How GFOA's International Partnerships Came About.

• Position: PROGRAMS

GFOA's annual conference welcomes attendees from across North America, including almost all states, provinces, and U.S. territories. GFOA also hosts delegations from several other countries, who bring unique perspectives but common values and experiences as leaders in public finance from across the world.

GFOA's international program started in 1988, when former GFOA CEO Jeff Esser met Amir Bartok at a Sister Cities conference in Jerusalem. Amir was in charge of the Municipal Finance Directors Association [MDFA] of Israel, and Jeff invited him to attend a GFOA conference. Amir attended that year, and thereafter, GFOA started sending delegations to the MFDA's annual conference. In turn, MFDA also started sending a delegation to the GFOA conference.

Amir's vision of bringing countries together to share information was the impetus of the international program. In Israel, municipal finance officers were just starting to get organized and provide training, and they were eager to work with their counterparts in the United States and Canada.

Many international local governments are controlled by their federal government and did not share best practices the way GFOA members do. Program participants signed agreements to formalize their role in sharing information and learning from each other.

GFOA's first agreement was with the MDFA in Israel. Using that relationship asamodel, GFOAwentonto develop formal relationships with others including the Swedish Association of Local Government Finance Officers, the Association of the Financiers of the Local Self-Governing Units of Georgia, the Chartered Institute of Government Finance Audit and Risk Officers of South Africa the German Association of Treasurers, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, and the Brazilian Navy Office of the Budget, and the Institute of Public Works and Engineering Australasia. Formany of these organizations, Amir was influential in helping GFOA establish the initial connection.

Overtheyears, GFOA's executive leadership has represented GFOA at numerous conferences hosted by our partner organizations. Recently, GFOA President Terri Velasquez attended a conference in Sweden, and this year GFOA will send delegations to Israel, South Africa, and Georgia.

With the news of AmirBartok's passing on August 7, 2022,atage73, GFOA recognizes his contributions to the association and the many friendships that developed through these international partnerships.

Remembering Amir Bartok

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