{"id":896,"date":"2022-07-08T04:48:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-08T04:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/?page_id=896"},"modified":"2024-04-20T09:12:07","modified_gmt":"2024-04-20T16:12:07","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/","title":{"rendered":"Good, Better, Best"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover alignfull is-light\" style=\"min-height:998px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-100 has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#90a9bf\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-top\" style=\"grid-template-columns:auto 34%\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-ast-global-color-3-color has-ast-global-color-8-background-color has-text-color has-background has-medium-font-size\" style=\"font-style:italic;font-weight:400;text-transform:capitalize\">Modern Government Performance Auditing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-ast-global-color-2-color has-text-color\" style=\"font-size:26px;font-style:normal;font-weight:500\">Learn how performance auditing can produce the best results for the public<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size\"><strong>The guidebook offers:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Strategies to help audit leaders navigate through consequential findings<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Refinements in audit design and practice for auditors still learning their craft<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Concepts and methods for anyone interested in a performance auditing career.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-small-font-size\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-large-font-size\">What auditors are saying about<strong> <\/strong><em><strong>Good, Better, Best: A Guidebook for Performance Auditing<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\"><em>&#8220;I would recommend this book to ANY auditor who wants to have impact. (And if they don&#8217;t want to have impact they should get a different career!)<\/em><strong>&#8220;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left has-extra-small-font-size\"><strong>Jerome Heer<\/strong>, retired Milwaukee County Auditor, former ALGA President<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\"><em>&#8220;I don&#8217;t know of anyone who has the breadth of experience that Gary Blackmer has in performance auditing or who is a more creative and independent thinker, consistently turning out impactful performance audits. Nothing else out there comes close to <\/em>Good, Better, Best<em> as a contribution to the performance auditing literature.<\/em>&#8220;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left has-white-color has-text-color has-extra-small-font-size\"><strong>Mark Funkhouser,<\/strong> former Kansas City Auditor, Kansas City Mayor, Publisher of <em>Governing Magazine<\/em>; and now: President, Funkhouser &amp; Assoc. Consulting; Chair, International Center for Performance Auditing; adjunct professor, Tulane University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">&#8220;<em>Gary brings a wealth of experience, practical tools, and humor to his helpful guide for performance auditors.&nbsp; I can\u2019t recommend it enough.<\/em>&#8220;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-extra-small-font-size\"><strong>Amanda Noble<\/strong>, City Auditor, City of Atlanta, former ALGA president, chair ALGA Advocacy Committee<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-small-font-size\"><em>&#8220;Finally, a book in my profession that has been missing all these years. Gary\u2019s insightful approach helps break down how to apply the auditing standards in an easily accessible way for performance auditors of all levels.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-ast-global-color-1-color has-text-color has-extra-small-font-size\"><strong>Jenny Wong<\/strong>, former GAO auditor, City Auditor, City of Berkeley<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left has-ast-global-color-7-color has-text-color has-normal-font-size\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-info-box uagb-block-78afab9e uagb-infobox__content-wrap  uagb-infobox-icon-above-title uagb-infobox-image-valign-top\"><div class=\"uagb-ifb-content\"><div class=\"uagb-ifb-icon-wrap\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M0 256C0 114.6 114.6 0 256 0C397.4 0 512 114.6 512 256C512 397.4 397.4 512 256 512C114.6 512 0 397.4 0 256zM371.8 211.8C382.7 200.9 382.7 183.1 371.8 172.2C360.9 161.3 343.1 161.3 332.2 172.2L224 280.4L179.8 236.2C168.9 225.3 151.1 225.3 140.2 236.2C129.3 247.1 129.3 264.9 140.2 275.8L204.2 339.8C215.1 350.7 232.9 350.7 243.8 339.8L371.8 211.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><div class=\"uagb-ifb-title-wrap\"><h3 class=\"uagb-ifb-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lulu.com\/search?contributor=Gary+Blackmer&amp;page=1&amp;pageSize=10&amp;adult_audience_rating=00\">Click to order a copy here<\/a><\/h3><\/div><p class=\"uagb-ifb-desc\"><a href=\"Formats: a 230-page paperback at $34.99 plus shipping, or an ebook for $29.99.\">Formats: a 230-page paperback at $34.99 plus shipping,<br>or an ebook for $29.99.<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-image uagb-block-f4e5f187 wp-block-uagb-image--layout-default wp-block-uagb-image--effect-static wp-block-uagb-image--align-none is-style-twentytwentyone-border\"><figure class=\"wp-block-uagb-image__figure\"><a class=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Guidebook-Sampler.pdf\" target=\"\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\"  sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 150px\" src=\"http:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/sample-cover.