Sherri Voigt, CGFM, CPA

Welcome to 2019…Well, the AGA Chapter Program Year 2019 anyhow!

We have reviewed the Symposium evaluations and used the topic areas rated high to seek out topics for this year. We are recruiting speakers for May 8, 2019 and are always willing to check out new suggestions. Any topic or speaker idea you have can be sent to education chair Mary Laufenberg to research further. (Drop her a note at: [email protected].)

This month’s newsletter features some photos and information about the Chapter Recognition Award earned last program year. For those who didn’t know, the chapter reports out on activities done during the year in 8 separate categories: Chapter Leadership Planning & Participation, Education and Professional Development, Certification, Communications, Membership, Accountability, Community Service, and Awards. This information goes to the National AGA Office as well as to our regional and sectional leadership. It is used to monitor chapter activity.

On another note, I would like to thank all the CGFMs who participated in the job analysis survey recently. This is a critical part of maintaining the professionalism and relevance of the Certified Government Financial Manager certification exams. As the AGA National Chair for the Professional Certification Board, I am honored to be part of the job analysis review and exam content update this year.

I look forward to seeing you at an upcoming chapter event!

Sherri  

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Sherri Voigt, CGFM, CPA

Hello AGA Members and other readers.

As we approach the end of the program year, I want to thank everyone who has attended a training session (or is registered for one of the upcoming events). We will be sending out a member survey soon to look at what types of training events and content best suit your needs. We will start planning the new program year in June.

We have just two sessions left for the year: The May 9 Symposium and a June 13 webinar on leadership (with an ethics in government focus). Please visit our website to register. Time is running out for the 7 CPE Symposium; April 24 is the deadline!

At the March 28 Cybersecurity webinar, we did a mini celebration of “March is CGFM Month” and had the signed proclamations on hand from Governor Walker and Mayor Soglin. Thank you to those in attendance for being willing to stand for a group photo.

Sherri
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Sherri Voigt, CGFM, CPA

Welcome to CGFM Month! Every March, our chapter requests and receives proclamations from the Governor and Madison Mayor declaring March is CGFM month. If you have ideas on another municipal government that we should reach out, please let us know; we would be happy to reach out to other areas in the state of Wisconsin. For more information on the Certified Govenerment Financial Manager certification, please visit the AGA National website at http://www.agacgfm.org/cgfm

We have a busy spring with quite a few CPE offerings. Please view the calendar of events. There is also a free members-only webinar on March 15 that National should have sent notices about.

This month is also an opportunity to highlight the career of one of the chapter’s first CGFM members. David Mellem has retired with over 50 years of federal service. I encourage you to see the related articles in the March newsletter.

I look forward to seeing you at one of the upcoming training sessions!

Sherri

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Sherri Voigt, CGFM, CPA

Our January lunch meeting featuring Sarah Loose and Andrew Justl from Baker-Tilly Virchow Kraus focused mainly on the 2018 changes in the tax code. It was an interesting insight for what deductions continue or end, and what the impact is on taxpayers. Thank you to all who came. Also, an extra thank you to those who donated cash/items to the Salvation Army.

We will be hosting the AGA National webinars on March 28 and April 11. Registration details will come out in March, but hold the date if these topics will help you. Each is 2 CPE, and will run from 1:00-2:50 CT.

• March 28 Cybersecurity
• April 11 Beyond the Code: Ethics in the Real World

The schedule is in the final stages for our Annual Spring Symposium on May 9. Brochures will be available soon and registration details will be on our website. See page 7 of the current newsletter for a preview of topics. This day will offer 7 CPE.

Sherri
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Sherri Voigt, CGFM, CPA

Welcome to 2018!

Our January 25 lunch meeting is the Annual Tax Update. Sarah Loose from Baker Tilly Virchow Krause will be covering any changes for the 2017 tax year, and covering some highlights of the recent tax acts that will impact the 2018 tax filing season.

We will collect items for the Salvation Army at the January lunch meeting.  Commonly needed items are:

• Adult T-shirts
• Diapers – All Sizes (5 & 5 needed most)
• Baby Bottles
• Sanitary Items
• Men’s deodorant

Diapers are a wonderful item to donate to families in need.

The AGA Southern Chapter continues to support the Salvation Army Shelter and Community Center. Thank you AGA members and non-members for all of your wonderful support, it is greatly appreciated.

Our audio conference schedule for the year kicked off in December. Check out our calendar of events for the upcoming dates. These are 2 CPE each, and are free to members.

Planning and scheduling has been taking place for the Annual Symposium. There are some great topics lined up and a training brochure will be ready next month.

