Carla E. Sledge: president of the Government Finance Officers Association

Carla E. Sledge is president of the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). She is the first African-American woman and the first president from Michigan in the organization's 99-year history. The GFOA is the professional association of approximately 16,000 state, provincial and local finance officers in the U.S.

and Canada. "It's an exciting time to be GFOA president," says Sledge. "We've had unprecedented growth ... and a responsive introduction of new services." As chief financial officer for Wayne County, Sledge directs the Department of Management and Budget and is responsible for the administration of finances for all county departments and agencies supported by the county's $2.1 billion budget. Sledge, a CPA, has 20 years of experience, primarily in government, nonprofit and manufacturing industries. She earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Wayne State University and a master's from Eastern Michigan University. She and her husband, Willie Sledge, live in Franklin, Mich., and have two sons.