Media Advisory

ALBANY NY (03/26/2008)(readMedia)-- The New York State Government Finance Officers’ Association, Inc. today announced its list of featured speakers presenting at the Association’s 29th Annual Conference being held at the Albany Marriott Hotel in Albany, N.Y. April 2nd through April 4th, 2008.

The following is a listing of featured speakers and the times they are scheduled to present at the Conference:

Martha Mahan Haines (Keynote Speaker)

Thursday, April 3, 8:05 AM to 9:05 AM

Ms. Haines is the Chief for the Office of Municipal Securities for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). She will address recent efforts by the SEC to significantly reform the government finance industry. These reforms include asking the U.S. Congress to require all municipal bond issuers to conform to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), provide an independent source of funding for the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and place GASB under SEC oversight.

Charles Cox, President, GFOA of the U.S. and Canada

Thursday, April 3, 9:10 AM to 10:00 AM

Mr. Cox, as President of the Government Finance Officers’ Association of the U.S. and Canada, represents the interests of over 17,000 government finance professionals nationwide. He will address the National GFOA’s positions on issues including municipal security reform, the current crisis in the bond insurance industry, and proposals to restructure the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB).

Mark P. Pattison, Executive Deputy Comptroller, Office of the State Comptroller

Thursday, April 3, 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Mr. Pattison, who heads the Comptroller’s Office of Local Government and School Accountability, will address the Comptroller’s 2008 Agenda including perspectives on the State’s current fiscal crisis and its effect on local governments, work on establishing an investment vehicle for the State and local governments to utilize to set aside funds for GASB 45 (Other Post Employment Benefit) liabilities, and efforts to improve local government financial reporting.

Hugh Johnson, Chairman, Johnson Illington Advisors, L.L.C.

Friday, April 4, 10:30 AM to 11:20 AM

Mr. Johnson, a nationally recognized expert on economic issues and investment strategies, will provide an analysis of the current financial market and economic environment. He will quantify the outlook with specific forecasts for the economy, interest rates, and equity prices.

Robert Attmore, Chairman, Governmental Accounting Standards Board

Friday, April 4, 11:25 AM to 12:15 PM

Mr. Attmore will address new, proposed, and revised accounting standards for intangible assets, fund balance, and pension reporting as well as suggested guidance for performance management measures. He will also address current efforts to change the structure of GASB and how he sees the role of GASB changing in the future.

For a copy of the full conference program, please use the following link to the NYS GFOA web site: http://www.nysgfoa.org/download.cfm/2008_AC_Brochure.pdf?AssetID=60

The New York State Government Finance Officers’ Association, Inc. (NYS GFOA), established in 1979, is an Association of over 1,200 members statewide dedicated to enhancing and promoting the professional management of governmental resources by identifying, developing, and advancing financial strategies, policies, and practices for the public benefit.

-30-

Posted Wednesday March 26, 2008 at 04:16 pm by NYS Government Finance Officers Association