Charleston, W.Va. – The West Virginia State Treasurer’s Office will host a three day cash handling conference for state financial professionals this week beginning Wednesday, April 15 through Friday, April 17 at The Resort at Glade Springs in Raleigh County.
At 1 p.m. on Wednesday, State Treasurer John D. Perdue will welcome more than 100 attendees to this year’s conference titled Derby Days: A Run for the Money.
“I am proud to provide state financial professionals with this unique learning opportunity to become more familiar with the guidelines for the state’s cash handling processes,” said Treasurer Perdue. “I also hope they embrace our Derby Days theme and have some fun while taking part in this important training.”
The conference is designed to introduce best practices and review guidelines for staff members in state government who handle cash or collect revenue. More than 55 state agencies, including colleges and universities, will be represented at the conference.
“In this age of financial fraud, identity theft and cyber-crimes, it’s essential that these state workers, especially those who handle cash or credit card payments, are properly trained with strong practices and security measures,” said Perdue.
One of the most important sessions this year deals with Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance, which ensures that state employees have procedures in place to protect financial data.
“I can’t stress enough the importance of frequent and complete PCI compliance training. We feel it’s our responsibility to help state financial professionals be as prepared as they can be in this area,” said Misty Price, Deputy Treasurer of Cash Management and conference presenter.
In addition to PCI compliance training, highlights of Derby Days: A Run for the Money sessions include:
- Imprest funds v. petty cash
- Electronic payment options
- Alternative collections processes
- The wvOASIS enterprise resource planning system
- Unclaimed property reporting procedures
- Fraud protection
- Audit preparedness
- Banking industry trends
In 2011, the West Virginia State Treasurer’s Office took the lead to create and publish a Cash Receipts Handbook for West Virginia Spending Units, after a legislative audit found many West Virginia agencies lack proper internal controls regarding cash handling. Since then, Treasurer Perdue has actively worked with state agencies to improve cash handling procedures.
This is the second Cash Handling Conference hosted by Treasurer Perdue. The first was held in March 2012 at the Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown, W.Va.
Interview opportunities will be available to the media immediately before and after opening remarks at 1 p.m. Wednesday. All sessions, including the luncheon and dinner receptions Thursday, are open to media. Media inquiries should be directed to Gina Joynes at gina.joynes@wvsto.com or 304.237.5337.