AGA TOPICS Newsletter

CGFM Profile

Accountant Passes CGFM Exams in Two Weeks 

With a toddler and a new baby at home, David Hensley saw only one way to study efficiently for the CGFM Exams — leave the house altogether.

Hensley, a staff accountant with the Internal Revenue Service, recently earned his CGFM credential within a whirlwind two weeks that involved attending all three preparatory courses, holing up in a nearby hotel room on two consecutive weekends and then taking the three exams.

“I took a bit of an unorthodox approach,” Hensley said. “I have a 2-year-old and a 5-month-old at home, so it doesn’t leave much time for studying—at least during the evening hours.” He took Courses 1 and 3 in one week in March, studied over the weekend (emerging only for dinner), and then took the exams back-to-back on Monday. “I drank a lot of coffee,” he said. “It was intense.” Course 2 Tuesday through Thursday, hid out in his hotel room again, took the exam on Monday and passed. “It was a huge relief.”

Hensley wanted to earn the CGFM credential because he has spent only three years in government accounting and was looking for a better understanding of the differences between corporate and government accounting. Also, Kathleen Miller, the deputy CFO at the IRS, and a CGFM herself, highly recommended the CGFM certification.

Another push came from offering the three training courses, sponsored by AGA’s Washington, D.C. Chapter, which were offered to AGA members in the D.C., Northern Virginia and Montgomery/Prince George’s County Chapters. Attendance at the class, which was sponsored at no cost to the individual, was restricted by certain conditions—they had to have fewer than five years experience and they had to agree to take the CGFM Examinations within a year.

While Hensley’s timeline is more compressed than most CGFM candidates, he does encourage test-takers to sit for the exams soon after attending the courses. “It was helpful taking them all together because they did inter-relate so much,” he said.

Hensley believes his work in the CFO Office, helping to implement the IRS’ new integrated core financial system, complemented his studies and coursework. “They were more difficult than I anticipated,” he said of the CGFM Exams. “They were really thought-provoking and it required a high level of intensity.”

The hard work paid off on many different levels. Preparing for the exams gave him a big-picture view of how government operates, or “why we do what we do,” as Hensley put it. He added, “I’m a firm believer that statistics don’t lie. Those who possess certifications are earning more money than those who don’t. In the near future, it will definitely pay off,” he said.

Hensley said that not only did he feel a strong sense of pride and satisfaction, but his employer shared in his accomplishment, presenting him with a cake, congratulations and recognition. Government employees owe it to the public to do a good job, he said. “We’re service-oriented, and the more competent you can be in doing your job for the taxpayers, then you’re doing a public service.”

As difficult as it was for Hensley to attend the courses, study and sit for the exams in a short period of time, it was his wife who was home alone for two weekends with two small children, and Hensley is quick to recognize that feat. “My wife’s the real hero,” he said.

By: Christina M. Camara