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Highlights
Last Chance to Pre-Register for AGA’s
NLC If you register and receive an e-mail confirmation by noon Wednesday, Feb. 20, we’ll have a name badge ready when you arrive. After that, you must register onsite at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. The NLC Registration Desk is located in the Atrium (Concourse Level) and open during the following hours: Thursday, Feb. 21: Friday, Feb. 22: Offering 14 valuable CPE hours, timely topics and an impressive lineup of speakers, NLC 2008 promises to be bigger and better than ever. The NLC features leaders from all levels of government, the private sector and academia and offers outstanding sessions and ample opportunities to network. Learn practical skills to improve your agency, hear from the top opinion leaders in the accountability business, and exchange problem-solving ideas with colleagues from around the country. Interact with inspirational government leaders at several networking events. Show your commitment to a more accountable future—register today! The NLC Program is now available online
Case Challenge Finals Set for Wednesday 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; Leonard Newmark, Criminal Investigator, 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.
AGA Awards Two SEA Certificates
Now Accepting 2008 Scholarship Applications Each year, AGA National awards:
The deadline for receipt of applications is March 31, 2008. Apply now and take full advantage of your AGA membership. To download a copy of the scholarship application visit AGA's website or contact Michiyo Wheeler. Member News Walker Resigning GAO to Lead
New Public Policy Foundation AGA Advertising Opportunities! Advertise in AGA's electronic newsletters—TOPICS and AGA Today! Get maximum exposure and build your brand. Find out what's available in an upcoming issue. Click here for all the information you need to run your ad. Or, you can contact April Force Pardoe.
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Volume 48: Issue 3, February 19, 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. AGA to Release National Poll Results Wednesday We are working to raise awareness of government accountability and transparency issues while increasing public understanding. For this reason, AGA commissioned a national poll to measure public attitudes toward government accountability. We will unveil the results of the recently conducted poll in conjunction with our National Leadership Conference (NLC) this week in Washington D.C. The survey paper, Public Attitudes Toward Government Accountability and Transparency 2008, will be introduced at a briefing at noon Wednesday, Feb. 20, in the Rotunda Room at the Reagan Building. AGA members and NLC participants are cordially invited to attend. The full survey results will also be available on AGA's website to all members on Wednesday. We hope you will find it to be an illuminating and useful tool in helping you to advance government accountability. Questions? Contact AGA Director of Public Affairs Jennifer Curtin. It’s Time! It’s Time!
Renew Online or by Mail How to Renew Online: Access the ‘Members Only’ section on the AGA website. Login using your membership ID number and password (your first initial followed by your last name—no spaces), click on the gray ‘billing’ button above your name. All you have to do is input your credit card information and hit ‘submit.’ The transaction will automatically process via our secure server and the renewal information will be automatically updated in AGA’s in-house membership system. While you are logged into the Members Only section, be sure to take a look at your contact information and make any updates as necessary (especially your e-mail address). Need assistance? Contact the AGA Customer Satisfaction Center at 800.AGA.7211. TOPICS is Brought to You by Keller Graduate
School of Management Annual CGFM Renewal Time Q: How often do I have to renew my
CGFM designation? If your address has recently changed, please be sure to update your contact information with AGA and pay your dues in the "Members only" section of AGA website. Read the remaining questions and answers on our website. AGA PDC Exhibit Hall Almost Sold
Out—Reserve Your Booth Today! Put Your Products and Services in Front of
the People Who Need Them Most More than 1,700 financial management professionals attend the PDC to learn about the latest innovations in the field. They want to know how your product or service will help them do business better. Be sure you’re there to tell them! Don’t miss this unique opportunity to interact with top-level, hard-to-reach government accountability professionals. Join us in Atlanta for PDC 2008—we’ve saved a space for you! TOPICS Brought to You by AGA Corporate Partner
The Graduate School, USDA State of Nevada Unveils its
