I can’t believe I’m already writing my last “From the Editor.” I feel like I just got started. Believe it or not, though, I have been Editor for almost 2 years. I thought I would be Editor longer, but I’ve decided it’s time to go to the dark side—I will now be a potential auditee. This month I will be leaving the world of auditing to become a Senior Management Analyst with the City of Portland’s Parks and Recreation Bureau.
Why, you may be asking yourself, would anybody in their right mind leave the world of auditing? Well, first there is the question of whether or not I’m in my right mind. I’ll defer that question to the professionals. The reason I have decided to make this move is I want to see what it feels like to stay within an organization and be part of the team working to increase efficiency and effectiveness. I find one of the most challenging aspects of auditing is leaving an organization without having an opportunity to help implement recommendations.
There are a few things I won’t miss about auditing—report writing, re-writing, and more re-writing. I don’t think I’ll miss indexing, clearing points, re-writing, re-indexing, and clearing more points yet again, either. What I will miss A LOT are the ride-alongs. Having an opportunity to meet new people and learn what their jobs entail is really fun. I have met so many government employees that are hard-working and dedicated to their community. I wish all citizens had an opportunity to see government workers through my eyes.
The other things I will miss are the ALGA conferences. They are a great place to catch up with friends and get re-energized about auditing . . . . seriously. We have some pictures in this issue from the 2005 ALGA conference. As usual, the conference was wonderful. If you did not have an opportunity to come to Wisconsin this year, try to fit in San Jose in 2006. Gerald Silva, the San Jose Auditor, promises a great conference in a beautiful city. Mr. Silva didn’t have any cheese heads to promote San Jose at the 2005 conference, but he had some bathrobes from the hotel the conference will be at. If the hotel is as nice as the bathrobes, it is going to be luxurious!!
Remember to keep contributing to the Quarterly. A new Editor will be on board soon with some new and exciting ideas to make the Quarterly an even better publication. As a last note, since my writing will no longer be read nation-wide, I will take this opportunity to include a personal note: I love you Grandma and I think about you every day.
Signing out! Janis
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