SAAABA September Member Dinner & Meeting

Election Update

SPEAKERS:  Bill Ballenger, The Ballenger Report

WHERE:
Hawk Island County Park
1601 E. Cavanaugh Rd.
Lansing, MI 48910
Peregrine Shelter

Time: Dinner & Meeting at 5:30 pm.  Speaker at 6:00 pm
Menu: Soup Spoon

• Porky Club
• Ava’s Turkey
• Reuben
• The Gardner (veggie wrap)
• Cubano
• Smoked Salmon Wrap

All options include chips, a cookie, and water

COST:              

Members:                                            Free!

Non-Members:                                    $16.00

Parking will be paid for by SAAABA.  Please tell attendant whether you are a resident or non-resident of Lansing upon entering.

If you have questions or need to cancel, please contact a board member                                      

SAAABA August Webinar
FY 2023 Budget Update and Pandemic Funding

                           **Qualifies for one-hour “Other” CPE credit**

SPEAKERS:  Christopher Harkins, State Budget Officer Director

BIO: Director Harkins is responsible for coordinating all aspects of the state’s $70 billion budget and oversees CEPI, OFM, OIAS, and SIGMA.  Prior to serving in the State Budget Office, Director Harkins served as Director of the Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency where he managed the Fiscal Agency and its staff and ensured that the informational and fiscal needs of the members of the Michigan Senate were met. He also worked at Jackson National Life as a Senior Policy Advisor, and spent the preceding decade employed in various roles in state government, most recently within SBO where he served as Director of OHHS.

WHERE:           Zoom (a link will be provided one day before the event)

COST:              

Members:                                            $5.00

Non-Members:                                    $10.00

If you have questions or need to cancel, please contact a board member                                      

65th Annual Business Seminar

              **Qualifies for eight hours of CPE credit**

AGENDA:

Brian Flanagan is founder and principal at the Water’s Edge
Leadership Institute. He is a trained coach, leadership development entrepreneur, and university lecturer.
He partners with clients to develop the three signature qualities of resilient leaders:
• Clarity (self-awareness and personal vision)
• Vitality (energy, passion, purpose)
• Versatility (full-range leadership skills)
Brian’s work draws on emerging research and enduring wisdom. His methods were designed during a decade of work at one of the world’s most innovative business schools: the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. At Michigan Ross, Brian is chief evangelist of the Sanger Leadership Center. He served previously as founding managing director of the center (2012-20). In that capacity, he worked with key faculty and staff to grow a startup initiative into one of the top leadership centers in the world for broad and deep impact in the lives of college students. He co-developed the Michigan Model of Leadership. Guiding a team of dedicated professionals, he launched innovative leadership development programs like Story Lab, Legacy Lab, and the Ross Leaders Academy that are now replicated by top business schools in 6 countries on 4 continents. Brian also teaches at the University of Michigan. He is a lecturer in the Ford School of Public Policy, where he teaches his popular “Leadership Skills for Mission-Driven Organizations” course. At Ross, he’s a regular instructor in the school’s most innovative, action-based learning courses, including Multidisciplinary Action Projects (MAP), the Living Business Leadership Experience, and Health Care Delivery in Emerging Markets.
Previously, Brian served at Grand Valley State University as associate director of the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies and adjunct professor of public, nonprofit, and health administration. There, he founded the Cook Leadership Academy, Wheelhouse Talks, and Leadership University,
an online platform that guides and showcases leadership learning. He managed leadership development for the Seidman College of Business’s full-time MBA program and taught leadership courses for public, nonprofit, and health administration students. Brian is an avid reader and passionate, polymathic learner who holds degrees from the University of Notre Dame and Grand Valley State University. He received his coach training at the Co-Active Training Institute (CTI) but owes his steepest learning curve to his wife, Lauren, and daughters, Ella and Avery.

10:05 – 10:55
Economic Update – Michigan and US Economies, State Revenue Collections, and State Fiscal Issues
Kathryn Summers, Senate Fiscal Agency, Director
David Zin, Senate Fiscal Agency, Chief Economist

   Kathryn Summers has been with the Senate Fiscal Agency since 1999. In November of 2021, Kathryn was appointed the Director of this nonpartisan Agency within the Michigan Senate. Prior to Kathryn’s appointment as Director, she spent 15 years as an Associate Director, and 9 years as a fiscal analyst before being named Associate Director. She spent nearly 25 years working on the School Aid budget, and as Director, continues to work on Retirement issues.

