AGA TOPICS Newsletter

From the National President
Sam M. McCall, MPA, CGFM, CPA, CIA, CGAP

In this month’s TOPICS, I want to briefly address three issues: chapter visits since my last column; the November joint meeting of the AGA Financial Management Standards Board (FMSB) and the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB); and the important responsibility of AGA members to reach out and encourage early career government financial management professionals to join AGA.

In October, I attended a chapter education event at the New York Capital Chapter in Albany, NY. We had a lively four-hour panel discussion on emerging issues in auditing. The five-member panel represented federal, state, local government, academia and the private sector and the friendly exchange of views was educational for both attendees and the panelists. The next day, I took the train from Albany to New York City and spoke to the New York Chapter about my theme for this year, “Accountability Reporting with a Citizen Focus.” CPE was additionally provided on Government Auditing Standards. I also had an informative conversation in New York with several chapter members and learned about how they are reaching out to early career professionals.

In late October, I visited the Jackson, MS Chapter and provided two hours of CPE training to about 70 participants. The meeting room overlooked the beautiful capital city and as I expected, the southern hospitality was outstanding. At the meeting were several first-time attendees from local CPA firms. They seemed impressed to learn that CPA firms in the Washington, D.C. area are stressing the need for staff to become not only CPAs, but to also pass AGA’s CGFM Examinations. As I indicated to them, any accounting or consulting firm that has CGFMs on their staff has a distinct advantage when responding to a request for proposal to do work in the government and non-profit arena. The certification can also make the difference for promotional opportunities for those working for government agencies.

In early November, AGA’s FMSB had the honor of jointly meeting with GASB in Norwalk, CT. The evening before the meeting, GASB members and staff joined our executive director, the FMSB and me for an informal dinner. The next day, we formally met in the GASB board room and learned about proposed standards and implementation issues on existing standards. GASB Chairman Bob Attmore, CGFM, and other board members thanked Georgia State Auditor Russell Hinton, CGFM, AGA’s FMSB chair, for comments that AGA provides to GASB. GASB recognizes that our FMSB represents all levels of government (thereby reducing any bias that could be present in a response from an individual or a particular state or local government). Later in the day, FMSB members had the opportunity to hear presentations made to GASB on Service Efforts and Accomplishments Reporting—the first major presentation to the board on this topic in some time. AGA is very fortunate to have a positive relationship with GASB and we always look forward to our annual meeting with their board and staff.

The last issue that I would like to discuss is the responsibility of AGA chapters and individual members to reach out into their government to locate early career professionals. As AGA National President, I am concerned about the health and future of our organization. I also feel a great sense of responsibility to leave what knowledge I have accumulated to those who will account for and report on the performance of government in the future. Recently, I was going through some mementoes I received when I left the State of Florida Auditor General’s Office. One memento was a two-page letter of thanks from a person I had mentored in the Askew School of Public Administration. The mentoring program took very little of my time and meant so much to the student’s career goals. The networking opportunity provided her a lead to her first professional position.

I encourage AGA members to take the time to discuss how you can identify and encourage government finance professionals to participate in chapter activities. Your actions can provide them networking opportunities and help them to achieve their career goals.