FGFOA 2018 School of Governmental Finance
Note: Boot Camp is a separate event. If you wish to attend Boot Camp, please register for the selection lottery separately.
Join us October 15th – 19th, 2018
There is something for all finance professionals at the School of Governmental Finance! It is an opportunity to develop practical skills and tools to apply in your organization. Equally important is networking with your peers in a relaxed classroom environment that encourages the exchange of ideas and identifies resources.
Pre-registration deadline: October 5, 2018
Pre-registering ensures that you receive your hotel accommodations in a timely manner; hotel registration information is provided when registration has been paid in full.
Early registration deadline: September 17, 2018
Take advantage of the early registration rate by completing your registration and payment by this date.
Registration and Payments Information
Registrations are done on an individual basis. The FGFOA does not permit the sharing of a registration between two attendees. Each attendee must have a separate registration and pay the full amount.
Registration fees include admission to all sessions in the block for which you register, plus refreshments and Tuesday night’s reception.
If you're paying by check, mail a copy of your confirmation email or order confirmation screen and the check to:
FGFOA School of Governmental Finance
c/o Florida League of Cities
P.O. Box 10270
Tallahassee, FL 32302
Credit card payment methods accepted: Visa, MasterCard and American Express.
Cancellations must be received and confirmed in writing by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 5, 2018, to entitle registrant to a refund of registration fees. A $40 administrative fee will be deducted from all refunds; substitutions are encouraged.
If you need assistance with registration or payment, please contact FGFOA directly at (850) 701-3626.
Special Needs
If you are physically challenged and require special services, or if you have special dietary needs, notify us.
Presentations
The FGFOA does not print session presentation handouts. They will be posted on the FGFOA website as soon as they are received from the presenters.
Note: If there is not a presentation posted for a session or speaker, we have not received it from the speaker. While we encourage that presentors provide us with their presentations in advance, we do not receive all of them.
Session Evaluations
Feedback from attendees on the quality and diversity of the FGFOA School of Governmental Finance helps to determine future conference programs. Session's evaluations may be submitted online. Each presentation has a link for a survey.
Self-Scanning Stations
Self-scanning stations will be located at the back or immediately outside of the classrooms. These scanners are like the scanners in grocery stores. Simply use the scanner to scan the barcode on your badge. Once you hear a beep and see the indicator light on the top of the scanner flash green, you can be assured your Name, ID and Date/Time scanned was accepted by the scanner. We will have place cards on each scanner table that indicates which class is currently being scanned. They will be set up while class is in session.
If you have any questions, ask for one of the technology staff at the registration desk.
What Sessions Are Best For You?
The school offers educational sessions for the entire week. There are two segments offered:
- Basic/Intermediate: 2-1/2 days beginning Monday morning and ending Wednesday at noon.
The Basic/Intermediate courses are tailored for all financial support staff and for the staff person just beginning a career in governmental finance. In these sessions, participants will be exposed to an in-depth study and analysis of basic governmental finance concepts and principles. These sessions are also informative for anyone wishing to further expand their area of expertise, or just reacquaint themselves with the fundamentals of governmental finance. In other words, they provide a great refresher course!
- Intermediate/Advanced: 2 days beginning Wednesday afternoon and ending Friday at noon.
The Intermediate/Advanced courses are tailored for seasoned finance professionals looking for information on current more-complex issues.
You may register for either or both sessions.
CPE Credit
CPE credit for CPAs and CGFOs will be awarded pending approval from the State Board of Accountancy. Each workshop has been designated as follows: Accounting and Auditing (AA), Behavioral (BEH), or Technical Business (TB). Each hour of CPE is based on each 50 minutes of class time. It is the responsibility of the individual participant to report hours of credit to the Florida Board of Accountancy. FGFOA is not responsible for reporting credit accuracies.
Networking Opportunities
In addition to the variety of educational topics, this year’s school will provide several networking opportunities designed to make your entire week an exceptional experience. The following events are currently scheduled:
Make sure you select, during registration, any networking activities you plan to attend.
Hospitality Suite: You are welcome to visit our Hospitality Suite each evening for a casual place to relax and catch up with friends. The suite will be open Monday from 7:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.; Tuesday through Thursday from 7:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m. Adults only, minimum age: 21.
Golf
Please register and pay golf fee onsite at the event. For questions regarding golf contact Debbie Sileo
CGFO Review Courses and Testing
In conjunction with the school, the FGFOA offers Certified Government Finance Officer (CGFO) review courses and testing. There are five review courses held Tuesday through Thursday, and the test is all day Friday. There is a separate registration for both the courses and the test, with advanced registration required. The course may be taken by CGFO candidates and non-candidates at $45.00 per course. You must be pre-qualified and be approved as a candidate to take the test. For additional information, course schedules and registration form, please contact Karen Pastula, (850) 701-3618.
Room Reservations & Parking Information
Rates: Once your registration is paid in full, you will be sent the hotel reservation information. Please note that the PGA National Resort and Spa's reservation cut-off date is September 21, 2018, and the rate is $139.00++/night (run-of-resort view) and $145.00++/night (run-of-deluxe view). The resort fee has been waived ($25.00 value). Self-parking at the hotel is free, valet parking is $30 per night.
Time Frame: It is important that you register for the school early so that you have plenty of time to make your reservations. Note that the resort could sell out before the cut-off date, and FGFOA cannot guarantee rooms will be available at the time you make your reservations. Register for the school and make your reservations as soon as possible.
We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause, but we sincerely hope that this policy will enable more of our registrants to stay in the host hotel. Remember that we are unable to guarantee reservations for anyone, nor the exact date on which the hotel block will sell out, so please register early.
Hotel reservation cutoff date: September 21, 2018. We encourage you to register prior to this date in order to receive your housing form.
Driving Directions To PGA National Resort And Spa
PGA National Resort and Spa
400 Avenue of the Champions
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418
[map it]
From Palm Beach International Airport: Head east on Turnage Blvd. Merge onto I-95 N via the ramp to W Palm Beach. Take exit 79B to merge onto PGA Blvd/SR-786 W. Turn left at Fairway Dr. At the traffic circle, take the second exit onto Avenue of Champions.
From Fort Lauderdale International Airport: Upon exiting the airport, merge onto I-595 W via the ramp to I-595 W/I-95/Florida's Turnpike. Follow 595 W for approx. 5 miles and take exit for Florida's Turnpike (a toll road) which will be on your right. Follow signs for Orlando/Florida's Turnpike North and merge onto Florida's Turnpike North for approx. 54 miles. Take exit #109 - PGA Boulevard. Turn right onto PGA Boulevard after passing through the toll plaza and turn left at Avenue of the Champions (the first light). Avenue of the Champions will take you straight to the entrance of the resort.
From Miami International Airport: Head west and turn left (signs for High Vehicle/Parking & exit). Turn left, and merge onto Airport Expy/SR-112 E via the ramp to I-95 N/Beaches. Take the exit onto I-95 N/SR-9A N toward Orlando. Make a slight left at Florida's Turnpike N (signs for Florida's Turnpike N/SR-826 W). Take exit 109 toward Palm Beach Gardens. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for SR-786 W/SR-710/PGA National/Motorsports Park. Merge onto PGA Blvd/SR-786 W. Turn left at Avenue of the Champions.
From Orlando: Take I-4 West toward Tampa. Take exit 77 to Florida's Turnpike South toward Miami. Follow Florida's Turnpike South to exit 109 - PGA Boulevard. Turn right onto PGA Boulevard after passing through the toll plaza and turn left at Avenue of the Champions (the first light). Avenue of the Champions will take you straight to the entrance of the resort.