Jane Corwin

Corwin has said she spent 36 years working in the private sector, beginning her business career at age eight by delivering phone books for The Talking Phone Book, the family business that had been founded by her father, Wilbur Lewis, a former salesman. During her teen years, she proof-read the company's publications, and while in college, she was vice president of marketing. Corwin has stressed she did not grow up wealthy, noting that in the 1980s, her family almost lost their home. She began college at the private Ithaca College and had to transfer to the State University of New York at Albany because of cost concerns. She earned a B.A. degree in psychology from SUNY in 1985, and then attended Pace University earning an M.B.A. in finance in 1990. She worked on Wall Street from 1987 to 1990 as a research director for Henry Ansbacher, Inc., a British financial firm that helped large media conglomerates acquire small, locally owned newspapers. She also served on the board of directors of the Talking Phone Book as Secretary-Treasurer beginning in 1987, making strategic decisions for the company. After completing her education in 1990, she returned to Western New York State to marry Philip M. Corwin II whom she had met in graduate school. The couple worked at The Talking Phone Book with Philip serving as chief financial officer. She also began a family, and has said of this time, "I didn't go into the office every day ... We had more board discussions over the kitchen table than the board room." The business was sold to Hearst Corporation in 2004 for $400 million, making Corwin and her siblings wealthy, according to the Buffalo News. Campaign disclosure forms have indicated Corwin's personal assets is between $58 and $158 million, mainly derived from her family's business. ==Community activities==

Since 2004, Corwin has been President of the Philip M. and Jane Lewis Corwin Foundation to provide direct funding to educational, medical and religious charities that benefit children. A review of the foundation's financials by the Buffalo News indicated that more than half of its distributions have gone to Boston College, Philip Corwin's alma mater; the second largest recipient has been a school the Corwin children attended. In recent years, she has given $500 college scholarships to local public high school students, and has indicated she has not taken any tax benefits for her donations. She has also been a community volunteer, serving as president of a committee of the Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo, as confirmation leader at her church, and as a member of a committee of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. She served on the board of directors of Brookfield Country Club Women's Association and became a private sector protégé of Erie County Executive Christopher Collins serving as an assistant treasurer for his campaign from 2007 to 2008, according to the Buffalo News. ==State Assembly==

Corwin has said she entered politics in 2008 because she "could not stand idly by and watch state government spend away our children's future." During her first campaign for the Assembly, she said the State needed to adopt a business-like approach, cut spending, cut taxes, end "unfunded mandates" and improve the business environment. She won the primary for the 142nd Assembly District seat against three other Republican candidates including incumbent Assemblyman Mike Cole, who had the Republican party endorsement, but who had been censured for fraternizing with an intern one year earlier. Corwin went on to defeat Working Families Party candidate Jeffrey Bono in the November 2008 general election, receiving 89 percent of the vote. She ran uncontested in the November 2010 general election, receiving endorsements from the Conservative and Independence parties of New York State. While in the State Assembly, Corwin was appointed chair of the Assembly Minority Manufacturing Task Force and became ranking minority member of the Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee. She opposed a bill that would legalize gay marriage. She also opposed a loosening of state drug laws that would reduce long prison terms and give judges more leeway in sentencing, and voted "no" on a bill that required the unshackling of prisoners while giving birth. Based on her Assembly voting record on fiscal matters, the state Conservative Party placed her near the top in its 2009 and 2010 annual rankings of Assembly members. ==U.S. Congressional run==

In February 2011, U.S. Representative Chris Lee resigned abruptly after reports surfaced that he had been flirting with a woman on Craigslist. Corwin responded to attacks that she basically wants to eliminate Medicare, by airing an ad claiming her opponent Hochul wanted to cut Social Security and Medicare. Corwin's ad was based on Hochul's debate statement that budget talks should put everything on the table. A FactCheck.org representative called Corwin's ad, "bogus"; Corwin's campaign responded that Hochul also supports Obama's health care law which includes $500 billion in reductions in payments to Medicare Advantage private insurers. American Crossroads endorsed and provided support to Corwin's campaign, reflecting the national importance of the contest. The Rochester Business alliance endorsed Corwin, as did the FreedomWorks PAC. The Tea Party Express and TEA New York also endorsed Corwin with their leaders visiting Buffalo and Rochester to make it clear that Corwin was favored by the Tea Party, and to criticize Davis' use of the moniker. Roll Call reported that Corwin had invested nearly $2.5 million of her own funds in the campaign as of May 13; Davis had promised to spend as much as $3 million of his own funds; and outside funds coming from both liberal and conservative groups had already "turned the Buffalo and Rochester airwaves into a steady stream of campaign ads." On election day morning, Corwin obtained a court order from a Justice of the New York Supreme Court that took effect when the polls closed. The order would impound all voting equipment, temporarily enjoin the canvas of paper ballots and bar the certification of the winner pending further court proceedings. Corwin's campaign said such orders are usual in close elections. According to The Buffalo News, however, the order was likely rendered moot by Corwin's concession, also on May 24, 2011. ==Electoral history==

Corwin and her husband Philip have been married for 21 years. The couple have three children and reside in Clarence, New York. Philip was previously the chief financial officer of the Talking Phone Book and has been active in Erie County politics. He is vice chair of Erie County Industrial Development Agency, Erie County director of economic development, and a member of board of Buffalo Niagara Enterprise which gives economic development assistance to companies in Western New York State. ==References==