AGA NLT: Moving Forward
Written by: Vera Medici
Excitement was in the air as over 250 attendees returned to the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC, on February 23 and 24. The Association of Government Accountants (AGA) 2022 National Leadership Training (NLT) was the first AGA event held onsite since NLT 2020. Over 600 attendees also participated in the NLT through the virtual conference platform.
Like all AGA conferences, inspirational speakers kicked off each day, and informative sessions enabled attendees to earn valuable continuing professional education (CPE) credits. An awards luncheon also recognized the efforts of the public and private sector professionals who do more than their part to enrich the lives and careers of those around them. But the biggest surprise of all came when AGA unveiled its new branding, motto, and mission statement.
Formerly the Association of Government Accountants, the network for financial management (FM) professionals is now known simply as AGA with each letter standing for an important guiding principle: Advance. Grow. Accelerate.
AGA did not disappoint with the plenary session speakers who raised the bar on managing up, down, and across your organization. So many in the audience were excited to see the speakers in person, but virtual participants were not forgotten. The speakers reminded all attendees how important it was to connect with everyone attending the event regardless of physical location.
So much energy and excitement were created by this year’s NLT; you could see the activity unfold live via the event app through survey participation and virtual attendees posting questions for panelists. While pandemic-related topics played a large part in the NLT 2021 agenda, you could see the shift in this year’s topics from response to action. These sessions included ideas regarding how federal, state, and local governments are positioning themselves and the new leaders coming in or moving up through their ranks. Other forward-thinking sessions included “Modernizing the CFO Office,” “Leading Through Uncertainty,” and “Transformative Leadership—The Future of Finance Leadership.” These sessions brought in leaders from all sectors of government to share their insights into how we are going to prepare for the future FM workforce.
Management Concepts was also proud to provide training and services to promote career advancement and support mission success in the FM community. Visitors to our virtual and in-person booths picked up information on our newest courses in leadership and financial management as well as FM instructor opportunities.
Management Concepts is looking forward to seeing even more AGA members and supporters at the AGA Professional Development Training (PDT) in Anaheim, CA, this July. Look for us online and onsite at PDT, and stay up to date throughout the year with Management Concepts’ participation in AGA events by visiting our AGA supporter page.