2024 CSMFO Annual Conference Magazine

ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

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2024 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2024 COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

Jennifer Becker, Chair

Heidi Schoeppe, Vice-Chair (Co)

Wing-See Fox, Vice-Chair (Co)

Drew Corbett, Senior Advisor

Will Fuentes, Senior Advisor

Jason Al-Imam, Board Liaison

Susan Talwar, Member

Karla Romero, Member

Marcus Pimentel, Member

Erika Gomez, Member

Ernie Reyna, Member

James Russell Field, Member

Kofi Antobam, Member

Joan Michaels Aguilar, Member

Jean Rousseau, CSMFO Staff

Audie Whitt, CSMFO Staff

Editorial Design - Sam Brown

Ernie Reyna, President City of Perris

Dennis Kauffman, Director City of Roseville

Jason Al-Imam, Director City of Newport Beach

Jean Rousseau, Executive Director CSMFO

Photography by Tim Pryzbola, Eder Escamilla & Radu Dragomir

Richard Lee, Past-President City of South San Francisco

Stephanie Reimer, Director Monte Vista Water District

Tim Seufert, Director NBS

Jennifer Wakeman, President-Elect City of Lafayette

Amber Johnson, Director Central Contra Costa Transit Authority

Daniel Buffalo, Director City of Ukiah

Debbie Rosales, Director Las Virgenes Municipal Water District

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President’s Message

Ernie Reyna, 2024 CSMFO President

The 2024 CSMFO Annual Conference was held on January 30 – February 2, 2024, at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. Since 2008, the conference has rotated back to Disneyland every four years, and 2024 was no exception. There is always a special feeling being back at Disneyland, and no matter how seasoned a finance professional we are, being at the Happiest Place on Earth can make anyone feel like a kid again. With a tagline of “May the Magic of Finance be with You,” there were lots of delightful surprises in store for everyone!

Tuesday, January 30 – The Fun Filled Prequel Day 1 of the conference started off with just a sprinkle of pixie dust as both the preconference sessions and the golf tournament kicked off at 9:00 AM. This year’s preconference sessions were jam-packed with three full-day and two halfday sessions that concentrated on topics such as water and wastewater rates, financial management analysis, public speaking, succession planning, and municipal taxation. No Jedi mind tricks were played here - just some great instructors sharing their expertise on the various topics that give finance professionals the tools they need to succeed.

The golf tournament was played at Black Gold Golf Club in Yorba Linda, just a short drive away from Disneyland and was a picture-perfect day. A huge thank you to this year’s golf sponsors, which included Anaplan, CalTrust, Chandler Asset Management, Eadie & Payne, Eide Bailly, Forvis, HdL Companies, LSL, Multi-Bank Securities, Inc., Moody’s Investors Service, NBS, PARS, RAMS, Stifel, Stradling, US Bank, UFI, and Willdan.

Then, at 1:00 PM, about 50 participants made their way down to the Anaheim Tennis and Pickleball Center to showcase their skills, have fun, and get some great exercise in the process. Sponsored by BMO, the Pickleball tournament provided options for all levels of experience. Participants were put into groups for beginners, intermediate, and advanced, and instructors were available to ensure players at all levels were able to key in on their skills and improve. More detail on both tournaments and their prize winners can be found later in this magazine, and congratulations to all the winners!

After a busy day of sessions and activities, the focus for the evening then shifted to the President’s Dinner. The location and menu were carefully selected based on recommendations from the Host Committee, and I have to say the Force was strong with this group. The venue chosen was Nova Kitchen and Bar, located just two miles from the Disneyland resort in Garden Grove, and it did not disappoint. The evening started with a networking and cocktail hour, and soon thereafter guests were ushered into the main dining area.

After welcoming everyone and acknowledging our past presidents and special guests, dinner was served. Nova is known for its Five Element Experience, and guests certainly were treated to an amazing meal. Later in the evening, guests were surprised to discover a hidden speakeasy located within the restaurant where they could smoke cigars, sip tequila, and showcase their singing talents with karaoke. Many thanks go out to the Host Committee for planning a successful and unique event that allowed guests to be themselves and showcase their authenticity.

Wednesday, January 31 – The Lighting of the Lightsaber

Wednesday morning started off with an early call for rehearsal at 8:00 AM. Just as Past-President Rich Lee did in the previous year, I decided to break away from the podium and teleprompter and use the confidence monitor, which allowed me to utilize a lapel microphone and walk freely around the stage. I feel much more comfortable utilizing PowerPoint to highlight my speaking points rather than reading word-for-word off a teleprompter where I am likely to stumble. Once the doors to the main ballroom opened, guests began to fill the stage in anticipation of the day’s first keynote speaker, who I was very excited to introduce. But first, it was important to officially open the conference by using a prop that was significant to me - a lightsaber, which my son Andrew constructed himself. When lit, the device created a purple glow and that cool sound that only a lightsaber can make, bringing a little bit of “the Force” into the room to appropriately signify the beginning of the conference. Our opening keynote speaker, Mariana Atencio, inspired the crowd with her message of authenticity. Ms. Atencio is an award-winning journalist including a Peabody Award, a Gracie Award, Columbia University’s “First Decade

Award,” and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Presidential Award winner. Immediately following the keynote address, guests headed into the exhibit hall for a strolling lunch, where attendees moved about the hall to meet and greet all the wonderful exhibitors who handed out themed giveaways, many of which were Star Wars related.

A full slate of afternoon sessions ended at 3:45 PM to allow guests to run over to the Adventure Lawn to gather their tickets to enter Disneyland with their friends and colleagues and attend the highly anticipated Launch Bay event. Inside Launch Bay, guests were greeted with plenty of amazing visuals, including a DJ spinning their favorite tunes, a bar where you could get CSMFO’s signature drink, the Light Side, and an abundant amount of Disney themed desserts. This private CSMFO party within the park provided guests a chance to escape the hustle and bustle of Disneyland, not to mention photo opportunities with the Dark Lord himself, Darth Vader and a couple of Storm Troopers!

Thursday, February 1 – The Force is Strong with CSMFO

Waking up Thursday morning for an 8:00 AM start in the main ballroom was a challenge after a fun-filled night inside Disneyland. Those in attendance for the Thursday’s keynote speaker, Michael Coleman, were treated to the latest updates on California local revenues, legislation, important legal cases, financial conditions, and all other issues of critical concern to city, county, and special district finance professionals. While Mr. Coleman needs no introduction to anyone affiliated with CSMFO, joining him on stage this year were two of the top local government advocates from Sacramento – Nick Romo from Cruz Strategies, Inc., and Kyra Ross from Emanuals, Jones, and Associates.

