Jim Arnette, CISA, CGFM is the Director of Local Government Audit for the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury. Jim is responsible for the annual financial and compliance audits of all 95 Tennessee counties, and monitors the annual audits of more than 1,600 municipalities, non-profits, and related local government entities. The Division is also responsible for reviewing the funds administered by District Attorneys General and Judicial District Drug Task Forces. Jim assists local governments in implementing new auditing and accounting standards, and he works with the Tennessee General Assembly on legislation impacting local governments.

Jim has worked with the Comptroller’s Office for more than 40 years. He began his career in the Office of Management Services as a systems analyst responsible for the design, implementation, and support of mainframe computer software applications as well as the procurement and support of personal microcomputers.  Jim then moved to the Division of County Audit where he established County Audit’s Information Technology Audit function, which is responsible for general and application control reviews in county governments across the state.  He was named division director in 2007 and was named Director of the new Division of Local Government Audit in 2012.

Jim is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. He is a Certified Government Financial Manager and Certified Information Systems Auditor. Jim is an active member of the Nashville Chapter of the Association of Government Accountants (AGA). He has served as the chapter President and regional Vice-President. Jim has also been selected to the AGA National Executive Committee. He served as National President-Elect for the 2016-2017 program year, National President for 2017-2018, and Past National President for 2018-2019.