Thank you all for the opportunity to serve as the president of the National Association of State Comptrollers. It has been an honor and privilege to serve with such an amazing group of professionals. 
 
I am so excited to invite you to join me and your peers in Lexington, Kentucky, this March 13-15 for NASC 2024. We have a wonderful program with relevant content, stimulating conversation, adventurous networking opportunities, and plenty of CPE. While this may not be the Montana conference you’ve dreamed of, our NASACT and Kentucky friends have been working diligently to host an amazing, snow-free event. It’s going to be fabulous!
 
As a reminder, the NASACT Executive Committee has extended its travel assistance program for this conference. NASC members or their designees are eligible to receive up to $750 in travel assistance to attend. This is a great offer!

The Program Committee (led by Bob Jaros) has been diligently working to put together a comprehensive set of sessions, roundtables, and other opportunities that address issues facing state comptrollers today. Sessions will include:
 

• GASB Updates
• Federal and State Issues
• Digital Technologies including AI and XBRL
• SWCAP Issues/Concerns
• ERP Implementations and Solutions
• ACFR Automation
• Roundtable Discussions
• Recruiting and Retention Challenges

Does this sound exciting or what? In addition to many informative sessions, there will be a banquet on Wednesday evening, and on Thursday evening, a tour of a historical site founded in 1775 (you will LOVE this, I promise!)

It has been a true pleasure working with the NASC Executive Committee this past year. Their knowledge, wisdom, and overall enthusiasm has been contagious as we strive for innovation, transparency, and accountability in government finance. Please join me in thanking this team for serving NASC this past year:
 

• Vice president: Bob Jaros, State Controller, CO
• Secretary/treasurer: Rob Hamilton, Manager of Statewide Accounting, OR
• Immediate past president: Doug Cotnoir, State Controller, ME
• Mike Corricelli, Chief of Accounts, TN
• Kathleen Baxter, State Comptroller, AL
• Bill McNamara, Comptroller of the Commonwealth, MA
• Philip Olsen, State Accounting Administrator, NE

NASC depends on leaders such as yourself to generate excitement about participation in committees and informational groups. These groups help build our professional network and shared knowledge that we need to stay informed on new issues, changing regulations, and the day-to-day issues facing state government financial leaders. Your participation is so important to our continued growth and education. Thanks to each one of you who contributes your time and efforts to participate in these important discussions. And a very special thanks to the chairs and co-chairs for their contributions and sacrifice.
 
Member participation is the key to the success and tremendous value of NASC. I would like to recognize some new state comptrollers since last year’s NASC conference and invite them to attend this year’s conference in Kentucky:
 

• Arizona: Michael Wisehart, State Comptroller
• Arkansas: Jim Hudson, Director
• Delaware: Kyle Pritchard, Director
• Indiana: Elise Nieshalla, State Comptroller
• Iowa: Nick Miller, Comptroller
• Minnesota: Erin Campbell, Commissioner
• New Jersey: Tariq Shabazz, Acting Director
• New Mexico: Mark Melhoff, Acting State Controller
• North Dakota: Susan Sisk, Director
• Oklahoma: Felicia Clark, State Comptroller
• South Carolina: Brian Gaines, Comptroller General
• Utah: Van Christensen, Director
• Virginia: Sharon Lawrence, Acting Comptroller

Whether it’s ever changing regulations, industry standards, and technology, or the challenges that world events bring, involvement in NASACT has continued to provide the support, collaboration, and voice for our state government professions. I am so grateful for the extraordinary individuals at every level, within both the States and NASACT, that collectively alleviate the burden and challenges we experience. I am grateful to each of you and to NASACT for your wisdom, counsel, enlightenment, and always lively conversation. I’m proud to be part of an amazing organization. If you’re not yet involved in NASACT, I invite you to try us out!
 
I look forward to seeing all of you in Lexington, Kentucky, next month! You can leave your snow boots at home!

  

Cheryl Grey serves as the administrator of Montana's State Financial Services Division in the Department of Administration. In her 30-plus years of state service, she has served in a variety of positions including the management of accounting and budgeting functions, ERP systems, and other fiscal and IT-related positions. She is a graduate of Carroll College with an accounting degree and is a CPA. She is president of NASC.