Before Michael Coleman and Friends took the stage, CSMFO took the opportunity to welcome our distinguished guests from out-of-state and other organizations. Those guests included Tanya Garost, President-Elect from GFOA, Stacie Tellers, President of the Washington Finance Officers Association, Gloria Butsch, President of the Oregon Finance Officers Association, Melissa Haley, President of the Alaska Finance Officers Association, and Vischal Thacker, President of the California Municipal Treasurers Association. I am very much looking forward to reciprocating and visiting each of our outof-state associations’ conferences.

After our distinguished guests were recognized, Past President, Rich Lee, took the opportunity to announce the winner of the 2023 Volunteer of the Year, who was none other than Jennifer Becker, Financial Services Director from the City of Burbank. Jennifer was a key contributor to CSMFO for 2023, which included serving as Vice-Chair of the Communications Committee, Chapter Chair of the San Gabriel Valley, and participating on the Host Committee. A very big congratulations to Jennifer on winning this distinguished award!

Lastly, James Russell-Field took to the stage to announce the winners of the Innovation Awards for 2023. The two agencies taking home the award for Innovation included the City of Sunnyvale for their submission titled “The Value of City Services,” which is an easy-to-read Special Edition of their Horizon newsletter. Next, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District won the Innovation Award for their interactive dashboards called the Disadvantaged Communities Explorer and the California Demographics Data Explorer.

Friday, February 2 – This is the Way

11

The last day of the conference was bittersweet as the conference wound to a close. The morning started with a Chapter Networking Breakfast followed by even more great sessions. Then, attendees came together one last time for the Closing Session, which started with President-Elect Jennifer Wakeman taking to the stage to tease the 2025 conference. After playing a quick game of Name that Tune, Jennifer made it official that next year’s conference would be held at the San Jose Convention Center. Following that announcement, the always popular Economist and returning CSMFO speaker, Chris Thornberg, took to the stage to provide his insights on the California economy and his predictions on future trends at the federal, state, and local level. Dr. Thornberg always brings lots of energy and thought-provoking information to chew on while engaging the members of CSMFO.

As the conference ended for the general membership, leadership came together for a closing lunch meeting to review what went well and what could use improvements. Based on discussions from those in attendance, the conference was a smashing success with a record number of attendees, but with that growth comes challenges and opportunities to improve. CSMFO leadership took this to heart and will strive to provide an even better conference experience next year and in the future years to come.

A sincere thank you to our membership for allowing me the opportunity to serve as CSMFO President for 2024. I am honored to be a part of CSMFO, and it’s been a thrill to lead this organization through the annual conference. Thank you also to CSMFO, M&AMS and SMA staff, our leadership, moderators, speakers, and exhibitors for making this past conference a wonderful experience for all who attended.

PRESIDENT ELECT MESSAGE

Jennifer Wakeman, President-Elect

Did you feel the magic of finance at the annual conference this year? Once again, CSMFO’s annual conference exceeded expectations in all ways possible. Everything from the pre-conference activities to the general session speakers to the carefully crafted concurrent sessions were top notch educational experiences. The networking opportunities were also incredible with numerous opportunities to talk with vendors, presenters, and colleagues. Top that off with the ability to tag on a short family vacation at the Happiest Place on Earth and it’s no wonder that we had over 2,000 in attendance for this invaluable event!

At CSMFO events, and the annual conference in particular, I gain so much inspiration from the members of our industry - professionals focused on building their skills while also supporting their colleagues in the development of theirs. It is with sincere appreciation that I recognize the volunteer leaders, the session presenters and moderators, the CSMFO staff, and every member who has gone out of their way to

support a colleague. Outreach has become a cornerstone of what CSMFO does as we search out ways to connect with current members, engage new municipal finance professionals, and reach students looking for career opportunities. Collaboration, experience, and passion are what make CSMFO the preeminent educational resource for municipal finance professionals and I could not be more proud to be the 2024 President-Elect.

In this role, one of my primary responsibilities is to develop next years’ annual conference, and while Disneyland is going to be a tough act to follow, I have no doubt that the 2025 Host Committee is up to the challenge. One of the largest drivers of conference decisions will be the feedback that we hear from you in this years’ conference survey, so please make sure to share about your experience. CSMFO programs exist to meet your needs, and we need to hear what sessions, formats, and speakers are of most interest to you.

Please join me for more finance magic, February 18-21, 2025, in San Jose!

2023

Year in Review

Jean Rousseau, CSMFO Executive Director

As noted on our newly updated website, CSMFO was founded in 1957 as a statewide organization to be the preeminent resource to government finance professionals in California. The purpose of CSMFO is to improve the knowledge, skills, and performance of individuals in local government finance and related fiscal policy management. In order to meet these objectives, CSMFO relies on its two foundational pillars: the annual conference and its education program of core courses and webinars. Consequently, when identifying the highlights for the year, we should always start with the two pillars.

In late January 2023, CSMFO held its Annual Conference in Sacramento. The downtown venue was ideal for a conference the size of CSMFO with all of the events within walking distance. The conference was a tremendous success, providing a fun, collaborative atmosphere while delivering a state-ofthe-art education program. I want to acknowledge the work done by the Conference Host Committee led by the Presidentelect at the time Rich Lee for his leadership in requiring a sustainable materials conference and providing some muchneeded relief to local charities serving the community.

The Career Development Committee (CDC) continued its tremendous work in 2023. The CDC is constantly looking for subject matters that are timely, relevant, and of interest to our members. In 2023, the CDC developed two new core courses on the ABCs of Municipal Finance and Financial Management and Analysis. The ABCs of Municipal Finance course is designed for new government finance employees to help them understand the difference between the private and public sector and is an introduction to government finance employment. On the other hand, the Financial Management and Analysis course is designed for an overview of government financial analysis for experienced government finance professionals. The course covers financial analysis, financial management, fiscal policies, and various components of evaluating and correcting, if necessary, a public agency’s fiscal condition. In 2023, the CDC sponsored thirteen core courses with an overall attendance of approximately 1,125 members and non-members. The CDC also sponsored ten webinars in partnership with the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) with an estimated attendance of over 2,000 members and nonmembers. I want to remind our members that these webinars are a free member benefit, and most of the webinars include continuing professional education (CPE) credits.

At the December 2022 Board meeting, the Board approved a contract for a complete redesign of CSMFO’s website during 2023. The website had not been updated in well over ten years. The comprehensive update included redesign of all of the internet properties, including but not limited to our Learning Management System, News, CSMFO App, Member Database, and Knowledge Base. The project was intended to update CSMFO’s online presence, reflect current communication priorities, and enhance interest in using the site. Updates and cleanup of the redesign will continue into 2024.

2023 marked the second year for CSMFO’s Mentorship Program, overseen by the Membership Committee. Participation increased by 7%, or 55 members, bringing the total to 137. The program was formerly managed using Excel to help pair mentees with available mentors, and some members had been paired incorrectly. To prevent this from happening again the Mentorship sub-committee started to research software solutions that would eliminate much of the manual work and avoid human error. The sub-committee ultimately found a software program and recommended the

Board approve the purchase of the program. The purchase was approved at the Board’s October meeting and is currently being used for the 2024 Mentorship Program.

