MIL is excited to be a sponsor for AGA’s 2024 Professional Development Training on July 14-17 in Denver, Colorado! We look forward to sharing and gaining valuable insights from leading government financial management professionals and industry experts. With over 3,000 attendees, PDT offers three and a half days of educational sessions designed to equip federal, state and local government, and private sector financial professionals with the skills and knowledge needed to enhance leadership, improve performance in cost-constrained environments, and address shared challenges using best practices. Will you be there? Stop by our booth to meet our financial management experts and learn how we make the difference.
In celebration of PDT, follow along on our AGA blog series as we explore our impactful partnership.
AGA and MIL: Meeting the government’s federal financial needs from the very beginning
The Association of Government Accountants, nowadays known as just “the AGA,” has been providing federal government accounting professionals a place to gather together to rehash the financial news of the day and have in-depth discussions on the state of the industry for nearly 75 years. On inception in September 1950, AGA was originally designated the Federal Government Accountants Association (FGAA), but AGA shed its federal only label for good in 1975 when it expanded its membership to welcome state and local government finance professionals. And in 2022, the association, in keeping with the times, changed its name again to simply “AGA,” following on the heels of other iconic organizations rebranding to better reflect the changing nature of their mission and communities of interest. Today, AGA is comprised of over 14,000 members, with the majority of members, 44 percent, drawn from state and local governments. An additional 24 percent come from the federal space, 19 percent from the private sector (where MIL resides in the organization), and the final 13 percent comprised of academic institutions, students, non-profit organizations, as well as other unaffiliated members.
Thirty years after Robert King founded the FGAA, which would later rebrand as AGA, Maurice I. Long, Jr. created his own gathering of likeminded service industry professionals and called his group The MIL Corporation (MIL). And, similar to AGA, MIL has focused on meeting the needs and goals of the federal financial community from almost its very first day in business. Also, like AGA, MIL has remained dedicated to keeping the government’s financial practices current and their systems modern and efficient. Flash forward 44 years, and MIL is still in the business of helping federal financial systems keep pace with technological advancements and is still expanding the federal financial workforce with its own top-notch accountants, auditors, budget specialists, and other dedicated financial industry professionals. Over their decades of service to the federal financial community, both AGA and MIL have sustained their commitment to the association’s mission statement to “advance accountability, transparency and leadership by promoting education, certification, innovation and collaboration across all levels of government and to stakeholders.”
AGA and MIL: A Partnership with a Shared Mission
Over two decades ago, AGA and MIL joined forces to create a partnership that through the years would not only prove mutually beneficial, but also informative and valuable to fellow members and the wider federal financial community. Early on in our corporate membership, MIL and members of our federal financial workforce stepped up and stood out, becoming not only spectators but active participants in the AGA organization. Over our many years of continuous AGA membership, MIL financial services specialists have generously contributed their energy and expertise to countless AGA meetings and events—from providing dynamic speakers and seminar moderators to delivering industry talks and leading professional development sessions. MIL is a Corporate Diamond Level Sponsor of the Washington DC Chapter, and an active member of the AGA Corporate Partner Advisory Group (CPAG) at the National level.
Chatting with MIL’s Paul Marshall, the new head of AGA’s DC Chapter
MIL is proud to be the home of the AGA’s next Washington DC Chapter President, Mr. Paul Marshall, who will drive AGA’s DC contingent into FY 2025—the association’s 75th “Diamond” anniversary. As a MIL VP, Paul oversees much of the company’s federal financial services practice and contributes widely to corporate business development. Over the last several years, Paul has served as a key liaison between MIL and AGA and is a past recipient of AGA’s President’s Award. Paul’s 20 years of industry experience and expertise in leading teams in accounting practices, financial reporting, enterprise risk management, data analytics, and business and financial systems development made him a key acquisition for both MIL and AGA. Paul’s industry advocacy includes hosting a successful AGA podcast, “Accountability Talks” as well as “Risk Chats,” which he recorded for the Association for Federal Enterprise Risk Management. Both series delivered timely insights from government thought leaders that encouraged listeners to take part in the government financial management community.
So what’s Paul planning to write in AGA’s next chapter? Read on for a preview of things to come.
MIL VP and incoming DC chapter president Paul Marshall’s background is a chock full of professional and academic accomplishments—an MBA in International Finance and Accounting Track from Georgetown University, a B.S. in International Affairs from Georgia Tech (where he graduated Magna Cum Laude); he’s a CPA, a Certified Internal Auditor, a Certified Internal Control Auditor, as well as a Certified Government Financial Manager. Add to that a PMP and a slew of professional memberships and affiliations with organizations like the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the American Society of Military Comptrollers, the Association of Federal Enterprise Risk Management, the Project Management Institute, and, of course, the AGA, and you have a CV jam-packed with success and achievement.
To commemorate his latest milestone, we asked Paul to share a few of his thoughts on his new AGA position and the road ahead.
How do you feel about being chosen as the next DC Chapter president of AGA?
Paul Marshall: I am definitely excited, I’ve been an AGA member for quite a while and this has always been one of my goals. I’ve made many friends and connections in AGA and look forward to leading the Chapter this year.
How did you come to be selected? For example, is there a nomination process, a selection panel, or some other mechanism?
