Three CPAs seek Carson City treasurer spot

Former Supervisor John McKenna and City Finance Director Nick Providenti applied to be Carson City’s next treasurer, but there is a third competitor.

Also applying prior to Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline was Gayle H. Robertson, a certified public accountant (CPA), as are both McKenna and Providenti.

Those city residents sought the job that will be filled by the Board of Supervisors, which will conduct interviews and choose among them to determine who fills the elective office as an appointee until January, 2017. The appointee would have to stand for election in November, 2016, if he or she wants to retain the job. If successful, that person would have to run again in 2018 for a full, four-year term.

Interviews and a likely selection are expected at the board’s April 16 meeting. By state law, the job currently pays $76,013 per year.

McKenna wrote of what he would do in office.

“Carson City has an unprecedented opportunity to review its investment and financial policies and procedures, supervised by the treasurer,” McKenna wrote in a cover letter accompanying his application and background documents. “In addition to fulfilling the duties of the office of treasurer at a high level I plan to conduct a review.

“I have the independence, professional qualifications and the ability to conduct such a management review,” said the CPA and four-year city supervisor who lost his board seat to Lori Bagwell, the current supervisor from Ward 3. Supervisors must live in one of four wards but are selected by the community at large.

McKenna has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Southern Colorado State College, which is now the University of Southern Colorado. He cited 16 years as a member of the Carson City Schools Board of Trustees, along with his one term on the Board of Supervisors. Among his references, McKenna included former Clerk/Recorder Alan Glover and the current schools superintendent, Richard Stokes.

Providenti pushed his experience.

“I have worked for Carson City for the past 24 years and am currently the Carson City finance director,” Providenti wrote in his cover letter. “I am very familiar with the current systems in place and know I could ‘hit the ground running’ if offered the position. Prior to my work in Finance, I was a senior property appraiser for the assessor’s office.”

Providenti’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in business administration/accounting from the University of Texas-El Paso, and he is both a CPA and chartered global management accountant. Among his references is the city’s former treasurer, Al Kramer, who now is the investment deputy treasurer with Nevada state government.

Robertson, also citing experience, said she most recently worked at Pro Group Captive Management of Carson City in management as captive controller and before that worked in public accounting with Neddenriep & Associates, LLC, of Minden. From 2007 to 2012, she had her own CPA practice. Prior to being self-employed, she was with Allbritten/Slates CPA, LLC, of Carson City and Freeman & Williams, LLP, also of Carson City.

In addition, she served in 1999 and 2000 as a member of the Nevada State Board of Equalization, she said, and was accounting manager for Resource Concepts., Inc. of Carson City from 1994-1997. She is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, with a bachelor’s in economics and did graduate classes in accounting and taxation at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Among her references was one from Mark Beauchamp of Shaheen Beauchamp Builders, LLC, in Carson City.

In citing her most recent experience, Robertson detailed management and related skills.

“As Captive Controller,” she wrote, “I was responsible for monitoring the cash flow and reconciling the investment accounts each company had at various brokerages. The investment goals focused on safety, liquidity, and return on investment.” She said Pro Group managed approximately 45 captive insurance firms. She said each was required to have an audit and two actuarial studies done annually.