The Finance Committee was extremely productive in 2023, addressing a number of initiatives, some of which were a part of the 2022 Strategic Goals that carried over to 2023. To start, the Finance Committee set up ad-hoc groups that were tasked with specific goals. One ad-hoc group reviewed CSMFO’s fee structure to ensure they were appropriate based on the high level of inflation the United States has experienced over the last few years. This was critical, as CSMFO was facing a structural budget deficit of $150,799 in 2022. After long deliberations during the August Board meeting, the Board approved various fee increases. Subsequently, the 2024 operating budget was prepared with these newly incorporated fee increases which formed the baseline for a five-year forecast. The ad-hoc group also determined it was important to develop related financial principles that will guide CSMFO in upcoming years. Some of the principles will be implemented immediately and some over multiple years to bring the organization into financial alignment with the plan. Another ad-hoc group updated various sections of the Policies and Procedures Manual to reflect current and optimum business practices. There will be more work done in 2024 to finalize the update. I want to congratulate the Finance Committee for addressing this significant issue and developing a course of action with guiding principles for CSMFO to follow.

Finally, in December 2022, the Board of Directors unanimously approved allowing commercial members more involvement in CSMFO leadership, including a dedicated commercial position on the Board of Directors. CSMFO membership approved the related bylaw changes in August, to be effective with the 2024 election of officers. Consequently, I want to congratulate Tim Seufert of NBS, for being elected to be the first board director from commercial membership. Tim is a great guy who has been a CSMFO contributor for more than two decades, and I look forward to his contributions as a member of the Board.

202 Innovation

Award Winners

James Russell-Field, Chair, Recognition Committee

The CSMFO Innovation Award recognizes innovation in public sector finance in the areas of accounting, budgeting, treasury, debt administration, procurement, risk management, and technology. The Innovation Award Panel scores the applications and can choose to present up to three awards per year. In evaluating the applications, the review panel looks for originality, purpose, effectiveness, practicality, and transferability. The City of Sunnyvale and Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District are the winners of the 2024 Innovation Awards. Innovation Awards were presented at the 2024 Annual Conference in Anaheim.

Thank you to the City of Sunnyvale and Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District for their participation in the Innovation Award Program. Each agency provided a summary of their award, please read on to dive into each agency’s idea, goals, process, and achievements.

Congratulations to the 2024 Innovation Award winners! City of Sunnyvale

Let’s face it. City budgets can be complex and difficult to explain. But as stewards of public funds, we must share how we use taxpayer money. Cities often do this with budgets-in-brief. These “public friendly documents” distill hundreds of financial pages into a few graphs. While accurate, that method misses the opportunity to tell a more compelling story. We took on that challenge in a special spring 2023 edition of Sunnyvale’s citywide newsletter, Horizon. It reaches about 63,000 households three times a year and is a popular source of information. We had used it before to publish City budget articles. This time we wanted to “up our game” and devote all eight pages of the newsletter to the premise that City services are a great value.

We set out to achieve these goals:

• Break down in simple terms how people pay for City services.

• Clearly show how residents get a lot of service for paying surprisingly little.

• Lead readers to draw the inevitable conclusion that they’re getting a great deal.

A variety of methods working together helped us achieve our goals. This included engaging narrative, impactful graphics and images, and a clear, no-nonsense writing style. For example, we used a dollar bill and penny as pie charts to show the City’s very small portion of sales and property taxes (page 1). We also simplified funding sources into three broad categories and gave each a symbol. These symbols became part of the Day in the Life section where we follow a fictitious multi-generational family throughout a typical day. This segment ran along the bottom of every interior page which helped draw readers through the entire newsletter. More importantly, it showed the many ways they interact with City services and facilities often without realizing it. It was also an opportunity to share interesting statistics about City services.

Big Bang for Your Buck was arguably one of the most important ways we conveyed value. The section compares the average property tax payment to other monthly household costs (page 5). Using an average helped us demonstrate that the City’s portion of taxes is less than other common

household expenses like cell phones and car insurance. To personalize the publication, we used photos and names of City staff when illustrating our services. And we ensured our fictitious character names in Day in the Life and A Tale of Two Taxes reflected the diversity within our community. These elements made the publication engaging, relatable and inclusive.

The key to our success was explaining how people pay for services and how much they get in return for a relatively small investment. Connecting these concepts with impactful graphics and engaging narrative was an innovative approach. It garnered rave reviews from our readers. One resident called it “the most informative piece of literature I have received from any government department ever.” High praise! Even better, it’s an approach other agencies can now tailor and run with.

Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District

Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) is an independent special district in the Bay Area dedicated to the preservation of open space. Our mission is to acquire and preserve a regional greenbelt of open space land in perpetuity, protect and restore the natural environment, and provide opportunities for ecologically sensitive public enjoyment and education.

While we are primarily focused on the natural world, we exist of, by, and for people. To better understand the constituents we serve and the communities we work in and to advocate

more equitable funding opportunities, we produced a set of two dynamic and interactive dashboards called the Disadvantaged Communities Explorer and the California Demographics Data Explorer.

These dashboards are flexible tools that address an inherently spatial challenge. They are designed to work in concert with one another by synthesizing publicly available datasets across the State of California. Those data are then displayed in a manner that is intuitive, interactive, and location based.

Through the Disadvantaged Communities Explorer, we visually and geographically compare four popular definitions of “disadvantaged communities.” These communities, suffering from economic, health, and/or environmental burdens, are prioritized for many fiscal resources through various State of California funding agencies. However, each definition considers different metrics and indicators in its determination of eligibility, resulting in unquantified eligibilities in terms of population and geography. When voting to approve funding sources, legislators rarely understand how the criteria affect their communities and constituents. This dashboard is an intuitive and interactive solution to comparing these definitions.

The California Demographics Data Explorer centralizes and simplifies the most common demographic markers for both internal and external audiences. Demographics are fundamental to understanding the needs of a community. Markers such as age, racial composition, languages spoken, and income are used in a wide variety of reports and documents. Similar to the previous , data are presented in an intuitive, interactive, and visually appealing manner. Users can filter by jurisdiction, toggle through myriad metrics, and interact more in depth with the embedded web map.

We have shared these dashboards publicly so that any person or organization can leverage the insights and location intelligence they contain. The web maps in the dashboards are not limited to a single geographic scope and facilitate data discovery and answers to novel questions. Annual data refreshes ensure both applications provide the most current metrics. By leveraging GIS technology, Midpen brought to life novel and foundational datasets and placed them in the hands of those who need them.

