Continuing Education
The GFOASC coordinates and approves Continuing Education courses as well as a special Certification Program for Government Finance Officers. One of the primary objectives of our organization is to promote and encourage professional competence of individuals who are responsible for and who hold in trust public funds. We are very proud of our accomplishments in addressing the professional development of finance directors, budget officers, and accounting managers.
We provide financial officers continuing education and training opportunities through our fall conference, spring conference, continuing professional education courses, and the Certification Program for Governmental Finance Officers. The Certification Program and spring conferences are held in the Columbia area. The Fall Conference is usually held at a location away from Columbia. The Summer CPE Classes are offered through webinars.
Auditing & Accounting Update (Four 2-hr sessions per class – 8 CPE Available)
You will receive credit for the sessions you attend.
Session 1: Tuesday, June 9 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Session 2: Tuesday, June 16 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Session 3: Tuesday, June 23 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Session 4: Tuesday, June 30 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
CPE Credit: CPE Units: Eight (8) Available. You will receive credit for the sessions that you attend.
Cost: $100 Members / $150 Nonmembers
Description:
We will be discussing the latest developments including the definition, recognition, and measurement of infrastructure assets, as well associated note disclosures and required supplementary information schedules; the structure that is used to communicate GAAP for state and local governments; proposed implementation guidance that addresses issues related to the application of requirements for subsidies in Statement No. 103, Financial Reporting Model Improvements; Post-implementation review of Statement No. 87, Leases, which was issued in June 2017; Revenue and Expense recognition criteria changes; improvements to existing guidance for going concern considerations to address diversity in practice and clarify the circumstances under which disclosure is appropriate and update implementation guidance among other things.
Internal Controls (Four 2-hr sessions per class – 8 CPE Available)
You will receive credit for the sessions you attend.
Session 1: Tuesday, July 7 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Session 2: Tuesday, July 14 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Session 3: Tuesday, July 21 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Session 4: Tuesday, July 28 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
CPE Credit: CPE Units: Eight (8) Available. You will receive credit for the sessions that you attend.
Cost: $100 Members / $150 Nonmembers
Description:
We will be discussing AI options in internal control and accounting in general. What new tools are available. What are warning signs or red flags that need to be investigated and what recent events are examples of what to do or what NOT to do. We will test our fraud awareness and discuss good internal control activities which are universally applied in a good internal control system. We will also discuss risk management in the context of the 2026 World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report.
Fraud (Four 2-hr sessions per class – 8 CPE Available)
You will receive credit for the sessions you attend.
Session 1: Tuesday, August 4 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Session 2: Tuesday, August 11 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Session 3: Tuesday, August 18 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Session 4: Tuesday, August 25 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
CPE Credit: CPE Units: Eight (8) Available. You will receive credit for the sessions that you attend.
Cost: $100 Members / $150 Nonmembers
Description:
We will be discussing the latest 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report and the analysis of what is happening in cybersecurity, AI vulnerabilities, Plug-in Application vulnerabilities and best practices for cyber security when you use the cloud and other third-party services. Social engineering is again at the forefront. We will learn how Shadow AI is infiltrating your offices and how other AI tools are using voice recognition and video to actually create fake zoom meetings to scam millions from unsuspecting CFO’s.
Speaker: Mr. Steve Blake, CPA, CFE, CICA
SSteve Blake came to South Carolina in May, 1983. He is an honor graduate of Southern College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting. He is a member of the Special Review Committee of the Government Finance Officers Association, for which he reviews comprehensive annual financial reports for the Certificate of Achievement Program. Steve has extensive experience with audits of State and local governmental entities, agencies of State and local government, non-profit entities, colleges and universities, federal and state grant programs. Steve is also a member of the Government Finance Officers Association of South Carolina and the South Carolina Association of CPA’s. Steve works with governmental and non-profit clients in providing attestation and training services. Besides being a CPA, Steve holds the following additional certifications: Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Internal Control Auditor and Chartered Global Management Accountant and most recently Proud Grandfather.