AGA TOPICS Newsletter

CGFM Profile - Stephen Driscoll, CGFM

“The old days of doing a good job and getting promoted to the top are gone.”

So says AGA member Stephen Driscoll, CGFM, the assistant city manager of Sparks, NV. Employers are not only focusing on work experience, he said, but advanced degrees and certifications when choosing the best applicants for financial management positions.

Earning another degree or a new credential shows an employer that the applicant can set long-range goals and achieve them. Renewing the credential—through an annual commitment to continuing professional education—means the applicant is serious about maintaining the integrity of their certification.

The top three financial professionals in Sparks all hold certifications, he said. “When people start asking questions, we bring something to the table beyond accounting degrees and 25 years of experience.”

Driscoll’s CGFM certificate hangs on his office wall—a visible symbol that he is a financial professional and not someone who got his job because he “knew someone.”

“It’s a quick way to establish credibility when someone walks into the office,” he said.

Driscoll said added credibility has been especially important recently as the city has been going through an 18-month transformation. Every area of the city government was examined for efficiency and effectiveness. Convincing the city council to make big budget changes, and getting the work force of 550 on board to a new way of doing things was no easy task. Three of the biggest city departments and some of the smaller ones were completely reorganized. In the end, Driscoll said, it was the credibility of the financial professionals who conducted the analysis that carried the day.

Sparks city government is committed to “managing for results,” and has learned from the successes and failures of other cities going through the same process, particularly Portland, OR. In this environment, which emphasizes the connection between performance and budgets, finance professionals are taking on new and exciting roles in local governments around the country.

Financial managers are integral to day-to-day operations. After all, no change in government can be made without the analysis and blessing of the finance staff, Driscoll said.