Dan Goncher is a Principal, and Certified Fraud Examiner, with extensive experience auditing and conducting investigations and technical analyses for public sector agencies. Mr. Goncher has managed and conducted performance audits, budget analyses, management audits, investigations, and special studies in the areas of public health, transportation, real estate, utility management, housing, government operations, and others. His project work has taken place in the City and County of San Francisco, the counties of Los Angeles, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and San Bernardino, the cities of Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Berkeley, Alameda, Sunnyvale, and Colton, and the State of Colorado. Prior to joining HMR, Mr. Goncher worked in the Division of Banking Supervision and Regulation at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco as a Bank Examiner. In this role, he evaluated programs for compliance with federal consumer protection and anti-discrimination regulations at state member banks. Mr. Goncher also has experience as a White House Intern and as a Policy Analyst for the British Parliament. Mr Goncher earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of California at Berkeley and received his B.A. (with honors) from American University in Washington, D.C.
While Mr. Goncher is a generalist and therefore able to deftly approach nearly any policy question with sound analysis, he has developed expertise in the following areas:
- Budget Analysis: Mr. Goncher has served for the last three years as the Budget Manager of the review of the City and County of San Francisco’s annual budget as proposed by the Mayor to the Board of Supervisors. The most recent proposed budget was approximately $9 Billion and our review found over $27 million in reductions without impacting direct services to residents. This review is conducted by a joint venture partnership that includes Harvey M. Rose Associates, LLC as well as two other firms and subcontractors.
- Management of School Construction: Mr. Goncher has led three performance audits of the bond-funded school construction program at Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD). BHUSD has contracted with our firm to conduct performance audits of the District’s construction program as required under Proposition 39 for four consecutive years.
- Investigations: Mr. Goncher is a Certified Fraud Examiner and has led several investigations for numerous clients including an audit of operations, development, and construction activities at the San Bernardino International Airport as well as an audit of the finances of the City of Victorville for the San Bernardino County Grand Jury. Mr. Goncher also participated in the review of the processes used to select an Inspector General for the Los Angeles Community College District for the Los Angeles City Controller and the investigation of alleged intrusion by members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for the Los Angeles County Auditor-Controller.
- Transportation Network Companies: Mr. Goncher has conducted extensive and in-depth analysis of the impact of transportation network companies (e.g. Uber, Lyft) on local jurisdictions in California. His recent work has included an analysis of the impact of such companies in San Francisco, including the benefits, challenges, and risks of this growing industry as well as a study for the City of Sunnyvale, which included a review of potential changes to the taxicab code that could be made to ensure a level regulatory playing field between taxicabs and transportation network companies.
- Operational Performance Audit of San Bernardino International Airport, San Bernardino County Grand Jury
- Performance Audit of the Finances of the City of Victorville, San Bernardino County Grand Jury
- Study of Impact of Transportation Network Companies on Taxicab Franchises and Review of Taxicab Franchise Regulations, City of Sunnyvale
- Annual Proposition 39 Performance Audit, Beverly Hills Unified School District
- Performance Audit of the San Francisco Housing Authority, San Francisco Board of Supervisors
- Performance Audit of the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency
- Process Audits of Numerous Divisions, Port of Los Angeles
- Budget Analysis of the San Francisco Department of Public Health $1.5 billion FY 2011-12 budget
- Performance Audit, Colton Electric Utility
- Performance Audit of Department of City Planning’s Conditions for Development, City of Los Angeles
- Investigation of Board Intrusion, Los Angeles County Auditor-Controller
- Investigation of the Los Angeles County Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Prevention Services and Program, Los Angeles County Grand Jury