The Road Less Traveled takes Laura Neuman to County Executive

USPA NEWS - In a pool of contenders with a much higher profile and familiarity to politicos and county voters, Laura Neuman´s determination and “you have to make your own opportunities“ attitude has once again propelled her to the top, as she wakes up this morning as Anne Arundel County´s new Chief Executive.

In just three rounds of voting Anne Arundel County Council Chairman Jerry Walker (R-7) and council Democrats; Peter Smith (D-1), Jamie Benoit (D-5), and Chris Trumbauer (D-6) had once again banded together to move the Council forward in a legislative action. The 4-3 vote was enough to elect Laura Neuman as Anne Arundel County's new Chief Executive. Neuman replaces former convicted County Executive John R. Leopold, who was found guilty late last month on two counts of criminal misconduct in office.

Immediately after the meeting adjourned, Chairman Walker boasted in a tweet that read "#AnneArundel Council selected a fresh face, a political outsider, & the establishment GOP wanted the good old boy network. Not on my watch."

Who is Laura Neuman?

Laura Neuman is an inspirational and determined leader, who laid out her experiences, both personal and professional, for the all male Anne Arundel County Council.

She spoke of growing up in a home of modest means, dreaming as a child of graduating from college, and bettering herself, moving out of her parents home at 18, and being the victim of a violent rape shortly thereafter, and of talking her way into an interview with T. Rowe Price, even though she had not graduated from high school or college.

Impressed with her work ethic and tenacity, Laura was invited by Loyola College to be in their Executive MBA program. There was only one challenge, Neuman had not neither graduated from high school or college. She met with program leaders, and in a rare exception was admitted to the program, and she graduated with honors.

As a successful executive, Laura Neuman was offered jobs paying upwards of a half million dollars, but she turned them down. “I went to a bankrupt start-up that could not pay me a salary. They were two weeks from going out of business. I paid my mortgage on a credit card.

“Isn´t that crazy?“

Yes, it was crazy, but just crazy enough for Neuman to make it work. When Laura Neuman left Matrics, Inc. the owners sold the once bankrupt start-up for $230 million.

Speaking immediately after being appointed, Neuman said "Loyola took a chance on me, Anne Arundel County has taken a chance on me and I won't let them down."

Laura Neuman, 48, lives in Annapolis with her husband and two small children.

The new County Executive will be sworn in by Anne Arundel County Clerk of the Court, Robert Duckworth at a public ceremony at 10:00AM in the Courthouse.