State and Local Government
Local governments often face significant obstacles. They must adhere to regulations; work with limited resources; and be able to provide accurate and timely financial information to government officials and private citizens.
Brown Edwards’ local government accounting team understands the budgetary constraints and regulatory environment in which municipalities operate. We have decades of experience conducting municipal audits, working with governmental staff, and resolving the challenges they seek to address.
Our professionals understand how to account for the multiple income sources and disbursement methods that local governments use, from taxes and grants to paychecks and fees. We prepare documents that provide transparency for members of the public, adhere to GAAP, limit risk, and impose accounting controls.
Brown Edwards’ experience allows us to give ongoing assistance beyond the numbers. We develop strong relationships with our municipality clients, interacting with their managers throughout the year. The trust we develop, the results we provide, and the confidence we instill are all reasons that municipalities choose Brown Edwards for local government accounting.
Our services to state and local government include:
- Financial Audits
- Compliance Audits
- Outsourced Internal Audit Functions
- Operations Audits and Strategic Planning
- School Construction Project Audits
- Official Statement-Bond Offering Reviews
- Assistance with Submission to GFOA Certificate Program
- Technology Consulting
- Assistance with the Design, Installation and Testing of Internal Controls
- Fraud Investigations
- Agreed upon Procedures
Find out more about our services in state and local government accounting. Contact our state and local government accounting team
Practice Leaders
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Christopher A. Banta, CPAPartner
(540) 345-0936cbanta@becpas.com
319 McClanahan St SW • Roanoke, VA, 24014-7705
Chris is an audit partner based in the Roanoke office. He provides audit services to a wide range of entities including privately owned businesses, municipalities, governmental entities, non-profits, HUD entities, national fraternities, and electric cooperatives. He specializes and coordinates the compliance auditing aspect of the annual audits of municipal and governmental clients including APA compliance and transmittal form preparation, Single Audit compliance, RUS compliance, FAA compliance, and NTD reporting compliance. Chris is also a member of the firm’s peer review services team, providing quality reviews to regional public accounting firms around the country. In addition, he is a Certified Fraud Examiner, providing internal control reviews, fraud examinations, forensic accounting services, and litigation support services.
Chris graduated from Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting in May 2000.
Chris is actively committed to serving the community through current or past memberships on various community committees or boards including:
• Served in various roles, including President, Vice President, and Treasurer of the Grandin Theater Foundation (2008 – 2014)
• Treasurer of the Virginia Museum of Transportation (2014 – Present)
• Finance Committee member of the Boys and Girls Club of Southwest Virginia (2014 – Present)
• Kiwanis Club of Roanoke member and Chairman of the Kiwanis Career and Technical Education Scholarship Program (2012-Present)
He is a member of the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiner, the Government Finance Officers Association, the Virginia Government Finance Officers Association, and the National Society of Accountants for Cooperatives. Chris has also previously been named a “Super CPA” by Virginia Business magazine.
Team Members
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Rob E. Adams, CPA, CGMAPartner -
John S. Aldridge, CPAPartner -
Norman D. Yoder, CPAPartner -
Susan H. Chapman, CPADirector -
Megan Argenbright, CPADirector -
Matt Heatwole, CPADirector
(304) 343-4188
readams@becpas.com
300 Chase Building, 707 Virginia Street East • Charleston, WV 25301
Rob has over 20 years of professional experience and served as the Director of Assurance Services for Gibbons & Kawash. He has extensive experience in financial reporting, accounting, internal control, auditing, review, compilation, and agreed upon procedures professional services for closely-held businesses and public sector entities including real estate, hospitality, manufacturing, retail, wholesale, media, and an extensive concentration in various nonprofit organizations and state & local governmental entities. Rob is active in the AICPA’s Governmental Audit Quality Center and served as the Director assigned to the Center for Gibbons & Kawash.
Rob graduated Magna Cum Laude from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting and a minor in economics.
Rob is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the West Virginia Society of CPAs, and the Charleston Chapter of the West Virginia Society of CPAs, and the Governmental Finance Officers Association, and is a Chartered Global Management Accountant. Rob is a current board member of West Virginia Kids Count, a local youth sports coach, he is active in the local community and in his church.
(540) 345-0936jaldridge@becpas.com
319 McClanahan St SW • Roanoke, VA, 24014-7705
John is an audit partner based in our Roanoke office. John’s concentration is related to municipalities and HUD entities; he has extensive experience performing organizational reviews as they relate to internal controls and operations. He is also a member of our peer review services team, providing quality reviews to regional public accounting firms around the country.
He is a 1993 graduate of James Madison University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. John is a member of the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. In addition, he serves as treasurer for the Better Business Bureau. John was recently named a “Super CPA” by Virginia Business magazine..
(434) 948-9000nyoder@becpas.com
2102 Langhorne Road, Ste 200 • Lynchburg, VA 24501-1121
Norman Yoder is an assurance partner in the Lynchburg office. Norman graduated summa cum laude from James Madison University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting in 1999. He graduated as the valedictorian of JMU’s College of Business, and received various awards for academic success. Norman began his career in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he worked with a regional firm for six years following his graduation. He joined the Lynchburg office of Brown Edwards in 2005.
Norman’s areas of expertise include:
- Local governments and related entities
- Not-for-profit organizations
- Financial institutions
- Manufacturers
- Retailers and wholesale distributors
- CCRC and health care organizations
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Closely-held businesses
- Registered investment advisors
- US public companies subject to PCAOB standards
In addition to working with his own clients, Norman consults on technical audit and accounting issues on other engagements throughout the firm, and assists the firm’s peer review team with engagements where he has specific expertise. Norman is a member of the firm’s accounting and auditing committee, and has been recognized as a “Super CPA” in the Virginia Business magazine several times. Norman currently serves as the area coordinator for the Lynchburg office.
