Michael Howlett
| Michael J. Howlett, Sr. | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 33rd Secretary of State of Illinois | |
|
In office January 8, 1973 – January 10, 1977 |
|
| Governor | Daniel Walker |
| Preceded by | John W. Lewis, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Alan J. Dixon |
| 24th Illinois Auditor of Public Accounts | |
|
In office January 9, 1961 – January 8, 1973 |
|
| Governor |
Otto Kerner, Jr. Samuel H. Shapiro Richard B. Ogilvie |
| Preceded by | Elbert S. Smith |
| Succeeded by |
George W. Lindberg as Illinois Comptroller |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 30, 1914 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died | May 4, 1992 (aged 77) Chicago, Illinois |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Helen Geary |
| Children | 6 |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Michael J. Howlett, Sr. (August 30, 1914 – May 4, 1992) was a Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Illinois, who was elected several times to statewide office.
Howlett was born in Chicago, a son of Irish immigrants. As a youth, Howlett was All-American water polo player, participating on ten championship teams of the Illinois Athletic Club. He graduated from St. Mel High School and briefly attended DePaul University, leaving the latter in 1934 to become a state bank examiner. Subsequently, he founded his own insurance business, served as Chicago-area director of the National Youth Administration, was an executive for the Chicago Park District, was appointed regional director of the U.S. Office of Price Stabilization, and was a steel company executive. He was also a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II.
In 1956, Howlett ran for Illinois Auditor and is credited with exposing embezzlement by incumbent Auditor Orville Hodge of more than $1.5 million in state funds. Hodge resigned and eventually went to prison, but Howlett lost the general election to Elbert Sidney Smith as part of a national Republican landslide. However, in the next general election, in 1960, Howlett was elected Auditor of Public Accounts (the Auditor's Office was the predecessor to the current office of Comptroller), and was re-elected twice. During Howlett's first term as Auditor, he cut the budget of the office by one-fifth, and returned over $600,000 to the state treasury. In 1972, Howlett was elected Illinois Secretary of State, becoming the first Democrat state officer to win four consecutive statewide elections.
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