About Us

In the early 1960’s there was a movement to eliminate the position of Treasurer in the State of California.  In 1965 the California Municipal Treasurers Association was founded with the purpose of educating City Treasurers and retaining the position of Treasurer in the cities of California.  Other states in the west followed suit and in 1967 formed the Municipal Treasurers Association of the United States and Canada.  The MTA US&C held their first conference in Washington DC.  In 1973 and 1974 Parma Treasurer Anna Kozusko attended the MTA National Conferences and brought back the idea of chartering an MTA chapter in Ohio.

In 1974 the Ohio Municipal Treasurers was founded.  Anna Kozusko the Treasurer of the City of Parma, John Cannone the Treasurer of the City of Akron, Jim Dye the Deputy Treasurer of the City of Akron and Bob Warner from the Union Commerce Bank of Cleveland met at the Holiday Inn in Independence and chartered the Ohio Chapter of the Municipal Treasurers Association in the Summer of 1974.  Ivan Otto a partner at Squires Sanders & Dempsey was the legal counsel in the formulation of the By-Laws.  The Ohio Municipal Treasurers held their first Conference in the Fall of 1974 in Sandusky, Ohio.  The first honorary guest speaker for the Association was Woody Hayes, the legendary coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team.

In the State of Ohio there was no formal training program for Village and City Treasurers.  The Ohio MTA was organized for the purpose of preparing and educating Municipal Treasurers throughout the state.  In 1976 the OHIO MTA sponsored and Chartered the Michigan MTA.

In 1980, the Municipal Treasurers Association of the United States & Canada established criteria for the Public Finance Officers Training program to become a Certified Municipal Finance Administrator.  The Ohio MTA lead by MTA National President John Cannone contracted with Dr. James Tinnin at Kent State University to have a yearly Finance Officers Training Program.  In December of 2002, the OMTA formally changed its name to the Ohio Association of Public Treasurers (OAPT) to incorporate all Public Treasurers, Fiscal Officers and individuals working in public finance positions.  Throughout the years, the OAPT worked with Kent State University, the University of Akron and the John Glenn College at Ohio State University.  The Public Finance Officer Training Program has continued to offer exceptional education for fiscal officers throughout the State of Ohio.  The Program is now administered directly by the OAPT, through our Director of Education Sal Talarico.  The Finance Training Program continues to offer Ohio Public Treasurers and Fiscal Officers the opportunity to earn their CPFA certification, in addition to required training credits.

The Public Treasurers Association of the United States and Canada has held two of its national conferences in Ohio.  Cincinnati in 1984 and Cleveland in 2001.  Six National Presidents have come from Ohio, John Cannone, Akron; Jack Cross III, Cleveland; Ed Volpe, Cincinnati; Jack Krise, Jr., Parma; James Bell, Huber Heights; and Dana Kavander, Berea.