Boston s Beacon Volume , Issue 1 July 2014

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1 Boston s Beacon Volume , Issue 1 July 2014 Calendar of Events Boston Chapter National July 13-16, 2014 PDC: Challenges. Collaboration. Shared Solutions Orlando, FL Sep 15 & 16, 2014 AGA Internal Control & Fraud Prevention Training Washington, D.C. President s Message Welcome Boston AGA members to new beginnings and continued successes for the upcoming fiscal year! I am honored to serve as chapter President, and privileged to receive the baton from our former leader, Suzanne Bump, who did a magnificent job serving and leading the Boston AGA Chapter. I know that I speak on behalf of members and all others whom benefited from her leadership in thanking you for your commitment to the organization. I also want to recognize the outgoing chapter officers for their dedication to AGA as they move on to other endeavors. Our strength is in our members. I need your ideas and the generosity of your time to make our chapter successful. If you would like to get involved in the chapter, please let me know and I will work with you to find an opportunity that meets your interests. July is a time of celebration and reflection; celebrating the accomplishments of our country, the new fiscal year, and new leadership; reflecting on the activities of the past and fresh ideas for the future. It s an opportunity to think through the endgame and take advantage of the half-time break to reset strategy. This moment- no matter how stretched- comes but once a year. Our chapter will leverage this time to celebrate and reflect with family, friends, and co-workers as we prepare ourselves for the year to come. Inside this Issue Boston AGA National Awards Chapter News Community Service Notes...4 Citizen Centric Reporting... 5 Chapter Recognition Program...6 Chapter Financials & CEC Notes..7 Useful Links...8 National Office News Regional Information Membership Application Officers & Directors List..13 Many chapter members will attend the annual AGA Professional Development Training (PDT) Conference this month in beautiful Orlando, Florida. We are thrilled to have five of our own chapter members speaking at the conference to share best practices with their colleagues nationwide on topics within their business and professional capacities. Our chapter membership represents some of the best and brightest government professionals in the country, and in the upcoming year we will aim to continue in this tradition. I welcome and encourage your participation and support to create a successful year. Celebration and reflection is in the air. Enjoy the holidays! Martin Benison, CGFM Page 1

2 Boston Chapter AGA National Awards Program Year Chapter Recognition Award Platinum Level 2014 Winner - Boston Chapter Suzanne Bump, Esq., President National Treasurer s Award David A. LeBlanc, CGFM RVP Recognition Award Gold Level 2014 Winner Joseph Valchuis, CGFM Northeast Regional Vice President Chapter Website Award Second Place (Group A) 2014 Winner - Boston Chapter David A. LeBlanc, CGFM, Webmaster *Awards to be presented at AGA PDT National Conference July 13-16* Page 2

3 Chapter News & Updates Internal Control Presentation What Keeps You Up at Night? Budget Challenges and Risk Assessment The Essex District Attorney's Office recently hosted the National District Attorneys Association in Salem, MA (June 2-6, 2014) regarding Office Administration for District Attorneys. District Attorney personnel from throughout the United States attended this meeting to discuss various topics, such as, boosting employee morale, management in the 21 st century, policies to deal with social media, managing and retaining staff and workplace employment issues. One of the featured speakers was our own Boston Chapter member, Maureen Colby, Chief, Administration and Finance for the Essex District Attorney's Office. Ms. Colby s presentation was on the topic of What Keeps You Up at Night? Budget Challenges and Risk Assessment. The presentation was well received by the attendees. Of course, Ms. Colby took the opportunity to discuss the benefits of becoming an AGA member and how she has benefitted from the training provided by the AGA Boston Chapter and networking with other government accounting, auditing and finance professionals. AGA brochures and literature were made available to all attendees. Page 3

4 Community Service Notes Community Service Committee News Currently the Boston Chapter s Community Service Committee is working on planning events for the program year. We plan to support a number of the same organizations as this year but are looking for ideas from members as to charitable organizations or their related events that could use our support. If any of you have any thoughts or suggestions or would like to join the committee please contactjgustowski@charter.net. Volunteers Wanted for Stand Down Help Local Veterans This year, the Boston Chapter s Community Service Committee is again supporting the region s annual Stand Down. This event will be held on Friday August 22nd at IBEW Local 103 Headquarters, 256 Freeport St., Dorchester, MA. Information explaining this event can be found at Stand Downs are part of the Department of Veterans Affairs efforts to provide services to homeless and at risk veterans. They provide services to homeless veterans such as food, shelter, clothing, health screenings, etc.. The event is collaboration between local VAs, other government agencies, and community agencies who serve the homeless. Currently, we are trying to determine how many members might be willing to donate their time to this worthwhile event. Please contact Joe Valchuis at JValchuis@doe.mass.edu if you require more information or to volunteer. Please consider joining in this worthwhile effort. Page 4

