2024 October Forum Agenda

Platinum Partner Breakout Sessions

Presented by CRF’s Platinum Partners

CLICK HERE for details about the breakout sessions offered on Monday morning. Please review the session options and register for the session you would like to attend.

Mastering Data Sources: Where to Find Them and How to Interpret Trends – Your Guide to Data-Driven Decisions

Presented by Steve Isberg, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow, Credit Research Foundation

Discover the Best Data Sources and learn where to find high-quality, reliable data that can drive your business and research efforts. Gain Skills in Data Interpretation, understanding how to read data trends and turn complex datasets into actionable insights. Boost Your Decision-Making Abilities, leverage data interpretation skills to make informed decisions that impact strategy, marketing, and growth. Stay Ahead of Industry Trends and learn how to identify emerging trends and use data to predict future developments in your industry.

There is no additional fee to attend this session. Please note your intent to participate on your Forum registration.

SAP Best Practices Round Table Session

Moderated by CRF

This is an interactive peer-to-peer informal discussion session that encourages participants to ask questions, share lessons learned, discuss internal and external resources and address process wins and issues remaining. Find out what your colleagues are experiencing.

The following topics will be discussed:

• Implementation & Migration to S4/Hana
• Bolt-on solutions that are working or NOT working
• What SAP modules participants are currently using
• IT resource concerns
• External consultants
• And more!

Please include your registration for this session on the Forum Registration form, or contact Angela about your interest in participating. We also ask that you submit any questions or topics you would like the group to discuss.

Lunch

Join us for a welcome lunch to kick-off the October Forum! Grab some food and network with fellow attendees before the Opening Session begins.

Opening Comments

Pre-Election Update

Presented by Beth Brownstein, Partner, ArentFox Schiff, Philip English, Former Congressman & Co-Chairman of the Government Relations Practice Group; Former Senator Byron Dorgan 

As we approach the presidential election, these two experienced leaders—representing both sides of the political spectrum—will explore how the election outcome may shape the U.S. economy.

Key topics include:

• Analysis of pivotal battleground states and their influence on the election
• Thoughts on who will assume the presidency
• Predictions on potential shifts in House and Senate majorities
• Insights into the broader economic implications of the election results

Break

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

Expert Insights on Managing Regional & Global Shared Services During an ERP or Software Conversion

Presented by Shyarsh Desai, Chief Executive Officer, Carixa; Bob Anderson, Director – Order to Cash, Hubbell Inc; Michael Koehler, Solution Architect, Serrala America’s Inc; Dan Nies, Regional Sales Manager, Sidetrade;

Join us for an exclusive presentation by industry experts on managing Shared Service vendors during ERP or software conversions. Learn best practices, real-world learnings, and comprehensive training strategies to ensure a smooth transition. Discover effective vendor selection, contract management, project and budget control tips to stay on track. Equip your team with essential skills and insights from seasoned professionals with extensive experience in successful software implementations. Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your ERP or software transition into a success story.

Executive Leadership Roundtable

Presented by Mike Bevilacqua, Chief Content & Education Officer, Credit Research Foundation

The Executive Leadership Roundtable will focus on three of the most important leadership needs for 2025. Attendees will break into small groups to share their insights and learnings around these top leadership challenges. Focusing on these three areas will help leaders continue to develop agile, forward-thinking organizations that can respond to rapid changes, harness the power of technology, and create inclusive environments where all employees feel valued and empowered to contribute.

• Adaptability and Resilience: Enables organizations to thrive in uncertainty and manage change effectively.
• Digital and Technological Literacy: Ensures leaders can leverage technology to maintain competitiveness and drive innovation.
• Inclusive Leadership: Fosters a culture of diversity, creativity, and engagement, crucial for long-term success and social impact.

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 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.

Selling to and Collecting From a Chapter 11 Debtor

Presented by Brett Goodman, Partner, ArentFox Schiff LLP and Andy Malueg, Manager – Revenue Cycle Management – Credit, Collections, Cash Application, Amcor Flexibles North America; Adam Rosen, Province 

Your customer just filed chapter 11 bankruptcy. The debtor sent all of its vendors a reassuring letter providing comfort that all purchase orders will be honored, you are an important “critical” vendor, and payment is assured for all post-petition sales. But what does this mean and how do you verify what you are being told? We will examine the right questions, issues and demands you can make to maximize the chances of being paid – without violating the automatic stay.

