< Back to March Forum

2025 March Forum Agenda

Platinum Partner Breakout Sessions

Four of our Platinum Partner will be offering optional Breakout Sessions on Monday morning. There is no additional cost to attend these sessions, and your interest in the sessions can be included on your Forum registration form.

CLICK HERE for details about the sessions being offered.

SAP Best Practices Round Table Session

Moderated by CRF

Learn and share experiences with others in this peer-to-peer best practices discussion. Discussion topics include:

• What version/modules are you using?
• Implementation & Migration to S4/Hana
• And more!

CLICK HERE for details about this session.

Bankruptcy Basics: Insights and Strategies

Presented by Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C.

Join Jeremy Kleinman from Friend of the Foundation Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C. for an engaging and informative training session on bankruptcy. This session will cover foundational concepts of bankruptcy law, practical approaches for navigating the important milestones of a typical bankruptcy, and strategies to maximize recoveries and protect assets. Attendees will gain valuable insights into legal frameworks, procedural processes, and the role of bankruptcy as a tool for financial restructuring and recovery. This session is intended to help new credit professionals gain familiarity with the processes, prohibitions, and potential pitfalls of bankruptcy and enhance their understanding of bankruptcy law.

Please indicate your interest in attending this session on your Forum registration form.

Lunch

We’re kicking off the Forum with a Welcome Lunch! Join us for another chance to network with your peers and fuel up before the Forum sessions begin!

Welcome/Opening Comments

Private Equity Insights

Presented by Bradford J. Sandler, Esq, Partner, Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP

This subject continues to have a growing presence with account acquisitions, and practitioners want to better understand what to expect whether your company is managing acquired accounts or being acquired. Brad brings years of experience with dealing with PE and will provide insights into the impact and transitional expectations on both ends of the acquisition process. He will also share tips and trends from recent PE bankruptcies.

A Fresh Perspective on Credit Risk Management – Harnessing, Aggregating and Turning Data Into Credit Risk Decisions

Presented by Bill James, Director of Customer Strategy, Creditsafe USA Inc

This session will cover how to integrate internal data, external data and crowdsourced data into your credit decision process. Whether you are starting this journey to create your own credit decision tree or fine-tuning an existing credit processes, Bill will discuss unique data sources and what to do with all that data that flows through the Credit-to-Cash team.

Break

Grab some coffee, tea, water or soda…chat with attendees…then return refreshed for another session!

The Path to Modernization

Presented by Ali Teixeira, Senior Product Marketing Manager​, & Jeff Price, Commercial Solutions Consultant, Experian

This session will explore the evolution of credit management from manual processes to modern, automated systems. Key milestones include digitization, fraud detection systems, online credit applications, and automation using advanced tools like ML-driven scoring and real-time data integration. These innovations streamline operations, enhance accuracy, and improve customer experience. Join us to discover actionable steps for transforming credit management into a resilient, efficient, and customer-focused framework.

Expert Insights on Managing Regional & Global Shared Services During an ERP or Software Transformation (Part 2)

Presented by Bob Anderson, Director – Order to Cash, Hubbell; Ken Cruz, President, KC Associates; Neil Rae, CRO, Cadex; Michael Koehler, Solution Architect, Serrala, Nat McCall, Senior Customer Success Manager, Sidetrade

In the dynamic landscape of global business operations, managing regional and global shared services during an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or software transformation presents both significant challenges and strategic opportunities. This presentation offers industry professionals and practitioners a comprehensive perspective on navigating complex transitions while maintaining operational excellence.

General Membership Meeting

As a member of the Credit Research Foundation, we invite you to hear from CRF’s new President on the “state of the state.” Learn about the exciting things CRF is working on, what we’ve accomplished coming out of the Pandemic and what projects the Research Committee is working on. Join us and be an informed member!

Networking Reception

Join us for a networking reception to cap off the first day of the Forum. Enjoy cocktails, appetizers and great company!

Breakfast

Fuel up with coffee, juice and breakfast before heading into the morning sessions! This is also a great opportunity to chat and network with other attendees.

Opening Comments

Opening comments and reminders from the CRF team.

