 State Senate seat held by the retiring Eric Miller Reeves. Cowell won the Democratic party primary with 49% of the vote over Jack Nichols, Carter Worthy and Mike Shea. She went on to face Republican nominee Mark Bradrick, an insurance appraiser and Desert Storm veteran, and Libertarian Jason Mara in the general election. Cowell won the seat with 59% to 38% for Bradrick and 3% for Mara. She was completely unopposed in her 2006 re-election campaign.

State Treasurer

Cowell announced that she would seek the Democratic nomination for North Carolina State Treasurer in July 2007. She faced Michael Weisel, a Raleigh attorney, and David Young, a Buncombe County Commissioner, in the primary election, winning the nomination with 46.43% of the vote. In the 2008 general election, Cowell defeated the Republican nominee, businessman and former State House member Bill Daughtridge, 53.62% to 46.38%. She was sworn in on January 10, 2009. She was re-elected in 2012 over Republican Steve Royal, 53.83% to 46.17%.

On October 13, 2015, Cowell announced that she would not seek reelection or election to any other office in 2016.

Mayor of Raleigh

In 2024, Cowell ran for Mayor of Raleigh. She was elected on Nov. 5, 2024, by a comfortable margin.

Awards and honors

Jan 2010, Rodel Fellow in Public Leadership issued by Aspen Institute

July 2013, Cowell was ranked #21 globally on the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute's Public Investor 100.

Jan 2014, Top 25 Global Investment Executive issued by Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute

Jan 2015, Institutional Trailblazer Award issued by Toigo Foundation

Feb 2017, Order of the Long Leaf Pine issued by the Governor of North Carolina

Feb 2023, Women Shaping Raleigh Award issued by Raleigh Magazine

Electoral history

References

1. "Our Campaigns - NC State Senate 16 Race - Nov 02, 2004".
2. "Our Campaigns - NC State Senate 16 Race - Nov 07, 2006".
3. Beckwith, Ryan Teague (August 13, 2007). "Janet Cowell". Raleigh News & Observer. Archived from the original on February 12, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
4. "Biography - Janet Cowell". Information Management Network. Archived from the original on September 5, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
5. ^ Beckwith, Ryan Teague (July 5, 2007). "Cowell for Treasurer". Raleigh News & Observer. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
6. Geary, Bob (June 27, 2001). "Fresh Start". IndyWeek. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
7. "Ex-State Treasurer Cowell Named CEO of Girls Who Invest". Bloomberg. January 10, 2018. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
8. "Janet Cowell to step down as Dix Park Conservancy CEO, eyes Raleigh mayoral run". WRAL. July 31, 2024. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
9. "Municipal and Run-off Election". Wake County, North Carolina. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
10. "Official Summary". Wake County Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
11. "2004 Primary Election Results" (PDF). North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
12. Hood, John (October 29, 2004). "A NC Senate Election Checklist". Carolina Journal. The John Locke Foundation. Archived from the original on March 10, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
13. "2004 General Election Results" (PDF). North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
14. "2006 General Election Results" (PDF). North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
15. Beckwith, Ryan Teague (October 26, 2007). "Young raises $180,000". Raleigh News & Observer. Archived from the original on December 22, 2013. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
16. "2008 Primary Elections". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
17. "2008 General Election". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
18. Bonner, Lynn; Niolet, Benjamin (January 10, 2009). "Council of State also sworn in today: These four among those who will help the new governor steer the ship of state". The News & Observer.
19. State Board of Elections - November 6, 2012 General Election
20. "NC treasurer Janet Cowell won't seek re-election in 2016". Archived from the original on October 14, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
21. WRAL: Former state treasurer Janet Cowell to become next Raleigh mayor
22. "Janet Cowell". Archived from the original on 2013-09-22. Retrieved 2024-11-12.

External links

• Cowell for Mayor campaign website
• Profile at Vote Smart

• 1968 births
• 21st-century American women politicians
• 21st-century mayors of places in North Carolina
• 21st-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly
• Democratic Party North Carolina state senators
• Living people
• Mayors of Raleigh, North Carolina
• Politicians from Memphis, Tennessee
• Raleigh City Council members
• State treasurers of North Carolina
• Women city councillors in North Carolina
• Women mayors of places in North Carolina
• Women state legislators in North Carolina