Steven Matheson says he has been thinking about running for public office since he graduated from college nearly 30 years ago.

Matheson, a Republican Primary candidate for Kootenai County Treasurer, said he's seeking election now because he wants better government.

"I want educated, qualified leaders in our community," he said.

The county is, in Matheson's opinion, not well-run. He said that with his financial management skills, training and abilities, he believes he could likely make a positive impact.

"My entire career has been in financial risk management focusing on safety and soundness, compliance with laws and maximizing investment returns safely and prudently," Matheson said.

He points to his undergraduate degrees in finance and accounting, and various finance management credentials, licenses and certifications he's held through the years, as evidence of the skills he would bring to the Treasurer's Office.

The greatest challenge Matheson said he believes he will face if elected is ensuring the safety and soundness of the taxpayers' money.

Matheson said he conducted an inspection of the Treasurer's Office, with the approval of the Board of County Commissioners.

"What I found was disturbing," Matheson said.

He said he discovered internal control deficiencies and an investment policy that hasn't been updated in 13 years.

If elected, Matheson said he will also be challenged to improve the "financial capabilities" of the county.

He said that in 28 years of financial risk management, he has never seen an organization the size of Kootenai County "so lacking in financial capabilities."

Matheson said that if elected, another priority will be to increase the investment returns of the county's portfolio, by making changes that will increase the returns quickly. In one instance, on a $5 million portfolio connected with Fighting Creek Landfill, Matheson said the county could increase the annual return by $125,000 by changing the maturity date of those investments.

"We have people making decisions who don't have the skills and background to ensure that our taxpayer money is managed well," Matheson said.

He said that if elected, the first thing he will do is review all the documents in the Treasurer's Office.

"I want to make sure all the taxpayer money is where it's supposed to be, it's accounted for, we have internal controls and the separation of duties," Matheson said.

Matheson said he will also seek to create avenues of communication between the commissioners and other county offices, that he does not believe exist now.

"What I'm trying to emphasize is this election is about qualifications. It's not about politics," Matheson said. "When we have officeholders that are not qualified in making decisions, it impacts us all, unfortunately, negatively."

Profile:

Steven Matheson

Age: 50

Profession: semi-retired, 28 years of experience in financial management; former executive director, JPMorgan Global Derivatives Group in Chicago; former managing director, financial risk management, Bank One, Columbus, Ohio; former vice president and audit director, Seattle First National.

Educational background: Central Washington University, undergraduate degrees in accounting and finance; University of Virginia Darden School of Business, Executive Leadership Program; previously held Certified Public Accountant certificate in Washington; previously held Series 7 and 63 investment licenses; municipal adviser registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board.

How many years a resident of your city? 5

Marital status: Married to my eighth-grade sweetheart

Family: Two kids at Boise State University and one at Canfield Middle School

Hobbies: Hunting, fishing, skiing and hiking

Political Party Affiliation: Republican