Denise Nappier facts for kids

Denise Lynn Nappier (born June 16, 1951) is an American who served as the Connecticut State Treasurer for 20 years, from 1999 to 2019. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Denise Nappier made history as the first African-American woman elected to a statewide office in Connecticut. She was also the first woman to be elected State Treasurer in Connecticut. In fact, she was the first African-American woman to serve as a state treasurer anywhere in the United States! In 2011, she was honored by being named to the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame.

In January 2018, Nappier announced she would not run for re-election. This meant she would not seek a sixth term in office.

Early Life and Education

Denise Nappier was born in Hartford, Connecticut, to Connie and Barbara Nappier. She and her two sisters, Diane and Donna, were triplets. They were the first triplets ever born at Mount Sinai Hospital in Hartford.

Denise and her sisters were very active in sports. They were good at gymnastics, track, golf, and cheerleading. In high school, Denise even organized a "Culottes Day." This was a protest against the school's dress code, which banned the popular skirt-pant combination. She graduated from Hartford Public High School in 1969.

Denise Nappier continued her education after high school. She earned her bachelor's degree from Virginia State University in 1973. Later, in 1975, she received her master's degree in City Planning from the University of Cincinnati. She also holds several special degrees called honorary degrees from different colleges. These include Teikyo Post University, Trinity College, Briarwood College, University of Hartford, and Saint Joseph College.

Starting Her Career in Public Service

After finishing her studies, Denise Nappier returned to Hartford. She began working as an analyst in the city manager's office. An analyst helps study information and solve problems. She also worked as a consultant for the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management.

From 1981 to 1984, she worked at the University of Connecticut. She was the Director of Institutional Relations for the University of Connecticut Health Center. During this time, she also led the Hartford Redevelopment Authority. This group helps improve and rebuild parts of the city.

In 1984, she became the executive director of Hartford Riverfront Recapture. Her job was to improve the area around the Connecticut River. She helped build a walkway connecting Hartford and East Hartford. She also expanded the park system along the riverbanks.

In 1989, Denise Nappier was elected as the Hartford City Treasurer. She held this important position for five terms, until 1998. As City Treasurer, she managed the city's money.

Serving as Connecticut State Treasurer

Becoming State Treasurer

In December 1997, Denise Nappier announced she wanted to become the Connecticut State Treasurer. She won the Democratic Party's nomination, even though it was a close race. In the main election, she faced the Republican leader, Paul J. Silvester. The election was very close. On November 6, 1998, it was announced that Denise Nappier had won by only 2,600 votes. This was one of the closest races for State Treasurer in Connecticut's history! Her victory made her the first African-American person elected to a statewide office in Connecticut.

She ran for re-election in 2002 and won against Ross Garber. She won with 55% of the votes. In 2006, she won again, this time with 63% of the votes. This was her highest percentage ever as State Treasurer. In 2010, she won her fourth term, defeating Jeff Wright with 54% of the votes. She was re-elected for a fifth term in 2014.

What the State Treasurer Does

As Connecticut's chief financial officer, Denise Nappier was in charge of about $64 billion in state funds. This included the state's retirement plans and trust funds. She made sure the state's money was managed wisely.

After the 2001 Enron scandal, Denise Nappier worked to get back $15 million that Connecticut's pension fund had lost. Enron was a company that hid billions of dollars in debt. Nappier became a strong supporter of stricter rules for financial institutions. She wanted to make sure companies were honest about their money.

In 2004, Nappier and then Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal sued a company called Forstmann Little & Company. They had lost $120 million of state money in bad investments. Nappier argued that the company had broken its promises and rules. She wanted to protect the state's investments.

In April 2009, Nappier asked the CEO of Bank of America, Ken Lewis, to resign. She also asked other leaders to step down. This was because the bank had lost a lot of money. As Treasurer, Nappier represented Connecticut's pension fund system. The state owned many shares in Bank of America. She believed that new leadership was needed for the bank to succeed. She also asked leaders of American International Group (AIG) to resign. This was after the company received a lot of money from the government but still gave out big bonuses.

Denise Nappier has been a member of important boards. These include the National Association of Corporate Directors and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems. She also served as the treasurer for the National Association of State Treasurers.