CGFM News

CGFM News

CGFM Profile: Marlene K. Dorenkamp

When Marlene K. Dorenkamp became president of AGA's Des Moines Chapter, she want= ed to set an example for her fellow chapter members, give herself an injection of confidence and show that attaining the CGFM credential was "doable.&qu= ot;

"I thought that it would be good incentive for others i= f I went ahead and took it and let them know if it was achievable," Dorenkamp said. That she did, by passing the three examinations and becoming the first chapter member to become a CGFM through= the exam process.

It took Dorenkamp one year to st= udy and pass the exams, finishing up in November 2005. When she achieved her go= al, the chapter did not overlook it. The current chapter president, Michelle Wendel, and other members recognized her at last Nove= mber's Chapter Executive Committee meeting with a certificate and cupcakes. The ne= xt month, the chapter presented her with a scholarship, to defray some of her costs, and a cake in her honor.

Dorenkamp, who is also a CPA, used AGA's = three study guides to prepare. She also organized a study group with two other members. Once a week, they would set aside an hour to study, helping them s= tay focused. Some of the material was very familiar. At the time, she was worki= ng in the school finance arena with the state Department of Education, and nee= ded a strong understanding of the financial reporting requirements of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board's (GASB) Statement 34. Her success = on the exams did, in fact, give her a boost. "It really did help," s= he said. "It gave me confidence that I knew the answers to some of the questions. I knew more than I thought I did."

She encourages anyone going into governmental accounting to consider the CGFM. "I think it's an excellent way to get that backgrou= nd. When I went through school, they had one governmental accounting course and that was it."

Dorenkamp had success using the study guides, while other CGFM candid= ates like to take the three preparatory courses and use the study guides to complement what they learned. She said the study guides have a lot of good information, reviews at the end of each chapter, and an appendix with refer= ence materials to learn more.

Her advice for CGFM candidates is to make a goal and schedule the exams. Don't procrastinate and lose momentum. That way, the exams are on the calendar and it's easier to stay on track. "I made a goal when I f= irst started that I would have it done by a certain time, and that kept me motiv= ated and kept me going."

By: Christina M. Camara