Tony A. Scott’s family is deeply rooted in the history of Ada and East Central University as his ancestors played a part in establishing both.
Scott will be honored with a Distinguished Alumni Award on Friday, May 10 as ECU conducts its 2019 Evening of Honors and Recognition at 6:30 p.m. in ECU Foundation Hall of the Chickasaw Business and Conference Center.
A reception will be held prior to the event at 6 p.m. Awards will also be presented to Distinguished Former Faculty, Distinguished Service and Distinguished Family as well as the recognition of three Centennial Endowments by the ECU Foundation, Inc.
Scott’s roots began when William Jefferson Reed settled his family in the Ada area in April 1890. After opening a mercantile store, Reed championed the establishment of a United States Post Office. But first the “town” needed a name. After two names were submitted and rejected, the name of Reed’s eldest daughter, Ada, was submitted and accepted. On July 10, 1891, the Ada Post Office was established inside Reed’s Store. Today a monument commemorates the site at the northeast corner of 4th Street and Oak Avenue. Reed’s youngest son, Edgar, was Scott’s maternal grandfather.
Frank Huddleston was an original Dawes Commission enrollee as one-quarter Choctaw by blood. Among his many accomplishments, Huddleston was Pontotoc County’s first elected representative to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Serving admirably in the first and second legislative sessions of 1907-08 and 1909-10, Huddleston is credited with maneuvering legislation in the House that formally established East Central Normal School (now ECU) on March 25, 1909. Huddleston’s daughter, Gladys, was Scott’s maternal grandmother.
The youngest of four sons born to Charles and Ann (Reed) Scott, Scott and his brothers were raised in Ada. When Scott was 3 his family moved to their home on the southwest corner of 9th and Stonewall. Growing up in the virtual morning shadow of ECU, Scott attended Willard Grade School, Ada Junior High and Ada High School where he graduated in 1978. Scott entered “East Central Oklahoma State University” and graduated May 8, 1982 with a bachelor of science degree in accounting and a minor in computer science.
Scott began his professional career with the “Big 8” accounting firm of Peat Marwick Mitchell, now KPMG. His industry focus was on governmental entities, financial institutions and the occasional non-profit organization. Scott left public accounting in 1984 to work for a non-profit client of the firm, the Oklahoma Bar Association.
As director of administration for the OBA, Scott was responsible for wide ranging duties including financial and computer operations, human resource and facility management, meeting planning and special projects.
At the OBA Scott developed a deep appreciation for the rule of law and the lawyers with whom he worked. In 1987, while continuing to work full time for the OBA, Scott entered the night division at Oklahoma City University School of Law. He earned his juris doctor degree in May 1991. After passing the bar examination, Scott was admitted to the practice of law by the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Sept. 25, 1991.
Following admission to the bar, Scott was challenged by his brother to finish what he had not completed prior to leaving public accounting – pass the Uniform Certified Public Accountant examination. Again, continuing to work full time for the OBA Scott studied for and passed the CPA exam. On July 30, 1993, Scott was awarded his CPA certificate by the Oklahoma Accountancy Board.
Scott became Executive Director of the Oklahoma Bar Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the organized bar in Oklahoma, in 1994. In September 2001, Scott was hired as executive director of the American Board of Trial Advocates headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
In 2004 Scott returned to Oklahoma City where he engaged in contract accounting and consulting services in the non-profit arena. Not quite cured of the association management bug, in 2005 Scott accepted the job of Executive Director for the Kansas Society of CPAs based in Topeka.
In addition to administrative duties at the KSCPA Scott was active in government relations. One of his noted accomplishments was maneuvering cross-border “mobility” legislation giving CPAs the flexibility to better serve clients with business interests in multiple states while continuing to protect the public’s interest.
Scott returned to Oklahoma in 2009 where he again engaged in contract accounting and consulting services. In 2010, Scott accepted the job of chief financial officer and in-house legal counsel for the Oklahoma Heritage Association, now the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.
In 2014, after 30 years in non-profit work, Scott joined Heritage Trust Company, Oklahoma City, as vice president and relationship manager. Today he remains a trust officer, helping clients with estate planning, probate, trust administration and asset management needs.
In addition to his full-time employment, Scott served as a local, national and international instructor for the Becker CPA review course from 1992 to 2001. He has also taught as an adjunct professor in the schools of business at Oklahoma Christian University (Edmond), Washburn University (Topeka) and Oklahoma City University.
Scott has also served in many volunteer roles throughout his 37-year professional career. Currently he serves as board secretary and Governance Committee chairperson for the Student Education and Ethics Development, or “SEED,” Foundation. The SEED Foundation’s primary mission it is to promote business ethics through education in high schools, colleges and universities throughout Oklahoma. Scott also serves on the board of directors for the Oklahoma City Estate Planning Council. A highlight of Scott’s career-long volunteerism was service on the East Central University Alumni Association Board of Directors, including a two-year term as president from 1992-94.
In March 1981, Scott married Robbie (Hester), a 1979 graduate of Byng High School and “Freshman Year Alumna” of East Central University. Robbie subsequently earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Central Oklahoma. Robbie is Director of The Language Company – Edmond, a proprietary school where English is taught as a second language to international students. The Scotts’ son, Christopher, his wife Brooke and their children, ages 7 and 4, live in Edmond. Christopher is a CPA practicing in the oil and gas industry with Mammoth Energy. Brooke is the school counselor at Oklahoma Christian Academy in Edmond. She also maintains a private practice in marriage and family therapy. The Scotts’ daughter, Jessica, also lives in Edmond. A physician assistant, Jessica works as the orthopedic services coordinator for OU Medical Center-Edmond.
A life-long motorcycle enthusiast, Scott enjoys day- and extended rides on his Harley-Davidson Road Glide Ultra. His 2019 ride plans include summer road trips to New Hampshire and Yellowstone National Park.
Sponsorships are available at various levels for the event.
A Gold Sponsorship for $2,000 includes tickets and prime seating for eight attendees, event signage, recognition in program (printed and verbal), acknowledgement in press releases, drink tickets and gift for each attendee.
A Silver Sponsorship for $1,000 consists of ticket seating for eight attendees, recognition in the program, acknowledge in press releases, drink tickets and a gift for each attendee.
A Bronze Sponsorship for $150 includes tickets and guaranteed seating for two, recognition in the program, drink tickets and a gift for each attendee.
Individual tickets are also available at $60 each. Advance tickets are recommended.
To register, contact Ashia Hillman at ahillman@ecok.edu or at 580-559-5651 or go online at ecok.edu/2019EOH.
The registration deadline is April 30.
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