FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The National Notary Association Honors Secretary Tennant
With Calvin Coolidge Notary Award
Tennant’s Comprehensive Notary Reform Policies
Benefit West Virginia Residents and Businesses
CHARLESTON, W.Va., August 25, 2015 – The National Notary Association (NNA) honored West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie Tennant with its Calvin Coolidge Notary Award at 10 a.m. in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, W.Va. She received the award for her efforts to comprehensively revise the state’s notary statutes and raise the professionalism of Notaries Public. These changes provide West Virginia businesses, families and individuals with stronger protections for document transactions and help facilitate the state’s growing e-commerce economy.
“Her vision and leadership have changed the way business is done in West Virginia,” said Bill Anderson, Vice President of Government Affairs of the NNA. “Secretary Tennant recognized that West Virginia’s Notaries could help drive business by making traditional paper and emerging electronic notarial acts more accessible, efficient and secure.”
Secretary Tennant was instrumental in advocating for the enactment of the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (RULONA) and, once the Act became law, in adopting administrative rules to implement the Act. Significantly, the regulations included extensive rules on electronic notarization based on the NNA’s Model Notary Act of 2010.
In 2014, Secretary Tennant’s office put forward – and the legislature passed – H.B. 4012, designed to strengthen and modernize the notarization process. The bill includes the reduction of a notary’s commission from ten years to five years and requires a bond or its equivalent in profession insurance. This bill also allows for the notarization of electronic documents.
“I’m truly honored to receive this award from the NNA and I’m so proud of the work we’re doing here in West Virginia,” said Secretary Tennant. “West Virginians rely on Notaries for many important business and personal transactions and the changes we’ve made provide more protection and modernize the notary process for consumers and businesses alike. We’ve implemented policies that strengthen the trusted role Notaries play in major transactions like buying a home and creating healthcare directives.”
Legislators involved in crafting and passing West Virginia’s bill were present at the ceremony along with Karen Goff, executive secretary of the West Virginia Library Commission.
“In West Virginia, libraries often serve as community centers, providing citizens all over the state with important services, including important notary services,” said Goff. “It is exciting that the National Notary Association is recognizing the great work of our Secretary of State and our state in general.”
The award, established in 2004, is named after our 30th President, Calvin Coolidge who was Notary Public while working as an attorney, and the only President sworn into office by a Notary — his father. His commitment to public service, his integrity and his impartiality set a powerful example for all public officials to emulate. The Calvin Coolidge Notary Award was established to honor public officials who advance the professionalism of Notaries. Previous Calvin Coolidge Notary Award recipients include Missouri Secretary of State Matt Blunt, New Hampshire State Representative Cynthia Dokmo, Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri and Rhode Island Secretary of State Ralph Mollis.
In 2013, Secretary Tennant became the first West Virginia Secretary of State to be sworn in by a Notary Public. There are more than 44,000 active Notaries Public in the state of West Virginia.
About the National Notary Association
Established in 1957, the National Notary Association (NNA) is the leading professional authority on the American Notary office and is dedicated to educating, serving and advocating for the nation’s 4.4 million Notaries. It published the Model Notary Act to help lawmakers enact effective legislation and created The Notary Public Code of Professional Responsibility — a standard for best practices and professional conduct. To learn more, visit NationalNotary.org.
Contacts:
National Notary Association:
Kat Garcia, KGarcia@NationalNotary.org, O: 818.739.4009, C: 818.299.7250
West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office:
Amber Epling, AEpling@wvsos.com, O: 304.558.6000, C: 304.951.2665
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