Check out the dashboards below:

California Demographics Data Explorer

https://mrosd.maps.arcgis.com/apps/ dashboards/0cee87f65b9d4d19b98a6f35f1d8b5d0

Disadvantaged Communities Explorer

https://mrosd.maps.arcgis.com/apps/ dashboards/7b7e502b41a940a5952c6e7d75da0fa1

Pre-Conference Sessions

Prove Popular with Finance Officers

Drew Corbett, 2017 CSMFO President

While the CSMFO annual conference in Anaheim officially began on Wednesday, January 31st, over 200 finance professionals arrived the day before to attend one of four very popular pre-conference educational sessions Pre-conference sessions have been a staple of the CSMFO conference for years, and the offerings have continued to expand as there has been more demand. The 2024 conference marked the fourth consecutive in-person conference with five pre-conference options from which to choose.

This year’s sessions covered water and wastewater rates, financial management and analysis, public speaking, fundamentals of municipal taxation, and succession planning and provided either three CPE credits (half-day session) or six CPE credits (full-day session). I had the pleasure of being one of the four instructors for the session on succession planning, along with Laura Nomura, Karan Reid, and Phil Bertolini, and I saw first-hand how impactful these sessions are. Our group was active and engaged throughout the day, contributing to a session that included direct instruction and robust discussion amongst the participants. During breaks, I also had the chance to check in on the other sessions, and I observed similar engagement, energy, and activity.

CSMFO’s vision is to be the preeminent resource for promoting excellence in government finance. A significant part of promoting that excellence is the training and education programs that CSMFO offers, including the annual conference. While the conference is a great opportunity to both get training (and CPE credits) and network with your colleagues, it is also a commitment of time that has its drawbacks. I have always looked forward to and enjoyed the conference; however, returning to the office afterwards and addressing the backlog of work was never fun. This makes the commitment from those who attend the pre-conference session even that much more impressive, as it is another day away from the office while emails and voicemails pile up. I commend all the attendees of the pre-conference, as well as the conference itself, for that matter, for their dedication and contribution to the profession. And if you have not made the trip to the conference a day early for the pre-conference, I recommend you consider it for the 2025 conference in San Jose. It will surely not disappoint once again.

Year Award Volunteer of the

James Russell-Field, Chair, Recognition Committee

The CSMFO Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes outstanding volunteers for going above and beyond the call of duty for the benefit of the CSMFO members. At this year’s conference, the 2023 Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Jennifer Becker, Financial Services Director for the City of Burbank.

Jennifer is an alumnus of the University of Southern California, where she earned her BA in Psychology and Master of Public Administration. Jennifer also participated in the USC Trojan Marching Band and is an active member of the USC Band Alumni Association. She started her career with the City of Burbank in 2001 as a Budget Analyst and served in various finance and budget roles before being appointed Financial Services Director in 2021.

Outside the City of Burbank, Jennifer has dedicated a significant amount of time to furthering CSMFO’s mission and resources by serving as the Vice-Chair of the Communications Committee in 2023 (and Chair in 2024!) and Chair of the San Gabriel Valley CSMFO Chapter. She was instrumental in planning the San Gabriel Valley Chapter’s annual luncheon at the Rose Bowl Club Lounge in December 2023, which recorded over 100 attendees. Jennifer also served on the Host Committee for the 2024 CSMFO Annual Conference. We are so grateful to Jennifer for her contributions and dedication to CSMFO!

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Ernie Reyna, 2024 CSMFO President

The 2024 CSMFO Annual Conference presented its members with three very interesting and diverse speakers providing attendees with bits of information they can use in everyday life and at their respective workplaces. The goal is to spotlight key areas of interest for members and guests by selecting speakers that can inspire, educate, and provide value to all in some form or another and this year’s conference was no exception!

The first day of the conference began with our opening keynote speaker, Mariana Atencio. Mariana, author of the book Perfectly You: Embracing the Power of Being Real, was selected for her discussions on being authentic, genuine, and finding out who you are as a person. Ms. Atencio was recognized for giving an inspiring and very genuine TEDx Talk at the University of Nevada in April 2017 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY5SatbZMAo), where she garnered recognition as a respectful and much sought after speaker. Mariana’s speeches on “The Magic of Authenticity” fit in quite nicely with the conference theme of “May the Magic of Finance Be with You,” since being authentic is all about understanding who you are, being happier, and finding your purpose.

Mariana Atencio preached about being an authentic leader and the power of vulnerability. She told an audience of over 2,000 attendees that it is okay to show vulnerability and that being authentic helps to build trust. Mariana went on to discuss that genuine leaders need bravery and truthfulness to open up and talk about their experiences. Those that were inspired

by her keynote speech followed her to her break-out session where Ms. Atencio continued to drill down on being authentic.

The second day transitioned to a completely different subject. Our keynote speaker presentation, “Michael Coleman and Friends”, began with an early morning discussion. Michael, principal fiscal policy advisor to CSMFO, is renowned within financial circles for supplying essential data that professionals incorporate into their budgets and other significant financial documents when presenting to city councils, boards of directors, and other relevant officials and leaders.

This time around, Michael Coleman was accompanied by Nick Romo, Senior Lobbyist at Cruz Strategies, and Kyra Ross, Lobbyist at Emanuels Jones & Associates, to deliver an update on the current developments in California local revenues, legislation, significant legal cases, financial conditions, and other crucial matters for city, county, and special district finance professionals. Michael consistently captivates his audiences by furnishing indispensable information that aids CSMFO members in their day-to-day responsibilities.

Concluding the conference’s final day was the muchanticipated session featuring Dr. Chris Thornberg, a respected economist and the founder of Beacon Economics, who addressed social narratives, economic realities, and the trajectory of the California economy. Dr. Thornberg, known for his unique presentation style, shared his optimistic forecast for 2024, assuring the audience that a recession is not on the horizon. He cautioned against relying on headlines from prominent outlets and financial institutions, emphasizing the importance of focusing on the actual situation, highlighting minimal risk of a hard landing and California’s overall stable economic condition.

In his engaging manner, Dr. Thornberg dispelled concerns by asserting that California was never truly in dire straits, contrary to prevailing social narratives. Addressing the influence of narratives on politics and policy choices, he warned against distorted narratives contributing to toxic politics and suboptimal policy decisions, especially in the context of the upcoming general election in 2024. Summing up his insights, Dr. Thornberg, peering into his metaphorical crystal ball, projected a GDP growth of 1.8% and an unemployment rate of 3.9%.

The 2024 CSMFO Annual Conference offered a diverse and enriching experience for its members, featuring inspiring talks on authenticity, essential financial insights, and an optimistic economic forecast, leaving attendees well-equipped for the challenges and opportunities in the ever-evolving landscape of finance and leadership.

Fusion Fare and Fun!

2024 CSMFO President’s Dinner

Wing-See Fox, Vice Chair, Communications Committee

At each CSMFO Annual Conference, the President’s Dinner is hosted by the current year’s President (Ernie Reyna) and held the night before the official kickoff of the conference. The star-studded guest list includes all past Presidents, Board members, the host committee, committee chairs and vice chairs, chapter chairs, Presidents of counterpart finance officer associations outside of California, CSMFO staff, and top-level corporate sponsors.

