WHEREAS, Francis Xavier O'Leary, the longtime treasurer of Arlington County and a highly admired community leader who significantly enhanced the quality of life in the region through his generosity and commitment to civic service, died on June 7, 2024; and

WHEREAS, Francis "Frank" O'Leary was born into a military family and graduated from Frankfurt American High School in Germany; he attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, then transferred to Georgetown University, from which he earned a bachelor of science in foreign service degree in 1966; and

WHEREAS, Frank O'Leary completed graduate-level coursework in economic theory at Georgetown University, then settled in Arlington with his wife, Linda, in 1969; early in his career, he worked on programs to address poverty and employment rates and subsequently served as president of NOVA Research Associates; and

WHEREAS, desirous to be of further service to the community, Frank O'Leary ran for and was elected as treasurer of Arlington County, with his 89-vote victory earning him the tongue-in-cheek nickname "Landslide O'Leary"; and

WHEREAS, Frank O'Leary ably maintained Arlington County's finances from January 1984 until his well-earned retirement in 2014, becoming the second-longest serving constitutional officer in the modern history of the county; and

WHEREAS, Frank O'Leary used his business acumen and expertise to develop policies that lowered Arlington County's tax delinquency rate from more than nine percent to an all-time low of three-tenths of one percent by 2014; and

WHEREAS, among his many other accomplishments, Frank O'Leary achieved a high rate of return on county investments, enhanced customer service by instituting online payment procedures and other innovations, and reorganized the treasurer's office to better reflect the diversity of the Arlington County community; and

WHEREAS, Frank O'Leary earned many awards and accolades for his work, including two Excellence in Financial Management Awards from the Government Financial Management Association, the Distinguished Leadership in Financial Management from the Association of Public Treasurers, five Excellence in Technology Awards from the Public Technology Institute, and an Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties; and

WHEREAS, highly respected in his field, Frank O'Leary served two terms as president of the Treasurers' Association of Virginia, from which he also received a Treasurer of the Year award in the 1980s and posthumously received the L. Gene Harding Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024; and

WHEREAS, outside of his career, Frank O'Leary volunteered his leadership and expertise to the Lyon Park Civic Association, Cub Scout Pack 104 at Clarendon United Methodist Church, the Arlington Historical Society, the Arlington Black Heritage Museum, the Arlington Red Cross, and the Optimist Club of Arlington, among other organizations; and

WHEREAS, Frank O'Leary helped establish and served as longtime president of the Warren G. Stambaugh Memorial Foundation, which during his tenure raised more than $200,000 to support organizations that serve people with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, a proud patriot, Frank O'Leary tirelessly supported the USS Arlington Commissioning Committee and was active in the USS Arlington Community Alliance, which fosters strong ties between the ship and its crew and the residents of Arlington; he also participated in Arlington's World War I Centennial Task Force, which produced interpretive panels that remain on display at the Arlington War Memorial, and was appointed to Arlington County's Military and Veterans Affairs Committee; and

WHEREAS, Frank O'Leary will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his devoted wife of 56 years, Linda; his children, Heather and Brian, and their families; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of Virginia hereby note with great sadness the loss of Francis Xavier O'Leary, a pillar of the Arlington community who touched countless lives over the course of his distinguished career in public service; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Francis Xavier O'Leary as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's respect for his memory.