Kerr Treasurer Soldan lauded for milestone in investment education
Local taxpayers can rest easy that investments made with their tax monies are in good, responsible and knowledgeable hands, evidenced by the fact that Kerr County Treasurer Tracy Soldan was honored recently by the Texas Association of Counties (TAC) for her commitment to county investment education.
Soldan received an award celebrating her 15 years of “outstanding dedication to county investment education” during the 2024 TAC County Investment Academy annual conference held June 10-12 in Irving.
She was one of only 8 officials in the state to be honored for 15 years in the program.
Her award was presented during a special luncheon to commemorate the pursuit of excellence in investment education, where 50 other officials from around the state were recognized similarly for their own 5-, 10-, 15-, 20- and 25-year milestones.
The Texas Public Funds Investment Act requires county commissioners’ courts to appoint a county investment officer to be responsible for investing county funds. These officers and their investment staff need to possess a comprehensive understanding of sound investment policies and adhere to the act’s stringent requirements.
As the county treasurer, her duties range from maintaining meticulous records on the millions of dollars collected from taxpayers and fees through various county offices going in and out of the county accounts.
As the county’s investment officer, Soldan is responsible for investing the county’s funds. In so doing, she saves the county the money it would have to pay a third-party firm to do those tasks, as well as protects the county’s funds through sound financial efforts.
For more than three decades – since 1992 -- county investors have been provided with a formal education program through the TAC County Investment Academy (formerly called the County Investment Officer Training.)
The Academy fulfills the needs of officials and staff involved in investing of public funds at the local level by hosting a June conference, followed by the Texas Public Funds Investment Conference in November.
The Texas Association of Counties is a nonprofit organizations that has played a crucial role since 1969 in supporting the efforts and needs of counties across the Lone Star State.
Soldan first decided to run for public office in 2011, when the previous county treasurer retired. She won the support of local voters and became the next Kerr County treasurer.
She brought with her to the position a history of public service, already having served as Kerr County’s assistant auditor.
Last year, she earned the distinction of being named by the County Treasurers’ Association of Texas as its Texas Outstanding County Treasurer of 2023. Soldan serves as a regional director at the organization’s banquet and is also a CTAT past president.
Earlier in 2023, Soldan was recognized for her commitment to worksite wellness and for creating a good-health culture for county employees as an honorable mention recipient of the Texas Association of Counties Iris Stagner Award. She was also one of 20 county officials statewide to complete the TAC Leadership 254 program for its 2019-2020 season.
The Kerr County Treasurer’s Office is now located in Suite 100 in the lower level of the Kerr County Courthouse Annex, 700 Main Street in Kerrville. It may be reached by calling 830-792-2276.