Jack A. Markell

Infobox Officeholder
name = Jack A. Markell


office2 = Treasurer of Delaware
term_start2 = January 16 1999
term_end2 =
predecessor2 = Janet C. Rzewnicki
successor2 =
party = Democratic
birth_date = birth date and age|1960|11|26
birth_place = Newark, Delaware
death_date =
death_place =
spouse = Carla
residence = Centerville, Delaware
alma_mater = Brown University
occupation = corporate executive
religion = Jewish
website = [http://www.markell.org/ www.markell.org]

Jack A. Markell (born November 26 1960) is an American businessman and politician from Centerville, in New Castle County, Delaware. He is a member of the Democratic Party, who is the incumbent state treasurer of Delaware. He is serving his third term and is the Democratic nominee for Governor of Delaware in 2008. If elected he will be Delaware's first Jewish governor.

Early Life and Family

Markell graduated from Newark High School and Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, with degrees in economics and development studies and received an MBA degree from the University of Chicago. He is married to Carla Markell, whom he met while attending Newark High School. They have two children, Molly and Michael.

Professional career

Markell served as Vice President for Corporate Development at Nextel, where he was responsible for coming up with the name “Nextel,” and helping to lead the movement to wireless technology. His other work experience included a senior management position at Comcast Corporation as well as posts as a consultant at McKinsey and Company, Inc. and as a banker at First Chicago Corporation.

Treasurer of Delaware

Markell was first elected State Treasurer of Delaware in 1998, unseating Republican incumbent Janet C. Rzewnicki, and was re-elected in 2002 and 2006.

As State Treasurer, Markell has led the development of several educational efforts in personal financial management, known collectively as "the Financial Literacy initiatives." He created the Delaware Money School which offers free classes to Delawareans throughout the year on topics such as saving for college and retirement planning. He also began the “Delaware Bank at School Program” which takes banks and financial education to schools. In a third program, he has partnered with the University of Delaware, Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship, as well as leading Delaware banks, to teach young children the basics of money and savings.

In 2001 Governor Ruth Ann Minner chose Markell to chair the Information Services Task Force, which developed and implemented recommendations to modify the state's management of information technology. In 2002 he led an effort to streamline and coordinate the procurement of goods and services while using state of the art purchasing techniques. He has also led the “Health Rewards” initiative which offers Delaware state government employees with comprehensive physical assessments, detailed statistics about how their health compares with their peers across the country and recommendations about how they can improve their health.

For several years, Markell has helped lead a campaign, sponsored by the Nehemiah Gateway Development Corporation, to promote awareness of the federal earned income tax credit and, since 1999, Markell has been chairman of the Delaware College Investment Plan..

Markell had over $1.5 million in his campaign fund, raising about $600,000. $750,000 of his campaign war chest was a loan from him to his campaign organization, Friends of Jack Markell. Erik Schramm, former campaign coordinator for Gov. Ruth Ann Minner's re-election, ran Markell's re-election campaign team. Working along side Schramm was Dana Rohrbough, who was campaign coordinator for Matt Denn's insurance commissioner campaign in 2004. The two former heads of Markell's campaign represent the combination of the campaign teams from the two most competitive races in 2004, governor and insurance commissioner.

Recognition

In 2002 the “Delaware Financial Literacy Initiatives” were chosen by the Council of State Governments as one of the top state government programs in its innovation awards program. Then in 2004 the “Health Rewards” initiative was chosen for the same recognition.

At the 2000 Democratic National Convention, Markell was selected by the Democratic Leadership Council as one of the 100 "rising stars" of the party. That same month New Democrat Magazine spotlighted him in a group of just ten innovative leaders from around the country under the age of 40. In October 2001, Philly Tech Magazine named Markell as the only Delawarean and the only government official on its list of the ten most influential technology leaders in the Philadelphia region. In 2004, the Aspen Institute selected Markell as the first Delawarean and first elected official for its Crown Fellow program.

Markell was the heavily favored candidate for reelection as State Treasurer in 2006. He had no primary opponent and his general election opponent was Republican Esthelda R. Parker Selby. He won the 2006 election with 70.5% of the vote.

2008 Governor campaign

On June 6, 2007 Jack Markell officially launched his much anticipated candidacy for Governor of Delaware, setting up a primary with Lt. Governor John Carney. Markell has shattered previous campaign records by raising 1.5 million dollars in contributions from almost 3000 individuals since his announcement in June of 2007. According to campaign finance reports, Markell has approximately 2.5 million dollars in the bank, 1.5 million dollars more than his opponent.