Communicating complicated information in a usable and useful format has been a focus of Kathryn’s time at the Agency and something she continues to strive to improve agency-wide in her leadership role. Providing the same answer no matter who asks the question is integral for a nonpartisan Agency, and SFA personnel provide unbiased, confidential assistance to the Senate Appropriations Committee in particular.

Prior to working at the Senate Fiscal Agency, Ms. Summers worked two years at the House Fiscal Agency, assigned to the budgets for Community Colleges, Department of Education, and School Aid.

Ms. Summers has a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Michigan-Flint and a master’s degree in Economics from Michigan State University, where she also worked as a graduate assistant.

David Zin is the chief economist at the Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency, a non-partisan agency that serves
the Michigan Senate. His responsibilities include forecasting the U.S. and Michigan economies, tracking
and estimating State of Michigan revenues, and estimating the potential fiscal impact of proposed tax policy.
Prior to joining the Senate Fiscal Agency in 2000, David was the senior financial economist with the Office of Policy and Research at the Kansas Department of Revenue, and an Economist Specialist for the
Office of Revenue and Tax Analysis with the Michigan Department of Treasury.  David holds bachelor’s degrees in economics and physics, a Master’s degree in economics and has completed all his doctoral work except his dissertation. 

11:00 – 11:50
SAS 145: Understanding the Entity and It’s Environment And Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement
Maria Manasses, Grant Thornton, Partner
Laura Schuetze, Grant Thronton, Managing Director

Maria has over 25 years of experience in accounting and auditing. She acts as a steward to the accounting and auditing profession at large by supporting young developing professionals, promoting quality work and ethical behavior, and establishing and reinforcing sound professional standards.

She is primarily focused on audit methodology by supporting the establishment of policies and procedures to comply with auditing and attestation standards, including the development and review of letters, documentation templates, practice aids, and other guidance as well as learning materials. She interfaces with others on the implementation of new standards and the implications to methodology, and consults on various technical assurance-related matters across service lines. Maria is a key player in the development and launch of the global audit methodology, including the primary author of the global audit manual and quick reference guides.

Maria has served on many task forces and committees and has contributed to various professional assurance-related standards, audit guides, presentations, and other publications, internationally and within the United States. She currently serves as a member of the Auditing Standards Board.

She joined Grant Thornton after spending a short period in private industry within investor accounting. Before that, Maria spent numerous years with Arthur Andersen LLP as a firmwide staff accountant, an auditor in financial services, and a national professional standards manager.

Maria supports diversity and inclusion. She previously served as an Executive Sponsor of the Diverse Abilities at Grant Thornton & Allies Business Resource Group whose mission is to drive

Laura is a managing director in the Audit Quality and Risk Group (AQR) where she focuses on firm participation in external standard-setting boards and committees as well as development of audit methodology and training on a variety of topics. Prior to joining the AQR in 2013, she was a member of the firm’s Wisconsin audit practice for over eight years.

Experience

As part of the AQR, Laura has monitored national standard-setting activities and has served as technical advisor to the firm’s board member of the Auditing Standards Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She has been a member of a variety of profession task forces coordinated by the Center for Audit Quality and the AICPA. Within the firm, Laura has led the firm’s adoption of new audit and attestation standards, including the development of related firm policies and guidance. She has also consulted with engagement teams on the application and interpretation of audit and attestation standards focusing on external and interfirm reporting matters.

Laura’s client service experience included audits of public and privately-held entities, primarily in the manufacturing, distribution, and technology sectors. In addition to audit services, she worked with privately-held entities to assist them in navigating accounting requirements and internal controls.

Professional qualifications and memberships

Laura is a Certified Public Accountant in Illinois and Wisconsin. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Education

Laura holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Accounting from Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

12:50 – 2:35
Federal Compliance: Allowable and Unallowable Costs (including time studies) and Direct/Indirect Costs
Stephen Blann, Rehmann, Public Sector QC Director

Stephen has been with Rehmann since 1995, during which time he has concentrated exclusively in the governmental and not-for-profit sector. Stephen is a Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) and a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) and is licensed as a CPA in both Michigan and Florida.