5 Citizen Centric Reporting Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council Certificate of Excellence for 2013 Citizen-Centric Report June 10, 2014 Pictured left to right: Daniel M. Shannon, Executive Director, Julie Fitzpatrick, Chairperson and Craig C. Hall, Deputy Director AGA's Citizen-Centric Reports detail government finances in a visually appealing, clear and understandable four-page document. AGA offers a Certificate of Excellence in Citizen-Centric Reporting for entities that prepare and distribute high-quality Citizen-Centric Reports (CCRs). To be eligible for the certificate, governments must incorporate into their report the program s high standards of content, visual appeal, readability, distribution and timeliness in reporting. Page 5

6 Volume , Issue 1 Boston s Beacon February July Chapter Recognition Program Chapter Recognition Program The Chapter Recognition Program is designed to support, encourage, and promote the accomplishment of AGA s mission and to provide flexible noncompetitive guidelines for a well-rounded chapter. The Chapter Recognition Program year begins on June 1 st and concludes on May 31 st.. Boston Chapter credits as of June 30, 2014 are: Maximum Credits Credits % of Categories Credits Earned Allowed Avail Leadership, Planning & Participation 3,000 1,100 1,100 37% Education & Professional Development 4, % Certification 4,000 1,325 1,325 33% Communications 3, % Membership 3,000 1,050 1,050 35% Accountability % Community Service 2, % Awards 1,000 2,000 1, % Total 22,000 7,475 6,475 29% From the Editor Do you know someone in the Boston Chapter who has recently received promotion, accepted a new position, retired or won an award? Would you like to share your good news with fellow AGA members? Or maybe you re interested in writing a technical article for an upcoming issue of Boston s Beacon. Please forward submissions for the next issue of Boston s Beacon to Taneka.Simmons@state.ma.us. Thanks! Support Boston AGA Speakers at 2014 PDT Conference: Martin Benison, CGFM William Bell Craig Hall David LeBlanc, CGFM Taneka Simmons, CPA Page 6

7 Chapter Financials & CEC Highlights Boston Chapter Corporate Sponsor About McGladrey McGladrey LLP is the fifth largest U.S. provider of assurance, tax and consulting services, with more than 6,500 professionals and associates in 75 offices nationwide. McGladrey has extensive experience across the entire range of the governmental and not-for-profit sector, locally, serving over 30 governmental clients, and more than 2,800 public sector clients nationally, including more than 1,200 governments, on a yearly basis. Boston Chapter Balance Sheet June 30, 2014 Assets Cash Checking Account $52,671 Savings Account 9,984 Certificates of Deposit 0 Total Cash $62,655 Total Accounts Receivable $12,775 Total Assets $75,430 Liabilities and Fund Balance Accounts Payable $ 0 Deferred Revenue - Seminars $ 0 Current Fund Balance $75,430 Total Liabilities and Fund Balance $75,430 CEC Meeting Highlights The Boston Chapter Executive Committee met on June 10, Please note the following: Education: General discussions were held regarding the planning for next year s training events. Community Service: The AGA Boston Chapter Community Service Committee working on planning events for the upcoming year. Membership: The Boston Chapter has 341 members. Communications: Looking for ideas on how to engage the AGA Boston community to start submitting articles to the newsletter. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 8, 2014.

8 Useful Links Boston Chapter AGA Website The Boston Chapter of the AGA has an award winning website. Please change your browser favorites to the following: Citizen Centric Reporting The Association of Government Accountants, the thought leader for the government accountability profession, evaluates reports for the Certificate of Excellence in Citizen-Centric Reporting award. AGA determines award recipients based on content, visual appeal, readability, distribution, and timeliness of reporting. To view a copy of the Chapter s Citizen Centric Report, please go to our website at: Boston_Chapter_CCR.pdf Take a tour around the site and send your feedback, suggestions and thoughts to the webmaster or any chapter Officer or Director. Check the site often for updates and valuable information. Are you using social media? The Boston Chapter invites you to follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook Fan Page, and/or join our LinkedIn Group. Our moniker is you guessed it Boston AGA! We plan to provide periodic updates regarding education sessions, community ser- vice events, etc. Websites of Interest American Society for Public Admin (ASPA)... MA Chapter of ASPA... Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (CFE)... Greater Boston Chapter of CFE... Association of Government Accountants... AGA Boston Chapter... AGA Aroostook County Chapter. AGA Hartford Chapter... AGA Maine Chapter... COSO... First Gov... Governmental Accounting Standards Board... Government Executive... Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)... Boston s Beacon is published by the Association of Government Accountants Boston Chapter. Comments should be forwarded to Taneka.Simmons@state.ma.us Page 8

