For immediate release:  September 5, 2003
For more information:  Barton Potter (360) 902-9033

State Treasurer Murphy earns national award

WASHINGTON, D.C.—State Treasurer MichaelJ. Murphy has been awarded the prestigious Dr. Jackson R.E. Phillips Award bythe Association of Public Treasurers of the United States and Canada(APTUS&C).

Murphy was presented with the award in absentia at the annual conference of the APTUS&C in Washington D.C., in August. He is the first state treasurer to have been honored with the award.

The APTUS&C makesthe award annually to recognize innovation and outstanding professional leadership in the operation and stewardship of the public treasury. This year’s award took special note of Murphy’s groundbreaking work on behalf of localgovernments in Washingtonstate.

Murphy’s name was placed in nomination for the award, without his knowledge, by Kris Tompkins, city treasurer of Port Orchard. Tompkins’s nomination letter reads, in part: “He never lost sight of our collective mission to manage public funds with the highest of professional standards.” She cites his innovations as Thurston County Treasurer (1987-1996) and his continuing work as State Treasurer to make life and business easier for local governments in the state.

Letters supporting the nomination were volunteered by Barbara Cory, Whatcom County Treasurer; Ron Strabbing, Grays Harbor County Treasurer; and Rob Hendrickson, finance director for the City of Newcastle.

Founded in 1965, the Association of Public Treasurers of the United States and Canada represents 2,000 public treasury and finance officials in local, county and state/provincial governments throughout North America.

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