AGENDA

4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Sponsored By:

7:30 am - 8:15 am

8:15 am - 8:30 am

8:30 am - 9:45 am

Presentation by: Josh Donovan, Lighthouse Institute

Understanding Organizational Roles

o Leadership: People

o Management: Processes

o Leaders need to manage and Managers need to lead. It is important that we understand the difference.

o Followership: Feedback (Leaders who listen & followers who speak up: unbeatable team)

o Power to Choose: Energy Giver or Energy Sucker. Response(s) to Feedback (When leaders react negatively to problems presented, the team gets better at hiding problems)

o Level 5 Leadership: Window & Mirror

Navigating Conflict

o Build awareness regarding the origin and impact of our mindset around conflict and how it impacts our behavior.

o Healthy Conflict Mindset

- Cost/Benefit Analysis of Conflict

- Recognize and embrace conflict as a gift and opportunity

o Leverage the 3 C’s: Connection, Curiosity & Courage.

o Conflict Tools: The Park Bench, What’s Right vs. Who’s Right.

Learning Objectives:

Attendees will gain a clear understanding of the importance of personal connection as the wire that trust and accountability travel on, because leadership is about people. We will explore the skillsets and characteristics of leadership, management and followership, including tools for determining when and how to assume which role. Participants will be introduced to the idea of mindset and their ability (their power) to choose how they respond to certain scenarios. They’ll be challenged to lead with more questions and co-create while giving less orders and commands, with the intent of being regular & relational in order to maximize potential.

Level: Overview

1.5 CPE Credits in Personal development

SPONSORED BY:

9:45 am - 10:00 am

10:00 am - 11:15 am

Presentation by: Chris Gewain & Tim Lu, Moss Adams

Join us for an interactive session led by construction-specific CPAs to discuss best practices for a successful year-end audit. Discover how good habits throughout the financial year can improve your outcomes when preparing for audit, discuss how to collaborate and communicate effectively with your CPA firm, and several best practices that can bring your audit less stress and more success.

 Learning Objectives

- Explore the critical step of expectation setting and establishment of clear timelines for collaboration between contractor and CPA.

- Discuss how to leverage interim financial work to reduce audit compression.

- Review real-life challenges and pitfalls that cause audit delays and cost-overages.

Level: Overview

1.5 CPE Credits in Accounting

SPONSORED BY:

11:15 am - 12:30 pm

Presentation by: Theresa Tate, Crawford & Bangs, LLP

This session will provide an overview of construction contracts from bidding through completion of your work.  Learn how the contract shifts risk to and away from your company and how to insure that your company is in the best position up front to complete a profitable project. 

Learning Objectives:

- Understand that a construction contract is a risk shifting device

- Spot key and potentially damaging clauses

- Know where to focus changes for the most impact

- Negotiation tips and tricks for the best possible contract

Level: Overview

1.5 CPE Credits in Business Management & Organization

SPONSORED BY:

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Moderated by: Dave Miller, MGC Contractors

Panelist:
Carmela Little, Brycon

Valerie McGuire, Pacific Rim Mechanical

Catherine Granger, Contri Construction Company

This panel discussion brings together Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and Controllers from leading construction companies to explore the unique challenges and opportunities they face in the rapidly evolving construction sector. With increased pressure on project profitability, cost management, and financial forecasting, the panel will share insights on best practices for ensuring financial stability, driving efficiency, and supporting long-term business growth. Key topics will include managing cash flow, mitigating risks in project financing, leveraging technology for financial reporting, and navigating economic uncertainty. The discussion will provide a platform to discuss strategies for aligning financial objectives with operational goals and how financial leadership is evolving in an industry with ever-changing demands.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understanding Financial Risks: Learn how to identify, assess, and mitigate financial risks specific to the construction industry, from fluctuating material costs to project delays.

2. Effective Cash Flow Management: Gain insights into best practices for maintaining positive cash flow across projects, including managing billing cycles, collections, and vendor relationships.

3. Leveraging Technology: Explore how technology and financial software can improve financial reporting, budgeting, and forecasting, helping controllers & CFOs make data-driven decisions.

4. Cost Control Strategies: Discover strategies for controlling costs without compromising quality or project timelines, and how to work closely with project managers to ensure profitability..

5. Building Strategic Partnerships: Learn how to build stronger partnerships with contractors, investors, and clients to ensure long-term success and stability for the organization.

This session will equip controllers and CFOs with actionable strategies and a deeper understanding of the financial landscape in construction, enabling them to drive organizational success in an increasingly complex and competitive environment.

Level: Overview

1.5 CPE Credits Business Management & Organization

SPONSORED BY:

3:00 pm - 3:15 pm

3:15 pm - 3:30 pm

3:30 pm - 4:45 pm

Presentation by: Rich King, Schlouch, Inc.

