David H. Lillard, Jr., Tennessee State Treasurer, was born at Ft. Rucker, Alabama and was raised in Tennessee. He is married to Patricia Newton and has two children, Scott Lillard and Brooke Lillard, and a stepdaughter, Rachel Newton. He is a lifelong United Methodist and a member of Christ United Methodist Church in Memphis, where he has served as a Sunday school teacher.

Treasurer Lillard is a Republican and was elected by the Tennessee General Assembly on January 15, 2009 and re-elected January 12, 2011. In both his professional life and in public service, Treasurer Lillard has extensive experience in corporate finance, municipal finance, governmental budgeting and related fields. He has also long been active in statewide civic affairs of Tennessee.

Treasurer Lillard has more than 25 years experience as an attorney practicing finance law, securities law, health law and tax law, including counsel in equity and debt securities offerings, and mergers and acquisitions. He also practiced municipal law, emphasizing the fields of economic development and municipal finance. He is a member of the American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA), the executive committee of the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers (NASACT) and the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST). He currently serves as the Southern Region Vice President for NAST, an organization that promotes standards of excellence, ethical conduct and accountability for state treasurers and also monitors federal legislation and regulatory initiatives that affect state treasury departments. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the State Debt Management Network (SDMN) and also serves as Chair of the Legislative Working Group of SDMN.

Treasurer Lillard is a graduate tax attorney who received a Master of Laws in Taxation (LL.M. in Taxation) from the University of Florida in 1983. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Juris Doctor degree in law from the University of Memphis. He has been listed in several editions of The Best Lawyers in America. During his law practice, he held an “AV” rating from Martindale Hubbell, the highest designation for legal ability and ethics.

He served as Chairman of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners in 2007-2008 and as a Shelby County Commissioner from 2002-2009. He also served in 2006-2007 as President of the Tennessee County Commissioners Association. From 1993-2002, he was a Shelby County Election Commissioner.

Treasurer Lillard was Finance Chairman of the Memphis-MidSouth Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Memphis-MidSouth Race for the Cure from 2001-2003 and was awarded the Cameo Award with Sterling Silver Ribbon for outstanding volunteer service to the Foundation in 2003. From 1998-2000, Treasurer Lillard was president of the National Alumni Association of the University of Memphis School of Law.

Revised March 19, 2012

Learn more about the History of Tennessee State Treasurers.