Erskine Bowles
Encyclopedia
Erskine Boyce Bowles (ˈɜrskən ˈboʊlz; born August 8, 1945) is an American businessman and political figure from North Carolina
. He served from 2005 to 2010 as the President of the University of North Carolina
system. In 1997–98 he served as White House Chief of Staff
and he also ran unsuccessfully for a North Carolina United States Senate
seat in 2002 and 2004.
Bowles was appointed in 2010 to co-chair President Barack Obama
's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
with Alan K. Simpson
.
and is the son of Jessamine Woodward Boyce Bowles and the late Hargrove "Skipper" Bowles, Jr.
, a Democratic
politician who once ran for Governor of North Carolina in 1972, but lost. Siblings include Hargrove Bowles III, Mary Holland Bowles Blanton and the late Martha Thomas Bowles. Bowles graduated from Virginia Episcopal School
before attending college. Bowles matriculated at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
, where he was admitted to the Zeta Psi
fraternity and graduated with a business degree. After briefly serving in the United States Coast Guard
, Bowles then enrolled in Columbia Business School
, where he earned an MBA.
Following graduation, Bowles worked for the financial firm Morgan Stanley
in New York City. There, he met his wife, Crandall Close; the two married in 1971 and moved to North Carolina, where Bowles worked on his father's 1972 gubernatorial campaign. Crandall and Erskine have three children: Sam, Annie, and Bill. In 1975, Bowles helped launch the investment firm of Bowles Hollowell Conner, and remained in the corporate sector until the 1990s.
Bowles was appointed in 2010 to co-chair President Barack Obama
's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
with Alan K. Simpson
.
's 1992 presidential campaign. President Clinton appointed Bowles to head the Small Business Administration
in 1993. From October 1994 to December 1995, Bowles served as Clinton's White House Deputy Chief of Staff, in the first-term of the Clinton Administration.
After briefly returning to Charlotte, North Carolina
, where he helped found the investment bank Carousel Capital, Bowles was appointed Clinton's Chief of Staff
in December 1996. One of Bowles's major responsibilities was dealing with federal budget negotiations between the White House and Congress. Bowles returned to Charlotte, North Carolina
and to the field of finance again in October 1998. He was also asked by North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt
to head a task force on rural economic prosperity.
after the September 11, 2001 attacks
and, in October 2001, declared his candidacy for the Senate as a Democratic candidate. Seeking to fill the seat being vacated by Jesse Helms
, Bowles secured the party's nomination, but was defeated in the 2002 general election by Republican contender Elizabeth Dole
.
In 2004, Bowles campaigned again for the Senate, seeking to fill the seat being vacated by fellow Democrat John Edwards
. He faced Republican Richard Burr
and Libertarian Tom Bailey
in a hotly contested race. The final month of the Senate campaign saw both Bowles's and Burr's campaigns turn strongly negative, with Burr's campaign attacking Bowles's associations with the Clinton administration
, while Bowles's campaign attacked Burr on his support of trade legislation and special interest donations. Both campaigns spent a great deal of money, making it one of the most expensive statewide races in North Carolina history.
Despite an early lead in the polls after the primaries, as well as fellow Democrat Mike Easley
running for a second term as governor at the top of the state party ticket, Bowles was defeated in the 2004 race as well. President Bush's comfortable electoral victory in North Carolina likely helped Burr considerably. During his concession speech in Raleigh at the Democratic headquarters, he thanked his supporters but seemed to indicate that he would not run for office again. Quoting his father, he said there were "many ways to add to the community woodpile" and that political office was only one of them. Accordingly, in 2005 Bowles accepted an appointment as United Nations Deputy Special Envoy for tsunami
-affected Countries, once again working for Bill Clinton who was now serving as U.N. Special Envoy.
's Board of Governors to succeed Molly Corbett Broad
as President of the system, even though some suggest that the Board of Governors broke the law in not holding public hearings in the hiring process. One of his most significant appointments thus far has been that of Holden Thorp
as the tenth chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Bowles also spoke at the campus memorial service in memory of slain student body president Eve Carson.
On February 12, 2010, Bowles announced his retirement from the UNC System. Bowles will be replaced by Thomas W. Ross
.
Bowles is also a member of the board of directors of General Motors, Morgan Stanley
, and North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company and serves on the North Carolina Advisory Board of DonorsChoose
.
Bowles was appointed in 2010 to co-chair President Barack Obama
's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
with Alan K. Simpson
.
On September 7, 2011, Facebook announced that it had named Bowles to its board.
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North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. He served from 2005 to 2010 as the President of the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
system. In 1997–98 he served as White House Chief of Staff
White House Chief of Staff
The White House Chief of Staff is the highest ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and a senior aide to the President.The current White House Chief of Staff is Bill Daley.-History:...
and he also ran unsuccessfully for a North Carolina United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
seat in 2002 and 2004.
