Osman "Oz" Bengur (born February 23, 1949) is an American

investment banker Investment banking is an advisory-based financial service for institutional investors, corporations, governments, and similar clients. Traditionally associated with corporate finance, such a bank might assist in raising financial capital by unde ...

and Democratic politician. Bengur served as Treasurer for the Maryland Democratic Party and was a candidate for Congress in 2002 and 2006. Bengur was the first American of Turkish descent to run for Congress in the United States.

Early life and education

Bengur was born in 1949 and raised in

Montgomery County, Maryland Montgomery County is the most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 United States census, the county's population was 1,062,061, increasing by 9.3% from 2010. The county seat is Rockville, Maryland ...

. Bengur received a bachelor's degree from

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

, and went on to receive a criminology degree from

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

Career

Private sector

In 1991, Bengur co-founded Bengur Bryan & Co., an investment banking firm specializing in financing and mergers and acquisitions. He is also Chairman of PJPA, LLC, a large Papa John's franchisee operating stores in Delaware and New Jersey. At age 30, he worked as an aide to

Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...

Governor

Joseph E. Brennan Joseph Edward Brennan (November 2, 1934 – April 5, 2024) was an American lawyer and politician from Maine. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 70th governor of Maine from 1979 to 1987 and in the ...

. Bengur was later named Deputy Director of the Maine Office of Energy Resources. Bengur was an Alternate Delegate from Maine to the

1980 Democratic National Convention The 1980 Democratic National Convention nominated President Jimmy Carter and Vice President Walter Mondale for reelection. The convention was held in Madison Square Garden in New York City from August 11 to August 14, 1980. The 1980 convention ...

Political activity

Bengur was a candidate in the Democratic

primary Primary or primaries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Primary (band), from Australia * Primary (musician), hip hop musician and record producer from South Korea * Primary Music, Israeli record label Work ...

for the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

in Maryland's 2nd district in 2002. He spent $50,000 of his own money in the race, losing to

Dutch Ruppersberger Charles Albert "Dutch" Ruppersberger III ( ; born January 31, 1946) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2003 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as an assistant state attorney o ...

. In 2006, he sought the Democratic nomination for Congress in the 3rd district, but lost to

John Sarbanes John Peter Spyros Sarbanes ( ; born May 22, 1962) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2007 to 2025. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes Annapolis, the entirety of Howard ...

. He was also a 2010 candidate for Delegate in Maryland's 42nd District.

References

External links