Bev Perdue

Bev Perdue
Office of Governor Beverly Perdue · Public domain · source
Name	Bev Perdue
Birth name	Beverley Earle
Birth date	14 January 1947
Birth place	Grundy, Virginia, U.S.
Party	Democratic Party
Spouse	Walter Perdue Jr.
Alma mater	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Office	73rd Governor of North Carolina
Term start	January 10, 2009
Term end	January 5, 2013
Predecessor	Mike Easley
Successor	Pat McCrory
Office2	31st Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina
Term start2	January 6, 2001
Term end2	January 10, 2009
Predecessor2	Dennis Wicker
Successor2	Walter Dalton

Bev Perdue is an American politician who served as the 73rd Governor of North Carolina from 2009 to 2013 and as the 31st Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the first woman elected to both statewide offices in North Carolina history and represented the state in roles interacting with institutions such as the North Carolina General Assembly, the United States Department of Transportation, and regional entities. Her tenure intersected with national events involving leaders such as Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and state contemporaries like Mike Easley and Pat McCrory.

Early life and education

Perdue was born Beverley Earle in Grundy, Virginia and raised in Edgecombe County, North Carolina near Tarboro, North Carolina, the daughter of parents connected to rural industries and community institutions in North Carolina and Virginia. She graduated from Tarboro High School before attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she studied journalism and participated in student organizations that connected her with statewide media institutions like the Raleigh News & Observer and civic groups such as the League of Women Voters. During her formative years she engaged with regional political figures and public policy debates involving offices like the North Carolina House of Representatives and agencies including the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Early career and state politics

After college Perdue worked in publishing and communications for newspapers and local organizations, collaborating with editorial staffs and municipal officials in towns across North Carolina and Virginia. She entered public life through appointed boards and commissions tied to community development and health, interacting with stakeholders from institutions such as Blue Cross Blue Shield Association affiliates, local chapters of United Way, and county governments. Perdue won election to the North Carolina Senate in the 1990s, where she served on committees addressing finance and public services and worked alongside legislators from delegations that included members of the North Carolina General Assembly, negotiating with governors such as Jim Hunt and former governors like Jim Martin on budgetary and infrastructure matters.

Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina

In 2000 Perdue was elected Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, serving under Governor Mike Easley and succeeding Dennis Wicker. As lieutenant governor she presided over the North Carolina Senate and chaired councils and commissions, interfacing with entities like the North Carolina Community College System, the University of North Carolina System, and regional economic development authorities. Her initiatives involved collaboration with federal programs administered by the United States Department of Education and the United States Department of Labor, and coordination with state leaders such as Howard Lee and A. J. Fletcher on workforce and education policy. Perdue won reelection in 2004, reinforcing ties with advocacy groups, municipal leaders, and members of Congress including representatives from North Carolina's congressional delegation.

Governor of North Carolina

Perdue announced her gubernatorial campaign in the late 2000s, winning the Democratic nomination and the general election to become governor in 2008, taking office in January 2009 and succeeding Mike Easley. Her administration confronted the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and coordinated with the Obama administration on stimulus funding, engaging federal partners such as the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the United States Department of Commerce. As governor she appointed officials to state agencies including the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, worked with the North Carolina General Assembly on budgets and reform measures, and faced electoral challenges culminating in the 2012 election that brought Pat McCrory to the governorship.

Political positions and policy initiatives

Perdue's policy agenda emphasized fiscal management, energy and environmental issues, and education, working with institutions like the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Governors Association, and regional utilities such as Duke Energy. She advanced measures related to coastal management that involved coordination with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the North Carolina Coastal Federation, promoted job creation through partnerships with the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina and manufacturers including GE Aviation affiliates, and supported higher education initiatives in conjunction with the University of North Carolina System and community colleges. Perdue's decisions on tax policy, Medicaid expansions, and transportation funding required negotiation with the North Carolina General Assembly and engagement with advocacy organizations such as AARP and labor groups including the North Carolina AFL–CIO.

Later career and legacy

After leaving office in 2013 Perdue remained active in civic affairs, serving on boards and advisory councils linked to institutions like the Kisatchie National Forest advisory groups, nonprofit organizations, and higher education foundations affiliated with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her legacy is discussed in analyses by media outlets including the News & Observer and cited in scholarship on state governance by academics connected to Duke University, North Carolina State University, and national policy centers such as the Brookings Institution and the Heritage Foundation. Perdue's role as the first woman elected to her state's two highest offices is noted alongside other pioneering female governors such as Ann Richards and Jane Swift in studies of gender and political leadership.

Category:Governors of North Carolina Category:Lieutenant Governors of North Carolina Category:University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni Category:North Carolina Democrats