Bowles was appointed in 2010 to co-chair President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a Presidential Commission created in 2010 by President Barack Obama to identify "…policies to improve the fiscal situation in the medium term and to achieve fiscal sustainability over the long run."...
with Alan K. Simpson
Alan K. Simpson
Alan Kooi Simpson is an American politician who served from 1979 to 1997 as a United States Senator from Wyoming as a member of the Republican Party. His father, Milward L. Simpson, was also a member of the U.S...
.
Early life and education
Bowles was born and raised in Greensboro, North CarolinaGreensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
and is the son of Jessamine Woodward Boyce Bowles and the late Hargrove "Skipper" Bowles, Jr.
Skipper Bowles
Hargrove "Skipper" Bowles, Jr. was an influential Democratic politician and businessman, based in Greensboro, North Carolina....
, a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician who once ran for Governor of North Carolina in 1972, but lost. Siblings include Hargrove Bowles III, Mary Holland Bowles Blanton and the late Martha Thomas Bowles. Bowles graduated from Virginia Episcopal School
Virginia Episcopal School
Virginia Episcopal School is a college preparatory school located in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA. It was founded in 1916 by Bishop Robert Carter Jett. By design, VES is a coeducational community of approximately 200 students and 40 residential faculty...
before attending college. Bowles matriculated at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, where he was admitted to the Zeta Psi
Zeta Psi
The Zeta Psi Fraternity of North America was founded June 1, 1847 as a social college fraternity. The organization now comprises about fifty active chapters and twenty-five inactive chapters, encompassing roughly fifty thousand brothers, and is a founding member of the North-American...
fraternity and graduated with a business degree. After briefly serving in the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
, Bowles then enrolled in Columbia Business School
Columbia Business School
Columbia Business School is the business school of Columbia University in Manhattan, New York City. It was established in 1916 to provide business training and professional preparation for undergraduate and graduate Columbia University students...
, where he earned an MBA.
Following graduation, Bowles worked for the financial firm Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley is a global financial services firm headquartered in New York City serving a diversified group of corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals. Morgan Stanley also operates in 36 countries around the world, with over 600 offices and a workforce of over 60,000....
in New York City. There, he met his wife, Crandall Close; the two married in 1971 and moved to North Carolina, where Bowles worked on his father's 1972 gubernatorial campaign. Crandall and Erskine have three children: Sam, Annie, and Bill. In 1975, Bowles helped launch the investment firm of Bowles Hollowell Conner, and remained in the corporate sector until the 1990s.
Bowles was appointed in 2010 to co-chair President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a Presidential Commission created in 2010 by President Barack Obama to identify "…policies to improve the fiscal situation in the medium term and to achieve fiscal sustainability over the long run."...
with Alan K. Simpson
Alan K. Simpson
Alan Kooi Simpson is an American politician who served from 1979 to 1997 as a United States Senator from Wyoming as a member of the Republican Party. His father, Milward L. Simpson, was also a member of the U.S...
.
The Clinton years
In 1992, he became more involved in politics as a fundraiser for Bill ClintonBill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
's 1992 presidential campaign. President Clinton appointed Bowles to head the Small Business Administration
Small Business Administration
The Small Business Administration is a United States government agency that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The mission of the Small Business Administration is "to maintain and strengthen the nation's economy by enabling the establishment and viability of small businesses...
in 1993. From October 1994 to December 1995, Bowles served as Clinton's White House Deputy Chief of Staff, in the first-term of the Clinton Administration.
After briefly returning to Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, where he helped found the investment bank Carousel Capital, Bowles was appointed Clinton's Chief of Staff
White House Chief of Staff
The White House Chief of Staff is the highest ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and a senior aide to the President.The current White House Chief of Staff is Bill Daley.-History:...
in December 1996. One of Bowles's major responsibilities was dealing with federal budget negotiations between the White House and Congress. Bowles returned to Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
and to the field of finance again in October 1998. He was also asked by North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt
Jim Hunt
James Baxter Hunt Jr. is an American politician who was the 69th and 71st Governor of the state of North Carolina . He is the longest-serving governor in the state's history.-Early life:...
to head a task force on rural economic prosperity.
Senatorial races
Although initially reluctant to seek political office, Bowles reconsidered a run for the United States SenateUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
after the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
and, in October 2001, declared his candidacy for the Senate as a Democratic candidate. Seeking to fill the seat being vacated by Jesse Helms
Jesse Helms
Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr. was a five-term Republican United States Senator from North Carolina who served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 1995 to 2001...
, Bowles secured the party's nomination, but was defeated in the 2002 general election by Republican contender Elizabeth Dole
Elizabeth Dole
Mary Elizabeth Alexander Hanford "Liddy" Dole is an American politician who served in both the Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush presidential administrations, as well as a United States Senator....
.
In 2004, Bowles campaigned again for the Senate, seeking to fill the seat being vacated by fellow Democrat John Edwards
John Edwards
Johnny Reid "John" Edwards is an American politician, who served as a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. He was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004, and was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008.He defeated incumbent Republican Lauch Faircloth in...