This year, the President’s Dinner was held at NOVA Kitchen & Bar in Garden Grove , a Japanese Asian Fusion dining experience that incorporates the five elements of wood, fire, earth, metal and water in its approach to décor and dishes. As guests floated from the cocktail room to the dining room to the dessert room, they were greeted with magical lighting in various tones and textures and vivid décor, including soaring silver birds and swirling coy fish. The vibrant and upscale atmosphere was the perfect location to welcome and thank past CSMFO Presidents for their commitment to leadership within the organization.

Cocktail hour, as usual, did not disappoint with on-theme specialty drinks, a full bar, as well as delicious Asian fusion appetizers. NOVA was buzzing with energy that continued to hum and grow as more guests arrived. Friends caught up

in the packed room, filling the air with lively conversation and chatter. As 7pm approached, guests were asked to take a seat in the dining room. (Transitioning from cocktail hour to a seated dinner is reminiscent of getting toddlers down for the night—they seem cooperative but somehow manage to stall well beyond bedtime.) Once everyone was seated, President Reyna warmly welcomed all the guests, recognized past Presidents, and thanked sponsors, as a theatre-sized screen played pictures from conferences past in the background. The plated dinner included four options – a buttery, melt-inyour mouth miso cod, tender slices of Cajun ribeye that was enough to feed a small family, savory chicken teriyaki, or Mapo tofu. Entrées were accompanied by shared dishes of fried rice and Brussels sprouts—chef’s kiss! Guests spent time jumping from table to table or group to group to catch up with as many friends, colleagues, and new acquaintances as possible.

The night’s denouement unfolded in a variety of dessert options, including mini eclairs, cookies, brownies, and pastries. But wait, there was more! Those in the know, or who happened to lean on the correct wall, were treated to a speakeasy karaoke room offering cigars and additional libations. As we rode the last shuttle back to the Disneyland Hotel with full bellies, we marveled at how the President’s Dinner sets the right tone with uplifting conversations, warm hearts, and contagious exuberance. Thank you to Ernie, the Host Committee, and our sponsors for a magical night. It was the perfect kick off to the Annual Conference!

Wednesday Night Fun at

Star Wars Launch Bay

Heidi Schoeppe & Will Fuentes, Senior Advisors, Communications Committee

“Along time ago in a galaxy far, far way…” a group of municipal finance professionals gathered for a Wednesday night celebration at the Star Wars Launch Bay attraction in Disneyland Park. A slight deviation from years past, the CSMFO conference’s annual social night event took place mid-conference, on Wednesday night. Nevertheless, based upon the record number of ticket sales and demand, The Force was indeed strong for this annual celebration, bringing both the universe and conference attendees together for a night of fun. And after selling out quickly, CSMFO re-opened ticket sales at the conference to allow more attendees to join in the fun and do their best to defy the Dark Side! More attendees didn’t need to mean longer lines either. To ensure there was no overcrowding or long lines at the event, Disney offered two sessions to attendees-- one for those of us who are more early birds and one for those of us night owls who like to take the party late into the evening. The Force was equally strong at both offerings!

Also, with this year’s event, attendees got to enjoy the best of both worlds; partaking in the excitement and fun of access

to the entire Disneyland Park from Main Street, U.S.A. to Adventureland to Tomorrowland, while also having a central location to gather at Star Wars Launch Bay. The latter offered a variety of spaces to mingle with friends, co-workers, and new acquaintances, enjoy a craft cocktail or other tasty beverage, and have some festive galactic treats that were sure to please the sweet tooth of even Emperor Palpatine himself! Whether you chose the early or late session, the conversation and fun were plentiful and what didn’t deviate from years past was the excellent DJ and party on the dance floor! The venue was also decorated with authentic Star Wars memorabilia and some attendees even had a photo op with Darth Vader and his Storm Troopers. It’s rumored that some disappeared to the Dark Side shortly after they were lured into those photos, but we are thankful to report that all attendees made it out and arrived safely back at Endor--in time to be fresh and alert for learning opportunities and conference sessions on Thursday morning.

Lastly, CSMFO would like to sincerely thank Chandler Asset Management, Stifel, and UFI for sponsoring the event. Your contributions to the success of our conference and our events are so valuable, and we are so very thankful for your support and partnership. The Force is indeed strong in all of you!

So with that, we bid you adieu until next year in San Jose. It will be a challenge to top this year, but the 2025 Host Committee is already meeting and thinking of ways to make next year the best Thursday Night Event ever! Do you know the way to San Jose?!

Conference Scholarships &

Mentorship Program

Jason Al-Imam, Board Member & Karla Romero, Member

CSMFO’s Board of Directors set aside funds for first-time attendee and student scholarships to attend the 2024 Conference at the Disneyland Hotel. Over 150 applications were received, and after a rigorous review and evaluation process, fifty scholarships were awarded to first-time attendees and students. The scholarship covered the full cost of the conference registration, which eliminated a financial barrier and allowed first-time attendees and students to attend their first CSMFO conference at the “Happiest Place on Earth.”

Scholarship recipients were paired up with experienced conference attendee mentors to ensure that each scholarship recipient had a great experience at their first CSMFO conference. First-time attendees and mentors met virtually before the conference and in person at the conference; mentors shared how to navigate the many conference options and sessions, utilize the conference app, and other know before you go tips. Based on feedback from scholarship recipients, the sessions were extremely informative and there were many opportunities to network with other professionals in government finance.

CSMFO is committed to offering conference scholarship opportunities in future years as a means of engaging early career members and students as they embark on their careers in public finance. Applications for this successful program will be open again next fall.

CSMFO Conference Golf Tournament 202

Terry Shea, Golf Tournament Organizer

The CSMFO 2024 Annual Conference Golf Tournament was held on Tuesday, January 30, 2024 – the day before the official conference kick-off – at the challenging but beautiful Black Gold Golf Club in Yorba Linda. It was a pictureperfect day where participants were able to see Disneyland’s Matterhorn in the distance from the tee box. The Black Gold Golf Club is owned by the City of Yorba Linda, and the City Staff went out of their way to make it a very special event.

Due to the generosity of our corporate sponsors, we were able to buy out the course for the day which made for a faster pace of play and all-around relaxing time. We had a record 104 participants starting the morning with breakfast burritos, coffee, and juice. Boxed lunches were provided on the course with unlimited drinks of all kinds.

President-Elect Ernie Reyna provided the opening remarks and thanked the corporate sponsors for their continued support of this favorite event. The weather was perfect, with a high of 70 degrees and clear blue skies. This led to some truly great scores being posted, with the winning foursome coming in at 15 under par. After the round, there was a reception which included appetizers and drinks so players could get together

and socialize with their peers and the corporate sponsors and, of course, talk about that perfect drive or the putt that just missed the hole.

