Sedona Fire District’s business director, Karen Daines, recently became a Certified Public Finance Officer through the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada.
Daines is one of 410 people in the U.S. and Canada to achieve the honor.
Over the past five years Daines passed the five required exams to earn the designation. Candidates have seven years to successfully complete the program.
“I did it because there are so few people who have gotten to that point,” she said. “Government finance is my area of expertise so I wanted to demonstrate my knowledge by achieving this designation.”
With two young children and a full-time job at the fire district, Daines spent nights and weekends studying months before each exam.
Pulling a thick book from her office shelf, Daines said there were six to 10 like it to study for each of the five exams, which covered government accounting, auditing and financial reporting; cash management and investments; debt management; and operating and capital budgeting. The last one, pensions and benefits, risk management and procurement, she passed in June.
“This designation is specifically focused to governmental finance,” she said. “You can have all of those aspects in the private sector, but it’s apples and oranges. This verifies and demonstrates proficiency in the public arena.”
After earning a master’s degree in public administration with a specialization in government budget and finance, Daines went to work for the city of Phoenix in their depaartment of budget and research. She was working for the city of Peoria’s fire department when she got the job in Sedona in June 2008.
“Karen [Daines] brings another level of expertise to the district,” SFD Public Information Officer Gary Johnson said. “Her experience and her prior work in public service and the lessons she’s learned have been valuable to the district.”
According to Johnson, the certification is another tool in Daines’ toolbox.
“It allows her to help the district grow and prove our services to the taxpayers,” he said.
After preparing SFD’s budget this fiscal year, Daines submitted it for a Distinguished Budget Presentation award from the same Government Finance Officers Association.
“Right now it’s in the hands of the reviewers,” she said. “Hopefully we’ll get it.”
After five years filled with long hours of study and 12 years of experience, Daines makes the surprising admission that budgets aren’t her passion.
“Public finance has been my focus, by my passion is public policy,” she said.
Alison Ecklund can be reached at 282-7795, ext. 125, or e-mail aecklund@larsonnewspapers.com
