Arthur Whitten, director of Treasury Services at Washington State University, has been named president-elect of the Government Investment Officers Association (GIOA).
GIOA represents investment officers from state and local governments and higher education institutions across the United States and Canada, providing education and training on public fund investment strategies and best practices. Per the GIOA bylaws, Whitten will serve a two-year term as president-elect before assuming the role of president.
The appointment, announced at the association’s annual conference in March, highlights Whitten’s leadership in public fund management and his contributions to the field of government investments.
Government investment officers are sometimes referred to as the “guardians of taxpayers’ monies” and are charged with safeguarding and investing state and local government public funds. This helps ensure the safety of principal and sufficient liquidity while generating a market rate of return through budgetary and economic cycles.
Whitten has been an active member of GIOA for several years, previously serving as board secretary and treasurer before being named president-elect.
WSU Treasury Services manages the university’s working capital investments. These differ from the endowment investments managed by the WSU Foundation and include the dollars that fund the day-to-day operations of the university. WSU Treasury Services also manages the university’s banking relationships, administers WSU’s debt portfolio, and leads the PCI compliance program.
“Public investment officers are charged with the prudent investment of the funds trusted to us by our constituency” said Whitten “It is a privilege to represent these dedicated professionals at GIOA.”
Throughout his time on the GIOA board, Whitten has presented on various topics including cash flow analysis and investment policy development. He has played a critical role in developing the exam for the Association’s “Certified Government Investment Professional” designation and has certified investment policies for public entities across the United States.
“Treasury Services plays a crucial role in the management of university assets including stewardship of WSU’s debt and investment portfolios” said Matt Skinner, senior associate vice president for Finance and Administration and Deputy CFO. “It is a great benefit to WSU to have Arthur serving in this role.”