(434) 948-9000schapman@becpas.com
2102 Langhorne Road, Ste 200 • Lynchburg, VA, 24501-1121
Susan is an audit director based in the Lynchburg office. She provides audit and assurance services to municipalities, governmental entities, privately owned businesses, manufacturers, and non-profits. Susan focuses much of her time on municipal and governmental entity auditing, specializing in compliance auditing for governmental and non-profit entities, including Auditor of Public Accounts of the Commonwealth of Virginia audit and reporting requirements and Single Audit Act requirements.
Susan graduated from Radford University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting in 2000 and a Master’s of Business Administration in 2002.
Susan completed Leadership Lynchburg, a nine-month program focusing on community and professional leadership and growth, in May 2010, and currently serves as a member of the board for the program.
Susan is a member of the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Virginia Government Finance Officers Association, where she is currently a member of the Standard Setting Committee.
(540) 434-6736
margenbright@becpas.com
124 Newman Ave • Harrisonburg, VA, 22801-4004
Megan is an audit director based in the Harrisonburg office. She provides audit services to a wide range of entities including municipalities, governmental entities, non-profits, and healthcare entities. She performs compliance services for governmental entities including APA compliance and Single Audit compliance.
A 2006 cum laude graduate of James Madison University, Megan has a B.B.A. Degree in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy degree. Megan is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the Virginia Government Finance Officers Association. She is a Certified Healthcare Financial Professional through Healthcare Financial Management Association.
Megan is actively committed to serving the community through her current Explore More Discovery Museum board membership and prior board service to the Staunton-Augusta Association of Young Professionals. She has completed the Community Leadership Program and BOLD program through the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce.
(540) 434-6736
mheatwole@becpas.com
124 Newman Ave • Harrisonburg, VA, 22801-4004
Matt is a director based in the Harrisonburg office and serves a variety of clients specializing in audits and other assurance services for municipalities, construction entities, cooperatives, and not-for-profits including foundations. His expertise in municipalities consists of GASB, APA and Single Audit compliance and comprehensive annual financial reports. He also assists a variety of small businesses and individuals with tax compliance.
He graduated from Virginia Tech in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in Business with a concentration in Accounting and Information Systems and also received a Master of Accounting and Information Systems from Virginia Tech in 2004. Matt is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Virginia and Maryland. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Virginia Government Officers Association.
Matt is a graduate of Community Leadership Program and Building Optimal Leaders by Design Program provided by the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce and currently serves as the treasurer for the Shenandoah Valley Builder’s Association and The Mercy House.
What Clients SayAbout Our Accounting Services for State and Local Government
"My words will not capture how much I think of the Brown Edwards staff, your commitment to the community, your willingness to nurture and grow clients, your service on boards and nonprofit organizations, I could go on and on … "
Marjette G. Upshur - Director, City of Lynchburg, VA Office of Economic Development
"Accountants have a reputation for being rather mundane. However, Brown Edwards’ professionals have set themselves apart from the stereotype. Their business acumen and sincere desire for their clients to succeed have given us much to be excited about over the past twelve years."
Rick Pevarsk - President and CEO Virginia Utility Protection Services, Inc.
"As always it was our pleasure to work with you and Brown and Edwards again this year. We appreciate all of your help, friendly reminders, and keeping us on task. Your knowledge, expertise, and ability to discuss the issues in a professional and understanding manner is much appreciated and highly regarded, not only by staff but by our Audit Committee as well. Thank you."
Kim Hynes - Executive Director Central Virginia Waste Management Authority
"The staff at Brown Edwards has served as much more than auditors. They have become a partner with the City of Winchester. They continually give us the guidance and expertise we need to navigate through new mandates and they offer solutions that fit our needs as a small government. The audits are consistently thorough and their focus is on customer services; their staff is always available to us throughout the year if we need assistance."
Mary Blowe - Finance Director City of Winchester VA
"In a constantly changing governmental environment full of industry standard updates and changes, Brown, Edwards is always there to help guide the implementation to make the transition smooth. They are a top notch quality firm that gets the job done right."
Matthew R. Hornby, CPA - Assistant Director of Finance Town of Blacksburg, Virginia
"Brown Edwards won us over with their original proposal 5 years ago and our expectations have been met ever since. It continued to be a clear choice to retain Brown Edwards over other firms in the recent bid process. They work well together and with our team and always know what’s needed. It is important for us to work with a firm that we have confidence in and who understands our situation and issues on a consistent basis. I am pleased Brown Edwards retained the Colonial Heights contract and look forward to working with them in the future"
William E. Johnson - Director of Finance, The City of Colonial Heights, Virginia
"It is a pleasure working with Brown Edwards & Company. The dedication to their clients and work is paramount and is demonstrated through each stage of the audit process. I especially value their excellent planning and communication relating to our audits. Brown Edwards also distributes clear, concise and informative communications on matters impacting our sector."
Patricia K. Conner, CPA - Assistant Finance Director, City of Danville, Virginia
"Brown Edwards has held the City’s audit contract for almost ten years. With our extended relationship with Brown Edwards, they rotate their lead staff and review staff to ensure fresh eyes on our account. They are very responsive to questions during the audit and throughout the year as well. I value our relationship and believe we work well as a team striving towards the same goal."
