NORTH CAROLINA — Primary results finalized Friday and remaining contenders for state office have reported their stock holdings to the North Carolina Ethics Commission ahead of the November election.
READ MORE: Primary Election 2024: Check in for results
State-level public officials and candidates are required to file annual “Statements of Economic Interest” — including stock holdings over $10,000 held by candidates and their spouses at the end of the prior year — to the Ethics Commission.
While North Carolina state officials and candidates are only required to disclose stock holdings over $10,000, federal disclosures include stock trades and sales. Federal reports also include more detail on stock holding amounts, including categories of up to $15,000, up to $50,000, up to $100,000, up to $250,000 up to $500,000, and up to $1,000,000.
Port City Daily reached out to Ethics Commission Executive Director Kathleen Edwards to ask why officials are not required to document stock trades or sales and if the commission is considering requiring more detailed disclosures in the future, but did not receive a response by press.
“Trading information is certainly more granular than holdings data,” UNCW finance professor Steve Horan told PCD. “Whether or not the Ethics Commission should require more disclosure depends on what they are looking for and how much effort they want to put into flagging concerning activity.”
PCD reviewed candidates’ SEIs to provide a list of stocks over $10,000 held by current candidates and their spouses — as well other notable financial interests — included in their 2024 statements of economic interest. This article is the first in a three-part series, covering candidates for leadership positions of state agencies. Part one covers elections for state agencies; two legislators in the Cape Fear region, and three covers judicial elections.
North Carolina Governor
REP: Mark Robinson is North Carolina’s Lieutenant Governor.
No stock holdings listed. Robinson amended his 2023 SEI after a WBTV investigation found he failed to disclose his wife Yolanda Hill’s position on the board of two charter schools receiving state funds.
DEM: Josh Stein is North Carolina’s Attorney General.
Stein’s investments are held in a blind trust and listed as unknown. His SEI includes two nonprofit positions receiving state funds; he is the director of teen smoking prevention nonprofit Truth Initiative and his wife Anna Stein is the director of Temple Beth Or preschool.
The Attorney General’s 2024 SEI includes estimated payments from conferences, including:
- Board retreat for Truth Initiative: $1,889
- Attorney General Alliance delegation for Israel: $4,600
- National Association of Attorneys General symposium: $1,243
- NAAG annual meeting: $1,379
- Democratic Attorneys General Association policy conference: $1,624
- DAGA holiday party: $300
North Carolina Lieutenant Governor
DEM: Rachel Hunt has served as NC’s district 42 senator since 2023 and previously served two terms in the House. Stocks over $10,000 owned by Hunt and her husband include:
- GlaxoSmithKline
- Novo Nordisk
- Sixth Street Specialty
- Apple Inc.
- Delta Airlines
- Eli Lilly
- Medtronic
- Nvidia
- Visa
REP: Hal Weatherman III is the president of nonprofit The Electoral Education Foundation. His 2024 SEI does not include stock holdings.
North Carolina Secretary of State
DEM: Elaine Marshall is the incumbent Secretary of State and is a board member of the Local Government Commission and the Capital Planning Commission. Stocks over $10,000 include:
- Truist
- PNC Financial Services
- Royal Bank of Canada
- First Bank
- AT&T Inc.
- Oncok, Inc.
- Prologis, Inc.
- Welltower, Inc.
- ChanelAdvisor Corp.
REP: Chad Brown is the chairman of the Gaston County board of commissioners and works as a sales manager for Pennsylvania Steel. His 2024 SEI does not include stock holdings.
North Carolina Treasurer
REP: Brad Briner is an investment manager at Willett Advisors. He is the registered agent and managing member of Brisun Partners LLC and North Street Properties LLC. He is also a member of the UNC Chapel Hill board of trustees and public holding company Boston Omaha.
