We are honored to announce the recipient of ABFM’s 2026 S. Kenneth Howard Award: Dean Michael Mead.
Established in 1986 in memory of S. Kenneth Howard, the award honors lifetime achievement by a practitioner in the field of budgeting and financial management. The award committee recognizes you for an exceptional career of sustained leadership, professional service, practitioner education, and contributions to governmental accounting and public financial management.
Dean’s career has included numerous contributions to our sector through scholarship, instruction, and practice. His service includes more than two decades on the staff of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB), where he served as Assistant Director of Research and Technical Activities and was responsible for development of the award-winning GASB User Guide Series. His experience includes years of presentations and workshops for practitioners across the country, tenures as an instructor at New York University and Rutgers University, and service on the Citizens Budget Commission. Currently, Dean serves as a Partner and Government & Public Sector Sub-Line Leader for CRI Advisors, LLC,.
Dean will be recognized as the latest recipient of ABFM’s S. Kenneth Howard Award during the Awards Luncheon at ABFM’s 2026 Annual Conference on Friday, September 25th, in Washington, DC. Click here for more information on the conference.