By: Kiyan Pirgheybi, Communications Manager, NABL 

Each year, the National Association of Bond Lawyers (NABL) celebrates dedicated members and municipal market champions with a variety of awards to honor their contributions to our organization and industry.

On Day 1 of the 2024 Workshop, we are presenting the Bernard P. Friel Medal to The Honorable C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD-02) and the Frederick O. Kiel Distinguished Service Award to David J. Cholst of Chapman and Cutler LLP.

The Friel Medal was established in 1982 in honor of Bernard P. Friel of St. Paul, the Association’s first President. The Frederick O. Kiel Distinguished Service Award, established in 2002, is awarded in recognition of the extraordinary service certain individuals have provided to the Association over an extended period of time.

Learn more about prior recipients by visiting our Awards Page >

Meet This Year’s Recipients

More About the 2024 Recipients

Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger is serving his eleventh term in the United States House of Representatives for the citizens of Maryland’s 2nd District, which includes much of Baltimore and Carroll Counties as well as part of Baltimore City. He will be retiring after 22 years in The U.S. House of Representatives at the end of the 118th Congress on January 2, 2025. In all, Congressman Ruppersberger has served in public office for 38 years.

He was first elected to the Baltimore County Council in 1985 and again in 1989, chosen twice as council chairman. He was elected Baltimore County Executive in 1994 and 1998, and, under his leadership, the county was named one of the nation’s four best-managed counties by Governing Magazine. In 2016, Congressman Ruppersberger leveraged his background in local government to create the bipartisan House Municipal Finance Caucus to advocate for the tools state and local governments need to fund community projects.

A native of Baltimore City, Congressman Ruppersberger spent his summers as a lifeguard and police officer in Ocean City, Maryland. He attended Baltimore City College and the University of Maryland College Park, where he played lacrosse. He earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore Law School. The Congressman has been married for 54 years to his high school sweetheart, the former Kay Murphy. Together they have two children and five grandchildren.

David Cholst recently retired as a partner with Chapman and Cutler LLP in Chicago, where he has been since 1983.

David provided tax advice relating to tax-exempt bonds. He represented 501(c)(3) organizations, governmental issuers, underwriters, and counsel in virtually all matters relating to tax exempt bonds. His governmental clients included large and small municipalities. He provided advice with respect to 501(c)(3) financings, tax increment financings, advance refundings and their alternatives, structured investments, derivative products, output facilities, pre-payment transactions, voluntary closing agreements, and defense of IRS audits of tax-exempt bonds. David was a member of the Advisory Committee on Tax-Exempt and Government Entities (ACT) from 2009 through 2012, providing feedback to the Internal Revenue Service, and was also a past member of NABL’s Steering Committee for The Workshop and The Institute. He participated in and led a variety of comment projects of NABL, including on matters relating to political subdivisions, working capital financings, SLGS, derivate products, opinions, and Circular 230.