Please click on the link below to see the 2008 APT US&C Conference Brochure. This beautiful document was prepared by the professional conference planner that the APT US&C Board hired late last year. Her name is Denise Rondo and she has been working very hard with the APT Conference Program Committee to create the best national conference for our association members. The 2008 APT US&C Conference will take place August 10-13, 2008 at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We are so proud to announce that Frank Abagnale (“Catch Me If You Can” author) has agreed to be our Keynote Speaker. He is a highly sought after speaker and will be available to our members for three hours on Wednesday, August 13th.

The APT Conference Program Committee decided to return to the Sunday to Wednesday format that was popular prior to 2004. Wednesday, August 13th will be a full day ending with the President’s Reception and Installation Banquet where yours truly will be installed as the fifth Ohio member to become national president. I am very proud to represent Ohio and hope that many of you will join me in Michigan at the national conference this year.

In recognition of the opportunity for Ohio APT members to attend a national conference that is in close proximity to the state of Ohio, the Ohio APT Board of Directors would like to make it easier for many of you to attend the conference and reduce your costs at the same time. Anna Tomasek has secured a charter bus to take members to the conference in Grand Rapids. The bus would leave Columbus, travel to Ashland (Stop #2), then continue to the Cleveland area (Stop #3) before it heads west to Michigan. For an undertaking this big, the Ohio APT Board has asked me to survey the membership. If you have a serious interest in saving travel costs to attend the national conference and would like to ride on a charter bus with other Ohio APT members, please send an e-mail to Ohio APT President Jill Lucidi at jlucidi@stclairsville.com. The Board is asking that you make a $50.00 deposit that will be refunded in full to you immediately following the conference. If you would like a guest to join you on the bus who is not a member of Ohio APT, then the cost for each guest is $50.00 (not refunded). Jill Lucidi is also coordinating hotel room sharing for a further cost savings to members. If you are willing or interested in sharing a hotel room at the national conference, please tell Jill at the e-mail address listed above.

A second charter bus or 15 passenger van has also been proposed to begin in the Cincinnati area and proceed to the Dayton area before heading to Grand Rapids for the national conference. If there is enough interest from our members in that area of the state, then we will plan a second bus or van. If you are interested in this second option, please e-mail Jim Bell at jbell@vandaliaohio.org.

The Ohio APT Board is offering scholarships to the 2008 APT US&C Conference for those members who do not have the funds in their municipality budget to attend this conference. A scholarship application will be sent later this week to all of you. I also encourage you to apply to APT US&C for a national scholarship. The application for this scholarship can be found at www.aptusc.org .

I hope that many Ohio APT members will be able to attend the 2008 APT US&C Conference. If you get the chance, please send a big THANK YOU to representatives of National City and MBIA who are sponsoring two of the evening social events. Fifth Third Bank/Securities and Calamos Investments are sponsoring the President’s Reception. Multi-Bank Securities is co-sponsoring Frank Abagnale’s speaking fee with the Michigan Municipal Treasurers Association. Our vendors are so important to our ability to provide top-notch speakers and training opportunities at our conferences. Please include our sponsors in your RFPs. They should be your first call when you need professional help with your job duties.

Please click here if you need to apply for a scholarship for assistance to attend the 2008 APT US&C Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The conference will take place August 10-13, 2008 at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel.

If you have any questions about the scholarship application, please direct them to our Ohio APT President Jill Lucidi at jlucidi@stclairsville.com .

Jim Bell, CPFA, CPFIM
Ohio APT Past President

You will find the
Power Point Presentations
from the
34th Annual
Ohio APT Conference at
Salt Fork State Park
which was held
October 3rd - 5th, 2007
Click on link above