Thank you for allowing me to serve as president of the National Association of State Auditors. It has been a great honor to serve you and learn more about your tremendous work. Together, we have worked to improve relationships with our local, federal, and private partners as we navigate our recruiting, retention, and independence challenges. As a long-standing NSAA member, there is no better professional association to assist you in performing your duties as state auditor. NSAA played a significant role in improving the quality of our audit work in Connecticut and gave me the knowledge and guidance to become a better state auditor.
 
I hope you will join us at the NSAA conference in Hartford, Connecticut from June 7 through 9. On June 6 we will hold a pre-conference principals’ only session for state auditors to candidly discuss their challenges and opportunities with their peers. The conference will include a technical agenda covering auditing standards, roundtables, and other topics of interest. It will also offer networking opportunities, NSAA committee and business meetings, and presentations from NSAA’s Excellence in Accountability Award winners highlighting their important audit work.
 
There’s a lot to do in Hartford and Connecticut. Hartford is about two hours to New York City and Boston. It’s also about 45 minutes to Connecticut’s beaches and an hour and a half to the Rhode Island shore.
 
The Hartford Yard Goats minor league baseball team will be in town from June 6 through the 11. Ballpark Digest rated Dunkin’ Park the best Double-A ballpark in America. Catch a concert at Infinity Music Hall or Xfinity Theatre or a play at the Bushnell, Hartford Stage, or Theater Works. Art lovers can visit the Wadsworth Atheneum (the oldest continuously operating public art museum in the United States) or the New Britain Museum of American Art. History and literary buffs can visit the Mark Twain House and Harriet Beecher Stowe Center. Learn at the Connecticut Science Center.
 
There are also plenty of good restaurants in Hartford and the Parkville Market food hall. While in Connecticut, I hope you get the opportunity to try some New Haven style pizza. The two most famous pizzerias are Pepe’s and Sally’s.
 
The NASACT Executive Committee continues to offer up to $750 in travel assistance for NSAA members or their designees to attend this conference. I hope you will all take advantage of this offer.
 
The Planning Committee has put together an excellent program that seeks to address many of the issues we face as state auditors. Topics include:

• Recruiting and Engaging New Employees
• Financial and Performance Audit Independence
• Governmental Accounting Standards Board Update
• Financial Data Transparency Act – Impact on the State and Local Government Financials
• Creating Audit Impact through Data Visualizations
• Federal Funding Update from Federal Representatives
• Single Audit Update
• Presentations by NSAA’s Excellence in Accountability Award Winners
• Emerging Issues Roundtable to Discuss Issues Facing State Audit Offices

In addition to these informative sessions, we will hold new member and general receptions on Wednesday and Thursday evenings to give you the opportunity to meet and network with your colleagues and other conference attendees.
 
Member participation is the key to the success and tremendous value of NSAA. I strongly encourage all of you to get involved in this incredible organization. I would like to recognize and welcome new members to our association since last year’s conference:

• David Bergantino, Auditor General (Rhode Island)
• Diana DiZoglio, State Auditor (Massachusetts)
• Matt Dunlap, State Auditor (Maine)
• Scott Fitzpatrick, State Auditor (Missouri)
• Mike Foley, State Auditor (Nebraska)
• Joseph Maestas, State Auditor (New Mexico)
• ​Grant Parks, State Auditor (California)
• Lydia York, State Auditor (Delaware) 

I’ve had the pleasure of working with an extraordinary and dedicated Executive Committee who do an excellent job advocating for this organization and our profession. The Executive Committee members are:

• President-Elect: April Renfro, Legislative Auditor (Idaho)
• Secretary/Treasurer: Doug Ringler, Auditor General (Michigan)
• Immediate Past President: Greg Griffin, State Auditor (Georgia)
• Pat McCarthy, State Auditor (Washington)
• Earle Powell, Legislative Auditor (South Carolina)
• Sherrill Norman, Auditor General (Florida)

NSAA thrives because so many of you lead and participate in committees and information sharing groups. Your participation helps build our professional network and the collective expertise as we seek to proactively address emerging issues and the changing landscapes facing state auditors. I want to thank all of you who contribute to these meaningful discussions. Special thanks to the chairs, group leaders, and presenters for their time and service.  

NASACT and NSAA continue to educate and inform us on issues affecting our work. They guided us through the implementation of new auditing and accounting standards, changes to federal auditing requirements, the immense difficulties we faced during the Covid-19 pandemic, and our current challenges recruiting and retaining employees.
 
When I assumed the presidency, I told you that NSAA and NASACT played an important role in improving our office’s work. They have also made me a better state auditor. I especially want to thank the NSAA and NASACT staff and my colleagues for their guidance, support, and advice throughout the years.
 
I look forward to seeing you all in Hartford at the 2023 NSAA Annual Conference.




John C. Geragosian was appointed one of the two state auditors of Connecticut in January 2011. Prior to his appointment as state auditor, John served in the Connecticut House of Representatives for 16 years, during which he was co-chair of the Appropriations Committee.