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"303\" height=\"448\" title=\"\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Featured in the<\/strong> <em><strong>Local Government Auditing Quarterly<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"669\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/compressedcover-669x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1945 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/compressedcover-669x1024.png 669w, https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/compressedcover-196x300.png 196w, https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/compressedcover-768x1176.png 768w, https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/compressedcover-1003x1536.png 1003w, https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/compressedcover.png 1006w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 669px) 100vw, 669px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide has-ast-global-color-5-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:30px\"><strong>A guidebook based on experience in government performance auditing<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"919\" src=\"http:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/gary-in-SOS-1024x919.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1165\" srcset=\"https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/gary-in-SOS-1024x919.png 1024w, https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/gary-in-SOS-300x269.png 300w, https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/gary-in-SOS-768x690.png 768w, https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/gary-in-SOS.png 1184w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>A career spanning over 30 years&#8230;hired as a staff auditor, then an elected audit leader, and lastly an appointed audits director&#8230;in city, county, and state government.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-ast-global-color-7-color has-text-color\">Gary Blackmer was hired as a performance auditor in Portland Oregon in 1985 and his career advanced as performance auditing developed and spread to more local governments throughout the country. Mentors, peers, and challenging audit experiences all contributed to his rich knowledge and professional judgment about performance auditing. His attention to the needs of the communities he represented became the framework for producing audits that changed agency operations for the benefit of the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-ast-global-color-7-color has-text-color\">He entered the 1991 non-partisan Multnomah County auditor race, defeating the incumbent. He served eight years in that post before running for Portland City Auditor where he served for ten years. After leaving the city, the newly elected Oregon Secretary of State hired him as the audits director where he led financial, performance, and IT auditors for six years before retiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-ast-global-color-7-color has-text-color\">During his career, he trained auditors on many different subjects critical to successful auditing. He was chosen to lead professional auditing associations in the northwest and nationally. The Comptroller General of the U.S. Government Accountability Office appointed him twice to the agency\u2019s 15-member Domestic Working Group, as a local representative and then state representative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-ast-global-color-7-color has-text-color\">In 2010 he received the GAO Excellence in Performance and Accountability Award, and in 2015 the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Local Government Auditors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-ast-global-color-7-color has-text-color\">He is married with two grown children and has resided more than 45 years in his southeast Portland home. His retirement has allowed him more time for flyfishing, reading, mentoring young auditors, traveling, and contributing a column to the <em>Local Government Auditing Quarterly<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-ast-global-color-5-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-ast-global-color-5-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A guidebook based on experience in government performance auditing A career spanning over 30 years&#8230;hired as a staff auditor, then an elected audit leader, and lastly an appointed audits director&#8230;in city, county, and state government. Gary Blackmer was hired as a performance auditor in Portland Oregon in 1985 and his career advanced as performance auditing&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Good, Better, Best<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-896","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"post-thumbnail":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":false,"author_link":"https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/?author=2"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"A guidebook based on experience in government performance auditing A career spanning over 30 years&#8230;hired as a staff auditor, then an elected audit leader, and lastly an appointed audits director&#8230;in city, county, and state government. Gary Blackmer was hired as a performance auditor in Portland Oregon in 1985 and his career advanced as performance auditing&hellip;&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/896","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=896"}],"version-history":[{"count":116,"href":"https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/896\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1949,"href":"https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/896\/revisions\/1949"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/garyblackmer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=896"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}