Mark your calendars now: Wednesday, May 9, 2018
UW-Madison Union South

We are always looking for topic and/or speaker ideas for lunch meetings and training sessions. If you have any ideas to share, please reach out to our Education Chair, Mary Laufenberg, at [email protected]

Sherri Voigt, CGFM, CPA
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President’s Message

Sherri Voigt, CGFM, CPA 

Hello!

We kicked off the program year with an excellent presentation from Wayne Block regarding Metro Transit and their operating/capital budgets. We have another great local government topic lined up for October 26…Mike Hanson, Patrol Operations Lieutenant with the Madison Police Department will be talking about budget issues, most specifically the funding for the drones. I hope to see many of you there.

The Southern Wisconsin AGA Chapter will be sending out a member survey in the next couple of months to get your input on training topics you would like have us provide. We are building out the remainder of the program year and looking to offer the best balance of topics for lunch meetings, national audio conferences, and the annual Symposium. (By the way…hold the date: the annual Symposium is scheduled for Thursday, May 9, 2018!) If you ever think of a topic that sounds interesting or see a speaker that is good, please feel free to drop a note to Mary Laufenberg, Education Chair ([email protected]).

We have two upcoming community service events. We will be collecting needed items for the Salvation Army shelter at the October lunch meeting. We will be having a group sign up to work at Zoo Lights at the Henry Vilas Zoo (ticket sales and gate greeting); shifts are open in November and December. (If you are interested in participating in the zoo event, please contact me at [email protected] since we will need to reserve a group volunteer slot by the end of October.)

Sherri

President’s Message
Sherri Voigt, CGFM, CPA

Welcome to the 2018 Southern Wisconsin Association of Government Accountants program year!

We have lunch meetings scheduled for September and October. We will be filling in some audio conference dates to increase the number of CPE we can offer. We are using the feedback from the May training event to search out topics and speakers that were included in the comments. If you have any ideas that you have seen recently, please feel free to contact Education Chair Mary Laufenberg at [email protected].

We are looking at some community service events that have a social component so people can get to know their government accountability peers. If you have ideas that would work for small groups, please send them in.

Take a look at the calendar of events and see what sessions you might be able to attend. We look forward to seeing you over the program year!

Sherri

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Hello everybody:

We have a great luncheon scheduled at Babe’s Restaurant on April 13th with a speaker from Borakove/Osman, LLC, Attorney Shayna Borakove speaking about family estate planning Also don’t forget about our 40th Annual AGA Symposium scheduled at the Union South Building on May 10th. We have a great group of speakers for you this year.

I hope to see everybody at that time.

Mary Laufenberg, CPA, CGFM
2016-17 President
Southern Wisconsin Chapter of the
Association of Government Accountants

 

Hello everybody:

The Month of March is certainly rolling in like a lion; I like to think that our educational events are doing at the Southern Wisconsin AGA Chapter. Some of the new and exciting things that have been planned so far are as follows:

• The March luncheon is scheduled at Rigby Pub & Grill on March 23rd. The speaker for this meeting is the President of the Madison Mallard’s. Don’t forget that this March is CGFM Month and this meeting will be free to those who hold this certification.
• Watch for the agenda of our Fortieth Annual AGA Symposium scheduled on May 10; it has been finalized and will be posted on our website in the next few days.
• The April luncheon speaker is Attorney Shayna Borakove of Borakove/Osman, LLC. She will be speaking to us regarding trusts, estates, taxes, and the planning for your future generation. The restaurant has yet to be determined.
• Check out the member spotlight on page 5 of our newsletter featuring Andrew Stovich, CGFM.

As always, I am reaching out to our members for ideas of new topics for our luncheons and symposium. If you have an idea for an educational topic, please let me know. I will definitely look into any and all ideas coming my way.

I hope to see everybody at these events.

Mary Laufenberg, CGFM

Mary Laufenberg, CGFM, CPA

Hello everybody:

We are currently still working on our education curriculum at AGA and have a few new engagements to tell you about. The first is the webinar scheduled for February 22nd from 1:00 to 2:50 p.m. titled “Fraud/Risk”. The location for this webinar has yet to be determined but we will let you know this place as soon as possible. The second ise a speaker has been confirmed for our luncheon scheduled for March 23rd. This speaker is Vern Stenman, President of the Madison Mallard’s who will be addressing his budget for the new seating rebuild at the Warner Park Stadium, the forecasting of increased revenue and working with the City of Madison on this renovation. Finally, we are still working on finalizing the agenda for our May AGA Symposium. There are a couple more slots that still need to be filled and I have reached out to possible speakers who have not yet gotten back to me. I am hoping to finalize this soon. Stay tuned to our website for this following information.

I hope to see everybody at the above-mentioned education sessions and take care…

Mary Laufenberg
2016-17 Co-presidents
Southern Wisconsin Chapter of the
Association of Government Accountants