Thomas Ravenel

Former Treasurer, South Carolina

Thomas Ravenel was born in Charleston, the youngest of six children, and educated in Charleston public schools. Among his early accomplishments, he served as captain of his football and wrestling teams in high school. <br /> <br /> In 1981, Ravenel was accepted to enter the Corps of Cadets at The Citadel, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1985. After graduation, he sold real estate for four years. In 1991, he earned a Masters in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina, emphasizing Finance and Real Estate. <br /> <br /> In 1992, Ravenel founded Ravenel Development Corporation, a commercial real estate development company, and moved it the next year to Atlanta where he began to concentrate on retail projects including freestanding, single-tenant stores and strip-mall developments. He returned to Charleston in 1995. <br /> <br /> In 2006, Ravenel was elected statewide to the office of State Treasurer for the state of South Carolina. As State Treasurer, he was chairman of The State Board of Financial Institutions for the State of South Carolina, a member of The Budget and Control Board for the State of South Carolina, a member of The State of South Carolina Retirement System which invests approximately $30 billion in funds for the benefit of retired state employees.<br /> <br /> In 2008 Thomas plead guilty to the charge of Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine. The charge of distribution was based on Mr. Ravenel sharing, not selling, cocaine. The charge is a felony.<br /> <br /> In a real estate development career spanning 20 years, Thomas has successfully developed over seventy successful projects as an owner/developer in ten different states. In a career spanning two severe recessions, he has never defaulted on a loan, never missed a single payment, never been bankrupt, and never been involved in a real estate workout. <br /> <br /> Fifty one years old and single, Thomas is active in national and state organizations that promote free enterprise and liberty such as The Cato Institute. He is a member of the French Huguenot Church of Charleston and a number of South Carolina organizations. In his free time, he enjoys polo, boating and traveling.