The City of Atlanta announced that Chief Financial Officer J. Anthony Beard received this year’s prestigious Pacesetter Award from the National Association of Securities Professionals at the annual Pension and Financial Services conference held in Atlanta. The Pacesetter Award recognizes individuals or funds that have ensured or promoted the full involvement of women or minorities in the securities industry. Beard was recognized for his practice of emphasizing opportunities for women and minority-owned firms to work with the City. “I applaud the National Association of Securities Professionals for recognizing my CFO Jim Beard for his outstanding career and commitment to inclusion in the securities industry,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “Jim’s role as the Chief Financial Officer of the state’s capital city goes beyond making sure the books are balanced and bills are paid. Through his leadership and support, the City of Atlanta’s financial health is stronger and more stable than it has been in the last 30 years.”

Under Beard’s leadership, Moody’s Investors Service recently upgraded the city’s general obligation debt to Aa1 from Aa2, a rating that reflects the hard work on pension reform, fiscal practices and a focus on maintaining structurally balanced budgets for the City of Atlanta.

“I am truly honored to be recognized by the National Association of Securities Professionals for decades of work in the industry,” said Chief Financial Officer Jim Beard. “I offer my thanks to Mayor Reed and the Atlanta City Council for fully supporting my commitment to working with highly qualified but underrepresented firms and individuals on complex and meaningful transactions for the City of Atlanta.”