A.G. Davenport
A.G. Davenport has served as president of the three statewide associations for municipal finance professionals. In addition, he has been president of a national association and recognized with major honors from two national associations. But for many Oklahoma municipal Clerks and Treasurers, he is known simply as "my mentor."
In 2002, A. G. "Tony" Davenport became the first Oklahoma municipal official to earn the "Master Municipal Clerk" designation, the highest offered by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. This stellar achievement is only one of the many ways in which he has applied himself, his skills and talents in the past 26 years to advance the professionalism and opportunities for excellence in local government services.
His municipal service began on February 1, 1977, as City Clerk/Treasurer and Finance Director for the City of Coalgate, and continued until October 1982 when he took the same position at the City of Weatherford. He continues in that position today. In addition, he is the municipal government appointee to the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System and has served for over ten years as Chair of the Clerks/Treasurers Certification Committee for Oklahoma State University.
He has been recognized widely for his contributions to local government operations with the "Quill Award" in 1991 from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks; and in 1998, the "Dr. Jackson R. E. Phillips Award", the highest honor given by the Municipal Treasurers Association of the United States and Canada. Tony is the only Oklahoman to serve as President of this association, a post to which he was elected in 1992. His expertise continues to be tapped by MTA as a National Reviewer for the association's Investment Policy Certification Commission. He also earned the Certified Municipal Finance Administrator designation from the treasurers' association.
Two of the most significant impacts he has made directly affecting Oklahoma local government include revision of state finance and budget laws and development of a new training manual for clerks and treasurers. These were accomplished through his work on the OML Municipal Budget and Finance Committee that resulted in major legislative enactments in 1991 and 2002, and in chairing and coordinating preparation of a new Oklahoma Clerk/Treasurer Training Manual.
"Mentor", "innovator", "leader", "scholar" and "all-around great guy" are terms often used in reference to this inductee.