Beginning in the summer of 2007, Markell has released 14 policy papers on issues ranging from energy, to health care, to education. All policies are available on Markell's website, www.markell.org. The major difference between Markell and his primary opponent, Carney, are their plans for universal health care. Markell's plan has been described as completely universal, while his opponent has offered what he describes to be an "incremental approach."

University of Virginia political science professor Larry Sabato wrote on his nationally recognized website, Crystal Ball '08, that "Jack Markell appears to have the momentum for now as John Carney is stuck with the baggage of the Minner administration." Sabato goes on to cite "a poll [which] found Minner to be the 38th ranked governor in the nation, with a 42 percent approval rating and a 53 percent disapproval rating. Prior to Markell's announcement for Governor, Fairleigh Dickinson released a poll citing Markell's 55% approval rating compared to Carney's 47% approval rating.

Markell has been endorsed by 21st Century Democrats and Democracy for America. In response to Carney's list of approximately 600 public supporters, Markell released a list of almost 3000 supporters. Markell will face Carney in the September 9th Democratic primary.

Jack Markell won the primary election on September 9th by a 51/49 margin according to the unofficial results from the state election website at http://elections.delaware.gov/results/html/election.shtml

Almanac

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1st. The State Treasurer takes office the third Tuesday of January and has a four year term.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" | Public Offices
-! Office! Type! Location! Elected! Term began! Term ended! notes
- Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Treasurer
Executive
Dover
1998
January 16 1999
January 18 2003|
-
- Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Treasurer
Executive
Dover
2002
January 18 2003
January 16 2007|
-
- Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Treasurer
Executive
Dover
2006
January 16 2007
January 18 2011|
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=13 style="background: #ccccff;" |Election results
-!Year!Office!Election!!Subject!Party!Votes!%!!Opponent!Party!Votes!%
-
1998
State Treasurer
General|
Party shading/Democratic |Jack A. Markell
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |103,407
Party shading/Democratic |58%|
Party shading/Republican |Janet C. Rzewnicki
Party shading/Republican |Republican
Party shading/Republican |74,633
Party shading/Republican |42%
-
2002
State Treasurer
General|
Party shading/Democratic |Jack A. Markell
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |147,390
Party shading/Democratic |66%|
Party shading/Republican |Ronald G. Poliquin
Party shading/Republican |Republican
Party shading/Republican |75,344
Party shading/Republican |34%
-
2006
State Treasurer
General|
Party shading/Democratic |Jack A. Markell
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |174,382
Party shading/Democratic |70.5%|
Party shading/Republican |Esthelda R. Parker-Selby
Party shading/Republican |Republican
Party shading/Republican |73,003
Party shading/Republican |29.5%
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

References

*cite web |url= http://www.delawaregrapevine.com/1-06stateofstate.asp |title= A healthy competition between Jack and John |author= |last= Cohen |first= Celia |authorlink= |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Delaware Grapevine |pages=
*cite web |url= http://www.state.de.us/treasure/biography.shtml |title= Biography |author= |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |work= |publisher= State of Delaware |pages=
*http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080123/NEWS/801230334
*https://www.markell.com/issues.aspx
*http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/2008/governor/?state=DE
*http://publicmind.fdu.edu/detpke/tab.html

External links

* [http://www.state.de.us/treasure/ Delaware's Treasurer Jack Markell] official state site
* [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=20068&c=423232 Follow the Money - Jack A. Markell] 2004 campaign contributions
* [http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=BDE10419 Project Vote Smart - Jack A. Markell (DE)] profile
* [http://www.markell.org/ Jack Markell Delaware State Treasurer] official campaign site
* [http://www2.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2002/09/09creditcardfeesc.html Credit-card fees costing state millions] "Delaware Online", September 9, 2002

Places with more information

* [http://www.lib.udel.edu/ University of Delaware Library] 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware [phone].
* [http://www.co.new-castle.de.us/libraries/newark/library1.asp Newark Free Library] 750 Library Ave., Newark, Delaware [phone].
* [http://www.corbitlibrary.org/ Corbit-Calloway Memorial Library] 2nd and High St., Odessa, Delaware [phone].
* [http://www.hsd.org/ Historical Society of Delaware] 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware [phone].