State Treasurer Curt Meier announces he will seek re-election

Today, Wyoming State Treasurer Curt Meier (R, LaGrange) formally announced that he is seeking re-election to the office he won four years ago. He is seeking a second term because he is committed to implementing an unprecedented level of financial expertise and professionalism in the State Treasurer’s Office for the people of Wyoming.

“It has been an honor to serve the citizens of our great state as Wyoming’s Treasurer, and it is my desire to continue providing effective leadership, solid returns, and excellent service in managing the people’s investments,” Meier said.

Meier won election to his current post in November 2018 after serving 24 years in the Wyoming State Senate, and was sworn in as Wyoming’s 31st State Treasurer on January 7, 2019.

In the first three years of his term, the office’s investments grew from $20.12 Billion to more than $25.05 Billion. Those accounts provided hundred of millions of dollars each year to Wyoming’s general fund to address both essential and special interest needs of Wyoming taxpayers, while also bolstering the state’s education and workers’ compensation funds.

“My goal has always been to keep government taxation and spending at its lowest possible level so that the private sector can thrive without needless government interference or burdensome taxes,” Meier said.

Under his management the State Treasurer’s Office has achieved great success in safeguarding taxpayer money and growing the state’s assets. He is also leading a modernization of the office’s accounting and administrative functions to create efficiencies and limit expenses in an effort to produce a higher level of fiscal accountability in state government.

“Over the past two years, the investment team at the State Treasurer’s Office has repeatedly beaten their investment benchmarks, and it appears likely that they are about to do so for a third straight year,” Meier said. “I think that is really impressive when you consider that over 80% of investment professionals fail this level of achievement for just one year, let alone three.”

Meier is also proud to report that the Peterson Institute for International Economics has examined the Wyoming State Treasurer’s Office in the areas of governance, transparency, accountability, structure, and behavior and found that Wyoming is now the #1 rated sovereign wealth fund in the United States, and #3 in the world behind only Norway and New Zealand.

Additionally, the Unclaimed Property Division of the State Treasurer’s Office continues to set new records for both the total number of recipients who have benefitted from their efforts, and the amount of dollars and stocks returned to the lawful owners of the claimed property. Last year alone Meier’s team issued 5,487 checks, and more than $7.42 Million was paid back to rightful owners.

Meier credited the team he has built since taking office a little over three years ago with these successes — and others — and said he is excited to see how much more they can accomplish in a second term.

“Our dedicated employees are the heart and soul of the Treasurer’s Office and I am proud of the work we have done together. There are just so many things that are going right in our office, and what is really rewarding to the people working there is that they get to make a difference in people’s lives. We’ve improved the lives of every person in Wyoming in some way,” he said.

The achievements of the State Treasurer’s Office under Meier’s leadership represent a continuation of nearly three decades of public service to the State of Wyoming and its people.

Prior to winning election to statewide office in 2018, Meier served on the State Treasurer Advisory Committee during the terms of former Treasurers Cynthia Lummis and Joe Meyer. During his legislative career, he served on the Select Committee on Capital Financing and Investments, and was the Legislative Liaison to the State Retirement Board. He was a member of the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee, and also served as Chairman of both the Corporations, Elections, and Political Subdivisions Committee and the Transportation, Highway and Military Affairs Committee. Before joining the legislature, he was appointed to the State Board of Education by Governor Mike Sullivan.

Meier has been recognized by numerous organizations for the work he has done for the citizens of Wyoming, and is especially proud of the distinguished Patrick Henry Award from the Wyoming National Guard Association for his “outstanding and exceptional service to the armed forces.”

A graduate of the University of Wyoming, Curt holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science, and is a successful businessman. He operates a farm and ranch in his hometown of La Grange, and formerly owned and operated an irrigation business. His wife, Charlene, was a dedicated elementary school teacher until she retired in 2019 after serving the children of Goshen County for 45 years.

“I’ve spent my entire adult life working hard to keep Wyoming the best place in the world to live, work, play, raise a family, and start a business, and I would be honored to continue serving the people of this great state for four more years as your State Treasurer,” Meier said.