The leading voice for excellence in public finance
The leading voice for excellence in public finance

About the National Association of State Treasurers

Awards

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Recognizing excellence in public treasury management

The NAST Board of Directors accepts nominations for NAST Awards each year prior to the Annual and Legislative Conferences. 

Members are notified about the nomination process through routine NAST communications and direct outreach on an annual basis.

2023 NAST award recipients

Jesse M. Unruh Award

Josh Haeder

South Datkota

Harlan Boyles/Edward T. Alter Distinguished Service Award

Mike Frerichs

Illinois

Lucille Maurer Award

Manju Ganeriwala

Virginia

Corporate Affiliate Award

David Pollak

Reverence Capital Partners

Public Finance Employee of the Year

Allen Mayer

Illinois

Chris Allen Award (2024)

Rachel Biar

Nebraska

Jesse M. Unruh Award

This distinguished award recognizes a current Treasurer's outstanding service to the association, the profession, and his or her state. It is given out at the Annual Conference every fall.

The Jesse M. Unruh Award is named for Jesse Unruh, a founding member of NAST and former California State Treasurer. This distinguished award recognizes a current Treasurer’s outstanding service to the association, the profession, and his or her state.

Over more than forty years in public service, Unruh rose from an impoverished childhood to be one of the most powerful people in California politics. He excelled early in his service as a savvy legislator and rose quickly from a seat in the California State Assembly to become Speaker of the Assembly by 1961. After losing campaigns for California Governor and Mayor of Los Angeles, Unruh was elected California Treasurer in 1974.

During his tenure as Treasurer, Unruh vastly expanded the role of the Treasurer’s office by asserting the Treasurer’s power over numerous boards and commissions that controlled millions of dollars of State funds. In 1977, he established the Local Agency Investment Fund (LAIF) which is an investment alternative for California’s local governments and special districts. Today, LAIF provides safe, liquid, cost-effective investment alternatives to more than 2,200 of California’s 4,400 local governments. If the LAIF is measured against commercial money market funds, it would be among the top twenty in the United States, measured by assets under management.

Following his death in office in 1987, his heirs and supporters established the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at the University of Southern California with a mission of motivating students to participate in politics and encourage public officers to champion non-partisan and ethical issues. Unruh held a BA in political science from the University of Southern California.

Award recipients

2023
Josh Haeder
South Dakota
2022
Shawn Wooden
Connecticut
2021
Kelly Mitchell
Indiana
2020
Deborah B. Goldberg
Massachusetts
2019
David Damschen
Utah
2018
Beth Pearce
Vermont
2017
Ken Miller
Oklahoma
2016
James B. Lewis
New Mexico
2015
Richard Ellis
Utah
2014
Manju Ganeriwala
Virginia
2013
David H. Lillard, Jr.
Tennessee
2012
Nancy K. Kopp
Maryland
2011
James B. Lewis
New Mexico
2010
Tate Reeves
Mississippi
2009
Jeb Spaulding
Vermont
2008
Dale Sims
Tennessee
2007
John D. Perdue
West Virginia
2006
Mike Ablowich
New Hampshire
2005
Tim Berry
Indiana
2004
Brian Krolicki
Nevada
2003
W. Daniel Ebersole
Georgia
2001
David Heineman
Nebraska
2000
Jim Hill
Oregon
1999
Harlan Boyles
North Carolina
1999
Stephen D. Adams
Tennessee
1998
Marshall G. Bennett
Mississippi
1997
Georgie Thomas
New Hampshire
1997
Robert L. Seale
Nevada
1996
Sam Shapiro
Maine
1995
Janet Rzewnicki,
Delaware
1994
Lucille Maurer
Maryland
1993
Mary Ellen Withrow
Ohio
1992
Mike Fitzgerald
Iowa
1991
Jimmie Lou Fisher
Arkansas
1990
Charles P. Smith
Wisconsin
1989
Ed Alter
Utah

Harlan Boyles/Edward T. Alter Distinguished Service Award

The Boyles/Alter Distinguished Service Award is presented to a dedicated and committed public servant whose outstanding career in government has provided a respected voice for NAST at all levels of government. It is given out at the Annual Conference every fall.

Harlan Boyles, the State Treasurer in North Carolina from 1977 to 2001, was known as the “Keeper of the Public Purse,” which was also the name of a book he authored.  Edward T. Alter, the State Treasurer in Utah from 1981 to 2009, served with distinction in five state-wide administrations.

