Maryland Treasurer Nancy Kopp Receives NAST Award

ANCHORAGE, Alaska. – Maryland State Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp received the 2012 Jesse M. Unruh Award Monday from the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST). The Jesse M. Unruh Award is given each year to a treasurer who has demonstrated outstanding service to the association, the profession and to his or her state. The award is named for a founding member of NAST and former California treasurer.

NAST President and Nevada State Treasurer Kate Marshall made the presentation during the organization’s annual conference, held Sept. 8-12 in Anchorage, Alaska. Kopp serves as chairman of NAST’s Legislative Committee and has testified on behalf of the organization in congressional hearings.

“To be recognized by my colleagues is thrilling,” said Kopp. “NAST is a great organization composed of outstanding professionals. I’m so honored to be chosen.”

Kopp has a long history of public service. She was elected as treasurer in 2002 and then re-elected in 2003, 2007 and 2011. Kopp represented the Bethesda, Md. area in the Maryland House of Delegates for 27 years prior to her election as treasurer. During that time, she was recognized by her colleagues as the most effective woman legislator and one of the 10 most effective members of the House. In March 2012, Treasurer Kopp was inducted into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame.

The National Association of State Treasurers is composed of all state treasurers or state finance officials with comparable responsibilities from the United States, its commonwealths, territories and the District of Columbia. Headquartered in Lexington, Ky., is instrumental in developing and promoting standards of excellence regarding ethical conduct, policy guidelines and accountability, and model legislation and regulations. The NAST Office of Federal Relations in Washington, D.C. provides a resource for state treasurers to communicate concerns on pending legislation and regulatory actions by federal agencies.