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Highlights Internal Control Audio Conference Set for Wednesday Good internal controls can be used for far more than ensuring the right numbers are used in financial statements. Good controls can Speakers include Janet Hayes, MBA, CPM, CICA, Director of the Management Services and Nongovernmental Compliance Division, Office of the State Cost is $299 (unlimited attendance). Government agencies and CPAG members who register five or more offices can receive a 20 percent discount (pay Register online, or print the regular registration form, or the special promotion registration form and fax it to 703.684.6933. View the entire audio conference schedule. Environmental Fraud Audio Conference Set for March 5 Criminal Investigators at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), working with auditors and investigators across the federal, state and local accountability community, have an impressive record addressing fraudulent activities that can affect human health and the environment. Prosecuting these bad actors is just the first step. To prevent future fraud, it is critical to address the systemic weaknesses that allow fraud to occur and prevent the individuals and organizations that commit fraud from continuing to do business with the government. Speakers include Michael Daggett, Director, EPA OIG Program Integrity Directorate; Larry Valett, Director, EPA OIG Financial Fraud Directorate; and Frank Lane, Director of EPA’s Suspension and Debarment Division. Cost is $249 per site (unlimited attendance) if you register on or before Feb. 29, and $299 thereafter. Government agencies and CPAG members who register five or more offices can receive a 20 percent discount (pay only $200 per site). Register online, or print the regular registration form, or the special promotion registration form and fax it to 703.684.6933. View the entire audio conference schedule.
2008 Call for AGA National Awards Nominations Service Efforts and Accomplishments (SEA) Program Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting (CEAR) Member News Members of AGA’s New York Capital Chapter have made several moves within the Division of State Government Accountability of the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC). Robert Mainello was promoted to supervisor, while Joel Biederman returns to OSC. Rich Sturm, CGFM, and Ron Pisani, CGFM, recently retired from the division. Tina (Mele) Castelli, a member of AGA’s Boston Chapter who is with the Massachusetts State Auditor’s Office, was married on Jan. 1. Congratulations. Mary Peck, a member of AGA’s New York Capital Chapter, has accepted a position at the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. Suzanne Trzcinski, a member of AGA’s New York Capital Chapter, has been promoted to Auditor-In-Charge at the Bureau of State Expenditures, Office of the State Comptroller. AGA Advertising Opportunities! |
Volume 48: Issue 2, February 4, 2008 NOTE: Please ‘whitelist’ AGA's newsletters by sending an e-mail to postmaster@303media.net to prevent AGA from being blocked by e-mail or spam filters. Enjoy our weekly newsletters and feel free to forward them to your government financial management colleagues. TOPICS is Brought
to You by AGA Corporate Partner Grant Thornton Global Public Sector delivers financial, technology and performance management solutions to federal, state and local government clients, and international organizations. Call us to see if we can help your agency manage its resources more efficiently and effectively at 703.637.2750. From the National President, Richard L. Fair, CGFM Improving intergovernmental cooperation is my presidential theme. AGA has already committed to serve as a catalyst by creating the Partnership for Intergovernmental Management and Accountability, and we are up and running with a full board and an initial set of projects. It’s a good start but more needs to be done. I need your help. We all need to resolve to do more. We need to leave our offices and reach out to our peers who work for government. We need to get to know one another. A great way to start is to attend AGA’s Sixth Annual National Leadership Conference this month. This conference will not only provide you with 14 CPEs. The NLC will also enable you to meet with leaders in all three levels of government while providing an unparalleled opportunity to network and get to know your colleagues in the other levels of government. I know if we all resolve to do more to improve intergovernmental cooperation great things can happen. So join me in Washington D.C. next month, and let’s work together to improve government accountability. See you soon, There’s Still Time to Register for AGA’s National Leadership Conference (NLC) Offering 14 valuable CPE hours, timely topics and an impressive lineup of speakers, NLC 2008 promises to be bigger and better than ever. Meet the top leaders from federal, state and local governments and the private sector. Visit the Exhibit Hall to see the latest tools to help your agency perform at top efficiency. Enjoy networking events and opportunities to swap ideas, meet colleagues from around the country, and perhaps find solutions to common problems. Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind education and networking event. Show your commitment to a more accountable future—register today! NLC Speaker Biographies Now Online TOPICS is Brought to You by Keller Graduate School of Management NLC Hotel Sold Out—Overflow Hotel Assistance Available If you still need to book a room for the National Leadership Conference, please call A Room With A View at 800.780.4343 for assistance. They will secure the lowest available rate at a hotel within walking distance to the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. This is a free service for all AGA NLC attendees. AGA Invites Government Executives to a Complimentary Forum—Emerging Issues in Government Financial Management Please join us for this highly interactive session. Topics and panelists include: DoD/DHS Financial Management Transformation
Risk Management/Internal Control
Cost Management