Four-Page Citizen-Centric Report The report measures performance in Fiscal Year 2007, complete with the past year’s accomplishments as well as the challenges that lie ahead. Easy-to-read charts break down revenues by source and expenditures by function. “Good governance requires good information,” said Wallin. “The Citizen-Centric Project allows us to engage Nevada residents on the question of fiscal priorities in a format short enough to encourage the discussion of these issues. For residents, this is the equivalent of taking a look at your state’s checkbook—where the money came from and where it went. And that informs a better civic discussion.” Complete information on this initiative is found here. AGA 2008 Survey This is your chance to help shape future financial policies and procedures in your government. AGA will publish the results in a special report and present it at the PDC in Atlanta, set for July 27 – 30, 2008. Your name will never be associated with these results. AGA Corporate Partner Grant Thornton LLP has kindly volunteered the use of its website to gather the answers. We have specifically asked Grant Thornton not to provide AGA with individual responses, but only aggregated results. If you belong to a local AGA chapter, be sure to check off your chapter’s name in the drop-down menu. Thanks in advance for your help. FASAB & GASB Emerging Issues Topic of Upcoming
Audio Conference Hear from two key officials from the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB). The speakers will discuss the conceptual frameworks being developed at the two boards; what future standards may arise as a result of new concepts; how the new standards may affect preparers, auditors and users; the impact of international accounting standards on the two boards; and the progress being made in financial and performance reporting during the last 10 years and the goals for the next 10. Speakers include David R. Bean, CPA, Director of Research and Technical Activities, GASB, and Wendy M. Payne, CGFM, CPA, Executive Director, FASAB. Cost is $249 per site (unlimited attendance) if you register on or before March 21, 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 National Awards
These awards will be presented during AGA's Professional Development Conference & Exposition in Atlanta, July 27-30, 2008. In many cases, individuals do not have to be members of AGA to be eligible. All nominations are due no later than Friday, April 4. Visit our site for all nomination forms or for more information contact Michiyo Wheeler. AGA Invites Volunteers for
Intergovernmental Work Groups
The Partnership, which was established by AGA last fall, is comprised of high-ranking officials from federal, state and local governments and higher education. For more information about the projects, or to volunteer, click here. The deadline for volunteering is March 7, 2008. The co-chairmen of the Partnership will select up to 12 work members for each work group. Consider Donating to the Academy for Government
Accountability The Academy recently awarded two research grants for funding. Both of these research grants deal with accountability in the area of state and local government. Are you interested in making a donation to the Academy? If so, please write your check to the Academy for Government Accountability, 2208 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22304. The Academy is a 501(c)(3) and donations are tax deductible. The tax ID number is 54-1552185. For more information contact Evie Barry. From the National Office |
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. |
Renewal
time is here. Renewal packets are on their way to you by mail, but why
wait when you can renew online today? Help take your career to the next
level by renewing your AGA membership in 2008. You will receive all of
AGA’s great membership benefits like peer networking, continuing
professional education opportunities and the Journal of Government
Financial Management—plus you will be a part of an Association that
continues to thrive and move to the forefront of the government
financial management field. 
The
nation’s #1 path to accounting careers Get on the fast track
now. Save 2 years, 7 courses, and more than $10,000 in tuition! DeVry,
Keller and Becker: Onsite. Online. On target. Find out
more at 
It
is time to renew your CGFM designation and/or AGA membership. Below
you'll find answers to frequently asked questions about CGFM renewal:
If
you have not signed up to exhibit at AGA’s 57th Annual Professional
Development Conference & Exposition in Atlanta, now is the time. There
are only 19 booths left.
AGA’s
Partnership for Intergovernmental Management and Accountability
(Partnership) is inviting volunteers to participate in two projects
designed to open up the lines of communication among governments. The
projects deal with:
Have
you heard of the Academy but aren't quite sure what it is? The Academy's
mission is to support research and education initiatives and advance
thought leadership in bringing transparency and accountability to
government financial management, and to forge relationships among
government, business and academia to further such goals. Primarily the
mission will be accomplished through awarding dissertation grants and
research grants that focus on empirical research surrounding government
financial management.
AGA
is pleased to welcome Lynn Hoffman to the staff as a
program assistant. Originally from Johnstown, PA, Lynn has lived in the
Alexandria, VA area since 1971. She comes to AGA from the American
Therapeutic Recreation Association when she was the CEU Associate. She
has a strong association background having also worked with the National
Association of Elementary School Principals and the National District
Attorneys Association. Lynn is married and has two children—Jeff, a
freshman at Virginia Tech, and Emily, a sophomore at Edison High School.
She also loves animals and has had numerous pets, which now include a
cat, bird and iguana. Welcome Lynn!