"NTCA Track" Agenda

The "NTCA Track" of educational sessions encompasses all sessions developed by NTCA, along with additional conference sessions intended to engage a broad accounting audience.

COMPLETE TFACC AGENDA
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Sunday, July 28

1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Preconference Workshop
Strategic Finance: Getting Ahead of 2025 and Outpacing the Competition
Kristy Szabo, Director of Consulting, Vantage Point Solutions
You bring a critical financial and accounting perspective to your business’s strategic decision making, especially when it comes to budgeting and forecasting and with the fiscal realities in the exhausting environment of new products, new competitors, new funding, and new buildouts. This workshop will help you get the critical information you need to bring to the table to put some strategic sense around all the dollars.

4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m.
NTCA Welcome Reception
Join other attendees for an exclusive welcome that is crafted especially for NTCA member attendees and their guests. Enjoy an array of food and beverages to kick-off the event before the all-attendee reception. 

5:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.
Welcome Reception Kick-Off Mixer
It is time for collaboration, connection and celebration at the Cooperative Kick-Off Mixer Happy Hour. This event marks the beginning of an exciting journey where like-minded financial professionals come together to build a thriving and supportive community. It is the start of a conference that promises collaboration, innovation and support. Be ready to celebrate and make new connections. 

 

Monday, July 29

6:45 a.m.–7:45 a.m.
Women Leaders in Finance Breakfast
Women leaders in finance often encounter challenges that can impact their career trajectories. While progress has been made in recent years, gender disparities persist in the financial industry. This is an opportunity to network with other women leaders in finance to discuss challenges  you have experienced.  

7:00 a.m.–8:00 a.m.
Breakfast

8:00 a.m.–9:15 a.m.
Opening General Session: Beat the Odds in Business and Life
Sandy Gennaro, Rock and Roll Thought Leader
Rock and roll along with Sandy as he shares with you the lessons, stories and performances of decades of recording and touring with globally known artists such as Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, The Monkees, Bo Diddley, Johnny Winter, The Pat Travers Band, Benny Mardones, Robin Gibb, and more — to illustrate the key behavioral and psychological concepts that will enable you to “Beat the Odds” and achieve rock star success in business, relationships and life. Beat the Odds has the energy of a rock concert packed with useful information that you can use now plus a few surprises.

9:45 a.m.–5:15 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

9:45 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Valuation Fundamentals and Trends in Broadband and Telecom
Brad Bowling, Director, Strategic Financial Advisory, JSI 
This session provides an overview of the fundamental metrics and methods used to calculate valuations in broadband and telecom as well as an update on valuation trends within the industry. 

Cybersecurity Checklist
Roman Kepczyk, Director of Firm Technology Strategy, Rightworks 
Cybersecurity attacks and organizational breaches seem to permeate the headlines on a regular basis, with many highlighting your company’s biggest risk — YOUR PEOPLE. You will hear about the latest threats and attack methods impacting organizations including the use of artificial intelligence which is changing the game (again).  He will then walk through a comprehensive checklist of the steps organizations can take to protect themselves as well as summarizing the latest IRS “legal” requirements for those within accounting firms.     

11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Telecom Industry Trends 
Todd Thorsen, Partner, FORVIS 
A review of industry benchmarks and comparison to historical trends and looking at future expectations for the telecom industry 

BEAD Broadband Funding: A View from the States
Brian O'Hara, Senior Director Broadband, Regulatory Affairs, NRECA 
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration $42.5 Billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Fund has empowered states to create their own broadband deployment funding program in accordance with the federal umbrella rules. States have now established their funding plans to bridge the digital divide and are/or will be launching then in them very soon.  Attendees will hear from state officials and those advising states about the challenges and progress in awarding BEAD funding.     

1:45 p.m.–2:45 p.m.
NIST CSF: Building a Cybersecurity Governance Program
Christian Hansen, Partner, Moss Adams 
Cyber compliance in rural broadband is not slowing down as public programs want to ensure that service providers build secure networks and that grant dollars are spent wisely. This presentation will focus on this critical issue, what should be measured and how you can encourage your supplier base to continuously improve their solutions. 

3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Metrics Matter: Measuring Operational Performance 
Kyle McLeland, Audit Manager, BauknightPietras & Stormer, P.A. 
This session looks at how to measure performance of operations through metrics, including building a key performance indicator (KPI) dashboard. Attendees will learn how to gauge performance through various metrics and construct KPIs to streamline decision-making and optimize organizational effectiveness. 

Key Trends in Compensation  
Michael Frizzell, Principal Consultant, MDF HR Consulting 
Stay ahead in compensation trends. Learn about innovative incentives, flexible benefits and more. Gain a competitive edge by adapting to shifts that foster talent retention and organizational success.  

4:15 p.m.–5:15 p.m.
AI Tools for CFOs: Enhanced Efficiency and Strategic Decision-Making 
Jeff Freyer, Senior Vice President, Business Development, Grain Management 
Today’s CFOs supporting the broadband space have an abundance of tools available to help deliver great customer service and bottom-line financial performance. Adding AI to the latest SaaS based support tools is great, but which are the ones you really need?  This panel of CFOs will uncover the latest trends. 

5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Welcome to Orlando Reception
Day 1 is in the books, so join other attendees for an evening of networking, camaraderie and forging meaningful connections. 

