Event Profile

Accounting & Finance Conference

Date(s):
June 19 — 20, 2018
Venue:
DoubleTree by Hilton Spokane City Center
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:

CFOs, General Managers, all levels of accounting staff and utility employees who work closely with the accounting department.

Conference Overview:

The Accounting & Finance Conference is back! This conference will consist of four general sessions and two concurrent tracks – one discussing Cooperative-specific topics and the other discussing Public Utility District and Municipal-specific topics. Each track with have its own roundtable session. Scheduled topics include; accounting standards, fraud, what auditors are looking for, capital credits, bonds, ratings, municipal debt, capital planning, rates and new large load: impact of marijuana load, bitcoin, etc., FEMA accounting, cyber security, the utility of the future, a CEO/CFO panel discussion, the next generation CFO and more.

Conference Agenda:

    Monday, June 18, 2018

    5:30-7:30 p.m. Reception

    Tuesday, June 19, 2018

    7:30-8:30 a.m. Registration

    8:35-10 a.m. The Bald Futurist

      Steven Brown, CEO, Possibility & Purpose

    10-10:15 a.m. Break

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

      Co-op session: The Balancing Act of Capital Credits

        Terilyn Wallis, Owner, Terilyn Wallis Consulting

        This 90-minute workshop will explore the need for cooperatives to generate margins sufficient to: support cash needs, construction work plans, meet lender requirements and financial stability of the organization. Workshop content will discuss various sources of margins and options for allocating margins. Once allocated, having a strategy in place to return them to the members will guide the future cash and margin needs of the cooperative. To execute our plan our job will be to balance the cooperative IRS status, our member need and the needs of the finances at the cooperative.

      PUD/Muni session: Advanced public accounting and GASB updates for utilities

        Jeff Stanek, CPA, Manager, Baker Tilly

        It’s essential for municipal and tribal utilities to be versed in special accounting topics to understand the impact on utility decisions and financial results. Unpack practical and strategic uses of regulatory accounting, benchmarking, internal control and fraud prevention. Recent Governmental Accounting Standards Board pronouncements and pending GASB projects will also be covered.

    11:45-1 p.m. Lunch Session: Managing Payment’s Risk

      Matthew H. Cammer, Senior Vice President, Digital Business Solutions, CoBank

    1-1:15 p.m. Break

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

      Co-op session: Financial Accounting

        Terilyn Wallis, Terilyn Wallis Consulting

        This 90-minute workshop will tour the basics of the income statement and balance from the perspective of FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) accounting practices. Topics covered will include an overview of the Uniform System of Accounts as provided by FERC accounting standards; statement of operations; balance sheet; ratios – TIER, OTIER, Equity, MDSC; and a summary of account concepts unique to the electric utility business including work plan additions/retirements, etc.

      PUD/Muni session: Municipal Bonds, Rating Agencies & Capital Markets Update

        Dick Schober, Managing Director, Piper Jaffray & Co.

        Join us as we discuss the developments in the municipal bond world following changes from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. We’ll explore how investors and lenders have reacted in the form of changing credit spreads, disclosure requirements, and acceptance of new bond structuring tools. And finally, we’ll discuss strategies for working with the rating agencies and fine-tuning your message to address the different rating methodology factors and criteria.

    2:45-3 p.m. Break

    3-4:30 p.m. The Next Generation CFO

      Panelists: Rob Carr, CFO, Tanner Electric Cooperative; Ted Flint, Controller, Northern Lights, Inc.; Jon Meyer, Director, Finance & Business, Benton County PUD; Diane Syria, Controller, Chelan County PUD; and Tod Young, Director of Finance & Accounting, Flathead Electric Cooperative

      Panel participants will discuss the industry and issues that the next generation of CFOs may face.

    4:30 p.m. Closing Remarks for Day One

    Tuesday, June 20, 2018

    8:30-10 a.m. General Session: Discovering the Power of your Rate Study

      Angie Sanchez Virnoche, Principal/Owner, FCS Group; Eddie Jackson, General Manager, Brown & Kysar; and Bob Hammond, Executive Consultant, FCS Group

    10-10:15 a.m. Break

    10:15-11:45 a.m. Breakout session #3 (choose one)

      PUD/Muni session: Capital planning and structure – Balancing best practices for utilities and ratepayers

        Jeff Stanek, CPA, Manager, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP

        Unravel the intricacies of a utility's capital structure and its effect on rates and ratepayers. Municipal and tribal utilities will learn the best practices in capital planning and forecasting to establish strategic direction for their organizations.

      Co-op Session: What are Auditors looking for?

        Derek Moody, CPA MACC; and Brent Mickelsen, CPA, Blodgett, Mickelsen & Adamson, P.S.

        Do you find yourself getting a bit tense around audit time? Is your team scrambling to get ready? Spoiler alert! Your auditors probably are too. Audit time can be stressful and a lot rides on a short period of time. How can you best prepare to get your auditors through their testing as efficiently as possible? We will share our side of the story and how working together we can pave the way for success.

    11:45-1 p.m. Lunch session: What to do When you Have a Disaster

      Sandi McCee, CPA - FEMA Accounting, Retired

    1-1:15 p.m. Break

    1:15-2:45 p.m. Co-op and PUD/Muni roundtable sessions (choose one)

      Separate roundtable sessions for Co-ops and PUD/Munis will be moderated by planning committee members. Please bring topics of interest to discuss with your colleagues.

    2:45-3 p.m. Break

    3-4 p.m. General Session: Innovative Rate Design for a Changing Future

      Anne Falcon, Senior Associate, EES Consulting

    4 p.m. Evaluations and closing remarks

Conference Schedule:

Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. on the first day, and the conference will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on both days. Lunch, as well as morning and afternoon breaks, will be provided.

Conference Location & Hotel Information:

DoubleTree by Hilton Spokane City Center
322 North Spokane Falls Court
Spokane, Washington, 99201
509-455-9600

Room Rate: $129 single/double

Please book your room as soon as possible, but no later than May 17, 2018, to secure this rate. Mention that you are with the Northwest Public Power Association when booking your reservation.


Conference Fees:

Utility Member Early Bird (ends 5/19/2018): $640
Utility Member Standard: $715

Associate Member Early Bird (ends 5/19/2018): $960
Associate Member Standard: $1,035

Non-member Early Bird (ends 5/19/2018): $1,920
Non-member Standard: $1,995

Cancellation Policy:

Cancellations are accepted, with full refund, if request is made at least 30 days prior to the course. 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 12 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.