Spring 2026 FCIAAO Newsletter

FLGISA: SMALL COST, BIG BENEFITS FOR FLORIDA GOVERNMENT IT

Ever heard of FLGISA? I hadn’t until my friend from the Board of County Commissioners told me about it. Since then, my office has been a member. Seeing the tremendous value firsthand, we send staff to every conference and event. The initials stand for Florida Local Government Information Systems Association (www.flgisa.org), and it is an organization for IT managers and their staff from any branch of Florida government, including constitutional offices. I have met people from other Property Appraiser offices, Tax Collectors, cities, law enforcement, special districts, and, of course, counties. Unlike seemingly anything else these days, membership is a bargain at FLGISA. Your entire organization joins for $300 per year, and there is no extra “per person” membership fee after that. They hold a winter symposium in Kissimmee and an annual conference each summer that will be in Miami this year and Orlando for the next 3. At these conferences, your IT staff can stay abreast of the latest in technology, tools, solutions, and platforms, share best practices, and learn about legislative issues.

BRIAN LOUGHREY, CFE SARASOTA COUNTY CHIEF DEPUTY

They feature inspiring motivational speakers to kick off and end each annual conference. Recently, the hot issues have been ransomware, artificial intelligence (AI), and disaster recovery. And just like the Florida Chapter conferences, the most valuable things you gain are meeting other people in the industry, trading stories and contact information. Other benefits are a real-time message board to discuss and learn about the latest developments, ideas, and emerging best practices from peers. For those in upper management, the nationally recognized Certified Government Chief Information Officer ™ (CGCIO) and Certified Public Technology Manager (CPTM) certification programs were developed in partnership with the FLGISA and the John Scott Dailey Florida Institute of Government (FIOG) at Florida State University (iog.fsu.edu).

Their shared goal was to create the most relatable government agency-focused education in the country, compared to traditional technology and business leadership programs. FIOG’s mission enhances the capacity of Florida’s governments and communities through focused education, customized training and leadership programs for associations, applied research, and direct public service. Their efforts assisted Florida Counties further by securing over $1.3 billion in private capital investments, $250 million in state and federal grants, and incentives to support economic development. I am in the FLGISA Southwest region, and my district also regularly hosts free meetings for attendees with specialized topics of interest, and lunch is even provided! I highly recommend these groups to your office and IT staff. There is a lot to be gained for little cost, a rarity for sure!

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STAYING APPRAISED

SPRING 2026