9 News from National PDT 2014 July Orlando, FL 24 CPE Hours Available The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)-approved PDT is AGA's premier training event. Offering up to 24 CPE hours, it brings together the top officials in federal, state and local government, as well as from academia and the private sector, for three-and-a-half days of valuable training and networking. Reasons Why You Should Attend: Earn up to 24 CPE Hours Continue your lifelong learning and gain the knowledge and understanding you need to improve your effectiveness. The presentations are facilitated by both industry experts and seasoned professionals who have faced similar challenges. Attend and earn up to 24 CPE hours. Stay On the Cutting Edge Our PDT 2014 program includes top-notch speakers from all areas of government financial management, bringing you key findings and educational experiences to augment your knowledge and skills. Additionally, our exceptional exhibitors will share the newest technology in the profession, while explaining the products and services they have to make your office or agency run more efficiently. Network and Connect An unquantifiable benefit of attending AGA s training events is your ability to network and connect with a variety of government financial experts and industry leaders. Listen, share and collaborate to solve the most pressing financial challenges. Page 9

10 News from National AGA's 2014 Internal Control & Fraud Prevention Training Event Sept , 2014 Ronald Reagan and International Trade Center Washington, DC 14 CPE Hours Challenge your thinking on internal accountability and controls, and learn how to lower the risks of wrongdoing in your organization. This training event will bring together leaders in government, academia and private industry to discuss the latest discovery techniques and lessons learned from various schemes. The event offers 14 hours of CPE to help you solve real internal control issues and eliminate fraud, waste and abuse. Who should attend? Senior-Level Managers and Executives CEOs and Presidents Auditors CPAs, Accountants and CGFMs Topics Include: Detecting and Preventing Fraud Fraud is an old problem, but technology is providing would-be perpetrators with new techniques for targeting government programs. Learn about the latest techniques for preventing and detecting fraud. Data Analytics Government agencies have more data than ever before, but converting it into useful information is a challenge. Learn how to leverage data analytics to identify potential fraud and target investigative resources more efficiently. Internal Control How can your department or agency improve its control environment? Sessions will address internal controls from the perspectives of program management, risk reduction and elimination of waste and abuse. Page 10

11 Regional Information Northeast Region Vice President Team Thalia Melendez, Regional Vice President Brenda Carver, Regional Vice President-Elect Joseph Valchuis, CGFM, CFE, Past Regional Vice President Northeast Region Chapter Presidents Jennifer Cormier, Aroostook County Chapter President Web Site: Martin Benison, CGFM, Boston Chapter President Web Site: Northeast Regional Coordinators Lynn Farruggia, Regional Coordinator for Certification Kim Baron, Hartford Chapter President Web Site: Linda Gover, Regional Coordinator for Membership and Early Careers Jane Gutowski, CPA, Regional Coordinator for Chapter Development & Assistance Julia P. Burns, CGFM, Regional Coordinator for Education Craig Hall, Regional Coordinator of Accountability Philip Platt, Maine Chapter President Web Site: Brenda Carver, New York Capital Chapter President Web Site: Paula Bicking, Rome Chapter President Page 11

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13 Volume , Issue 1 Boston s Beacon February July Officers, Directors and Chairs John Martin W. Benison, Beveridge, CGFM CGFM, CFE President Office: Martin.Benison@state.ma.us Suzanne Bump, Esq Immediate Past President Office: Suzanne.Bump@sao.state.ma.us Dan Bonnette, CPA President Elect Office: dan.bonnette@mcgladrey.com Richard Sullivan, CPA Secretary Office: rsullivan@powersandsullivan.com Patricia (Tanona) Rydlak, CIA Treasurer Office: prydlak@doe.mass.edu Shana Doiran, CPA Chapter Auditor Office: srozowsky@kpmg.com Julia P. Burns, CGFM Vice President for Education and Programs Office: Julia.Burns@state.ma.us Benjamin Howe, MPIA Vice President for Planning Office: Benjamin.howe@va.gov Taneka Simmons, CPA Vice President for Communication Newsletter Editor, Office: Taneka.Simmons@state.ma.us Nick Dahl, CGFM Director of Bylaws and Procedures Office: Nicholas.Dahl@va.gov Jane Gustowski, CPA Director of Community Service Office: jgustowski@charter.net Shannon Gianatassio Vice President for Membership Director of Early Careers Office: Shannon.Gianatassio@sao.state.ma.us William Muench, CGFM, CPA Director of Scholarships and Awards Office: wmuench@dcaa.mil Joseph Valchuis, CGFM, CFE Director of Professional Certification Office: jvalchuis@doe.mass.edu Mary T. Leyden, CGFM Career Day Chair Tel: David A. LeBlanc, CGFM, CFS Director at Large Ex-Officio &Webmaster Office: dleblanc@doe.mass.edu Craig Hall Director of Accountability Office: Craig.hall@state.ma.us Association of Government Accountants Boston Chapter c/o 75 Pleasant Street Malden, MA Platinum Chapter Page 13