Challenges of the CFO

Bring to this session the challenges you are facing or seeing on the horizon as we expect engaging conversation.

 

 

How are leading organizations integrating Enterprise Risk Management and Strategy?  We’ll explore 10 ways to make this happen at your organization and will also briefly consider a forward looking case study on autonomously driving cars.

 

A popular question, "What is the 'business case' for creating intentional engagement in Diversity & Inclusion efforts?" While numerous sources illustrate how D&I impacts organizational performance, implementing and embracing talent-centric practices, policies and procedures will ultimately drive sustainability and growth.  This session will explore D&I from a financial and organizational performance perspective.  Key learning points include:

     * Industry leading trends in D&I

     * Implications of the journey of D&I from Fortune 500 to middle markets

     * Key considerations and strategies for middle market organizations who look to compete in light of an ever-more diversified workforce and marketplace.
Presented by Patricia Jesperson and Amy Tolbert, sponsored by StevenDouglas  

 

Employment-related risks are among a business’s most potentially damaging exposures, often centering around sexual harassment, wrongful termination, or discrimination. Employers of all sizes face potential damage from employment practices liability (EPL) lawsuits, with potential consequences that include financial disaster and/or irreparable damage to an organization’s reputation. Topics covered in this session include: building workplaces built on respect, consequences of allowing, permitting, or ignoring harassment, and practical tips for managers.  Presented by Kate Bischoff, tHRive Law & Consulting, sponsored by Marsh & McLennan Agency

 

11 AM | Private Company to Private Equity CFO Transition Perspective 
Mergers and acquisitions are happening at a frequent pace in today's business world. As a senior finance leader come to this session to see what process the CFO will have to go through to sell to a private equity firm and how to set yourself up to be a part of the new team before you sell. Topics covered:
     * What information does a private equity firm look for
     * Know what to expect once the process begins

     * What changes might need to happen with staffing
     * How does it change the close cycle
     * The importance of the budget
     * How to juggle all of this plus potentially a fast pace acquisition plan
Presented by Jeff Ostapeic, BDO

 

 

 

Gordon Braun, CIA, CISA, CGEIT
Gordon Braun is a Managing Director at Protiviti where he leads the Protiviti Minneapolis office.  For over twenty years, Mr. Braun has been providing risk consulting services across several industries.  He is an active leader of Protiviti’s Central Area Internal Audit and Financial Advisory practice and has a particular focus on assisting clients with the assessment and management of business risks associated with the deployment and maintenance of technology.  Mr. Braun has served as an engagement leader on multiple outsourced and co-sourced internal audit engagements.  He has lead multiple Sarbanes-Oxley initiatives and has consulted with more than a dozen organizations on establishing or enhancing their Enterprise Risk Management capabilities.  Before joining Protiviti, Mr. Braun was with Arthur Andersen for three years.   He earned his B.A. in English and Computer Applications from the University of Notre Dame and his MBA in Finance and Economics from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.  Mr. Braun has presented at many chapters of both the IIA and ISACA, at national webinars, SAP conferences, and multiple universities across the Midwest. He is also currently serves on multiple non-profit boards.  

Patricia Jesperson is Chief Curiosity Officer, EmployeeEXP, and co-Author of newly re-released, Reversing the Ostrich Approach to Diversity: Pulling your head out of the sand. With more than 25 years working on the people-side of the business, she specializes in working with employers to Create Better Employee Experience Outcomes. As the curious type, she has spent the majority of her career exploring how to maximize the talent experience. This drive for exploring “what if’s” enabled her to create The EmployeeEXP 8 x 9 Box Communication AnalysisTM, a re-imagined/re-purposed 9-Box that invites organizations to explore their approach to communicating key programs to increasingly diverse talent.She recently joined Augsburg University as an Adjunct Faculty member in the MBA program and has significant Board experience e.g. Augsburg University Alumni Board, Human Resource Executive Forum, Chair of the Workforce Development and Education Policy Committee for the MN Chamber, and SHRM State Council, Chair of Diversity & Inclusion.

 

Amy Tolbert
As a Fellow at Carlson Executive Education, Dr. Tolbert is the founder and principal of a global firm - ECCO (Energizing Cultural Change in Organizations) International - which specializes in helping individuals expand their productivity and organizations increase their profitability.  She consults and trains in the areas of multicultural skill development, managing within a diverse workforce, communicating across styles, and leadership skills. She is well authored with 5 books, many articles, assessment tools, active blogs and author of a video based global communications training to develop intercultural communication skills called Open Mind, Open World.  She earned her Certified Speaking Professional designation with the National Speakers Association.  The CSP is the speaking profession’s international measure of speaking experience and skill.  Fewer than 10 percent of the speakers who belong to the International Federation for Professional Speakers hold this professional designation. She was awarded the Mark LeBlanc Award for excellence in the speaking industry, and in 2019 was inducted into the MN Speakers Hall of Fame. Dr. Tolbert earned her doctorate in Human Resource Development, focusing on international/cross-cultural and diversity education/training, from the University of Minnesota. 

 

Kate Bischoff
Kate Bischoff is an overly enthusiastic, sarcastic, and opinionated management-side employment attorney and human resources professional.  She works closely with management, HR folk, and technology companies to improve organizations and make it easier to recruit and retain talent through having easy-to-understand policies, easy-to-use technology, and easy-to-explain compliance initiatives. Prior to starting her own business, Kate served as the HR Officer for Consulate General Jerusalem and U.S. Embassy Lusaka, Zambia.  Kate has been recognized by The New York Times, CNN.com, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, National Public Radio, and other journalistic sources as a leading authority on harassment, technology in the workplace, and employment law.

 

Jeff Ostapeic
Jeff Ostapeic has over 25 years of experience working with both public and privately held corporations, providing a broad array of clients with high quality value-added financial accounting and business advice. I have served as the Chief Financial Officer of an SEC Registrant as well as an audit partner in international public accounting firms. I have over 20 years of experience in public accounting, having spent many of those years with a big four firm, serving clients with international operations or headquartered abroad. He has a strong understanding of complex organizations and the accounting matters affecting businesses. Having recently been a CFO of a publicly traded company with over $100M in revenue, he has a perspective that has been somewhat enlightened.