Listen: Josh Mandel Standing Up to the Establishment with Principle and Ideas — 47:03

Josh Mandel was sworn in as the 48th Treasurer of the State of Ohio on January 10, 2011. Josh Mandel is a Marine Corps veteran who served two tours in Iraq and served as State Representative from the 17th Ohio House District. He was first elected State Representative in 2006, knocking on 19,679 doors and wearing out three pairs of shoes. In 2008 he was re-elected to a second term, representing a district with a 2:1 Democrat to Republican voter ratio. With broad bipartisan support, Josh was elected as Ohio’s Treasurer of State on November 2, 2010, winning 80 of Ohio’s 88 counties and as the top vote-getter of all statewide executive candidates.

Treasurer Mandel previously served as the Ranking Member of the Financial Institutions, Real Estate and Securities Committee, and dealt with issues concerning banks, investment firms, pension funds and other financial matters. Previously, as a member of the House Insurance Committee, he participated in the reconstruction of investment oversight for the multi-billion dollar Bureau of Workers’ Compensation investment fund. Additionally, Treasurer Mandel has focused on energy security issues, having served as Vice-Chairman of the Public Utilities Committee and a member of the Alternative Energy Committee.

During his four years in the General Assembly, Treasurer Mandel has devoted a great deal of energy towards the issues of fiscal discipline, improving the state’s business climate and reversing the exodus of young people from Ohio. Due to his leadership on these and other issues, Treasurer Mandel was named legislative "Rookie of the Year" by the non-partisan Columbus Monthly Magazine and "Watchdog of the Treasury" by the United Conservatives of Ohio.

Treasurer Mandel’s previous elected experience includes service as a Lyndhurst City Councilman, where he was elected in 2003 with more votes than any candidate for Council or Mayor. As Councilman, Treasurer Mandel served on the Finance Committee, dealing with issues including long-term fiscal forecasting, municipal investment strategy and bond-rating protections. Additionally, Treasurer Mandel introduced and led the fight for the first municipal property tax rollback in Lyndhurst history, which currently remains one of the only municipal property tax rollbacks in Ohio history.

Inspired by a strong sense of duty to country, Treasurer Mandel enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves in 2000, where he graduated first in his class from Marine Corps Boot Camp and first in his class from Marine Corps Intelligence School. His Marine Corps career spanned eight years, including two tours in Anbar Province, Iraq as an Intelligence Specialist. During both tours he was awarded the Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal for "superior performance of his duties."

Treasurer Mandel holds a Bachelor Degree from The Ohio State University, a Law Degree from Case Western Reserve University, and completed the Investment Decisions & Behavioral Finance program at Harvard University. Treasurer Mandel will protect and responsibly invest Ohioans hard-earned tax dollars and work on creative ways to fuel small business growth in Ohio. Through the use of technology, Treasurer Mandel is also committed to exploring new and innovative ways to make the Treasurer’s Office more streamlined and efficient. He and his wife Ilana reside in Lyndhurst, Ohio.