Bringing Members Together to Address the Pressing Challenges of Today and Tomorrow.

• Author: Morrill, Christopher P.
• Position: FROM THE CEO

As I speak with public finance officers throughout the United States and Canada, it's clear that our state, provincial, and local governments are facing many challenges. Obstacles related to balanced budgets, additional accounting standards, aging infrastructure, evolving technology, and ongoing pension shortfalls are perennial, but organizations are also grappling with the many issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Perhaps the main challenge I'm hearing about is significantly altered workforce expectations. This, combined with our ever-changing political environment and overall perception of local government--and its role in shaping our communities--adds to the stress of being a finance officer while creating a unique environment for change.

I believe GFOA plays an important role in addressing these issues by bringing members together to share ideas, provide diverse perspectives, and ultimately collaborate on strategies and solutions that will become the best practices of tomorrow. At GFOA, we prioritize member engagement, and we are implementing new strategies to connect members and encourage participation in our programs. We are also analyzing data and learning from our past experiences to find better ways to better serve you.

The annual conference is our signature event of the year, bringing together thousands of government finance professionals for a week of educational sessions, networking, and social events, but equally important ways to engage and participate are still on the way. This fall, GFOA will host several major events that will provide opportunities not only for engagement but, even more importantly, for making contributions to the solutions that will guide the evolution of the public finance profession.

MiniMuni. GFOA's virtual event that highlights debt management best practices and industry trends is back on October 19 to 21,2022, for the fourth consecutive year. Government entities have used debt to fund public infrastructure for more than 200 years, but regulations are constantly changing. This event provides GFOA members with firsthand knowledge from key leaders in Washington, D. C., and it allows our members to discuss the latest trends, best practices, and what to expect in the future. For more information, visit gfoa.org/minimuni.

Rethinking Public Engagement Summit. This virtual summit, scheduled for November 7 to 10, 2022, will bring together academics, researchers, and other thought leaders in public...