Event Profile

Accounting & Finance Conference

Date(s):
June 19 — 20, 2019
Venue:
The Historic Davenport Hotel
Description:

NOTE:

THE EVENT DATE HAS PASSED. TO FIND INFORMATION FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, PLEASE VISIT THE TRAINING AND EVENT CATALOG OR CALL US AT (360) 254-0109.

Who Should Attend:

Chief financial officers, general managers, all levels of accounting staff, and utility employees who work closely with the accounting department.

Conference Overview:

This conference will consist of three general sessions and two concurrent tracks – one focused on the basics of accounting and finance, and the other focusing on senior management. Roundtable sessions will be included.

Scheduled topics include a deep dive into fraud, strategic board management, communication strategies for accounting personnel, the importance of teams, a regional update from Public Power Council Executive Director Scott Corwin, and a panel discussion with state association directors.

Conference Agenda:

    Wednesday, June 19

    7:30 a.m. Registration open

    7:45-8:30 a.m. Hot breakfast

    8:30-8:35 a.m. Welcome

      Brent Lay, CFO & Director of Administrative Services, NWPPA

    8:35-9:35 a.m. Regional update

      Michael Deen, Director of Policy, Public Power Council

    9:35-10 a.m. Federal update

      Nicole Case, Legislative Affairs Consultant, NWPPA

    10-10:15 a.m. Break

    10:15-11:45 a.m. Breakout session #1 (choose one)

      Back to Basics: Utilizing Internal Controls and IT to Prevent and Detect Fraud

        Based on a 2018 study by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, organizations lose 5% of their annual revenues to fraud. The environment we live in today requires organizations to be proactive in identifying risks and taking the necessary steps to design and implement effective internal controls to prevent and detect fraud. Information technology controls are also becoming increasingly important as more transactions and controls are being processed in an electronic environment, which has created additional risks to address. This session is aimed at providing some best practices for helping organizations protect themselves from potential losses or reputational harm that could result from fraudulent transactions.

        Keith Simovic, Senior Manager, Moss Adams

      Management: Strategic Board Communication

        This session will focus on how to strategically engage with your utility Board to increase meeting effectiveness. The instructor will review the Board and the management’s roles and responsibilities, discuss how the Board’s strengths can be leveraged, and review how to best present information in Board meetings. The session will include suggestions about how to handle conflict that may arise in Board meetings. Lastly, attendees will work on a Board Action Plan as a tool to prepare strategic Board communications.

        Julie Ryan, Managing Partner, Aether Advisors

    11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. Lunch

    1:15-2:45 p.m. Breakout session #2 (choose one)

      Back to Basics: Communicating with Impact

        Your communication style says a lot about you. Filters? Blocks? Internal barriers? During this session, you will learn about different channels of communication and how to use those when working within your department and with other departments. You will also learn how to manage your verbal and non-verbal ques and understand the impact on others.

        Jennifer Webster, PhD, MBA, GPHR, CPLP, Business Strategies, Inc.

      Management: Utilizing Internal Controls and IT to Prevent and Detect Fraud

        Based on a 2018 study by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, organizations lose 5% of their annual revenues to fraud. The environment we live in today requires organizations to be proactive in identifying risks and taking the necessary steps to design and implement effective internal controls to prevent and detect fraud. Information technology controls are also becoming increasingly important as more transactions and controls are being processed in an electronic environment, which has created additional risks to address. This session is aimed at providing some best practices for helping organizations protect themselves from potential losses or reputational harm that could result from fraudulent transactions.

        Keith Simovic, Senior Manager, Moss Adams

    2:45-3 p.m. Break

    3-4:30 p.m. "No man is an island"...isn't that the truth?!

      We all are part of a team, even multiple teams, and work together to deliver to our customers. Whether you are disciplined, curious, consistent, insatiable, loyal, willing to destroy… through the Better/Faster Innovation Assessment, explore your working preferences to get things done within your work team. Watch for an email link to take the assessment prior to the Conference. Don’t worry, there are no right or wrong answers. Find out why we need them all!

      Elaine Dixon, Director Education and Workforce Development, NWPPA

    4:30 p.m. Closing

    5:30 p.m. Hosted reception with heavy appetizers

    Thursday, June 20

    8-8:30 a.m. Hot breakfast

    8:30-10 a.m. Statewide Association Executive Directors’ Panel

      During this panel discussion, attendees will hear an updated from each state director and a broader discussion about topics that include cap & trade/carbon tax, the clean energy standard, distributed generation and net metering, the legislative impacts on public utilities, and issues specific to Alaska such as the RPS standard, legal issues, co-op acquisition of a municipal, and other issues that affect utilities throughout the NWPPA membership.

      George Caan, Executive Director, Washington Public Utility Districts Association; Ted Case, Executive Director, Oregon Rural Electric Cooperatives Association; Crystal Enkvist, Executive Director, Alaska Power Association; and Kent Lopez, Executive Director, Washington Rural Electric Cooperatives Association

    10-10:30 a.m. Break

    10:30-11:45 a.m. Roundtables

    11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. Lunch

    1-2:30 p.m. The Leadership Difference: Laugh and Learn

      Dave Mitchell, Founder, The Leadership Difference

    2:30 p.m. Closing remarks and evaluations

Conference Schedule:

Registration will begin at 8 a.m. on the first day; the conference will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on day one, and from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on day two. Lunch, as well as morning and afternoon breaks, will be provided on both days.

Conference Location & Hotel Information:

The Historic Davenport Hotel
10 S. Post Street
Spokane, WA 99201
(509) 455-8888

Room rate: $149 for a single/double

Please book your room as soon as possible, but no later than May 24, 2019, to secure this rate. Mention that you are coming in with the NWPPA group when booking your reservation. Or book online using this link: https://book.passkey.com/e/49842680

Conference Fees:

Utility Member Early Bird (ends 5/19/2019): $630
Utility Member Standard: $705

Associate Member Early Bird (ends 5/19/2019): $945
Associate Member Standard: $1,020

Non-member Early Bird (ends 5/19/2019): $1,890
Non-member Standard: $1,965

Cancellation Policy:

Cancellations are accepted, with full refund, if request is made at least 30 days prior to the conference. Within 30 days, fees are as follows: 15-29 days, $100; 1-14 days or "no show," 100 percent of registration fee. When possible, please send a substitute instead of canceling. NWPPA does not charge a fee for substitutions.

Continuing Hours:

This conference qualifies for 11 continuing hours. Certificates are issued upon full completion of the event.

For More Information:

To find out more about this event, or to learn about other events, view the Training and Event Catalog.