Stephen’s client base is comprised of counties, cities, villages, townships, road commissions, community mental health authorities, local and intermediate school districts, Native American tribal governments and a variety of not-for-profit organizations.

As the Firm’s Public Sector QC Director, Stephen is responsible for setting quality control standards, developing practice aids and training programs (both internally and for clients), and serving as the technical quality control principal for audit reviews. Stephen also provides outsourced CFO services to governments and not-for-profit organizations.

Stephen provides multiple CFO outsourcing clients with a broad range of services, including establishing effective internal controls, creating deficit elimination plans, developing budgeting strategies and managing grants.

Through frequent interaction with governmental and industry organizations, such as GASB and the AICPA, Stephen continuously monitors and responds to professional changes as they are being developed to ensure clients and Rehmann associates have access to national resources and robust training opportunities.

EDUCATION

Indiana Wesleyan University
BS, accounting and business administration

MEMBERSHIPS

Active member of and regular speaker for various professional organizations including the GFOA, AICPA, AGA, MGFOA and MICPA.

Long-time advisor to the GFOA’s Standing Committee on Accounting, Auditing, and Financial Reporting; and current member of the AICPA’s Government Audit Quality Center Executive Committee

Founding president and current education director of the West Michigan Chapter of the AGA

2:50 – 3:40
GASB Update
Joel Black, GASB, Chair

Joel Black was named chairman of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, effective July 1, 2020. Joel came to the GASB after almost 16 years as a partner at Mauldin & Jenkins in Atlanta where he was the partner in charge of the firm’s audit practice at the time of his departure. Prior to Mauldin & Jenkins, Joel worked for 12 years at KPMG, LLP. During his experience in public accounting, he exclusively served state and local government clients leading audits and financial statement preparation engagements. Joel previously served on the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council, the AICPA’s State and Local Government Expert Panel, and the executive committee of the AICPA’s Government Audit Quality Center. Joel graduated from Georgia State University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

3:45 – 4:35
Cybersecurity Update – Remote working risks & mobile protection
Jayson Cavendish, DTMB, Deputy Chief Security Officer
Brian Piggot, OAG, Chief Security Officer
Alex White, Glacier Security, CTO & Co-Founder

Jayson Cavendish is the Deputy Chief Security Officer for DTMB’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection.

Jayson brings a unique blend of strengths to the role, including leadership, vision, and strategic planning, along with the ability to promote collaboration at all levels to support critical, high-level statewide projects to successful completion.​ As part of DTMB’s leadership team, Jayson has helped to formulate and implement policies, strategic plans, directives, and organizational structure. Jayson leads several Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection committees, as well as programs at the local and state level.

Jayson has three years of experience in state government and has steadily built his in-depth IT/security architecture knowledge while serving in various leadership positions his career including Information Security Management roles, Director of Technical Services, and Data Warehouse Manager/Architect roles. In addition, he has numerous certifications including CISSP, CISA, PMP and is a Licensed Professional Investigator in Michigan.

He is a graduate of Northwood University and Campbell University and holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management and an associate degree in accounting.

Alex White is a former National Security Agency (NSA) engineer and currently serves as Co-Founder & CTO at Glacier, a full-service, end-to-end encrypted, and anonymous platform for your most crucially sensitive data and devices. Throughout Alex’s career, he has received several technical certifications and awards, including the National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citation and the Secretary of Defense Medal for Global War on Terrorism (GWOT).

Mr. Brian Piggott is the Chief Security Officer for the Office of the Auditor General. Brian has over 20 years of IT experience with 12 of those years in Cyber Security.  He has worked for large governments, healthcare organizations, and in the chemical industry on global projects throughout his career. In his current role, he is responsible for developing and enhancing an information security program and maintaining compliance with regulations or directives related to documentation and the evaluation of assets. He also provides compliance checks with a repeatable assurance program that allows for measurement of security posture for the OAG. He graduated from Davenport University with a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Information Assurance/Cyber Security.

