Cherie K. Berry
Cherie Killian Berry is the current North Carolina Commissioner of Labor, a member of the North Carolina Council of State and head of the North Carolina Department of Labor.[1]
Berry was born in Newton, North Carolina and owned a spark plug manufacturing business in Catawba County, North Carolina. A businesswoman, Berry served in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 1993 to 2000, where she chaired the commerce committee. In November 2000, she was elected state labor commissioner, the first woman to hold the post.[1] A Republican, (the only Republican on the Council of State between 2001 and 2005), she bested Democrat Wayne Goodwin to win a second term in the 2004 statewide elections.[1] Berry narrowly defeated Mary Fant Donnan to keep her seat in the 2008 election. Berry won a fourth four-year term in November 2012, defeating former Labor Commissioner John C. Brooks by more than 280,000 votes.[2]
Berry was criticized in a newspaper report on poultry plant oversight.[3] Berry's fundraising has also been called into question by the Charlotte Observer.[4]
Popular Culture
Berry has received a small following among younger North Carolinians due to her catchy name (when mispronounced as CHAIR-ree Berry, like the fruit) and her picture inside elevators in North Carolina. Her picture and signature appear inside all elevators in North Carolina on the Certification of Operation leading to her receiving the unofficial title of "The Elevator Lady". There have been multiple comical songs written about her.
References
- 1 2 3 "Commissioner's Office". NCDOL. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
- ↑ http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NC/42923/114645/Web01/en/summary.html
- ↑ Alexander, Ames (9 March 2008). "BERRY PLANS NO CHANGES AFTER STORIES ON POULTRY". Charlotte Observer.
- ↑ Alexander, Ames; Ingram, David (5 October 2008). "For donors to Berry, breaks on fines are larger". Charlotte Observer. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
External links
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