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.
See also
*
Maryland congressional elections, 2006
References
External links
Bengur's blogwww.OzBengur.com
Living people
1949 births
Princeton University alumni
Alumni of the University of Cambridge
Maryland Democrats
American people of Turkish descent
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