WCNBIS24: Business & Industry Spring Conference (Virtual)

We hear you!  Business & Industry Spring Conference returns in 2024 to provide our members with a two day  The loudspeaker of information/misinformation will  grow louder as the year continues. Stay focused with peers and the professionals brought together to keep you informed.  Be up to date on critical trends regarding AI, global and US economy, cyber threats and leading through chaotic times. 

 

Highlights:*Management Accounting Trends *Psychology of Money  *AI and Cybersafety  * The Reality of Hybrid Work  *Avoid Budget Calamaties *Digital Wellness *Tension in the Workplace *Choppy Waters of Change
Who Should Attend: Controllers, CFOs, Finance Managers, and others responsible for the financial planning and strategy for their business or firm. 
Event Level: Update
Required Knowledge: None
Advanced Preparation: None
Field of Study: Various
CPE: 16.00

 

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Event Information
Event Date:
May 20, 2024
Objectives
  • Collaborate with other finance executives, controllers and people leaders to gain insights in emerging trends and issues. Gain insights from discussion leaders to provide direction in the important decision making of your business.
Event Information
Date Presented:
May 21, 2024 8:00 AM Eastern
Length:
8 hours, 50 minutes
Click on a topic name to see details and purchase options.
Monday May 20, 2024

Innovation enables competitive advantage, business growth, and market share.  Thinking differently is non-negotiable. Challenging what we think we know is not only a business imperative for organizations of all sizes but a personal one as well. The perfect storm of evolving client business requirements, increasingly scarce talent, and economic uncertainty means that business as usual is no longer usual.  An innovative mindset can enable operational excellence, business intelligence, and business opportunity. Very importantly, it can attract and retain talent in the profession. 

 

Join Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, Founder and CEO of KET Solutions and a Past Chairman of the AICPA to discuss the transformative potential of thinking differently and how business leaders can fuel greater opportunity and growth.  

 

Attendees will be empowered to embrace innovation, drive meaningful change in their organizations and communities, and position themselves for sustained success in an ever-changing business environment. 

 

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify opportunities to reimagine people, processes, and technology.

2. Learn the importance of innovation in driving growth and competitiveness.

3. Learn strategies to leverage emerging technologies and trends for innovation.

 

Field of Study: Business Management & Organization
CPE: 1.50

Speaker Information
Kimberly Ellison-Taylor  [ view bio ]

This presentation examines how cost and profit modeling has evolved over the last century. It will describe the trends and obstacles that have helped or delayed developments.  These evolving areas and trends include product and services costing methods, integrating managerial accounting with other performance management methods and the resistance you may experience to late adopters. 

 

Some key objectives to this session will include: 
* How to differentiate strategic KPIs from operation performance indicators (OPIs) in a scorecard and dashboard
* How to perform "predictive accounting" with driver-based budgeting and rolling financial forecasts and a what-if analysis
* How to imbed statistics and analytics into profitability analysis
* How to overcome behavioral and technical implementation barriers

 

Field of Study: Business Management & Organization
CPE: 1.50

Speaker Information
Gary Cokins  [ view bio ]

Most financial leaders would agree that budgeting is easy when business and the economy are stable. When revenues and expenses are expected to remain the same, the process becomes merely an exercise in carrying over what was done before to the current year. However, what happens when we are not sure about how the market will react to our product? What happens when the competitive landscape changes?  People cost is often the largest line item on most people’s budget.  How do we make sure we are not hiring too many people?  How do we make sure we are not burning people out?  In this course, we will discuss budgeting techniques and considerations when business lacks stability. Through a combination of theory and real-world examples, we will explore how to build flexibility into our budget - so that it can inform and drive decision-making when we don’t quite know what is ahead.   

