Highlights
CEAR Program Training Boasts Record Attendance!
Almost 80 individuals attended the annual CEAR Program workshop, "Producing an Excellent Performance and Accountability Report" in Washington, D.C. last week. The event provides instruction for performance, budget, CFO and IG staff and others involved in the production of their agency's Performance and Accountability Report (PAR). About a dozen of the attendees represented agencies subject to the Accountability of Tax Dollars Act and statutorily required to produce PARs for the first time such as the Merit Systems Protection Board, Federal Trade Commission and the Corporation for National and Community Service.
Attendance at the event reflects the CEAR Program's growing influence in the performance and accountability community and demonstrates how AGA advances the professional competency of public accountability practitioners through venues such as the CEAR Program in addition to the Association's signature national conferences and chapter educational events. The CEAR Program helps raise the quality and usefulness of performance information through promulgation of report guidelines, training workshops, and an in-depth peer review of PARs, opportunities to serve as reviewers and a compilation of commendable reporting practices, examples of creativity and practices in need of improvement.
Click here for more information about the CEAR Program, including recipients of the prestigious Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting for FY 2003 PARs, the guidelines used to evaluate FY 2004 PARs and a summary of results from prior year evaluations.
PDC 2004 Conference Evaluation
(The survey must be completed by Aug. 6 in order to be entered to win a free PDC 2005 registration)
Click here to complete the conference evaluation.
CGFM Exam 3 Study Guide Now Available!
Be sure to order the new Study Guide for CGFM Exam 3: Governmental
Financial Management and Control to help in your preparation for
the examination. Click
here to download the order form.
Spotlight on AGA Corporate Partner Deloitte
Deloitte,
one of the world's leading professional services firms, delivers world-class
consulting, assurance and advisory, and tax services. With 30,000 people
in over 100 U.S. cities, the firm serves the nation's largest companies
and leading public institutions.
Deloitte's
Federal Practice works with leaders in defense and civilian agencies to
deliver award-winning solutions to complex business challenges. These
solutions align with the President's Management Agenda and incorporate
commercial best practices adapted for the unique needs of the federal
government.
Deloitte provides the most comprehensive set of professional services in the industry: enterprise risk, security, operational performance, financial management, ERP implementation, change management, technology integration, and outsourcing as well as strategy and operations, human capital, accounting and audit.
Keith Taylor
Partner, Deloitte Federal Practice
1750 Tysons Boulevard
McLean, VA 22102
PH: 202.378.5180
FX: 202.661.1680
keitaylor@deloitte.com
www.deloitte.com/us/
federalservices
AGA Summer Newsletter Schedule
AGA newsletters will follow the schedule below in August:
August 16: AGA Today
August 30: Resume normal weekly schedule, beginning with TOPICS
Input for TOPICS is due the Wednesday before each issue date. Please contact
Marie Force, Director of Communications,
with any questions you may have. Have a safe and enjoyable summer!
Chapter Anniversaries
In 2004, Five Chapters Celebrate 50th Year Anniversary, Two Celebrate 25th Anniversary
The following AGA chapters celebrated their 50th Anniversary on March
24, 2004 - Boston, Cleveland, Dayton and Detroit. The Atlanta Chapter
celebrates its 50th on September 9, 2004.
The Orange County Chapter celebrated its 25th Anniversary on May 23, 2004 and the Greater Lansing Chapter celebrates its 25th on August 1, 1979.
Several chapters were presented their anniversary plaque at the 2004 Professional Development Conference in June. See photos to the right. Congratulations to everyone!
 ORDER NOW!
A Primer on Internal Controls and Auditing: Crucial to Government and the Economy
By: Wanda A. Wallace, Ph.D., CPA, CMA, CIA
Internal control has never been optional, and now an easy-to-read resource
directed to a wide audience is available to understand both what is meant
by "internal control" and how an "audit" is conducted.
Click
here to order your copy.
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Volume
43: Issue 16, August 2, 2004
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
Bobby A. Derrick, CGFM
For
those of you who had the opportunity to attend the AGA 2004 Professional
Development Conference (PDC), I hope you share my impression of the conference.
I found it to be rewarding and invigorating. It was an extra shot of adrenaline
to carry me over until we get to the 2005 National Leadership Conference,
which will also be held in Washington DC in February. I don't know about
you, but I don't think we could have found a better place to hold this
year's PDC than our nation's capital in this presidential election year.
During
the conference many of you heard me discuss my theme for the year, which
is "Leadership for the Future." One of the
things I knew was that my year was going to be during the election year,
and that was one of the things that helped influence me in deciding my
theme. What a privilege and opportunity we have as citizens of this great
country that we live in a democracy where we have the freedom and right
to elect our national, state and local leaders. I hope and pray that all
of us will fulfill our responsibility and obligation to cast our vote
this year. Remember our freedom has been won and sustained by the sacrifices
of many of our brave men and women since the birth of our nation. Every
vote counts. I know the election date is more than three months away,
but make sure you are registered and will be able to participate when
that day arrives.
