By Tom Salmon, CPA
Vermont State Auditor
I would like to thank the many members of the Society who sent messages of encouragement and support during my recent assignment as a reserve member of the Navy SEABEES in Iraq. Knowing colleagues and friends back home cared about us did help the days fly by a little faster.
I am looking forward to joining you on June 5th, and especially to hear the remarks of Ernie Almonte, the new chairman of the AICPA and a personal friend. Not only is he a guy with a lot of initials after his name, he is a gentleman and a person who cares deeply about the public sector and the role of trained, professional auditors of high integrity providing accountability in the public sector.
While in Iraq I was encouraged to learn that some CPAs who normally work exclusively in the private sector world had signed up for a course of ours regarding how to conduct performance audits of government entities. Performance audits – which can encompass a range of engagements – ultimately can help governments and other organization to improve the performance of their programs, reduce costs, and help leaders and managers make better decisions.
I personally feel that skills in conducting performance audits – whether for government or other entities – will be in high demand as we move deeper and deeper into what some have called “a permanent fiscal crisis” for government. At the State Auditor’s office, we are putting more of our audit resources toward performance audits, reducing our hours on financial-related and compliance audits. We are in the midst of performance audits that examine how agencies and departments measure the results of their activities, as well as a performance audit of the State’s financial software system and payment history to detect potential improper payments.
If you would like to get a sense of how auditors can increase the potential value they offer clients through performance measurement, check out
www.AuditorRoles.org.
In the future, I predict that more public sector organizations will turn to independent accounting firms for performance audits. These firms have proven broad-based skills that will help agencies to develop findings and recommendations that will help the entities have more cost-effective programs and achieve their goals and objectives.
I look forward to seeing old and new friends on June 5th. Thank you.