 

Learning Objectives: 

• State the key elements of a flexible budgeting approach

• Define key cost drivers

• State how behavioral biases may affect the budgeting process

• Identify how headcount efficiency may be measured

• Recognize best practices and controls for managing budget changes

 

Field of Study: Finance
CPE: 1.50

Speaker Information
David Peters  [ view bio ]

System implementations are essential for businesses to survive and thrive in the digital age, but it can be a daunting task.  Where do I start? How much is this going to cost? Who on my team has capacity to work on the project(s)?This session will explore the hurdles and strategies for overcoming them.  Hear from experts who are leading their organizations through transformations as they share best practices, lessons learned, plotting a roadmap for strategic technology investments, and more in an informative and humor-filled session.

 

Field of Study: Information Technology
CPE: 1.20

Speaker Information
Jonathan Kraftchick  [ view bio ]
Rick Parrish  [ view bio ]
Mark Soticheck  [ view bio ]

Have you ever wondered why a company chooses certain ways of capital funding over others? Through analysis, discussion questions, and a review of prevailing financial theory, this course explores why some companies choose debt financing, while others choose equity financing. Identify the key theories that inform our understanding of optimal capital structure.

 

Learning Objectives:

• Explain signaling theory, the Modigliani-Miller theorem, and some of the other ideas that inform our understanding of optimal capital structure

• Calculate Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)

• Determine the components of WACC and approximations that are used for each component

• Discuss the reasons a company might use debt vs. equity financing

 

Field of Study: Finance
CPE: 1.20

Speaker Information
David Peters  [ view bio ]

The 2024 elections loom and this year the stakes are high for your business. Inflation remains sticky. Labor is still in short supply and regulatory agencies are active. Many tax breaks are expiring. AI is taking over the world and succession planning is now a bigger challenge.

 

What’s next for your business? What are other businesses doing to navigate their ways towards growth and profitability in 2024 and beyond? How are they attracting and retaining talent? How are they dealing with new rules impacting their workplace? What tax moves are they making now? What technologies are they investing in? What are you doing now to build value in your business for future generations...or buyers? How will both national and local elections potentially impact your business and what steps should you be taking now to prepare yourself?

 

During this fast paced, non-political, entertaining and extremely valuable discussion, Gene will go over real life, feet-on-the ground strategies and tactics that smart leaders are using to navigate their way through potential changes in our country's leadership, challenges in the current economy, and the spending and investment decisions required so that they can position their companies for future growth.

 

Field of Study: Economics
CPE: 1.50

Speaker Information
Gene Marks  [ view bio ]

Unlock the secrets of the mind-money connection! Though usually taught and conveyed through math and spreadsheets, personal financial decision-making is profoundly influenced by our emotions, personal history, and perspectives. Delve into this fascinating dynamic to enhance your decision-making, blending hard numbers with human elements for a path to true financial happiness and success.

 

Field of Study: Finance
CPE: 1.30

Speaker Information
Paula McMillan  [ view bio ]

Fraud is big business. By some estimates over $1 trillion is lost to Fraud and theft each year. Nevertheless, most Fraud goes undetected. Or does it? “Fraud and the Forensic Matrix” is a unique, (and sometimes humorous), look at the subjects of deceit and deception. Gary German will share stories from his own experiences in Fraud investigation and forensic accounting. He will explore such topics as the “ethics” of Fraud. You’ll learn to quantify a business’ appetite for Fraud and why audits don’t find Fraud. He’ll share with you his matrix approach to forensic accounting: a combination of financial analysis and the related inferential context to detect and investigate Fraud. Whether you are in law enforcement, the insurance industry, or audit and accounting, you are sure to benefit from this discussion as Gary dissects the dark side of accounting and finance.

 

Field of Study: Auditng
CPE: 1.30

Speaker Information
Gary German  [ view bio ]

Join Rafe Martin, an IT and cybersecurity expert, for a critical session on the dynamic cybersecurity environment. Delve into the complexities of cyber threats like APTs, ransomware, and phishing. Learn how AI and machine learning revolutionize threat detection and response. Discuss the shift towards zero trust architecture in financial operations to bolster security. Understand strategies for cyber resilience, ensuring business continuity against cyber incidents. Grasp the implications of new regulations, such as the FTC Safeguards Rule, on client data protection. Discover cloud security best practices for data safety. Gain foresight into cyber insurance's role in shaping security protocols and compliance measures. Finally, explore the intersection of AI and cybercrime in today's digital landscape.

