You showed up. You shared. You made this year's IMPACT Conference what it was: a celebration of public sector excellence.

And we're not just talking about attendance numbers, here. We're talking about the finance directors who stood on stage to share their budgeting wins. The utility billing directors who opened up about their check fraud battles. The payroll specialists who walked other users through their Employee Portal rollouts. The auditors who shared their process and expertise.

This conference happened because of you. So let's celebrate some of the public servants who made an impact this year.

The Officers Who Made It Happen

Behind every great conference are the people who show up early, stay late, and make sure everything runs smoothly.

Our Conference Officers did exactly that. They helped plan the event. They shaped the sessions. They made sure the conference addressed topics you're actually interested in.

• Tori K., Payroll Specialist at Beavercreek Township

• Brian P., Chief Financial Officer at Clinton County Port Authority

• Jane M., Assistant Finance Director at City of West Carrollton

• Karen M., Accounting Assistant at Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District

They volunteered their time because they believe in this SSI family. They know that when we learn from each other, we all get better.

Impact Awards

Our Impact Awards celebrate SSI customers who use VIP to drive meaningful change and improve efficiency. But more than that, the award honors teams that are strengthening community trust through better financial management.

This year's winners raised the bar:

• Beavercreek Township

• Greene County

• Lawrence County

• Ross County Water

• City of Whitehall

These organizations are transforming how local government works. And they're proving that modern technology and public sector values can work hand-in-hand.

The Panelists Who Shared Their Stories

Our sessions featured public sector professionals who shared what actually works (and what doesn't) in their offices every single day.

Utility directors tackled the hard stuff. Nikki from the Village of Montpelier and Nicole from Boone County Water District joined our team to discuss check fraud, postal service headaches, and the uphill battle of getting customers to pay digitally. Kristy from Ross County Water, Christy from City of Fairborn, and Theresia from Pike Water also added their insights to a collections panel.

They didn't sugarcoat it. They gave you actionable strategies and quick wins.

County auditors broke down their complex roles. Julie (Seneca County), Elizabeth (Henry County), Chris (Lawrence County), and Tiffany (Jackson County) walked through everything from payroll processing to property tax administration.

Because understanding what your county auditor does makes your job easier.

Implementation veterans shared their journeys. Trena, Jessie, and Parker from Washington County; Echo from Blue Earth; and Katie from Anderson Township compared notes on going live with VIP. They talked about data cleanup, unexpected time-savers, and what they wish they'd known before starting.

These are the insights you can't get from a manual.

Employee Portal users got honest. Melissa from the City of Bellbrook, along with Christina  and Jonda from Ross County Water Company, shared their experiences at different stages of adoption.

They discussed what worked, what didn't, and how to get employees actually using the portal.

Budgeting pros opened up the floor. Mel from Greene County Public Library, Penny from Miami Township, and Teresa from the City of Lebanon led an open Q&A about the budgeting process in VIP Budgeting & Analytics.

They tackled everything from getting started to balancing department requests with fiscal reality.

And Ashley Perry from the Ohio Auditor of State's Center for Audit Excellence gave you the audit tips that can save you headaches down the road.

This is a Family

You're not alone in your work. That's the takeaway we want you to walk away with.

When you're staring down a budget deadline or dealing with an audit finding or trying to convince your city manager that cloud hosting is worth it, remember: there are peers across the nation who've been exactly where you are. And we can all help each other.

That's what the Impact Conference is about.

• Connecting you with the people who understand your challenges because they face them too.

• Giving you a space to ask the questions you've been sitting on.

• Showing you that excellence in public sector finance is possible—it's happening right now in communities like yours.

Our job is to build software that makes your work life easier. But we know that technology alone doesn't create change. You create change. You take the tools and make them work for your organization.

So when we develop products like VIP Accounting, VIP Budgeting & Analytics, VIP Payroll & HR, or VIP Utility Billing, we're thinking about you. We're listening to what you tell us in sessions. We're learning from your wins and your struggles. We're giving you real solutions.

And we're committed to being the partner you can count on—whether that's through training, professional services, or just showing up at a conference to listen.

To everyone who presented, planned, attended, or asked a tough question: thank you! You made IMPACT 2025 the success that it was.

And to those who couldn't make it this year... We'll see you next time. This community keeps growing, keeps learning, and keeps raising the standard for what public sector finance can be.

You're doing important work. We're honored to be part of it.

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