Course Description:

“The keys to turning a profit on construction projects might seem obvious: estimate accurately, execute efficiently and control costs.  But a lot of things can go wrong at various stages of the project management lifecycle” is what Con Expo’s News Feed read in 2020 of a presentation on Improving Profitability.  While we all strive to achieve profit gains on our WIP, “Profit Fade in the Rear View Mirror is Closer Than It Appears.”

In this session, with an assist from the music of Meatloaf, we’ll explore how effective collaboration through the five phases of project management and effective WIP meetings are critical to avoiding profit fade and protecting profit gain.   We can excel in our roles as construction financial professionals if we gain knowledge of opportunities to improve project profitability and mitigate project risk throughout the project lifecycle.  Further, we will discuss how we can use this information in a collaborative manner to conduct effective WIP meetings which foster clear communication, accountability, and tracking; utilize data to analyze and validate cost to complete estimates.

Learning objectives:

1. Gain a better understanding of the 5 Phases of Project Management

2. Cultivate a trusting and communicative environment between finance and operations.

3. Leverage the WIP meeting to gain comfort over the cost to complete and address sensitive topics such as profit fade and aggressive estimates.

4. Understand the importance of generating and acting on ‘signals’ to prevent profit fade in the rear-view mirror from overtaking your organization.

Level: Overview

1.5 CPE Credits in Accounting

SPONSORED BY:

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

6:30 pm - 10:00 pm

10 Year Anniversary Celebration Dinner! No formal agenda, or long speeches, just fine dining, live entertainment, dancing, photo booth, raffle, and good times with your friends in the industry.

10:00 pm - 12:00 am

The celebration continues with outdoor fun & games!

8:00 am - 9:00 am

8:00 am - 9:00 am

8:00 am - 9:00 am

9:00 am - 9:15 am

9:15 am - 10:15 am

Presentation by: Dr. Anirban Basu, Sage Policy Group, Inc.

With the presidential and congressional elections of 2024 in the rearview, our eyes turn to 2025.  Has the Federal Reserve engineered a soft landing, or is stagflation on the way?  Can America continue to pace the advanced world, or will expanding indebtedness, policy uncertainty, and over-extended asset values prove our collective undoing?  This presentation focuses on US and regional economic performance with an eye toward discussing emerging risks to what has thus far been an economy that has surprised to the upside.

At the end of this presentation, audience members will be able to:

·        Identify the key challenges facing the U.S. and global economies

·        Identify current and prospective impacts of public policy on the economy

·        Detail sources of future economic risk

·        Characterize the likely pace of economic growth in 2025 and implications for key segments, including real estate, construction, retail, and travel

Level: Overview

1.0 CPE Credits in Economics

SPONSORED BY:

10:30 am - 10:45 am

10:30 am - 11:45 am

Presentation by: Cal Beyer, SAFE Workplaces

The prevalence of substance misuse and substance use disorders is rising. Research pinpoints 75% of adults experiencing an untreated substance use disorder are in the workforce. The National Safety Council reports on average 1 in 12 workers (8.5 percent) has a substance use disorder. The rate in the construction industry is almost double at 15%. Substance misuse has tragic human consequences and costly financial impacts on employers.

Learn how to de-stigmatize substance misuse and learn new methods to remove barriers for people in need to seek and accept help. The workplace can provide a safety net for those individuals slipping between the cracks with a caring culture and resources, including Employee Assistance Programs, Employee Benefits and recovery support services.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify the causes, consequences, costs, and counter-controls for substance misuse in the workplace

2. Learn how to use the Substance Misuse Cost Calculator by the National Safety Council

3.  Learn how to overcome stigma with substance misuse and how to break down barriers to care in the workplace

4.  Identify how to talk to employees and share resources about addiction treatment and recovery.

Level: Overview

1.5 CPE Credits in Personal Development

11:45 am - 12:45 pm

Presentation by: Russell Emig, Hoop5 Networks

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming industries, including construction and financial management. This session will provide exploration of AI- what it is, how it works, and the opportunities and challenges it presents. We’ll break down the different types of AI, discuss how AI processes and utilizes data, and examine its strengths and limitations. Additionally, we’ll explore how Microsoft products integrate AI to drive efficiency and productivity while addressing security concerns and best practices for managing AI responsibly.

Learning Objectives:

- Define AI and explain its core functions and capabilities.

- Identify the strengths and limitations of AI in business.

- Understand where AI data originates, how it is processed, and where it is stored.

- Discover how Microsoft products can leverage AI for efficiency and productivity.

- Implement strategies for setting controls and limits on AI usage and data access.

- Recognize key security concerns related to AI and best practices for risk mitigation.

Level: Overview

1.0 CPE Credits in Information Technology

1:00 pm - 1:15 pm

SPONSORD BY: