John Radford



2023 Hall of Fame Inductee

John Radford was state controller of Oregon from 1989 to 2011, and although he has been retired for over a decade, he left an indelible mark on government, both in Oregon and nationally.
 
He sponsored the implementation of Oregon’s accounting system in 1994, which continues to efficiently meet the state’s accounting needs today. He commissioned the development of the Oregon Accounting Manual, and he is a past president and founding member of the Oregon State Fiscal Association.
 
As a past president of both NASC and NASACT, Radford was at the forefront of emerging issues during a time when technology was enabling rapid change in government. Under his leadership, Oregon piloted the use of XBRL reporting of financial data in 2007, a burgeoning topic even today. He was a leading voice in the creation and activities of the NECCC, a coalition of peer associations and academics exploring how to best use technology to improve the lives of citizens through better government.
 
Radford served a five-year term on the Board of Trustees of the Financial Accounting Foundation and was a member of the Appointments Panel for the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board.
 
Radford has given presentations and provided consulting services to organizations and governments in Europe, Central Asia, Central America and the Middle East. In addition to serving four years in the Air Force, with one year in Vietnam, he also worked in local government early in his career.
 
He has received numerous awards and recognition over the years, including NASC’s Louis L. Goldstein Leadership Award and President’s awards from NASC and NASACT.
 
Although he does not seek the spotlight, his contributions paint a clear picture of his dedication to improving government operations. He has always willingly passed on his knowledge and expertise to others and is the author of many articles and chapters in books on leadership in government.
 
In 2012 he helped lead the development of the Institute of Modern Government at Willamette University, and currently serves as co-president of the Portland Chapter of Better Investing, a national non-profit dedicated to investor education.
 
John Radford is a mentor, a thought leader, and a true proponent of life-long learning and continuous improvement. His lasting example has served to both educate and inspire countless individuals.
 


The NASACT Community

NASACT serves as the premier organization working to bring together state auditors, state comptrollers and state treasurers to cooperatively address government financial management issues. NASACT also manages two secretariats - the National State Auditors Association (NSAA) and the National Association of State Comptrollers (NASC). Both NSAA and NASC are included under the umbrella of NASACT’s budget and utilize staff hired by NASACT.