The Cost of Safety: Strong Financial Management in an Environment Focused on Security

During today's show we will discuss how sound financial management remains a priority even in an environment focused on security.

Areas of focus:

• Overview of the U.S. Capitol Police
• Financial Management in Security Organizations
• Fiscal Challenges
• Re-evaluation of priorities
• Understanding the need for accountability and transparency

• Potential problems if sound financial management systems are not in place
  • Unreliable financial analysis
  • Using financial management processes that are not designed and functioning to support mission and operations

• U.S. Capitol Police Financial Management Initiatives
  • Maintaining a clean opinion and addressing material control weaknesses
  • Ensuring compliance with laws and regulations

• Best practices
  • Internal reviews and audits
  • Quarterly financial reviews

• Recruiting and retention of talent

Gloria Jarmon

Prior to joining the U.S. Capitol Police, Gloria served as the U.S. Comptroller General's chief liaison between the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Congress. She worked with Congressional leadership, Members, committees, and personal staff to ensure GAO maintained a successful and cooperative relationship with the Congress. She managed GAO's Legislative Branch work and advised GAO's Executive Committee in addressing the agency's financial management, information technology, and human resources commitments to Congress. In 2000, Gloria was selected to be the first Managing Director of GAO's Office of External Liaison. In this role, Gloria was responsible for furthering GAO's mission and goals through developing and enhancing working relationships with international, federal, state and local government agencies; domestic and international accountability organizations. Earlier in Gloria's career at GAO, she was a Director in the Accounting and Information Management Division. In this role, Gloria was responsible for GAO's financial statement audit and financial management work at agencies critical to the consolidated audit, including the Social Security Administration and the Departments of Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs, Education and Labor, and was responsible for GAO's financial management work on the District of Columbia. Gloria delivered several Congressional testimonies on various financial management issues including those related to the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and the District of Columbia.

In the mid-nineties, Gloria was the Acting Deputy Chief Financial Officer and Director, Financial Reporting and Systems Operations at the U.S. Department of Education. She was responsible for preparing the Department's financial statements and worked closely with the external auditors. She also was very involved with managing the implementation of the Department's financial management system at a critical time in the audit process.

Gloria's career started with KPMG Peat Marwick in 1982. She specialized in financial audits of educational entities and other types of nonprofits in the CPA firms Washington, DC office. She began her public accounting career with the firm's Norfolk office where she worked on financial audits of several clients including city governments and colleges and universities. She also taught several auditing courses at the firm. Gloria advanced to Senior Audit Manager before leaving the private sector for a career in public service.

Gloria has received numerous awards and recognitions through out her career. She was recognized by the AICPA in the "Journal of Accountancy" as a Trailblazer in a September 2005 article on "Profiles of Success". She has also received career awards including GAO's highest award, the Comptroller General's Award, in 2004 for outstanding leadership skills and GAO's Human Resources Management award in 1999.

Gloria is an honor graduate of the College of William and Mary in Virginia, a Certified Public Accountant, and a Certified Government Financial Manager.

As Director, Mr. Brant guided NCIS through an unprecedented time of development and transformation, punctuated by the attack on the USS Cole and the events of September 11, 2001. He is responsible for standing up the NCIS Multiple Threat Alert Center, organizing the Combating Terrorism Directorate, and for implementing numerous information-sharing initiatives.

At Deloitte, Mr. Brant works with clients on transformation programs involving information sharing, homeland security and law enforcement.

• At a federal agency responsible for protecting the nation's transportation systems, Mr. Brant is leading an unprecedented effort to ensure that decision-makers have access to the best information available on security issues or terrorist-related threats. He is helping to build an information sharing environment that connects disparate systems, processes and work streams. The initiative involves a review of the organization's technology infrastructure, human capital practices and connectivity across multiple business (mission) lines.

• Mr. Brant is supporting the development of a national law enforcement information sharing capability that will integrate operational data from as many as 18,000 independent state and local law enforcement agencies (LEAs). Mr. Brant is managing interactions with the LEAs to determine their requirements, identify current records management systems, understand budget considerations, and assess training needs.

• At a military agency, Mr. Brant is leading a "scenario planning" effort to help them anticipate the internal organizational changes needed to prepare for future threats. The team is reviewing the agency's mission and strategic objectives, and conducting in-depth interviews with a cross-section of leaders.

Mr. Brant has received numerous honors throughout his law enforcement career including: the Secretary of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service; the Presidential Rank Award; the Outstanding Advocate for Women in Law Enforcement Award; the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association Aguila Award for Law Enforcement/Criminal Justice; the Distinguished Civilian Service Award; and the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award.

Mr. Brant holds a BA in Psychology from Bradley University and a Masters in Criminology from Indiana University. He is a graduate of the Senior Executive Course at Harvard University's JFK School of Government.