Financial Focus Seminar, May 18-20, J.W. Marriott Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia

Agenda

Subject to change without notice

Registration packets sponsored by Demotech, Inc.

Resource materials sponsored by Gen Re

Name badges & lanyards sponsored by Mutual Boiler Re

Welcome bags sponsored by State Street Global Advisors | SSga

Sunday, May 18

4:00 - 6:00 p.m.	Registration Registration packets sponsored by Demotech, Inc.
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.	Welcome Reception Sponsored by State Street Global Advisors\| SSga

Monday, May 19

7:30 - 8:30 a.m.	Breakfast Sponsorship available
8:30 - 8:45 a.m.	Welcome and Introductions David Gerth, CFO ARI Mutual Insurance Company Lawrenceville, N.J. Committee Chairperson
8:45 - 10:00 a.m.	Breakthrough (Revolutionary) Strategic Planning When incremental improvement is sufficient, traditional strategic planning methods continue to work. With the convergence of tremendous global change and heightened focus on ethical business practices, more companies are finding they need a new and more robust approach to strategic planning in order to achieve breakthrough results. We will spend time discussing a checklist to help you assess when traditional strategic planning is appropriate or when breakthrough strategic planning is needed. Also, our speaker will share ways to develop new ideas, tools, and tips to take strategic planning to the next level. Dan Chenoweth, MBA, CPA Facilitator Executive Education, Inc. Loveland, Colo.
10:00 - 10:15 a.m.	Break Sponsorship available
10:15 - 11:30	Concurrent Sessions General Session: Investment Portfolio Risk Management – The Evolution and Impact of the Sub Prime Mortgage Crisis on Insurance Company Portfolios The sub prime mortgage crisis in the US has had far reaching effects. Problems stemming from the crisis have impacted not only US investment banks and financial institutions but also State and Local government investment funds, money market funds, UK lending institutions, etc. This crisis has demonstrated that insurance companies will need to take portfolio risk management to another level in order to protect themselves. In addition, the sub prime mortgage crisis has altered the level of interest rates, risk premiums and volatility in the capital markets that insurance company investment portfolios will be dealing with for years to come. This presentation will attempt to address the short term and long term implications on insurance company investment portfolios stemming from this crisis in the sub prime mortgage market. William E. Rotatori, CFA Vice President Gen Re - New England Asset Management Farmington, Conn. Bonus CPE Session: Leadership Model of Project Management In this session we will introduce the Leadership Model of Project Management and the five phases of project management: mobilize, diagnose, design, implement, and sustain. We will also discuss the importance of implementing both a tangible project plan and a transformation project plan simultaneously for success. The facilitator will discuss change management principles in each of the five phases of project management and introduce an eight – step process to affect major organizational change. This session will provide ideas, skills and confidence for Controllers / CFOs to implement improvement projects in their own organizations. Dan Chenoweth, MBA, CPA Facilitator Executive Education, Inc. Loveland, Colo.
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.	Lunch Sponsorship available
1:00 - 2:30 p.m.	Concurrent Sessions Reinsurance: Changes in the Marketplace Much is changing in the reinsurance world – certifications, accounting, transfer of risk, collateral, NAIC evaluations – the list seems endless. This informative session will provide insight and help you make sense out of the changing landscape and the implications to Insurance Companies. Dareen Piperno, CPA, MBA Assistant Vice President Aon Re Services Roundtable Discussions The roundtable discussion will be a time for you to discuss issues impacting your business with your peers who might be facing similar challenges or who have already implemented a solution. During this time we will feature three topics for discussion as well as allowing time for the group to identify what else might be on their mind for discussion. The discussion will be facilitated by a committee member. Corporate Governance Succession Planning Performance Metrics What’s on your mind?
2:30 - 2:45 p.m.	Break Sponsorship available
2:45 - 4:00 p.m.	Concurrent Sessions The New Role of Treasury & Cash Management Treasury and Corporate Cash Management has traditionally focused on stretching for yield and controlling costs – taking as a given that short-duration investments would provide liquidity and the preservation of their principal. Recent market events have, unfortunately, presented a number of challenges to corporate management. Virtually all sectors of the short-term market have lost value, resulting in many investors recording significant losses in 2007. What tools, techniques, and skills must treasury have in order to fulfill their new role as risk managers? Our presenters speak on the current market environment along with how to access “deep” research, advanced risk technology, transparency, liquidity, and diversification for taxable and tax-advantaged short-term portfolios. Barbara Shegog, CFA, CPA Vice President State Street Global Advisors Boston, Mass. CPE Course: Managing Fraud Risk Offered in partnership with the Georgia CPA Society While the discussion of fraud is prevalent among financial managers and auditors, fraud affects both small and large companies. Fraud includes financial misstatement and appropriate of assets. This program will present effective strategies to identify fraud and the risk of fraud, effective steps to deter fraud in the corporate environment, and planning that is needed should fraud be discovered. Course objectives include: Understanding what fraud is and is not Identifying and assessing key fraud exposure areas Developing a Comprehensive Fraud Policy which includes deterrence and prevention programs and fraud incident response. Teresa Thamer, CPA Trainer Flowery Branch, Ga.
4:00 p.m.	Adjourn for the day

