Professional Public Treasurers

Our association supports the professional endeavors of municipal finance experts in Ohio.

The Ohio Association of Public Treasurers was established to promote the general and professional interest of the public treasurers and fiscal officers in their respective communities, to obtain a higher standard of efficiency, to improve service with allied institutions and to inspire friendly and fraternal relationships among its members.

Today the OAPT has over 600 members representing communities from all over the State of Ohio.

Directory:

The Association publishes an annual directory of its public and private members as an aid in locating its members as well as providing a tool for networking and information exchange.

Professional Certification:

This program, offered by the Association of Public Treasurers of the United States and Canada, establishes standards that recognize the professional achievement of treasury officials. Members who meet these standards in education and experience are recognized as a Certified Public Finance Administrator (CPFA).  Learn more on our Certifications web page.

Hot Topic Seminars:

The OAPT sponsors annual Hot Topic Seminars. These one-day seminars have covered such topics as Investments, Current State Legislation, GASB Rule Changes, Medical and Benefits programs and changes, trending Human Resource issues, and more.

Scholarships:

The OAPT offers scholarships to public sector members for the Ohio Public Finance Officers Training Program and Ohio APT and APT US&C conferences.  Scholarship applications can be found on the respective conference and training program sections of our website.

Education:

Annual Conference – held each October throughout Ohio. The annual conference is held from a Wednesday to Friday. The conference forum is designed to further educate Treasurers and Fiscal Officers on such subjects as investments, debt management, cash management, tax collection and personnel management, to name a few.  Each Ohio Conference offers credits toward CPFA Certification, CPE Credit hours, and CPIM credit through the State Treasurer’s office.

Ohio Public Finance Officers Training Program and CPFA Maintenance Program:

The annual Ohio Public Finance Officers Training Program is in June, see our web page for details and registration information. The annual Training Program is conducted in conjunction with the national Association of Public Treasurers of the United States and Canada. Completion of the three year training program completes APT US&C’s education requirements for the CPFA.  We also offer ACPFA, CPIM credit, CPE hours, CLE hours and FIA hours – see our Certifications page for more details Certifications.

Our program includes topics such as Investment Strategies, Revenue Collections, Ethics, Debt Management, Public Budgeting, and Government Accounting just to name a few.  For further information and details, contact Sal Talarico, Director of Education, at OAPTEducation@gmail.com.  Registration and program materials are available on this website and brochures will be emailed and mailed out prior to the program.

The Ohio Association of Public Treasurers offers scholarships for members with limited training budgets in order to attend the Ohio Public Finance Officers Training Program. To qualify for a scholarship, you must be a member of OAPT.
Our Goals
  • Promote continuing education and trending topics for our members
  • Provide opportunities for informational networking
  • Improve the quality of service to the citizens we serve
  • Support the mission, purpose, and involvement in the Association of Public Treasurers of the United States and Canada
  • Work constructively toward the advancement and improvement of the treasury management profession
  • Promote cooperation between state, county, and local agencies

OUR MISSION

The OAPT was established to promote the general and professional interest of the public finance officers in their respective entities, to obtain a higher level of efficiency, through education to improve service with allied institutions and to inspire friendly and fraternal relationships among our members.

OUR HISTORY

Our history of serving Ohioans and our fellow public servants

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.

Annual Leadership and Convention History

YEAR PRESIDENT CONFERENCE LOCATION
1974 Anna Kozusko, Parma Sandusky
1975 John Cannone, Akron
1976 Betty Stevens, Blue Ash
1977 Leroy Weber, Toledo Columbus, Christopher Inn
1978 Ruth Ruggles, Aurora
1979 Jack Cross III, Cleveland Cincinnati
1980 Ed Volpe, Cincinnati Columbus
1981 Clair Kuhlman, Forestpark Stouffers Hotel, Cincinnati
1982 Doris Christner, Strongsville Quality Inn, Columbus
1983 Wayne Hamilton, Medina Stouffers Hotel, Cincinnati
1984 Stephan Wagner, Milford Westin, Cincinnati
1985 James  Pyers, Wooster Sandusky
1986 Mary Speidel, Evandale Marriott East, Columbus
1987 Geoffrey Phillips, Wilmington Westin, Cincinnati
1988 Leonard Mikula, Lakewood Great Southern, Columbus
1989 Thomas Sweder, Struthers Westin, Cincinnati
1990 James Dye, Akron Marriott, Toledo
1991 Gerald Dendinger, Toledo Marriott, Sharonville
1992 Jack Krise, Jr.,Parma Great Southern, Columbus
1993 Susan Wollenzier, Rocky River Holiday Inn Lakeside, Cleveland
1994 Anthony Ianiro, University Heights Salt Fork State Park
1995 Clyde Bellinger, Van Wert Regal Hotel, Cincinnati
1996 Dixie Schlensker, Sharonville Deer Creek State Park
1997 Pam Edger, St. Marys Holiday Inn Lakeside, Cleveland
1998 Jeff Smock, Chardon Radisson Harbor Hotel, Sandusky
1999 Jeff Smock, Chardon Radisson Inn, Sharonville
2000 Dennis Tuck, Clyde Salt Fork State Park
2001 Karen Poplar, Wapakoneta Renaissance Inn on the Square, Cleveland
2002 James Bell, Rittman Maumee State Park
2003 Patricia Shively, Trotwood Cincinnati, Omni Netherlands Hotel
2004 Nancy Boyd, Ashland Clarion Hotel, Dublin
2005 Ray Rogowski, Willhoughby Sawmill Creek, Huron
2006 James Graff, Galion Mohican State Park
2007 Dana Kavander, Berea Salt Fork State Park
2008 Jill Lucidi, St. Clairsville Crown Plaza Hotel, Dublin
2009 Sal Talarico, Oberlin Kalahari, Sandusky
2010 Mike Engel, Trenton Columbus Renaissance
2011 Ted Pileski, Elyria Niagara Conf Center, Put-in-Bay
2012 Patricia Ann Fisher, Jefferson Dayton, Marriott
2013 Patricia Ann Fisher, Jefferson Niagara Conf Center, Put-in-Bay
2014 Daniel Burke, Milford The Lodge, Geneva-on-the-Lake
2015 Sally Briggs, Holgate McKinley Grand Hotel, Canton
2016 Kim Perez, Canton Salt Fork State Park
2017 Kacey Waggaman, City of Monroe Maumee Bay State Park
2018 Kacey Waggaman, City of Monroe DoubleTree Downtown Cleveland
2019 Kris King, Village of Brewster Niagara Conf Center, Put-in-Bay
2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 Cancelled due to COVID-19
2021 Michael McEnaney, City of Canton Embassy Suites, Dublin
2022 Terri Meek, City of Fremont The Lodge, Geneva-on-the-Lake
2023 Terri Meek, City of Fremont Hilton DoubleTree, Canton