Back in the Big Apple: 2003 Annual Conference recap.

• Position: News & Numbers - Government Finance Officers Association

GFOA members gathered in New York City May 18-21 for the association's 97th Annual Conference--the first time since 1971 that the conference has been held in the center of the financial world. Convened at the Hilton New York in the heart of midtown Manhattan, the conference provided a unique opportunity for the 3,500 delegates and their guests to experience one of the world's most dynamic cities.

As the site of the 2001 terrorist tragedy and the focal point of the ensuing economic difficulties, the city itself offered a symbolic backdrop to the theme, "Meeting Financial Challenges." Over the four-day conference, delegates gained valuable insights from experts and from one another on how to successfully overcome the serious challenges now facing government finance professionals.

GENERAL SESSIONS

This year's general sessions featured two well-known names. On Monday, presidential adviser, journalist, and scholar David Gergen addressed the delegates on the importance of leadership. The author of Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership, Nixon to Clinton, Gergen spoke extensively about his experience in the nation's capitol and what it taught him about leadership. Gergen also commented on current affairs, emphasizing that local and state government officials must communicate their homeland security, health care, education, and general funding needs to representatives in Washington.

On Tuesday, GFOA members were treated to an assessment of the national economy by one of Wall Street's most respected analysts. Abby Joseph Cohen went into great detail in explaining why she believes that there is light at the end of this dark economic tunnel. She said the fundamentals exist for a return to economic stability in the near future.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

This year's conference program featured 63 concurrent sessions and 13 discussion groups. Many of these sessions offered strategies specifically tailored to financial management in the current environment. As always, delegates were treated to the latest thinking and practice on the hot-button issues in public finance, including GASB 34, auditor independence, austerity tactics, performance measurement, asset allocation, market disclosure, and emerging technologies. The program also tackled non-traditional topics such as international accounting standards, career development, tax policy, corporate governance, and employee compensation, among others. Most speaker presentations and handouts are now...