4:35 – 4:40
Closing Remarks
Bradley Buurstra, SAAABA, Director of Education

 COST:              

Members:                                   $40.00

Non-Members:                          $60.00

If you have questions or need to cancel, please contact Bradley Buurstra (Director of Education) at bbuurstra@audgen.michigan.gov

NOTE:  Cancellations must be made by Wednesday, May 18th.  Otherwise, we will have to charge for your reservation.  We are closely monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak and will send notification of any changes to the seminar.

63rd Annual Business Seminar

              **Qualifies for eight hours of CPE credit**

NOTE: Due to COVID-19 the seminar has been moved online using gotowebinar.  Food will no longer be provided and the cost for the event has been reduced.  Refunds for the difference in price will be issued to all those that have pre-paid for the event. 

AGENDA:

Sarah joined Maner Costerisan in 2003.  She currently serves as a principal in the firm’s Accounting and Outsourced Solutions department, leads Maner Costerisan’s fraud and forensics practice and is a member of Maner Costerisan’s nonprofit committee.  Sarah oversees outsourced solutions engagements providing guidance and advisory services to client leadership and teams on financial analysis, projections and workflow.  She has particular specialization performing fraud risk assessments and internal control process improvements for organizations across various industries.

Joining the firm in 2015, Bethany is a manager in the Audit Department. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Fraud Investigation from Davenport University, where she graduated with honors in 2015. She was a member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society and the Student Accountants Association.  Bethany earned her Certified Fraud Examination accreditation in 2017. She is a member of the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and Lansing Chapter of ACFE. Bethany serves as Vice President of the Lansing ACFE. She is currently a member of the Greater Lansing Arts Chorale.

10:00 am – 10:50 am
Time Management (M/O)
Susan Combs, MBA, PCC
Susan Combs Coaching and Consulting

Click to Download Presentation

A professional coach and trainer for 20 years, Susan Combs, MBA,PCC is committed to helping her clients create the personal and professional lives they desire.  Susan works with individual leaders, entrepreneurs, and teams. She trains on a variety of topics including coaching skills, leadership, DiSC, and mentor programs.

For the past 12 years, Susan has managed the corporate mentor program for the Technical Sales Associates at Parker Hannifin, training over 600 program participants.  In addition, she manages corporate mentor programs for ProQuest and the Farm Forward mentor program at GreenStone Farm Credit Services.

Susan has worked with engineering companies, financial organizations, healthcare, insurance, automotive, professional associations, non-profits, and state government. She holds the Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential from the International Coach Federation (ICF).  She is a past President of the Michigan chapter of ICF and a past board member of the Junior League of Lansing. She is a licensee of The Fit Leader’s Program ™.

Susan also co-facilitates the dynamic and popular Leadership Lansing program of the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, working with 40 rising leaders each year.

10:55 am – 11:45 am
Accounting for GASB 84 (A/A)
Lisa Mazure, CPA, MSA
Lansing Community College

Click to Download Presentation

Lisa Mazure is the controller at Lansing Community College and is also an adjunct faculty teaching accounting, auditing, and governmental accounting classes.  Lisa has over 30 years of governmental auditing and accounting experience in state government and higher education.  Prior to her appointment as controller at LCC, Lisa spent 25 years with the Office of the Auditor General.  As controller at LCC, Lisa works with both State and federal level organizations on improving community college data reporting.  At LCC, she is involved in the program review process, strategic plan project initiatives, revenue/expense ratio analysis, and textbook affordability initiatives.  Lisa holds an MSA in Public Administration and a BSBA in Accounting from Central Michigan University.  She is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Government Financial Manager.

12:45 pm – 1:35 pm
Cybersecurity (M/O)
Laura Clark, Chief Security Officer
Department of Technology, Management and Budget

Click to Download Presentation

As Acting Chief Security Officer for the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget, Laura Clark brings a unique blend of strengths that include leadership, vision, and strategic and tactical planning along with the ability to promote collaboration at all levels to support high-level, critical state-wide projects to successful completion. 

During the 20 years Laura has served within the State of Michigan, she has steadily built her in-depth IT knowledge while serving in various leadership positions. She has led programs and grant managements supporting not only the State of Michigan, but also many vested local and federal stakeholders and users. 