His stock holdings over $10,000 of publicly owned companies include:
- Berkshire Hathaway
- Boston Omaha
- Eaton Vance Senior Floating Rate Trust
- Ventas
- Axelum Resources
- Energy Transfer
- Equity Residential
- Glencore
- Shanghai Lily and Beauty
- Silverbow Resources
Briner’s private interests owned by Brisun Partners listed over $10,000:
- Brisun Partners LLC
- 24th Street Fund I
- BORE Hirsch, LLC
- Battle Opportunities I LP
- Battle Opportunities II LP
- Dynamic LP Investment Holdings
- EMG Fund V LP
- EMG Fund V-A LP
- Florida Real Estate Value Fund II LLP
- Florida Real Estate Value Fund III LLP
- Longpoint Minerals LLC
- North Street Properties LLC
- Revere Capital III LP
Other private interests over $10,000:
- Arctos Holdings
- Dynamic NC Aerospace
- Metal Finishing Technologies
- Oceus Networks
- Waterleaf International
- B&A Investment Partners
- Turbopower Aerospace Holdings
- Baffinland Iron Mines
- Spur Energy
- Flat River Minerals
- Serra Verde
- Oxbow Crush
- Catahoula Resources
DEM: Wesley Harris has served as North Carolina’s representative for the 105th district since 2019. His 2024 SEI reports income over $10,000 from consulting with Beacon Economics LLC and does not include stock holdings.
North Carolina Attorney General
DEM: Jeff Jackson has served as North Carolina representative for the 14th district since 2023 and previously served on the senate’s 34th district from 2014-2022. His 2024 SEI does not include stock holdings.
REP: Dan Bishop has served as NC representative for the 8th district since 2019. His 2024 SEI does not include stock holdings.
North Carolina Auditor
DEM: Jessica Holmes is the incumbent state auditor; Governor Roy Cooper appointed her to the position in December 2023. Her 2024 SEI reports wages over $5,000 from nonprofit consulting with the NC Institute of Political Leadership and does not include stock holdings.
REP: Republican candidates Jack Clark and Dave Boliek were the two top finishers among six candidates in the primary elections. Clark received 23% of the vote and Boliek received 22%.
NC law allows runoff elections if the top candidate receives less than 30% of the vote; Clark and Boliek will compete in a runoff election May 14.
Jack Clark is a research assistant for budget policy in the General Assembly. His 2024 SEI does not include stock holdings.
Dave Boliek is an attorney with Williford, Boliek, and Frangakis LLP and serves on the UNC Chapel Hill board of trustees. Boliek and his spouse reported stock holdings of public companies over $10,000, including:
- Apple, Inc.
- Disney, Inc.
- American Express, Inc.
- Bank of America, Inc.
- Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
- Amazon, Inc.
- Robin Hood Mkts., Inc.
- Coca-Cola, Inc.
- Chevron, Inc.
Boliek’s listed interests in private companies include:
- Pediatric Developmental Therapy, Inc.
- Keilob, LLC
- Williford, Boliek, and Frangakis
North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture
REP: Steve Troxler is the incumbent commissioner of agriculture. Troxler’s SEI includes interest in The HomePlace of Browns Tourism, LLC, listed as an agritourism business owned by the candidate and his wife.
DEM: Sarah Taber is the owner of agriculture consulting firms Boto WaterWorks and robotics engineering firm Flöt Co. Taber’s 2024 SEI lists interests in her two private companies and does not include stock holdings.
North Carolina Commissioner of Labor
REP: Luke Farley is a construction and OSHA attorney with Ellis & Winters LLP; his 2024 SEI lists interests over $10,000 in the law firm and does not include stock holdings.
DEM: Braxton Winston II served on Charlotte’s city council from 2017-2023 and is a camera operator with the Charlotte Hornets. His 2024 SEI does not include stock holdings.
North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance
REP: Mike Causey is the incumbent insurance commissioner. His 2024 SEI does not include stock holdings.
DEM: Natasha Marcus has served as NC’s senator of the 41st district since 2019. Her 2024 SEI does not include stock holdings.
North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction
REP: Michelle Morrow works in property management for B&B Properties and is a board member of nonprofit the Pavement Education Project. Morrow’s 2024 SEI does not include stock holdings.
DEM: Mo Green is the former executive director of education nonprofit the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation and superintendent of Guilford County Schools. His 2024 SEI does not include stock holdings.
Tips or comments? Email journalist Peter Castagno at peter@localdailymedia.com.
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