Award recipients

2024
Karen Austin
Iowa
2024
Daria Story
Alabama
2023
Michael Frerichs
Illinois
2022
Kelly Mitchell
Indiana
2021
Deborah B. Goldberg
Massachusetts
2020
David Damschen
Utah
2019
Mike Fitzgerald
Iowa
2018
Ken Miller
Oklahoma
2017
Don Stenberg
Nebraska
2016
Manju Ganeriwala
Virginia
2015
David H. Lillard, Jr.
Tennessee
2014
James McIntire
Washington
2013
James B. Lewis
New Mexico
2013
Beth Pearce
Vermont
2011
Richard Ellis
Utah
2010
Nancy Kopp
Maryland
2009
W. Daniel Ebersole
Georgia
2008
Pamela Taylor
Kentucky
2007
Michael J. Murphy
Washington
2005
James H. Douglas
Vermont
2004
Georgie Thomas
New Hampshire

Lucille Maurer Award

The Lucille Maurer Award (formerly the Treasurer Emeritus Award) is presented to a former Treasurer in recognition of outstanding service to the association. It is given out at the Annual Conference every fall.

Lucille Maurer was the first woman to serve as State Treasurer in Maryland, and the twenty-first Treasurer to serve in the position since the State Constitution mandated the position in 1851.

Award recipients

2022 and 2023
Manju Ganeriwala
Virginia
2021
Duane Davidson
Washington
2020
Mary Ellen Withrow
Former Ohio State Treasurer & U.S. Treasurer
2019
Young Boozer
Alabama
2018
Jeff Barnette
District of Columbia
2018
Richard Ellis
Utah
2017
Jim McIntire
Washington
2016
David Lemoine
Maine
2015
James Lewis
New Mexico
2013
Mary Morris
Virginia
2011
W. Daniel Ebersole
Georgia
2008
Ronald L. Tillett
Virginia
2007
Marshall G. Bennett
Mississippi
2000
Robert L. Seale
Nevada
1999
Harlan Mathews
Tennessee
1998
Paul Ruse
Vermont
1998
Sam Shapiro
Maine
1997
Tom Hayes
California
1996
Charlie Smith
Wisconsin
1995
Tony Meeker
Oregon
1994
Francisco L. Borges
Connecticut
1993
David Volk
South Dakota
1992
Bill Gunter
Florida
1991
Hank Parker
Connecticut
1990
Mike Mirabelli
Nevada

Corporate Affiliate Award

The Corporate Affiliate Award recognizes an active Corporate Affiliate member for outstanding service to the profession and the association. It is given out at the Annual Conference every fall.

NAST’s Corporate Affiliates are key partners helping to foster cooperation between State Treasury offices and other government financial agencies, and always working towards similar goals in the public finance sector.

Award recipients

2023
David Pollak
Reverence Capital Partners
2022
Brian Krolicki
CETS
2021
JoAnne Jackson
State Street
2021
Mara Holley
Wells Fargo
2020
Michael Nevins
J.P. Morgan
2020
Mary Anne Busse
Great Disclosure
2019
Steve Kantor
Hilltop Securities
2018
Kathleen McClure-Wight
2018
Mark McQuillan
2017
Jim Haddon
2016
Francie Heller
2015
Andrea Feirstein
2014
Ari Barkan
2013
Charles Dufresne
2012
Lisa Mezzetti
2011
Norice Rice
2010
JoAnne Jackson
2009
Amy Michaliszyn
2008
Kenneth Roberts
2008
Richard Sigal
2007
Lynden Lyman
2006
Vin DeBaggis
2005
Arthur Marcus
2004
Ron Tillett
2003
William H. Hayden
2001
Tony Meeker
2000
William F. Slade
1999
John Philbert
1998
Robert L. Spare
1997
JoAnne Jackson
1996
Austin Koenen
1995
Paul Pugliese
1994
Brooke Cutler Ashland
1993
Claire Cohen
1992
Bill Nurre
1991
Ken Olson
1990
Melinda Gordon
1990
Jack Kiley
1989
David Maynard
1989
John F. Blake
1988
Sheila Doyle

Public Finance Employee of the Year Award

The Public Finance Employee of the Year Award honors the outstanding work of a staff person from a State Treasury or other NAST / Network agency who provides leadership for the agency and in the field of public finance. It is given out at the Annual Conference every fall.

Award recipients

2023
Allen Mayer
illinois
2022
Jim MacDonald
Massachusetts
2021
Grant Wallace
Arkansas

Chris Allen Memorial Award for Outstanding Advocacy in Public Finance

This distinguished award recognizes a staffer of a state treasury, NAST member agency, or congressional staffer who demonstrated outstanding service in advocating for or advancing NAST priorities over the prior year. It is given out during the Legislative Conference every spring.

Chris Allen served as a dedicated champion of state finance priorities through his service to NAST, FAF and the United States Senate. Chris worked for Senate Finance Chairman Grassley, Senator Pat Roberts, and was the NAST Director of federal relations from 1997 to 2006.

Award recipients

2024
Rachel Biar
Nebraska
2023
Leslie Crudele
VA
2023
Elizabeth Fontaine
MA
2023
Kasey O’Connor
CA
2022
Jim MacDonald
2022
Allen Mayer
2021
Karen Austin
2020
Chris Allen