. He faced Republican Richard Burr
Richard Burr
Richard Mauze Burr is the senior United States Senator from North Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Burr represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives....
and Libertarian Tom Bailey
Tom Bailey
Thomas Aaron Bailey is an American farmer and libertarian activist. He was the Libertarian Party candidate for the United States Senate from North Carolina in the 2004 general elections. Bailey faced Democrat Erskine Bowles and Republican Richard Burr in the 2004 Senate election, earning about 1%...
in a hotly contested race. The final month of the Senate campaign saw both Bowles's and Burr's campaigns turn strongly negative, with Burr's campaign attacking Bowles's associations with the Clinton administration
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, while Bowles's campaign attacked Burr on his support of trade legislation and special interest donations. Both campaigns spent a great deal of money, making it one of the most expensive statewide races in North Carolina history.
Despite an early lead in the polls after the primaries, as well as fellow Democrat Mike Easley
Mike Easley
Michael Francis "Mike" Easley is an American politician who served as the 72nd Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina, from 2001 to 2009. He is member of the North Carolina Democratic Party and became the first North Carolina governor to admit to a felony in a deal that halted a lengthy...
running for a second term as governor at the top of the state party ticket, Bowles was defeated in the 2004 race as well. President Bush's comfortable electoral victory in North Carolina likely helped Burr considerably. During his concession speech in Raleigh at the Democratic headquarters, he thanked his supporters but seemed to indicate that he would not run for office again. Quoting his father, he said there were "many ways to add to the community woodpile" and that political office was only one of them. Accordingly, in 2005 Bowles accepted an appointment as United Nations Deputy Special Envoy for tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
-affected Countries, once again working for Bill Clinton who was now serving as U.N. Special Envoy.
Since 2005
On October 3, 2005, Bowles was elected by the University of North CarolinaUniversity of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
's Board of Governors to succeed Molly Corbett Broad
Molly Corbett Broad
Molly Corbett Broad is an American educational administrator and the former president of the University of North Carolina.-Early life and education:Broad was born in Pennsylvania, the daughter of two public school teachers...
as President of the system, even though some suggest that the Board of Governors broke the law in not holding public hearings in the hiring process. One of his most significant appointments thus far has been that of Holden Thorp
Holden Thorp
Herbert Holden Thorp is a chemist, inventor, musician, professor, and entrepreneur who is the tenth and current chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill . He began in that position on July 1, 2008, succeeding James Moeser, and, at age 43, was noted at the time as being among...
as the tenth chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Bowles also spoke at the campus memorial service in memory of slain student body president Eve Carson.
On February 12, 2010, Bowles announced his retirement from the UNC System. Bowles will be replaced by Thomas W. Ross
Thomas W. Ross
Thomas Warren Ross, Sr. is the president of the University of North Carolina system. He succeeded Erskine Bowles on January 1, 2011. Formerly, he was president of Davidson College, a private North Carolina liberal arts college from August 1, 2007 to January 1, 2011.Ross, a native of Greensboro,...
.
Bowles is also a member of the board of directors of General Motors, Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley is a global financial services firm headquartered in New York City serving a diversified group of corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals. Morgan Stanley also operates in 36 countries around the world, with over 600 offices and a workforce of over 60,000....
, and North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company and serves on the North Carolina Advisory Board of DonorsChoose
DonorsChoose
DonorsChoose.org is a United States based nonprofit organization that provides a way for people to donate directly to specific projects at public schools ....
.
Bowles was appointed in 2010 to co-chair President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a Presidential Commission created in 2010 by President Barack Obama to identify "…policies to improve the fiscal situation in the medium term and to achieve fiscal sustainability over the long run."...
with Alan K. Simpson
Alan K. Simpson
Alan Kooi Simpson is an American politician who served from 1979 to 1997 as a United States Senator from Wyoming as a member of the Republican Party. His father, Milward L. Simpson, was also a member of the U.S...
.
On September 7, 2011, Facebook announced that it had named Bowles to its board.
Electoral history
- 2004 election for U.S. Senate
- Richard BurrRichard BurrRichard Mauze Burr is the senior United States Senator from North Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Burr represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives....
(R), 52% - Erskine Bowles (D), 47%
- Richard Burr
- 2002 election for U.S. Senate
- Elizabeth DoleElizabeth DoleMary Elizabeth Alexander Hanford "Liddy" Dole is an American politician who served in both the Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush presidential administrations, as well as a United States Senator....
(R), 54% - Erskine Bowles (D), 45%
- Elizabeth Dole
External links
- Collected news and commentary at The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
- Appearances on Charlie RoseCharlie RoseCharles Peete "Charlie" Rose, Jr. is an American television talk show host and journalist. Since 1991 he has hosted Charlie Rose, an interview show distributed nationally by PBS since 1993...
- Issue positions at OnTheIssues.org
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