Click
here to read more thoughts from President Derrick.
 New!
Career Foundations Conference & Exposition -
October 6, 2004
Renaissance Washington, DC Hotel
Cost to Attendees: FREE!
Expand
Your Horizons - Become a Government Financial Manager
Whether you are graduating from college or within the beginning stages
of your career, there are many exciting opportunities to consider as a
government financial manager. No other entity in the world compares to
the size and scope to the US government. Public attention is increasingly
focused on improving the performance and accountability of government
programs. As a result, governments are fully recognizing the importance
of professional financial management and are looking to fill positions
with employees who possess extensive knowledge in a wide variety of functional
areas.
The
field of government financial management offers an assortment of career
paths. The most common are accounting, auditing, budgeting, finance and
systems management. A bachelor's degree in one of these fields is highly
recommended. Problem solving, analytical and research skills are vital.
By attending this conference, attendees will have the ability to network
with peers, learn more about careers in financial management and possibly
interview for a job in this dynamic industry.
Join
AGA for a new conference geared to help you build a successful and lasting
career as a government financial manager. Click
here to find out more.
 AGA's
Corporate Partner Program: Building the Bridge Between Government and
Industry
For years, private-sector organizations have supported AGA through individual
memberships, advertising, exhibits, sponsorships and registrations for
AGA-sponsored conferences and meetings along with substantial volunteer
efforts. The Corporate Partner program was developed and launched in 2002
to forge a vigorous relationship between private sector organizations
and government leaders - AGA's membership and constituency.
Each
AGA Corporate Partner has a seat on the Corporate Partner Advisory Group
(CPAG). The mission of the CPAG is to bring industry and government executives
together to exchange information, support professional development, improve
communications and understanding, solve issues and build partnership and
trust, thereby enhancing AGA's focus on advancing government accountability.
AGA's Corporate Partner Advisory Group is all about improving access between
the private sector and government. After all, we need each other. We share
common goals, and we can learn from each other's mistakes and successes.
Like
AGA, the private sector is interested in improving the financial health
of governments at all levels. Our Corporate Partners are knowledgeable
about the latest industry trends in financial management, technology,
auditing and budgeting. Strategies that work well in private companies
also may work well in a government setting. The private sector offers
services and products that can help government financial managers do their
jobs more efficiently and effectively.
CPAG
Research Program
The AGA CPAG Research Program creates research projects of value to governments,
industry and the AGA membership. Two major types of research are conducted
under the program: sponsored and cooperative, with cooperative tending
to have a short (90-day) timeframe, and sponsored being of a longer, continuing
nature.
At
this time, we would like to update all AGA members on the progress the
CPAG is making on several of its research projects. Click
here to read more.
TOPICS
is brought to you by AGA Corporate
Partner 
Management Concepts Federal Financial Management Certificate Program
(FFMCP) helps you build the federal financial management knowledge
base and skills essential for success in the government environment:
- Improve
your effectiveness on the job
- Advance
your career and chances for long-term success in your field
- Build
confidence in your ability to manage federal financial activities and
staff effectively
Click
here to find out more. Enroll today!
 New
Training Opportunities for CGFM Candidates, Their Employers and AGA Chapters
Whether
you are a CGFM candidate seeking a flexible way to study for the CGFM
examinations, an AGA chapter looking to offer affordable high-quality
CPE courses or an employer wanting to train new staff in governmental
financial management, the CGFM Program has made great strides this year
to accommodate your needs with our onsite Government Financial Management
Program and two self-study guides.
Onsite
Government Financial Management Program
In developing the Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) program,
the Professional Certification Board (PCB) realized the challenge involved
in covering the many areas that government financial management encompasses.
Although many CGFMs are auditors and accountants, some are involved in
budgeting, procurement, systems, and other disciplines. Click
here to read more.
SEA
Program's Pilot Phase Evaluations Completed
Evaluations of the 20 charter government SEA reports submitted under the
Pilot Phase are now successfully completed! This first cycle of report
evaluations served as a test run of the program's overall process, review
criteria and point system. AGA is now collecting feedback from participating
governments and reviewers, compiling program results and closing out the
Pilot Phase while preparing for the Implementation Phase. Click
here to read more.
Cleveland
Chapter Accepts Certificate - (left to right) William Walsh, CGFM (Chapter
President 2003-2004) and Jim Minnery, CGFM (Chapter President 2004-2005)
accepting from AGA Immediate Past National President Jullin Renthrope,
CGFM.
Greater
Lansing Accepts Certificate - (left to right) Howard Pizzo (Chapter President
2004-2005) and Christy Ryan (Chapter President 2003-2004) accepting from
AGA Immediate Past National President Jullin Renthrope, CGFM, and AGA
National President Bobby A. Derrick, CGFM.
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