Accounting conference attended by all New Jersey key financial offices

The Rutgers Business School Center for Governmental Accounting Education & Research, in collaboration with the Bloustein Local Government Research Center, held its Annual Governmental Accounting and Auditing Update Conference virtually this year as it has for three years. A record 225 public financial management leaders attended this 31st annual conference, representing all key financial offices within New Jersey, including state, municipal, and county officials.

Professor Irfan Bora, conference chair, director, Master’s in Governmental Accounting, said, “This annual virtual practitioner-focused event continues to have the reputation of being the premier gathering of senior government financial leaders, as well as our students and faculty.”

The conference had presentations from New Jersey State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio and featured presentations from the director of Research at the Governmental Accounting Standards Board and the executive director of the National Association of State Auditors, Controllers, and Treasurers.

R. Kinney Poynter, executive director of the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers (NASACT), addressed some governmental accounting and auditing issues. He began by announcing his retirement after 35 years in public accounting and thanking all the accounting professionals with whom he was honored to work. 

He discussed key challenges and initiatives impacting public finance. These included assessing the state fiscal outlook amid economic uncertainties and addressing evolving legislative and regulatory issues. Additionally, Poynter highlighted advancing transparency initiatives to enhance public trust, addressing auditing and accounting issues in compliance and reporting, and navigating the accounting industry capacity challenge caused by workforce shortages and new skill requirements.

Along with well-established fundamental accounting responsibilities of deadlines and consequences, the Conference agenda highlighted cutting-edge topics such as AI dashboards and continuous auditing, presented by Professor Miklos Vasarhelyi and doctoral students from the Rutgers Continuous Auditing and Reporting Lab. The event showcased the pioneering research and innovation from the Accounting & Information Systems Department.

Bora said, “A special moment of recognition came during Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio’s remarks when she commended the Master’s in Governmental Accounting program for advancing the field of governmental accounting and auditing in New Jersey."

“Our ability to convene this high-caliber conference each year," Bora continued, "underscores RBS’s unwavering commitment to excellence in governmental accounting, auditing, and public financial management. In addition to providing attendees with timely updates and thought leadership, this event reinforces Rutgers Business School’s position as a national leader in the field.”