Why Not ACH? Exploring the Cost/Benefits of Using ACH as Your Primary Mode of Payment

Presented by Leah Huey, Director of ACH Network Development, Nacha

A simple payment choice can be empowering. Businesses are choosing ACH and leaving checks—and the headaches, risks and costs involved—behind. Nacha strives to make ACH payments better and safer – from enhancements like Same Day ACH to risk management programs such as the corporate’s checklist for payment initiation. Join us at this session to learn about the latest developments in the ACH Network and why corporate payments professionals love ACH!

Break

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

Mastering Talent Development & Acquisition: Navigating the Complexities of HR Operating Model

Presented by Phillip Becker, Sr Credit Risk Manager III, Coca-Cola Bottlers’ Sales & Service Company; Toni-Marie McLean, Sr Director GPO Invoice to Cash, Johnson & Johnson; Jami Seibert, F&A Director, NA Credit Operations, Procter & Gamble; Craig Stargardt, Director Shared Services, Reynolds Consumer Brands

This roundtable session will focus on career development and best practices with hiring, developing and retaining key talent. Credit experts from various industries will share and discuss best practices for:

• Innovative and strategic approaches to attract top talent in a competitive market
• Effective strategies for managing modern HR models
• Building robust career paths to foster growth within the credit department.
• Cultivating future leaders through mentorship and professional development.

Hearing from these experts will provide invaluable insights into the latest industry trends, proven strategies, and actionable advice – empowering credit departments to excel in today’s dynamic business landscape.

Lunch

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

Optimizing Communications to Drive Effective Collections Across Global Regions

Presented by Sarah-Jayne Martin, Director of Financial Automation, Quadient

In a world where businesses are increasingly global, strategies for maintaining cash flow and reducing bad debt require an equally global approach. But, there are critical and varied complexities—such as cultural differences, regulatory environments, and communication preferences—that you must understand and address to effectively drive international collections. In this session, Sarah-Jayne Martin, Director, ICA Global AR Practice at Quadient and a 20+ year collections practitioner, will cover the keys to optimizing worldwide collections and the strategic benefits they bring, including:

• Understanding nuances and preferences
• Leveraging multi-channel communication
• Addressing local regulatory compliance
• Delivering personalized, data-driven communication
• Building trust through consistent branding and communication
• Investing in technology and regional expertise
• Leveraging AI-powered automation for accuracy and speed

Greed Inc.: The Alarming Trend of Buying & Selling Preference Actions

Presented by Andrew Behlmann, Partner, and Eric Chafetz, Partner, Lowenstein Sandler LLP

In the wake of the “free money” Covid stimulus era, distressed companies are entering chapter 11 bankruptcy with eye-watering levels of funded debt, all too frequently leaving trade creditors as collateral damage. Adding insult to injury, a new trend has emerged in recent years as the lenders to hyper-leveraged debtors seek to stem their losses: Selling preference actions against trade vendors to third parties, who then pursue preference litigation against the same vendors that were likely left holding the bag in the bankruptcy case.

The speakers from Lowenstein will describe the background of this trend, discuss some war stories from actual cases where debtors have sold (or tried to sell) preference claims, and explain the impact of the Fifth Circuit’s recent decision in South Coast Supply on the monetization of preference actions that were sold to a third party. The Fifth Circuit is now the third federal appellate court to permit the sale of preference actions to a non-estate representative, an alarming trend for the trade and one that is likely to persist.

Break

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

Economic Update

Presented by Steve Isberg, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow, Credit Research Foundation

Steve Isberg will share his insights related to the economy with a focus on the key drivers impacting the credit worthiness of your customers and overall portfolios.

Heard on the Street: Insight from Financial Advisors from an Industry, Bankruptcy and New Year Perspective

Presented by Rich Newman, Managing Director, and Conrad Ragan, Director, Alvarez & Marsal

Restructuring financial experts from Alvarez & Marsal will help practitioners make sense of all the conflicting data in the marketplace, providing a multi-industry risk assessment and insight into what to expect for the balance of 2024 and into 2025.

Breakfast

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

Maximizing Value in High-Risk Environments: How Credit Managers Can Drive Risk-Weighted Incremental Sales

Presented by Richard Hastings

This session will present a road map depicting how credit managers can provide value in extending the relationship in a high-risk environment. We will review how to drive risk-weighted incremental sales for your company by augmenting data quality, risk weighted analysis, incremental growth and enterprise alignment. We will also cover the four types of risk – systemic, systematic, idiosyncratic and specific – and how they factor into risk decisioning.

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, the 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 email them directly to Angela.

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 and 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.