Dale R. Folwell, CPA, “Sustaining Retiree Benefits in a Challenging Economy” (May 30)

Dale R. Folwell, CPA, State of North Carolina

State Treasurer

Sustaining Retiree Benefits in a Challenging Economy

Dale R. Folwell, CPA was sworn in as State Treasurer of North Carolina in January 2017. As the keeper of the public purse, Treasurer Folwell is responsible for the state’s pension fund. Valued at more than $100 billion, it is the 26th largest pool of public money in the world. The fund provides retirement benefits for more than 900,000 teachers, law enforcement officers and other public workers. Under Folwell’s leadership, the pension plan was rated among the top five highest-funded in the country, winning accolades for proactive management and funding discipline. Treasurer Folwell also oversees the State Health Plan, which covers more than 700,000 current and retired state employees and is the largest purchaser of health care in North Carolina.

Folwell was first elected to public office as a member of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education. He brought his problem-solving skills to the North Carolina General Assembly in 2004, where he served four terms in the House of Representatives, including one term as Speaker Pro Tempore. In 2013 Folwell was named Assistant Secretary of Commerce and led a successful effort to pay off $2.7 billion in federal unemployment debt and build a $1 billion surplus in just 30 months.

Treasurer Folwell began his career as a blue collar worker and became a Certified Public Accountant and
investment advisor after earning Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in accounting from UNC-Greensboro.
Married for 29 years, he and his wife Synthia have three children and live in Winston-Salem.