DECEMBER 14, 2011 – George Mardikes of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, whose practice focuses exclusively on governmental finance, has been given a Jay Terry Lifetime Achievement Award from a leading trade association in the field.
Mardikes, who is a partner at Davis Wright’s Portland, Oregon, office, received the award at the 2011 fall conference of the Association for Governmental Leasing and Finance in Orlando, Fla. Mardikes is the fifth person given the award in the 30-year history of the AGLF.
The Association for Governmental Leasing and Finance is the leading community of leasing and finance professionals dedicated to the highest standards in the tax-exempt leasing industry. Its members are the bona fide leaders in the governmental leasing arena and collaborate to ensure that best practice and knowledge is disseminated, helping each other navigate the complex public sector market.
“I am delighted to receive this recognition from an organization that does such important work,” said Mardikes. “It has been my pleasure to help the AGLF establish and disseminate best practices for an industry that is so important to our civic life.”
Governmental leasing and finance provides benefits to many governmental and not-for-profit organizations, such as cities, counties, states, special districts, school districts, hospitals, universities, and museums. It enables state and local governments to finance and refinance equipment and vehicle acquisitions, the construction of public facilities, and the expansion and rehabilitation of existing public facilities.
“George has been actively involved in getting transactions structured and closed in a way that is beneficial to all parties—and in a way that is enjoyable to the working group,” said Kendall Hansen, of Key Government Finance, Inc., who presented the award to Mardikes. “He’s helped set standards for the industry.”
Mardikes is the original author and ongoing project manager of the AGLF’s Fifty-State Survey, a compilation of legislation and case law affecting governmental leasing in the fifty states that is a primary benefit of AGLF membership. He has served on the AGLF board of directors for six years and has served as Secretary as well.
“I generally share knowledge to improve the quality of the industry so that transactions are done properly,” said Mardikes. “This hopefully reduces the risk that our clients are competing with people who are not complying with applicable laws.”
About Davis Wright Tremaine
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is a national law firm with approximately 500 lawyers representing clients based throughout the United States and around the world. For more information, visit www.dwt.com.