Fern Shubert's Biographical Information

Native North Carolinian

Father, Ernest Lee Haywood, was born in Waxhaw, NC
Mother, Nell Redfearn Haywood, was born in Wingate, NC
Lifelong ties to Union County
Family ties to this area go back before the Revolution

Family

Married 26 years to Jerry J. Shubert, USAF (Ret.)
Son, Lee Redfearn Shubert
Stepdaughter, Tamara Shubert Hayward, M.D. who is married to Don Hayward
Grandson, Benjamin Hayward,3; Granddaughter Megan Hayward, 1 Member, Marshville United Methodist Church

Education

Attended North Carolina public schools through high school
Graduated from Duke University with degree in Business Administration in 1969
Graduated from Duke magna cum laude, Elected to Phi Beta Kappa

Professional

Passed CPA exam May 1969. Went to work for Arthur Andersen & Company in their Charlotte office in 1969. Worked as a CPA for various employers until returning to Union County in 1991 and opening an office in Marshville to practice as a CPA as a sole proprietor. Member of the American Institute of CPAs and the NC Association of CPAs.
Former member of Tax Executives Institute. Was one of the original convenors of the US Internet Council. (usic.org). Some audit experience; worked primarily in tax and consulting.

Political

Elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 1994, 1996 and again in 2000. Elected to NC Senate in 2002. Chosen as Senate Minority Whip. Served as Co-Chair of the Education Issues Study Committee and Co-Chair of the Education Committee of the NC House of Representatives. Co-sponsor of the Excellent Schools Act, keeping her campaign commitment to improve salaries for good teachers and make it easier to dismiss bad teachers. Helped pass legislation to end the requirement that public schools go through state purchasing when purchasing was overcharging. Sponsored and obtained passage of legislation to end the sales tax on public schools.
Helped pass bills to permit charter schools, to get more qualified teachers into public school classrooms, and to require the Department of Public Instruction to base reading instruction on research rather than popular fads.

Personal Interests

Currently Director of the NC Division of the National Right to Read Foundation.
For information on this organization or reading, go to their web site: www.nrrf.org