AGA TOPICS Newsletter

Consultant Earns His Stripes With CGFM Designation

When AGA launched the CGFM Program in the mid-1990s, John Bower could have earned the designation based on his education and experience, but he did not take advantage of the opportunity.

“The certification has become more prominent and recognized since then, so I wished I had,” Bower said. “I’ve been working in government financial management for 16 years now, so I thought it was time for some sort of certification and recognition of that.”

The delay meant he had to sit for three examinations, but the exercise was a valuable one as it forced Bower to study issues he did not encounter every day at work while helping expand his knowledge of areas he was familiar with.

Bower, a member of AGA’s Central Indiana Chapter and a CPA, had the advantage of being exposed to financial workings at all three levels of government. At Sequoia Consulting Group in Carmel, IN, he helps state and local governments comply with the Office of Management and Budget’s Circular A-87, which outlines the standards for receiving reimbursement for the costs of administering federal grant programs.

Bower borrowed the three CGFM Study Guides from the chapter, and spent about a month studying each section, taking the exams one at a time. Like most CGFM candidates, the most difficult sections involved issues he did not face much on the job. Bower was unfamiliar with the newest federal accounting standards promulgated by the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board, but he found the information interesting and he believes he has a much broader base of knowledge now.

While he did not receive any monetary incentives for earning the designation, that was not his primary motivation. “I did it for myself,” Bower said. “It puts a professional stamp on my actual job experience.”

Bower was surprised to find that earning the CGFM generated a lot of recognition. “Most of my clients are members of the AGA local chapter, and they published it in the local newsletter, and I was surprised by how many people congratulated me on it.”

Bower is glad he went through the examination process and would encourage others to do the same. “For those who have a career in government financial management, it’s a professional certification that shows they’ve achieved a certain proficiency in work experience.”