Limited spots are available, so register today. For more information, please contact Susan Fritzlen. Forum Agenda Annual Renewal Time is Quickly Approaching Back by popular demand—the renewal forms will include membership and CGFM ID cards that will display renewal dates, chapter affiliation and ID numbers. The renewal packages will also include a member information sheet that asks for updated demographic and contact information. Please complete this information when renewing so that we may stay in touch with you all year long. Also, online renewal for the 2008–2009 year will be available shortly. This is by far the quickest way to renew. We will e-mail you once this option becomes available. Questions or comments? Contact the AGA Customer Satisfaction Center at 800.AGA.7211. We’re here to serve you. AGA Offers Special Open Enrollment Session of New Single Audit Course (A-133)
AGA has developed a course that addresses the inadequacies found in the report and is offering you an opportunity to sign up today. We are hosting two special open enrollment sessions on March 18 – 19 and 20 – 21, 2008. We invite individuals and groups to attend these sessions. Tuition for this program is $500 for members and $625 for nonmembers. (Group discounts are available.) You will earn 16 hours of CPE upon completion of this program. To learn more about this opportunity, contact Julie Sanders at 800.AGA.7211, ext. 309. CGFM Exam Update SEA Research Projects Receive Funding M. Bryna Sanger, Ph.D., professor of Urban Policy Analysis and Management at the Robert J. Milano School of Management and Urban Policy at New School University in New York City, received $24,480 for her project, Improving State and Local Performance and Accountability: Understanding, Recognizing and Promoting Best Practices. Her ultimate goal is to increase public accountability through improved performance measurement and management. Ken Smith, Ph.D., assistant professor of accounting at Atkinson Graduate School of Management, Willamette University in Salem, OR, received $9,900 to continue his research in evaluating performance by governments. The first phase of his project looked at state agencies in all 50 states and how they report performance. The second phase, Evaluating and Increasing the Quality of Performance Reporting, will examine performance reporting by more than 200 cities. The goal of his project is to help government agencies prepare and publicly share quality performance reports. Smith is a member of AGA's Willamette Valley Chapter. Congratulations to these two researchers! AGA Corporate Partners—74 Members Strong! In total, AGA has 74 Corporate Partners, including public accounting firms, major system integrators, IT companies, management consulting firms, financial services organizations and education and training companies. These organizations all have long-term commitments to advancing government accountability and choose to partner with and help AGA move forward as the thought leader in the government community. The mission of the Corporate Partner Program is to bring private sector and government executives together to exchange information, support professional development, improve communications and understanding, solve issues and build partnership and trust. Like AGA, the private sector is interested in improving the financial health of governments at all levels. The private sector offers services and products that can help government accountability professionals do their jobs more efficiently and effectively. AGA Corporate Partners are highlighted in issues of this newsletter under the Get to Know Your AGA Corporate Partner section. Check it out! AGA Corporate Partners on the web Get to Know Your AGA Corporate Partner Greentree provides demonstrated quality in our core competencies of program management, financial management and information technology (IT) with a talented collection of analysts and problem-solvers providing “The Competitive Edge Solution.” Louisa Cocci Gantley IRS Warns of New E-mail and Telephone Scams |
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Other AGA Links Register for AGA's Sixth Annual National Leadership Conference, Feb. 21–22, 2008, Washington, D.C. Bring New AGA-Sponsored Training Courses to Your Organization
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© Association of Government Accountants 2008 Disclaimer: AGA serves government accountability professionals by providing quality education, fostering professional development and certification, and supporting standards and research to advance government accountability. If you would like to opt off of future AGA mailings, please e-mail agawebmaster@agacgfm.org. Thank you. |
It’s that time when we begin a new year with a sense of renewed enthusiasm. Each year most of us resolve to make changes to better ourselves or improve our relations with loved ones. This year I would ask that to resolve to work toward improving intergovernmental cooperation, therefore improving government efficiency and effectiveness.
If you have already registered for our Sixth Annual National Leadership Conference, we look forward to seeing you. You’ve made a smart investment in yourself and your organization. But if you have not yet registered, don’t worry… there’s still time!
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It is hard to believe that another year has come and gone. With the New Year comes annual renewal time and AGA has lots of great plans in store for the 2008-2009 membership year. We have been busy getting the renewal packages and data in order and anticipate mailing renewals in early February. This includes both membership and CGFM renewals.
The Greentree Group (Greentree) is a major strategic and technology consulting firm providing a broad range of professional and technical support services to federal, state, and local governments as well as commercial clients. Greentree can help you develop business-based, cost-effective solution for your organization. We offer our clients the skills and professional support needed to keep your business on target; leading edge tools for identifying, monitoring, and validating your progress; and our ongoing commitment to your success.