Despite plenty of best and worst play conversation in the background, Terry Shea from Rogers, Anderson, Malody & Scott, the tournament organizer, presented awards to the winners. The first-place team, with a score of 57, was Carter Kimberley, Ryan Nicasio, Greg Giles, and Stacy Thao. Coming in second place with a score of 58, was the team of Devin Feldhut, Justin Shea, and Jason Shea. The remaining prize winners are listed below:

Longest Drive (Men’s) Ben Mullaly

Longest Drive (Women’s)

Emily Giles

Closest to the Pin (Women’s) Kara Sun

Closets to the Pin (Men’s) Justin Shea

Straightest Drive (Men’s) Bobby Young

Straightest Drive (Women’s) Kim Grass

The annual tournament is an amazing opportunity to network with peers in a relaxed environment outside of the office. Golfers’ experience ranged from first time players to dedicated hackers who have chased the dream for decades. It’s been rumored that many first-time attendees were impressed by the comradery and friendly competition, and plan to participate again next year. If you’re up for a relaxing and competitive day socializing with both public and private municipal finance professionals, we’ll see you in San Jose!

Lastly, this gold tournament would not be possible without our sponsors, and we are grateful for their continued support. They provided a truly wonderful experience for our participants at this popular event. Please join us in thanking our sponsors below.

CSMFO 202

conference Pickleball

Will

Fuentes,

Senior Advisor, Communications Committee

BMO Bank N.A. was happy to hold the 2024 CSMFO Pickleball Mixer at the annual conference in Anaheim. This was the 12th annual BMO mixer and the third year to exclusively feature Pickleball.

This year’s pre-conference event was on January 30th at Anaheim Tennis & Pickleball Center and led by Owner/Operator Mike Nelson and his team of outstanding coaches including Flavio Rueda, Derek Porter, Steve Perry, Gio Quintero, and Eddy Kim. The Anaheim Tennis & Pickleball Center was built in 1975 and uses the historic Wagner House, built in 1925, as its charming clubhouse entrance. The organizer for this year’s event was again Lily Ng, Managing Director, IMG Govt Banking Manager, BMO Bank N.A. California JPIA provided the paddles and Oracle sponsored the highly coveted trophies.

After some hard-fought round-robin play amongst 40 players,

3 winners from each flight emerged. Congratulations to the 2024 Pickleball Mixer winners!

• Flight A

o Champion – Eric McKean, Ramirez & Co.

o Finalist – Scott Koppel, Koppel & Gruber Public Finance

o Inspirational – Rosa Schultz, Raymond James

• Flight B

o Champion – Annabelle Wang, City of Moreno Valley

o Finalist – Dima Galkin, Harris & Associates

o Inspirational – Sara Taylor, City of Vista, and Matthew D’Avanzo, Stifel

• Flight C

o Champion – Kim Sao, City of Paramount

o Finalist – John Mattern, BMO Bank N.A.

o Inspirational – Stephen Parker, City of Upland

The CSMFO Pickleball event always receives enthusiastic participants and positive feedback. Here’s some of the enthusiastic feedback from this year’s players:

• “BMO’s Annual Pickleball Mixer was a great success and gave participants an opportunity to either showcase their skills or learn how to play pickleball from professionals at the Anaheim Tennis and Pickleball Center. Huge shoutout to Lily Ng and her team at BMO for putting on this great event!”

Ernie Reyna, City of Perris

• “Thak you Lily for hosting the pickleball event. I had a great time!”

Gloriann-Sasser, Moraga-Orinda Fire District

• “As someone who had never played pickleball before, I didn’t know what to expect. I had an incredible time learning and playing the game and networking/ competing with fellow CSMFO members. Thank you to BMO and the other sponsors that made this wonderful event happen. I had a blast, with the only issue being that we had to stop playing so soon!”

Stephen Parker, City of Upland

• “I wanted to extend a big thank you to Lily and the BMO team for hosting the fantastic pickleball event. Your hard work and enthusiasm made it a huge success. Looking forward to next year’s event already!”

Annabelle Wang, City of Moreno Valley

• “Fantastic facility and event. I so appreciate the tremendous efforts to put this on!”

Scott Weir, Oracle Local Government

• “Wonderful event and we really appreciate all the work that Lily and her team provide. Next year’s event site looks like a great facility and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again next year.”

Scott Koppel, Koppel & Gruber Public Finance

• “Thank you so much for putting on such a great event. I had a great time playing and meeting new people. Fantastic facility and event. I so appreciated the tremendous effort to put this on! Hopefully, you will let me be a regular!”

Benjamin Sehy, Meeder Public Finance

• “Thank you for the BMO event played at the Anaheim Tennis and Pickleball Center. The coaches had a great time with everyone. Your staff and vendors are terrific! I believe everyone had a great time. I wish you the best!”

Mike Nelson, Anaheim Tennis & Pickleball Center

A tip from Lily for the 2025 CSMFO Conference. There are approximately 40 spots available each year so register right away. If it’s full, register to be on the waitlist. It is inevitable that players could have last minute changes and can’t attend so the waitlist is called on. And next year’s event should be better than ever; with tentative plans to hold the event at new indoor pickleball only courts at The Hub Silicon Valley!

CSMFO thanks BMO Bank N.A. for organizing and hosting the mixer, California JPIA for providing the wonderful custom made paddles complete with the conference theme printed on them, and Oracle for sponsoring the trophies. A special Thank You and recognition to Lily for her dedication and management coordinating this wonderful event for the past 12 years. There is a definite reason why she was recognized as CSMFO’s Volunteer of the Year in 2023. Her energy and passion for volunteering and bringing people together is boundless it seems!

To see more photos from the Pickleball Mixer, please visit the link below:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/8x2wmGb86vnUfZGQ6

What is Pickleball?

Pickleball has boomed in popularity over the last several years. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, the number of people playing pickleball grew by 159% over three years to 8.9 million in 2022. Pickleball, which combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, began in 1965, but only recently skyrocketed. It originally won a following in retirement communities where it was beloved for its social aspect and exercise benefits. The ball travels slower than in tennis and the court is half the size, so it’s easier to play. It’s also accessible for a wide range of ages and the rules are simple. The game became more popular during the Covid-19 pandemic as people looked for safe, socially distanced ways to exercise outside. Celebrity backers like Tom Brady and increased media attention have also propelled the sport’s rise, and gyms and parks have built new courts to accommodate demand. The game can be played in singles or doubles, inside or outside on a 20-foot by 44-foot court — approximately the size of a badminton court — and lasts until one side reaches 11 points. Many people play on tennis courts that have been modified with lower nets and additional lines. As the sport has grown, the number of places to play has also increased. There were 11,000 places to play Pickleball at the end of 2022, an increase of around 130 new locations a month, according to USA Pickleball, the sport’s national governing body.

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Experience the Magic of the CSMFO Conference Out of State VIPs

CSMFO has had the pleasure over the years to host leaders from other organizations at our annual conference, and this year was no exception.

