City of Oklahoma City Treasurer Bob Ponkilla is the new president of the Association of Public Treasurers of the United States & Canada (APT US&C), and recently received an award for the group for his leadership in professional public treasury management.
As City Treasurer, Ponkilla works with his staff to manage various City investment, banking and revenue activities.
APT US&C members elected Ponkilla as the group’s new president during its annual conference last month in Florida. He also earned the group’s Dr. Jackson R.E. Phillips Award, bestowed annually on an APT US&C member for professional leadership and significant contributions to treasury management.
“To be elected president and earn the Phillips Award is an honor, because APT US&C members are dedicated public employees who take our trusted positions seriously,” Ponkilla said. “I’m proud to serve as president, and look forward to using the experience and perspective we’ve gained with our staff here in Oklahoma City to collaborate with our colleagues across the U.S. and Canada.”
The award was given in recognition for his service to APT US&C and other organizations like the Oklahoma Association of Public Treasurers; Oklahoma Municipal Clerks, Treasurers and Finance Officers Association; Oklahoma Municipal League Liaison Board to the Oklahoma Tax Commission; and the Seminole Nation’s Commerce Board.
The APT US&C promotes quality treasury management with education and training, professional certification, peer interaction and professional connection opportunities for public treasury and financial officials.
Ponkilla will serve for a year as president of the group, which is an association of more than 750 public treasury managers, financial officers and private sector representatives.
Ponkilla has been an active APT US&C member since 2007 and was the host city representative when its conference was in Oklahoma City six years ago. He’s been on the board of directors since 2012, was the vice president in 2015 and served as the conference chair in 2016.
An Oklahoma City resident since 1982, Ponkilla has been a City employee since 1983 and Treasurer since 2007. He’s a graduate of East Central University in Ada.