Candidate Biography (submitted by campaign):

Michael Weisel worked nearly twenty years as portfolio manager and financial executive at international financial firms like Kemper Financial Services and Wells Fargo Bank.  As an investment manager and pension fund advisor, he managed more than $1.25 billion in pension fund assets. 

Now an attorney with the firm of Bailey & Dixon, LLP, Mr. Weisel’s legal practice focuses in the areas of corporate finance, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, commercial real estate, business and corporate law, administrative and regulatory law, campaign finance and election law, and securities arbitration.

Michael Weisel serves as Chairman for Wake County Smart Start, Inc. overseeing a $19 million annual budget helping ensure the success of our most at-risk children in school and life.  He also volunteers his legal expertise, aiding Shodor Education Foundation to mentor women and minorities with science, technology, engineering and math skills.

Since 1992, Mr. Weisel has served as Trustee to the North Carolina Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement Systems and the Local Government Employees’ Retirement System, which oversee the State’s pension funds, as a member of the State Banking Commission, governing the state banking system, and the State Board of Community Colleges.

From 1999 through 2004, Mr. Weisel was Secretary and corporate board member of the North Carolina Railroad Company.  He served on the Legislative School Capital Construction Study Commission, whose work resulted in a successful bond issuance of $1.8 billion for new school construction.

Mr. Weisel holds accounting, business and history degrees from Guilford College, a law degree from Campbell University, a master’s degree in History from NCSU, and is currently completing his Ph.D. dissertation in Business History at Duke University. 

Michael Weisel is married to Dr. Deborah Lamm Weisel, formerly of Wilson, and has two daughters, Avery (14) and Schuyler (10).  They reside in Raleigh with their Shar-Pei rescue dogs.

As North Carolina State Treasurer, Michael Weisel will be a strong, forceful and independent voice for fiscal responsibility, keeping politics out of investment decisions, preventing politicians from raiding the state's pension fund.  Weisel will maintain our vital AAA bond rating and make sure North Carolina, like each of us - lives within our financial means.

The Treasurer's primary responsibility is to invest North Carolina’s pension monies wisely and prudently, to ensure our state’s financial obligations to our retirees and future retirees are met.  As an investment manager and pension fund advisor, he managed more than $1.25 billion in pension fund assets with firms like Kemper Financial Services and Wells Fargo Bank.  Michael Weisel is the only candidate with any actual investment experience in managing and protecting people’s money.

Maintaining our pension fund’s investment integrity is paramount.  We need to ensure the state’s investment management work is given to qualified firms based upon their records of performance without regard to political contributions or influence.  Michael Weisel is the only State Treasurer candidate who has refused political contributions from banks, investment managers, their PACs or anyone else who invests the State’s pension funds.

Please visit www.Weisel2008.org for Weisel’s complete platform.