 

Field of Study: Information Technology
CPE: 1.20

Speaker Information
Rafe Martin  [ view bio ]

This session will delve into the continued staffing challenges that have evolved over the past two years. Our key objectives will be the topic of keeping your talent, thinking like a candidate and using AI as a tool to identify trends. 

 

Session highlights will include the following:

 

1. Engagement & Retention:
- Explore the concept of internal equity and its impact on employee engagement.
- Discuss strategies for maintaining a productive hybrid working environment.
- Delve into professional development opportunities and their alignment with company mission statements, particularly in the context of public policy and advocacy.

 

2. Candidate Process and Point of View during a job search:
- Examine the role of talent attraction and the intricacies of headhunting, including the methods employed by recruiters.
- Compare virtual interviews with in-person interviews, emphasizing the importance of understanding the interview process.
- Reimagine recruiting as a sales process, focusing on effective strategies for selling the role to potential candidates.

 

3. Forecasting AI within the workforce:
- Analyze current trends and predict the future integration of AI in various workforce sectors.

 

Field of Study: Personnel/Human Resources
CPE: 1.20

Speaker Information
Maria Mendez Hennig  [ view bio ]
Sara Kate Velentine  [ view bio ]
Tuesday May 21, 2024

Digital innovation not only changes corporations but also who we are as humans. Technology continues to evolve at an exponential rate, swiftly collapsing industries that took decades to build. As cutting-edge technology seems to update every day, questions arise such as:  How will this evolution change the way we humans work?  What does this mean for the next generation?  The reality is that every industry will be affected just as any other. 

 

In his presentation,  Jeff Butler unravels which technological changes to anticipate (such as autonomous vehicles, Blockchain and artificial intelligence) and how their integration impacts the workforce; not only from a business perspective but sociological, psychological, and existential as well.  How might this wave of change affect industries—and us as the people that work for them—faster than experts originally anticipated?  While inevitable, one of the most important things that people can do now is learn where the tide is coming from… and be prepared for its impact.  Jeff’s timely presentation will help guide and navigate conference attendees through this meteoric challenge called “technology change”!

 

Learning Points

* Explore what are the impacts of block chain technology on the financial economy
* Learn how technology is unraveling the ways our brains work and what that means for our future
* Discover how artificial intelligence is on course to bring some of the most challenging times in our history

 

Field of Study: Personnel/Human Resources
CPE: 1.50

Speaker Information
Jeff Butler  [ view bio ]

Do you ever get blank looks when you present your company's financial statements? Does your board nod knowingly during your presentation, but never seems to have any meaningful questions? It could be that they have no idea what you are talking about and are just pretending to understand. Learn how to connect with your CEO, board, fellow managers and team members so they understand your message.

 

Field of Study: Accounting
CPE: 1.50

Speaker Information
Anita Layton  [ view bio ]

Change is inevitable and inevitably tricky. How you handle change can be a differentiator in your career and for your organization.
Navigating change takes strategy, planning, and collaboration. Whether reacting to a change outside your control or initiating change yourself, the approach must be robust yet flexible, determined yet nimble.

 

This session examines the lens through which people see change, defines the ultimate destination to guide strategy development and boost motivation, and demonstrates the importance of expanding beyond organizational leadership personnel for the collaborative creation of change strategy.

 

Key Takeaways: 
Tips for Adjusting the Lens on How We View Change 
Begin with the End in Mind. Define the Goal and Design the Plan 
Identify and Empower Change Champions

 

Field of Study: Business Management & Organization
CPE: 1.50

Speaker Information
Amy Horner  [ view bio ]

Most accountants know the basics of the budget process, but is it possible to enhance the process to be more effective, efficient, and even fun?  The traditional budgeting process can produce stale results and fatigue amongst both Accounting and cross-departmental leadership.  Organizations often fall into the trap of following the same steps of annual budgeting without weeding out the flaws that seep in over a number of years.  For large and small organizations looking to refresh the results, purpose, and engagement of their budgeting, several key tools will be discussed that are worth contemplating.  Learn more about the process keys of successful budgets and how to balance the important technical and human components of the process.  We discuss these keys in an engaging manner with thoughtfulness towards understanding our flaws and strengths, including how to build on these characteristics towards an enjoyable solutions-based method that should deliver effective results for your organization.

