When Corrie Stokes asked if we would write an article related to ALGA’s history, and suggested "perhaps something about the N.A.L.G.A. History Project, or some stories of early ALGA conferences", we knew it was a request we wanted to fulfill, because ALGA has given us so much over the years, both professionally and personally.

So here it goes…

Jay Poole interviewed me this week for a Virginia Local Government Auditors Association (VLGAA) article. He asked about the first conference and I remembered the excitement of finally being around others that could relate to the same unique issues or challenges I faced as a local government auditor. It was like being in a foreign land and finding a group that spoke my language. It was really quite exhilarating! Some of the attendees that I remembered were Dick Tracy, Mark F., Jack Smithyman, Al, Rol, Marilyn, Jerry H., Jerry S., and Bob Johnson. The Virginia group tried to vote as a block to get one of us on the board. We soon got Terry Ramsey on the board when Roger Liwer resigned the next year.

From Jer

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

As someone who was not involved in the initial rumblings that resulted in the creation of the National Association of Local Government Auditors, I must leave the ancient part of our history to others. But I was there when their efforts brought us all to Philadelphia, so there are a few things that I remember. For instance, I know that that the National Intergovernmental Audit Forum provided the seed money that was used to get us launched. Joe Comtois and Peter Aliferis were the executive leaders of the National Forum at the time. Their support was vital to our founding.

Also, I remember the early editions of the Local Government Auditors Quarterly that Rol Malan published. For a time, those quarterly newsletters were the glue that held us together. And, I remember much of the program at that first gathering. There was a solid blend of issues and all of the presenters were top shelf. Some on the program are names we have come to know well, like Mayor Funkhouser, Dick Tracy, Al Scaperotto and Jerry Silva. The program also included individuals from state government who have continued to support our efforts. Folks like Barb Hinton and Kinney Poynter were among them. Some of our first presenters have retired including Bob Johnson and Dick Marks. At least one of our first panelists, Harry Brooks, has died.

The presenters, some of whom are still good friends, are not the only folks that I can remember. Some of the others in attendance have also become friends through the twenty years that followed. And, hopefully, they will remain friends for the years to come. Joanne Griggs and Debbie Taylor, for example, became two of my favorite people way back then. And they still are. Although I must confess that Deb and I have a little competition going as we are the only members who have attended each of the 19 conferences to date. Last year, I tried to convince her that the conference was in Nashville. She didn't buy it.

In addition to the program, there was the important work of adopting a charter, electing officers and selecting a name. The charter adoption went fairly smoothly, as did the election of officers. Those of us from Wisconsin were proud that Marilyn Mayr, at that time the Milwaukee County Director of Audits, was elected our first President. Selection of our name went, perhaps, a little too smoothly. I remember thinking at the time that NALGA sounded a bit like the brand name for a type of fake leather. Little did I realize that it had another meaning in Spanish that would ultimately be one of the reasons to select a new name.

But what I remember most is the feeling that a long-standing need was about to be met. Some of us were active in professional associations that were valuable to us as audit professionals. Others were involved in groups that met the needs of government auditors. But there was no association specifically for local government auditors. There was no place we could turn to find ideas on how to address the unique challenges that we face in our profession at our level of government. This was especially true for those of us in small audit offices. We did not have a place to come together to exchange information and ideas that we could use to improve auditing in local government. Not until June 16, 1989.

From Deb

... back then it didn't seem like an impossible task; now as the 20 year conference anniversary approaches I confess to having nostalgic moments where I flip through the pages of "The History 1985 - 2001 " ... and am both proud and amazed that we completed the document, and in such a short period of time. Of course membership services deserves a lot of credit because that great group of folks (like Donna Maloy and Joanne Norris) took the grass roots raw material that Alan and I turned in and transformed it into a glossy bound, polished document.

It took a lot of heart, soul, and enthusiasm to pull the History Project together, but it was fun emailing and phoning long time auditor friends. Everyone we contacted was wonderful and quick to respond, filling in gaps and lost memories. And the education committee members were troopers, always pitching in and helping out with whatever was needed. It was a true ALGA effort, one I've seen replicated many times over the years. A team of professional volunteers coming together, getting a project done and helping make ALGA what it is today. Oh sure there have been trials and tribulations along the way, some which will remain forever behind closed boardroom doors and others voiced openly. Like should our name be NALGA or N.A.L.G.A or ALGA? I'm glad that issue has been resolved, or at least for a while.

Alan started his "Message from the President" section of The History by saying, "A history of N.A.L.G.A. ... what's the point why bother, who cares" - well we all should care.

Why? Because ALGA has emerged as a powerful partner in the worldwide audit community, always fighting for its deep founded beliefs (such as independence of the auditor and audit function), and standing by auditors under siege. At the same time, it continues to be successful at what it first set out to do - connect local government auditors and provide them with a network and means to do great work.

ALGA has enabled all of us to not only skate on our individual ponds but also to skate together on the most elegant ice rinks in the world, and among the best of the best. ALGA was created by champions, but we are all winners. So, put on your skates and glide with me through time. The conference topics say it all -- where we started from and the journey on the ice we have been through.

I hope you'll enjoy our candid personal memories and if you don't already have some of your own, please join us in Philadelphia.

1 Although Alan said in his president's message that the education committee spent the entire year on the project, I still have proof that it was only seven months and a fair amount of the information was collected and drafted in just two short months.

2 Posted on ALGA’s website.