Project governance involves managing both the forest and the trees. Almost 500 years ago, John Heywood, a Renaissance writer, documented one of the biggest challenges for current government information technology projects—or many other change initiatives—when he described the problem of “not being able to see the forest for the trees.” Within an enterprise resource planning (ERP) project (or many other similar initiatives in government), people tend to become so involved in the details of the effort they lose focus on the bigger picture goals or purpose. Defining organizational roles is critical to overall teamwork and being able to successfully manage organizations or projects. (fb)

Let's celebrate another new Certified Public Finance Officer! Nate Romero, Revenue Operations Manager of the Town of Herndon, Virginia, started his CPFO journey to expand his knowledge across diverse government finance fields. Achieving the CPFO designation has empowered him to contribute more effectively to decision-making, guide his team with greater expertise, and ultimately, strengthen trust within his community by reinforcing the critical role of government finance. He highly recommends the certification to fellow government finance professionals, emphasizing its invaluable contribution to navigating the complex challenges faced by local governments. Congratulations Nate! (fb)