 

Field of Study: Accounting
CPE: 1.20

Speaker Information
Anita Layton  [ view bio ]

The practical application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the accounting profession is spreading like wildfire with the release of powerful applications such as ChatGPT. A byproduct of this evolution is the origination of new ethical dilemmas for CPAs on how to address the use of this technology in the delivery of their services. This course will provide CPAs with a practical framework for addressing the various ethical issues that can arise with the application of AI in their work.

 

Field of Study: Behavioral Ethics
CPE: 1.20

Speaker Information
John H. Higgins  [ view bio ]

In today's multifaceted workplace, leaders are under unprecedented pressure to elevate performance amidst a backdrop of generational diversity, hybrid or outsourced teams, economic instability, and limited resources. This challenging environment is further complicated by the imperative to integrate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles into every conversation. 

 

As a result, leaders often find themselves navigating the delicate task of engaging with teams that may be indifferent, uncomfortable or even resistant. Mastering the art of clear, impactful communication without offending—achieving the delicate balance of being direct yet diplomatic—requires not only time and dedication but also a willingness from all parties to engage constructively. 

 

This session probes the question: Has the emphasis on DEI inadvertently made open, honest dialogue more challenging? Are we witnessing a reversal of roles where employees no longer feel empowered, and is there a crisis of trust in leadership and institutions at large? Join us as we explore the realities of leading an increasingly diverse workplace, offering insights and strategies to navigate these sensitive conversations effectively.

 

Field of Study: Personnel/Human Resources
CPE: 1.50

Speaker Information
Jina Etienne  [ view bio ]

One of the three main forms of occupational fraud, along with corruption and asset misappropriation, is financial statement fraud. From improper asset valuation to fictitious revenues, this course will review financial statement fraud red flags and examine real-life examples. 

 

Learning objectives in this session: 

1. Identify trends in financial statement fraud

2. Recall examples of financial statement fraud schemes

 

Field of Study: Auditing
CPE: 1.30

Speaker Information
Jaclyn Veno  [ view bio ]

The generative AI technology of ChatGPT is being embedded into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. This presentation will provide a preview of the AI capabilities Copilot will bring to the apps you use every day to compose better email messages, documents, reports, spreadsheets, presentations and more. We will also discuss the steps you can take now to prepare your organization to embrace this new technology.

 

Field of Study: Computer Software & Applications
CPE: 1.30

Speaker Information
John H. Higgins  [ view bio ]

Feeling disconnected from people but connected to your device? Can't remember the last time you took an unplugged vacation? 
Say goodbye to an always-on culture and hello to intention and meaning. We don't have to relinquish our phone or experience a digital detox. Downsizing our tech can reset and restore the brain and body and help us return from time off feeling recharged. It's time to be present in a hyper-connected world! 

 

Learn how to: 
*Establish guardrails with digital downsizing
*Establish screen-free and low-sensory time to calm the mind
*Prepare and return from time off-recharged

 

Field of Study: Personal Development
CPE: 1.20

Speaker Information
Marcey Rader  [ view bio ]

In this enlightening presentation we delve into the pivotal technology trends reshaping the accounting profession. We will cover an array of topics including cloud computing, big data, data analytics, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI), cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, and the metaverse. Designed for forward-thinking professionals, this session offers insights into how these technologies impact your business, your firm, your clients and most importantly, your career.

 

Field of Study: Computer Software & Applications
CPE: 1.20

Speaker Information
John H. Higgins  [ view bio ]
Individual topic purchase: Selected
North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants
Various: 16.00