Union First Market Bank gift supports RU's GNAC

Union First Market Bank has made a generous gift to Radford University's College of Business and Economics Capital Campaign by naming the space for the Governmental and Nonprofit Assistance Center (GNAC).

The gift from the Virginia-based bank is for $100,000 over a five-year period.

"This type of private support allows us to have top-rate facilities," said RU Accounting Professor Bruce Chase, who serves as the GNAC director. "It is very gratifying to have Union First Market Bank support the activities of the Governmental and Nonprofit Assistance Center. We look forward to partnering with them in offering programs to the local government and nonprofit community."

Ed Lawhorn, New River Valley Market Executive at Union First Market Bank, said: "In working with local governments and nonprofits across Virginia, we have come to appreciate the good work being done by RU’s Governmental and Nonprofit Assistance Center. Bruce Chase is a known and respected leader in the field of local-government and nonprofit training and education, and we are pleased to play a role in providing that to those organizations."

The GNAC, part of RU's College of Business and Economics, provides quality professional financial education and technical assistance to governmental and not-for-profit organizations.

The GNAC has developed alliances, partnerships and other arrangements with selected professional organizations and associations, such as the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), Treasurers Association of Virginia and the Virginia Government Finance Officers' Association (VGFOA).

In partnership with the VGFOA, the GNAC provides a professional training certificate program for government finance officials in Virginia, Chase noted. "More than 180 individuals have completed the program, so if you go to any sizeable local government office, you're likely to find one of our certificates hanging up on an office wall."

The purpose of these relationships is to identify educational and training needs and to provide programs and delivery systems to meet those needs. This approach allows the GNAC to complement the programs of existing professional organizations, Chase explained.

The GNAC offers a variety of workshops and online seminars throughout the year, covering topics about public sector finance and management that are of interest to local government finance officials.

GNAC has been operating for about 12 years and is one of COBE's major outreach projects, Chase said.

To learn more about the GNAC, contact Chase at (540) 831-6734 or bchase@radford.edu.

Jul 22, 2014