Representatives from Alaska, Oregon, Washington, CMTA, and GFOA took in our exceptional educational sessions and networking opportunities. Each year, the President assigns a liaison to each VIP guest to help them feel more welcome and respond to any questions that come up before or during the conference. This year President Ernie Reyna appointed several Past Presidents to serve in this capacity, including John Adams, Steve Heide, Rich Lee, Margaret Moggia, and myself.

On Thursday evening, Ernie hosted a dinner for the VIP guests and liaisons at Napa Rose that started with introductions all around and concluded with a group photo (shown below). Stacie Tellers, Washington Finance Officer’s Association President (Local Government Support Manager, State Auditor’s Office) and Gloria Butsch, Oregon GFOA President (Finance Director, City of St. Helens) chatted about longstanding agreements between our organizations dating back to 2009, the reciprocity we enjoy that allows us to attend each others’ conferences, and the many members who had participated in our webinars prior to the pandemic. Stacie also indicated how helpful it is for their Conference Committee Chair to attend our conference to get a sense of logistics and scale, even though their in-person conferences hadn’t yet returned to pre-pandemic attendance levels. Listening to Melissa Haley, Alaska GFOA President (Finance Director, City and Borough of Sitka) as she discussed how many

City Managers have worked for Sitka in the past few years reminded me of how similar it can be for many agencies in California.

While at the dinner, Steve had the chance to visit with GFOA President-Elect Tanya Garost, City Manager for the City of Martensville, in Saskatchewan, Canada. Tanya shared a humorous story about her early career days working for a public accounting firm in western Canada. She had been assigned to conduct an audit in a remote part of the Canadian Interior. Tanya and another staff person were transported to the audit site by a small boat on a tidal river. Upon arrival, the boat operator instructed them to wade to shore with their files and supplies. From there, it was a twenty-minute walk to the client offices and they stayed at the home of the office manager during the audit engagement. Steve said they had a good laugh about memories made throughout a working career.

Steve was the VIP liaison for California Municipal Treasurers Association (CMTA) President Vishal Thacker, Assistant Treasurer/Chief Investment Officer for County of Alameda. Unlike our out-of-state VIP guests, Vishal was acquainted with a number of our government and commercial conference attendees by way of their mutual participation in CSMFO and CMTA, making the liaison assignment very easy. He is very well acquainted with outgoing CSMFO Board Member Craig Boyer, who is the Assistant Controller for Alameda County, as they are in the same building and work closely together. Steve said, “It was a pleasure getting to know Vishal during the conference. I found out this fun fact - he is the father of two school aged girls.”

Joan Michaels Aguilar, 2019 CSMFO President

I reached out after the conference, and Gloria said, “It was a wonderful conference, and thank you to CSMFO for being such fabulous hosts! My favorite session was Unlock the Magic of Generative AI Automation in ACFR and Beyond. It was fascinating and packed with ways to make report writing so much easier! All I want to work on now is getting the tools and putting them to work.”

Being a part of the conversations that evening and hearing stories after the conference reminds me how we all have valuable lessons to share no matter what state (or country) we may live or work in. Many of our colleagues started at accounting firms and moved up in the public sector to become directors, city managers, or general managers at special districts. These days we all face similar challenges to find the next generation of talent and leaders, not only in municipal finance but in multiple disciplines within the public sector.

CSMFO values its long-standing relationships with our neighboring organizations throughout the west, as well as GFOA and CMTA, and looks forward to hosting them again next year in San Jose.

Chapter Experience The CSMFO

Finance professionals from far and wide all came together for a magical CSMFO Conference experience at Disneyland this past month. It’s an event many of us look forward to all year, with engaging speakers and endless educational and networking opportunities, plus a lot of fun mixed in! And as we go back to our daily routines and await what San Jose 2025 has in store, what if we told you there was a way you could experience a little bit of that finance magic all year long in your own backyard? Well, you can, by getting involved with your local CSMFO Chapter! Local Chapters serve as the foundation for our organization, providing educational and networking events for the regions they serve. CSMFO Chapter Chairs and Vice Chairs work tirelessly to plan interesting and relevant events throughout the year to keep members engaged, in many cases offering both in-person and online opportunities for their members to learn and connect with each other.

Your dedicated Chapter Chairs and Vice Chairs kicked off the Thursday morning of the conference with a 7am breakfast in the aptly named Sleeping Beauty Pavilion at the Disneyland Hotel. The meeting opened with CSMFO Past President, Rich Lee, welcoming all attendees and thanking them for their service to CSMFO. With full cups of coffee after a night of revelry at the Star Wars Launch Bay event, new appointees introduced themselves and were enthusiastically welcomed by the many returning volunteers. Chapter representatives shared their recent successes and challenges, inspired each other with new ideas, and discussed their plans for the year ahead. There is no question that these committed leaders are ready

to bring another year of quality educational and networking opportunities to your local CSMFO Chapters in 2024.

On Friday morning, conference attendees made their way to the Grand Ballroom for the full Chapter breakfast. Participants found their fellow Chapter members at assigned tables throughout the room. New connections were made amongst regional “neighbors” and friendly faces greeted each other as Chapter members spent time catching up over plates of eggs and bacon. Chapter Chairs and Vice Chairs circulated amongst their tables to listen to feedback and encourage participation in an exciting slate of local events planned for the coming year. It was a great way to kick off the final day of a memorable and magical CSMFO conference.

Jennifer Becker, Chair, Communications Committee

A big thank you and congratulations to the 2024 CSMFO Chapter Chairs:

Dan Buffalo, North Coast Chapter

Susan Talwar, Sacramento Valley Chapter

Margaret O’Brien, East Bay (S.F.) Chapter

Sara Cowell, Central Valley Chapter

Derek Rampone, Peninsula Chapter

Tracy Cole, Monterey Bay Chapter

Margarita Moreno, South San Joaquin Chapter

Nicole Valentine, Central Coast Chapter

Debbie Rosales, Channel Counties Chapter

Rae Bowman, San Gabriel Valley Chapter

Monica Lo, Central Los Angeles Chapter

Jeff Muir, South Bay (L.A.) Chapter

Kim Scott, Desert Mountain Chapter

Michelle Bannigan, Orange County Chapter

Tori Roberts, Inland Empire Chapter

Kofi Antobam, Coachella Valley Chapter

Roxanne Muhlmeister, San Diego County Chapter

Adriana Aguis, Imperial County Chapter

If you would like to receive regular communications from your local Chapter, please be sure to go to your account profile page on the CSMFO website at https://csmfo.org/members/edit.asp to ensure that you have a local Chapter selected as part of your personal profile. And if you are interested in volunteering with your local Chapter, please reach out to your local Chapter Chair or Vice Chair or fill out an interest form here https://csmfo.org/page/volunteer. Your Chapter Chairs look forward to hearing from you!