Driving Cash Flow in Various Environments: Proven Strategies from a Practitioner’s Journey

Presented by Matt Neibart, Finance Sr. Manager, PepsiCo

Discover actionable insights on maintaining and enhancing cash flow in today’s volatile economic landscape, directly from a Fortune 50 company. Learn how Matt Neibart implemented effective strategies like stakeholder ownership, data-driven scorecards, and process optimization to drive financial performance across his organization. This session provides a deep dive into practical techniques and proven processes that empower businesses to achieve sustainable cash flow, even in uncertain times. Don’t miss this opportunity to uncover the tools and frameworks used by an industry leader to ensure financial stability and growth.

Mitigating Risk with Put Protection Irrevocable Insurance: Pros and Cons of a Key Risk Management Tool

Presented by Scott Friedman, Chief Credit Officer, Pulse Ratings ​

Join us for an insightful learning session designed to explore Put Protection Irrevocable Insurance as a critical strategy for mitigating financial risk of your strategic accounts. This session will provide a deep dive into how this powerful tool works, its benefits, and its limitations, equipping professionals with actionable knowledge to make informed decisions.

Break

Provided by CRF and Altus Commercial Receivables

Grab some coffee, tea, water or soda…chat with attendees…then return refreshed for another session!

Hands-On AI Experience in AR and Credit

Presented by Andrew Behlmann, Partner, Lowenstein Sandler LLP

This session will provide a first-hand live demo of various AI models with practical applications within the Accounts Receivable and Credit functions. Andrew Behlmann will take requests from the audience and demonstrate how AI can be used as a supplemental resource to gain insight and manage the OTC cycle.

Lunch

Provided by CRF and Handle.com

Refuel and refresh to prepare for the afternoon sessions. And network while you fill your stomach!

Practical Guidelines to Managing the AI Process Within Your Company

Presented by Andrew Behlmann, Partner, Lowenstein Sandler LLP; Charles Edwards, VP of Credit Operations, SRS Distribution; Kathleen McGee, Partner, Lowenstein Sandler LLP; Rob Sherman, Chief Revenue Officer, Vengroff Williams LLC

This roundtable of experts will summarize best practices for managing artificial intelligence (AI) implementation within organizations, with a specific focus on using automation for credit risk assessment. The discussion highlights the importance of establishing clear governance frameworks, ensuring data quality and integrity, and aligning AI strategies with business objectives. Experts emphasize the need for transparency in AI decision-making processes to mitigate bias and comply with regulatory standards.

Uncovering Escheatment

Presented by Michael Kenehan, Managing Director; Anne Rachko, Director, Andersen

With states ramping up regulations around escheat liability, this session covers best practices, mitigation techniques, and common misconceptions. Mike will share insights on handling regulatory communication and preparing for escheat obligations.

Break

Provided by CRF and Altus Commercial Receivables

Grab some coffee, tea, water or soda and a snack…chat with attendees…then return refreshed for the final sessions!

The Top 3 Leadership/Management Philosophies

Presented by Yesinne Alvarez, Trade Data, Partnerships & Alliances, Creditsafe USA Inc

This session explores three prominent leadership and management philosophies—transformational leadership, transactional leadership, and servant leadership—highlighting their core principles and impact on organizational success. Transformational leadership focuses on inspiring and motivating teams, while transactional leadership emphasizes structure, performance, and reward-based management. Servant leadership emerges as a standout approach for effective team building, prioritizing the growth, well-being, and empowerment of team members.

2025 Economic Update

Perspective provided by Steve Isberg, Ph.D., Chair of Accounting Department, Towson University

Dr. Steve Isberg, Senior Research Fellow at CRF and Chair of the Accounting Department at Towson University, will explain current economic indicators and how to interpret that information to make informed credit & risk management decisions.

Breakfast

Join us for coffee/tea/juice and breakfast to fuel up for the final day of the Forum!

Open Forum

The Open Forum is often one of the most highly rated sessions at our live events. This is an open discussion session giving all attendees a chance to participate – ask questions and/or provide answers to others. As always, this Open Forum session allows for immediate feedback from your peers on the questions/topics that are important to YOU!

Please be sure to submit any questions or topics you would like to discuss on the registration form or send them directly to Angela McDonald.

National Building Materials Wholesale Best Practices Group Meeting

This is an independent, members-only group for senior level Credit & A/R professionals to engage in best practice processes and benchmarking conversations in an anti-trust compliant environment. The meeting includes lunch followed by an Economic overview presentation focused on the Construction and Building industries delivered by Macro-Economist, Richard Hastings.

For information about this group, to become a member or join as a first-time guest, please contact Matt Skudera.