Fitzgerald was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, in 1951. His parents, James and Clara, were farmers, first near State Center and later Colo. He graduated from Colo Community High School in 1970 and received his bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Iowa in 1974. Fitzgerald worked as a marketing analyst for Massey Ferguson in Des Moines for eight years before being elected State Treasurer of Iowa in 1982.[1][2]
As State Treasurer, Fitzgerald acted as Iowa's banker and chief financial officer. [1]
He served as administrator of Iowa's 529 plan, formerly College Savings Iowa which is a college savings advice service.[3]
Fitzgerald administered the Invest in Iowa program, a series of auctions started in 1983 to invest state funds in Iowa financial institutions.[4] The Linked Investments for Tomorrow (LIFT) program, introduced in 1986, also provided capital to Iowan entrepreneurs to create or expand their business.[5]
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