PM: Yes, there is a nomination process. Any active member of the Chapter can submit themselves as a candidate for the position. The submission should describe why you would be a good candidate. For President, they are typically looking for somebody who has served on Chapter committees, understands the administrative aspects of running a chapter, and of course shares the vision of providing benefits to members and advancing the profession.
What does the position entail?
PM: Quite a lot, setting goals for the year, and providing input into and approval for the activities for the year (luncheons, member events, training events, and much more). If possible, the President tries to achieve a couple special initiatives for the year and of course mentor the President-Elect.
Do you have specific plans for your tenure? And if so, can you share a few details?
PM: Timely question as we are drafting the strategic plan for the new year right now. My biggest goals are to increase government member participation in events and on the Board. They are pretty active already in the DC Chapter, but since COVID, I would say participation has dropped a bit. In general, I’d like to increase in-person attendance at our monthly luncheons and trainings, as well as providing some new topics/speakers for those events. Pre-pandemic, we had close to 200 folks at each luncheon, the last few years we have been peaking at around 100. I also want to do a better job measuring performance to ensure the events and training we provide are valuable and meeting the needs of our 2,000 members.
How long have you been a member of AGA, and how has it benefited you (e.g., what’s the most important result or advantage from your membership (professionally or personally)?
PM: I just checked and I’ve been a member since May 2007, so 17 years! I tell people all the time, and I’m serious when I say that I would not be where I am today without AGA. All the professional and personal friendships I’ve built through AGA have been invaluable. It’s an organization that gives back as much as you put in.
Who else would benefit from an association with AGA?
PM: Anybody serious about a career in government financial management needs to be a member and participate! That includes State, local, Federal, and private sector. If you want to grow your career, AGA will help you build relationships. If you just want to excel in your field, AGA will provide you opportunities for training and certifications.
MIL, spreading the message for AGA
MIL has a long history of partnering with the DC Chapter of the AGA. From corporate sponsorship of events to the participation and many contributions of our financial services team, to the executive leadership of MIL VP Paul Marshall, MIL has been an invaluable asset to the association through the years. In 2020, MIL added full spectrum publications support for The Washington Connection— the Chapter’s quarterly newsletter—to our list of support activities. Over the last four and half years of leading MIL’s AGA publications support team, Monique Llanos has seen five DC Chapter execs hold the post of president. In the coming year, Monique will be collaborating with Paul to document the AGA’s federal accountability efforts for its members and the wider community of interest.
As part of the AGA DC Chapter Newsletter Committee, a small team of dedicated professionals that volunteer their time and efforts to publish four times a year, Monique has directly contributed to the evolution of the chapter newsletter. Under the guidance of the chapter presidents, newsletter committee directors and contributors collaborate to create a publication that is consistently well-received by the AGA DC community and AGA National. Newsletter surveys show an impressive 99 percent reader satisfaction level, which helps to keep the team motivated for all of the time and effort that goes into putting together the top-notch, informative, and colorful, 50-page e-zine. According to the Newsletter’s current director, “We received kudos earlier this year from the Past National President, who also served on the Past National Awards Committee that reviewed chapters’ newsletters, about the quality and contents of our chapter newsletter.”
Newsletters often evolve over time, so being adaptable to new technologies, formats, or audience preferences is important. The expansion of the newsletter over the years has enabled AGA’s DC Chapter to cover more topics, provide more information on training, certification opportunities, networking events, galas, conferences, and sponsorships. “Although it can be a time-consuming task to create a well-balanced publication that our target audience would appreciate, being a part of the AGA newsletter team allows me to hone my skills such as coordinating timelines, managing workflows, assigning tasks, and maintaining communication to keep everyone on track,” Monique noted. Adding, “Learning how to use various publishing software not only improved efficiency but also helped to keep the newsletter fresh and engaging.” As the Newsletters senior editor and recent recipient of the AGA Presidential Award for her contributions to the newsletter over the last few years, Monique is grateful for all of the hard work that the various contributors put into the material presented and is anticipating new challenges in the year to come. “I look forward to the upcoming season with Paul’s leadership and the support of the rest of the MIL volunteers. The DC Chapter newsletter development requires me to use my editorial skills, strategic thinking, and collaborative efforts to be a part of a compelling and impactful publication, and it is truly a team effort.”
Over the years, Monique has worked closely on the newsletter with two talented graphic designers from MIL, Erin Cooper and Hao Nguyen, whose artistry and imagination have helped to bring many of the Connection stories to life through photos, illustrations, and other visual elements.
MIL’s Award-Winning Editor!
MIL is excited to announce that Monique Llanos from our Proposals and Marketing (P&M) team was a 2024 recipient of AGA’s prestigious President’s Award for her outstanding contributions to the DC Chapter’s quarterly newsletter, The Washington Connection. Chapter awards were presented on June 22, 2024, at the Washington DC Chapter Awards Gala. The Gala is an annual event to recognize and celebrate the significant contributions and achievements of AGA members and other volunteers whose efforts truly made a difference to the DC Chapter and its membership.
As a Senior Associate and Proposal Writer at MIL, Monique brings her talent, skills, and can-do attitude to our corporate marketing, communications, and business development efforts every day.
Congratulations, Monique!