 

Tuesday, July 30

7:00 a.m.–8:00 a.m.
Breakfast

8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.
Tuesday Morning General Session
Fraud Exposed: Lessons Learned from an $8.5 Million Embezzlement  
Nathan Mueller, Fraud and Ethics Speaker
In this riveting general session, Nathan Mueller, a former accountant turned fraudster, will unveil the gripping story of his $8.5 million embezzlement over four years. Delve into the intricate layers of this real-life fraud case, exploring lessons learned about the critical pillars of control, segregation of duties, system controls, processing controls, physical safeguards and managing controls in times of change. As Nathan unravels the reality of the fraud triangle, you will walk away with valuable insights on fortifying defenses against fraud and emerge with a renewed understanding of safeguarding financial integrity. 

9:15 a.m.–5:15 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

9:15 a.m.–10:15 a.m.
Expectations From Leading a Remote Team
Jeremy Wortman, Owner, HRD Initiatives 
Remote work continues to be increasingly prevalent. The ability to lead and manage remote teams effectively has become a critical skill for leaders. In this session, you will gain invaluable insights into the expectations and strategies essential for successfully navigating the challenges and opportunities associated with remote team leadership.        

10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
We Are Not Doing BEAD … Now What? 
Kristy Szabo, Director of Consulting, Vantage Point 
Some have looked at BEAD and said, “No thanks.” So now what? Turns out, there is work to do for BEAD whether you go after it or not and critical actions specific for those who are not. Quite simply, the funding and public attention for BEAD is so large that everyone is impacted whether they participate or not. You will walk through the implications — good and bad — and strategies to protect and strengthen your operations. 

Accounting Tech and Trends Update: Increased Productivity and the Implementation of Streamlined Processes      
Roman Kepczyk, Director of Firm Technology Strategy, Rightworks 
Accounting technology has gone through significant changes from the advent of the personal computer to the Internet, to remote digital collaboration prompted by the pandemic.  And now Artificial Intelligence is added to the mix and accelerating changes even more.  This session will discuss today’s accounting information technology infrastructure including equipment recommendations backed by the latest CPA statistics.  Roman will also discuss CPA firm best practices gleaned from his “Lean Six Sigma” consulting with firms highlighting trends and best practices with accounting firm’s and cooperative’s tax, assurance, and advisory practices. 

1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
A Financial Update: Transactional Developments Affecting the Rural Communications Industry 
Michael Balhoff, Managing Partner, Charlesmead Advisors 
The rural industry is undergoing a significant evolution because of the rapid expansion in broadband networks and services. Valuations are driven by organic growth opportunities, multiple funds/carriers bidding in attractive regions, regulatory exposure, network quality and available funds for network investment. The presentation will focus on valuation rationales, key investor dynamics and emerging trends. 

2:45 p.m.–3:45 p.m.
Funding Forward:  Best Practices and Grant Acquisition and Management
Jennifer Hickerson, Senior Manager, Moss Adams
Camille Christensen, Partner, Moss Adams 
You will explore the landscape of funding highlighting significant opportunities such as Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding, and the ReConnect Program.  You will cover post-award compliance, financial management, reporting requirements and maintaining a productive relationship with funding agencies. You also will cover federal and state grant tax issues and the proper accounting for these revenues to help you properly forecast.   

4:00 p.m.–5:15 p.m.
Avoiding the Next Big Fraud:  Detection and Prevention Methods to Keep Your Assets Safe 
Discover firsthand accounts of business fraud, unraveling the web of deception, uncovering detection methods, and exploring preventative measures that could have been implemented to keep the company out of trouble.  

 

Wednesday, July 31

7:00 a.m.–8:00 a.m.
Breakfast

8:00 a.m.–10:15 a.m.
Breakout Sessions

8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.
The Broadband Toolbox: Excel and Access Mastery
Trisha Weber, Consortia Consulting 
Opening the Excel and Access toolbox that is tailored for telecom and broadband professionals, you will explore the intricacies of Excel and Access while enhancing data management skills. Learn to harness Excel's analytics along with optimizing tools within Access. Real-world examples will show how to streamline data processes. Prepare to unlock your telecom toolbox in this captivating session. 

9:15 a.m.–10:15 a.m.
Preparing for the Sunset and Tax Implications Ahead 
Tom Campbell, Principal, Olsen Thielen 
Are you ready for the end of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017?  It is not too early to prepare.  You will explore what is going to sunset at the end of 2025 and the tax consequences involved. 

Internal Fraud Update: Considerations to Address the Rise in “Abuse of Position” Fraud  
Steve Dawson, President, Dawson Forensic Group 
Recent frauds involve issues associated with “Abuse of Position” which can include abuse of corporate accounts such as Amazon, Office Depot and Sam’s Club accounts; modification of an employee’s or family members’ accounts; personal use of cooperative assets, including its employees; preferences in contracting; and violations of nepotism policies. This session presents examples of these types of cases along with how to implement practical processes utilizing AI to not only prevent, but to detect this type of fraud.

NTCA Benefits Update
Marlene Sanders, Member Relations Manager, NTCA
Discover the latest developments and updates coming to NTCA's Group Health Program, Savings Plan, and R&S Program during this insightful conference session.

10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Closing General Session
Zap the Generational Gap: Transforming, Recruiting, Retaining and Engaging Multi-Generational Teams
Meagan Johnson, Speaker, Author and Generational Humorist 
Having a generational misunderstanding is nothing new. Many of us have walked away from a multi-generational interaction with less than stellar results. You are left scratching your head, thinking, “is this a generational issue or a personality problem?” Combined with conflicting generational information and blatant generational stereotypes, it can be a challenge to forge a new path with the multi-generational people in our lives. The truth is the workforce, and possibly your household, spans across five generations. It can be a struggle to find the right balance between the sometimes-conflicting needs of each generation.