In 2017, Laura transitioned from the Center for Shared Solutions into the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) organization as the Division Director over Enterprise Services; this allowed her the opportunity to strategically establish an organization and service model that maximized the business value of IT. She identified opportunities and resources, and she implemented strategies that produced cost-savings, internal efficiencies, shared services, and partnership growth.

Her success as a division director opened the door to become the General Manager of the CTO Infrastructure and Operations area. In this role, she was responsible for the critical core IT backbone services supporting the State of Michigan’s central IT services, including network and telecommunications, data center operations, server and storage, and end user support. This position allowed her to continue her commitment to developing IT staff resources through driving collaboration and critical process design as well as understanding core competency needs at all levels of the operations.

As Deputy Chief Security Officer, Laura is responsible for Michigan Cyber Security and Infrastructure Protection Services and the deployment of their resources. Through Laura’s effective leadership, her team can ensure that critical processes are audited, reviewed, and designed for maximum effectiveness, and structures for all cybersecurity and infrastructure protection are effectively delivered and operationalized throughout the enterprise. Laura also supports the Chief Security Officer by providing well-developed and researched strategic recommendations on cybersecurity policy and future department direction.

Before starting her career with the State, Laura attended Michigan State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geography with a specialization in Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

1:40 pm – 2:30 pm
COVID 19: Governmental Accounting Implications (A/A)
Stephen Blann, CPA, CGFM, CGMA
Rehmann

Click to Download Presentation

Stephen Blann is a Principal (Owner) with Rehmann Robson LLC, where he serves as the firm’s Director of Governmental Audit Quality. Stephen has been with Rehmann since 1995, during which time he has specialized exclusively in the governmental and not-for-profit sector, serving as an auditor, consultant, and contracted CFO to a wide range of governmental and not-for-profit clients.

Stephen has served for over 15 years as an advisor to the GFOA’s Standing Committee on Accounting Auditing and Financial Reporting, and as a board member for his local chapter of the AGA and the Michigan GFOA. He is also a member of the AICPA’s Government Audit Quality Center Executive Committee and a past member of the State and Local Government Expert Panel.

Stephen is a Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM), a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), and a frequent speaker for a variety of professional organizations across the country.

Stephen resides in Grand Rapids, MI with his wife (Beccy) and two children.

2:50 pm – 3:40 pm
Blockchain (M/O)
Neil Kane
Michigan State University

Click to Download Presentation

A leading authority on technology commercialization, entrepreneurship and innovation, he is the former Director of Undergraduate Entrepreneurship at Michigan State University where he built the program to a Top 25 national ranking in 2 ½ years. Kane is the former co-Executive Director of the Illinois Technology Enterprise Center at Argonne National Laboratory and was Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Illinois. He was the founding CEO of several startup companies based on university research in areas such as nanotechnology and advanced materials. Earlier he held engineering, sales and business development positions at IBM and Microsoft.

He holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois and an MBA from The University of Chicago. Named a 2007 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, he twice attended their annual meeting in Davos. Recognized for Outstanding Entrepreneurship by the National Science Foundation. Twice an invited witness on tech transfer for the U.S. House of Representative’s Subcommittee on Research & Science Education. Contributor to Forbes.com. Co-author of The Innovator’s Secret Formula.

3:45 pm – 4:35 pm
State Auditing Update (A/A)
Laura Hirst, CPA
Office of the Auditor General

Click to Download Presentation

Laura J. Hirst, CPA, was appointed Deputy Auditor General and Director of Audit Operations effective August 2014. Prior to her appointment, Ms. Hirst held a variety of positions within the Office of the Auditor General, most recently as an Audit Division Administrator responsible for both financial and performance audits of various State agencies.

Ms. Hirst is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Association of Government Accountants. Ms. Hirst has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Michigan State University.

WHERE:

A link to the webinar will be emailed to all participants before the seminar.

TIME:              

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

 COST:              

Members:                                   $30.00

Non-Members:                          $50.00

If you have questions or need to cancel, please contact a board member

NOTE:  Cancellations must be made by Wednesday, June 10th.

Otherwise, we will have to charge for your reservation.  We are closely monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak and will send notification of any changes to the seminar.