The Magic of CSMFO

Leveraging Your 2024 Conference Experience and Your Membership Benefits

In keeping with the 2024 conference theme, “May the Magic of Finance be with You,” the “Magic of CSMFO” breakout session provided a roadmap for capturing the “magic” by getting the most out of the conference, while also maximizing CSMFO membership benefits throughout the year, and concluded with a panel discussion. CSMFO PresidentElect Jennifer Wakeman, Assistant Administrative Director for the City of Lafayette, led off the presentation by providing a conference overview and emphasizing the fantastic educational opportunities available throughout the conference, as well as highlighting numerous networking and social opportunities available during the week.

Geared toward newer CSMFO members and first-time conference attendees, an estimated 150 to 200 attendees participated in the session. When informally polled during the presentation, the majority of session attendees volunteered that they were looking forward to their first CSMFO annual conference, which stands to reason since there were over 600 first-time attendees registered for the conference. Other session presenters included Kate Zawadzki, Finance Director for the City of Dixon, and Scott Meyer-Mina, Payroll Administrator for the Fresno Irrigation District. Steve Heide, retired Finance

Director for the Chino Valley Independent Fire District, served as the session moderator and panel discussion facilitator. Meyer-Mina offered the audience the perspective of a newer member, with last year’s Sacramento conference having been his first with CSMFO. He provided timely reflections on his inaugural conference experience, including lessons learned in Sacramento. Meyer-Mina encouraged participants to seek out educational sessions in topical areas where one might need a confidence boost, and to actively participate in conference networking opportunities to make new friends and grow their respective professional networks.

Zawadzki provided an overview of member benefits, highlighting training opportunities in addition to the annual conference, including webinars and low cost in-person training. She also encouraged attendees to take full advantage of member networking opportunities throughout the year such as regional chapter meetings, participation in the cohort and mentorship programs, and getting involved in CSMFO standing committees.

The Q&A portion of the session took place in the form of a panel discussion, with Heide asking a couple of initial icebreaker questions of the presenters before transitioning to audience questions. Breakout time was reserved near the end of the session for informal small group discussion during which session attendees were able to meet with designated CSMFO ambassadors, session presenters, and other CSMFO

Steve Heide, Member & Jennifer Wakeman, 2024 President-Elect

leadership volunteers for informal discussion and Q&A in a small group setting.

Special thanks to Michelle Bannigan, Finance Director for the City of Stanton, Craig Boyer, Assistant Controller for Alameda County, Amber Johnson, Chief Financial Officer for the Central Contra Costa Transit Authority, CSMFO Board Member Debbie Rosales, Financial Analyst II for the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, and Jennifer Ustation, Finance Director for the City of Beaumont, for serving as CSMFO ambassadors during the breakout portion of the session, as well as throughout the conference.

The CSMFO Membership Committee has historically been responsible for facilitating an annual conference session similar to this year’s “Magic of CSMFO” offering. Unlike in years past, the 2024 conference session qualified for continuing professional education (“CPE”) credits, which was an added value for session participants. The Membership Committee would like to offer a special shoutout to CSMFO Conference Coordinator Harriet Commons for working with us to ensure this year’s session was CPE qualified. Based on informal feedback received from attendees immediately after the session and throughout the conference, the session was well received and set the tone for a fantastic 2024 CSMFO annual conference.

Photo Gallery Mobile Phone

Say “Cheese!”

CSMFO

Conference App keeps the momentum alive Year-Round!

Audie Whitt, CSMFO Staff

In the wake of the resounding success of the 2024 CSMFO Annual Conference, the excitement doesn’t have to end just yet. Thanks to the CSMFO Conference App, the wealth of knowledge and insights shared during the event can be accessed yearround, providing an ongoing opportunity to stay informed and engaged in the municipal finance community.

The Conference App, has a treasure trove of presentations, allows users to dive into the rich content addressed by industry experts, keynote speakers, and up-and-coming leaders. With over 2,000 attendees participating in the conference, the app witnessed record levels of engagement, and now, it can continue to serve as a virtual hub for municipal finance enthusiasts eager to expand their understanding and expertise.

Whether you missed a crucial session during the live event or simply want to revisit and reinforce your knowledge, the app has you covered. Don’t let the conference magic fade away! Download the CSMFO Conference App via either the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store today and keep the momentum alive throughout the year!

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Finance Was with Us in the Exhibit Hall! The Magic of

Wing-See Fox, Vice Chair, Communications Committee

There is an unspoken competition among exhibitors over the perfect selection of tchotchkes to create buzz and draw attendees into our orbit. Your department staff and/or kids have come to expect new trinkets every time you’re away at a conference, and we all do our best to not let anyone down! You’re looking for a ball to cure your stress? No problem. You just shook someone’s hand and you’re pretty sure you saw them coughing earlier? Reach for that hand sanitizer. You’re determined to never have to actually pay for post-its, pens, and highlighters? We’ve got you covered. Need a coffee fix after an exciting GASB session? Yeah, we had that too. Thumb drive? Charger? Silly phone holder? Pickleball set?

We’ve got it all. And this year’s Disney location opened up even more possibilities with lightsaber key chains, Mickey ears, and Disney pins!

But we know the Exhibit Hall isn’t really about who has the best tchotchkes—it’s about having meaningful conversations and exploring whether the various vendors can provide a needed service or product to the public agencies. This means that the Hall’s setup and configuration are very important to the success of the exhibitors. This year’s Exhibit Hall setup was very effective and conducive to the kinds of conversations that lead to establishing new partnerships. There was enough space for all the exhibitors, without any empty, wasted space. The layout and conference scheduling created tremendous foot traffic throughout the Exhibit Hall. The QR code scavenger hunt was the perfect tool for ensuring many visits to our booths, allowing us to converse rather than frantically stamp cards, and foreshadowing next year’s conference. No matter a Galactic Rebel sponsor or a tabletop sponsor, the magic of finance was certainly felt among us over the two days.

It’s not easy striking a balance between creating value for sponsors and making sure the conference doesn’t turn into one long commercial. We appreciate CSMFO conference planners for achieving this balance year after year, and we thank the attendees for taking the time to stop by our booths. If you don’t already know the way to San Jose, you will soon. See you at the 2025 CSMFO Annual Conference at the San Jose Convention Center!

BECOME A MEMBER!

CSMFO is California’s premier statewide association for finance professionals.

Over two thousand members strong, we promote excellence in financial management through innovation, continuing education and the professional development of our members. CSMFO members are deeply involved in the key issues facing cities, special districts and counties today. We value honesty and integrity, and strive to adhere to the highest ethical standards.

Embark on a journey of professional growth and collaboration by becoming a part of CSMFO’s vibrant community.

JOIN NOW

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Wells Fargo Government Banking provides access to specialized products and services to help address the distinctive needs of local and state governments, with a focus on building long-term relationships.

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Ray Juman Market Executive Government Banking rayad.juman@wellsfargo.com

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