WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of Government Accountants (AGA) is recognizing Acting Deputy Secretary for Veterans Affairs Edward A. (Ned) Powell Jr. for his efforts to promote excellence in government management.
Powell is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the 220,000-employee Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which provides compensation, pension and health care benefits to more than five million veterans and which administers 119 national cemeteries.
For nearly two years before he was appointed to his current post by President Clinton last August, Powell served as VAs assistant secretary for management, responsible for efficient administration of a $47 billion budget at the second largest U.S. government department.
In recognition of his outstanding leadership in enhancing sound financial management practices in the federal government, AGA is bestowing upon Powell its Distinguished Federal Leadership Award. The AGA awards committee considered his leadership and advocacy in improving financial management through innovative management techniques as well as the resultant gains in productivity and savings.
The AGA specifically recognized his contributions toward VA’s first-ever unqualified audit opinion – a critical measurement of VA’s accountability over its financial resources – as well as the development of a core accounting and logistics system that will fully integrate different VA systems. Powell already has integrated planning, performance and resource information into VA’s budget request, which the AGA recognized along with his improvement of debt management activities and increased efficiencies in finance and acquisition practices.
AGA is an 18,000-member association devoted to the professional education needs of financial managers at all levels of government, the private sector and academia.
The award will be presented at the AGA’s 12th Annual Federal Leadership conference Jan. 25-26 at The Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC.
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