AGA TOPICS Newsletter

John G. Vonglis

Betty "Bing" Bradshaw, MBA

Patrick T. Shine

Daniel J. Murrin, CGFM, CPA

William D. Miller, CGFM, CIA

Peter Franchot

Ronald D. Necessary, CPA, CFE, CISA

Timothy L. Firestine

Lisa R. Parker, CPA

Catherine A. Nelson, CGFM, PMP

Federal Leadership Awards

Distinguished Federal Leadership Award
To formally recognize elected or presidentially appointed federal officials who exemplify and promote excellence in government management and have demonstrated outstanding leadership in enhancing sound financial management legislation, regulations, practices, policies and systems.

John G. Vonglis, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Financial Management and Comptroller, U.S. Air Force
In recognition of Mr. Vonglis’ leadership in financial management for almost 25 years. From his role as  director of Global Finance for PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP—where he was primarily responsible for the global financial performance of the management consulting practice—to his current position as principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force, he has demonstrated a combination of global vision, dedication, initiative and sheer determination. At the Air Force, he leads financial management and analytical services for nearly 700,000 military and civilian personnel with a budget of more than $124 billion. Mr. Vonglis has been instrumental in the success of key Air Force Financial Management transformation and reform initiatives.
 

Elmer Staats Award
To formally recognize federal professionals who exemplify and promote excellence in government, outstanding leadership, high ethical standards and innovative management procedures.

Betty “Bing” Bradshaw, MBA, Senior Budget Methods Specialist, U.S. Office of Management and Budget
In recognition of Ms. Bradshaw’s significant contributions to improving federal government services and operations for more than 30 years. In her role at OMB’s Budget Concepts Branch, she almost single-handedly developed the rules and financial structures that support federal government apportionments under the Antideficiency Act. Ms. Bradshaw has been especially involved in making the connection between budgetary and financial reporting and is widely recognized as an expert who has resolved many difficult and complex issues throughout her career, whether it is in the areas of accounting, budget formulation or budget execution. Under tight deadlines, she has worked tirelessly on resolving budget and financial management issues that impact federal agencies.

Patrick T. Shine, Deputy Director, Operations, Defense Finance and Accounting Service
In recognition of Mr. Shine’s sustained exceptional leadership in promoting continuous improvements to federal government operations and services throughout his distinguished career at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service and while serving as an Army Finance Corps officer. His leadership in closing 11 DFAS sites during the Base Realignment and Closure process, coupled with his vision and direction in implementing operational efficiencies to increase productivity and improve overall customer service, serve as a model for all federal agencies. 
 

 Andy Barr Award
To formally recognize the financial executives in the private sector who exemplify and promote excellence in government, outstanding leadership, high ethical standards and innovative techniques.

Daniel J. Murrin, CGFM, CPA, Americas Director of Government and Public Sector Services, Ernst & Young LLP
In recognition of Mr. Murrin’s sustained contributions to improving financial management, ranging from assisting a myriad of agencies and governmental entities in proactively addressing internal control issues to leading the initial successful audits of some of the largest entities within the federal government. A hallmark of this process is to ensure that change leads not just to better financial reporting, but results in information and processes that are useful in managing the business of government. Mr. Murrin has devoted his career to helping preparers and auditors improve financial management and demonstrate accountability. Through his leadership of the Ernst & Young government and public sector practice, his firm has brought to bear substantial resources in working with entities throughout the nation to improve the functioning of government. 
 

State & Local Leadership Awards

Excellence in Government Leadership Award
To formally recognize government professionals who exemplify and promote excellence in government, outstanding leadership, high ethical standards and innovative management procedures.

William D. Miller, CGFM, CIA, County Auditor, Johnson County, Kansas
In recognition of Mr. Miller’s 42 years of service in the government at national, state and local levels. As an innovator in his profession, he improved the audit process and engineered more effective government programs. Mr. Miller’s management techniques have benefited the audit profession by reducing audit time, administrative work and improving government operations. The exportation of the electronic workpaper system has received rave reviews from counties, cities and the states of Missouri and Kansas. Mr. Miller’s audits have resulted in millions of dollars of savings, reduced costs and more effectively managed government organizations.
 

William R. Snodgrass Distinguished Leadership Award
To formally recognize state government professionals who exemplify and promote excellence in government financial management and who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in enhancing sound financial management legislation, regulations, practices, policies and systems.

Peter Franchot, Comptroller, State of Maryland
In recognition of Mr. Franchot’s work as the fiscal watchdog for the taxpayers of Maryland, cracking down on tax cheats, cigarette smuggles, illegal alcohol and motor fuel sales, closing corporate tax loopholes and launching the first-in-the-nation program to ensure that federal contractors are paying their fair share in state taxes. In calendar year 2007, Maryland received more than $19.7 million in back taxes from nearly 27,000 delinquent taxpayers, which is nearly $1 million more than the same time last year. The Comptroller's Office is streamlining government to increase productivity and make processes more efficient and economical.

Ronald D. Necessary, CPA, CFE, CISA, Senior Director, Accounting and Internal Control Compliance Oversight Unit, Department of Accounts, Commonwealth of Virginia
In recognition of Mr. Necessary’s diverse and successful government financial management career. As an auditor, he led some of the largest and most complex audits. He helped to implement the Single Audit concept in Virginia and trained hundreds of people at the Auditor of Public Accounts. He also led implementation of GASB 34 and other new standards during his tenure with the Department of Accounts. He also put a new internal controls program in place, and the quality assurance program is reaping dividends. Throughout his career, he has embraced change, put new programs in place, corrected improprieties and advanced accountability.
 

Distinguished Local Government Leadership Award
To formally recognize local government professionals who exemplify and promote excellence in government financial management and who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in enhancing sound financial management legislation, regulations, practices, policies and systems.

Timothy L. Firestine, Chief Administrative Officer for Montgomery County, Maryland
In recognition of Mr. Firestine’s 28 years of dedicated public service in which he has demonstrated excellence in financial management through the development and promulgation of policies and tools that have won the county accolades and referrals from other governments for its financial management practices, and continuous receipt of AAA ratings from all three major rating agencies for the past 17 years. Mr. Firestine strives for continuous improvement in financial policies and systems, and his championing of the implementation of an Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP) is only the latest example in a long record of excellence.

Lisa R. Parker, CPA, Finance Director, City of Saco, Maine
In recognition of Ms. Parker’s outstanding leadership in developing the framework for AGA’s four-page Citizen Centric Government Reporting Program, which encourages governments to adopt and publish honest and straightforward reports about their fiscal condition and performance in an easy-to-understand format. She took the initiative to become the first government to produce a report, and she has demonstrated continuous dedication to improving transparency and accountability in government.
 

Private Sector Financial Excellence Award
To formally recognize financial executives in the private sector who exemplify and promote excellence in state or local government financial management, outstanding leadership, high ethical standards and innovative management techniques.

Catherine A. Nelson, CGFM, PMP, Vice President, Booz Allen Hamilton
In recognition of Ms. Nelson’s efforts to improve financial management within the public sector for 25 years. Her services have ranged from budget and accounting operations to financial process and systems improvement to financial management policy review and analysis to compliance and control. She was deeply involved with the Joint Financial Management Improvement Program to redesign the process for certifying commercial off-the-shelf core accounting and financial management software. Ms. Nelson has also conducted pro bono analysis for the Office of Management and Budget Financial Management Line of Business initiative.