WHEREAS, the Association of Government Accountants has a network of more than 14,000 members in 96 chapters in the United States and around the world representing senior executives, mid-level managers, entry-level employees, elected officials, professors, and students; and

WHEREAS, the Richmond Chapter of the Association of Government Accountants (AGA), established in 1974, has approximately 300 active members representing state, federal, municipal, and private sector accountants, auditors, and financial managers in Virginia; and

WHEREAS, the AGA Richmond Chapter members uphold the standards established in the Code of Ethics and respond to the AGA’s mission of advancing accountability, transparency, and leadership by promoting education, certification, innovation, and collaboration across all levels of government and to stakeholders in service to citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia; and

WHEREAS, the Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) program of the AGA provides a means of demonstrating professionalism and competency by requiring CGFM candidates to have appropriate education and employment history to abide by the AGA’s Code of Ethics; and

WHEREAS, the CGFM program of the AGA requires the successful completion of three examinations requiring expertise in Governmental Environment, Governmental Financial Management and Control, and Governmental Accounting, Financial Reporting and Budgeting; and

WHEREAS, each CGFM holder is required to maintain certification by completing at least 80 hours of continuing professional education in government financial management topics or related technical subjects every two years; and

WHEREAS, Certified Government Financial Manager Month promotes opportunity and ethics in financial management throughout government, advances government accountability through the CGFM program, and celebrates the hard-working men and women who demonstrate dependability, initiative, and practical stewardship of states resources;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize March 2023, as CERTIFIED GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL MANAGER MONTH in our COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of our citizens.