Tuesday, May 20

7:30 - 8:30 a.m.	Breakfast Sponsorship available
8:30 - 10:00 a.m.	General Session: Enterprise Risk Management ERM is meant to be a no barriers view of the risks faced by a company yet companies are still presented with process related challenges that inhibit how ERM is implemented. This session will provide insight to improve upon your company’s use of the ERM process. Tom Hettinger, Managing Director EMB America LLC San Diego, Calif.
10:00 - 10:15 a.m.	Break Sponsored by iPartners, LLC
10:15 - 11:30 a.m.	“Review/Preview” Presentation/Discussion with A.M. Best This session will provide a very high level overview of the industry and review the various components related to A.M. Best Ratings. Richard Atanazio A.M. Best & Company Oldwick, N.J.
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.	Lunch Sponsorship available
12:30 - 2:00 p.m.	Concurrent Sessions Performance Management OK, you’ve spent a fortune on the reporting system, but it’s not really giving you the metrics you need to manage your business; what tools are available to rectify that situation in a cost-efficient manner, and how do you go about implementing the required changes? This informative office will provide insight to help you implement a successful Performance Management system. Thomas Finnell, Jr. CPA, Managing Director Invotex Group Washington, D.C. Timothy Foley Invotex Group Washington, D.C. Roundtable Discussions The roundtable discussion will be a time for you to discuss issues impacting your business with your peers who might be facing similar challenges or who have already implemented a solution. During this time we will feature three topics for discussion as well as allowing time for the group to identify what else might be on their mind for discussion. The discussion will be facilitated by a committee member. Capital Allocation Financial Forecasting Business Continuity Planning What’s on your mind?
2:00 - 2:15 p.m.	Break Sponsorship available
2:15 - 3:30 p.m.	Bonus CPE Session: Real World Business Ethics for Financial Professionals Offered in partnership with the Georgia CPA Society In this informative session, attendees will examine case studies based on real-life litigation and administrative proceedings involving financial professionals. Explore ethical issues in context of actual proceedings that were resolved in favor of and against financial professionals. Course Objectives Include: Understand what ethical standards and consideration are critical to financial professionals Recognize the presence of ethical issues Apply ethical standards to real-life situations.
3:30 p.m.	Conference Concludes

Posted: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 12:00:00 AM. Modified: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 11:00:06 AM.

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We are 1,400 property/casualty insurance companies serving more than 135 million auto, home and business policyholders, with more than $196 billion in premiums accounting for 50 percent of the automobile/homeowners market and 31 percent of the business insurance market. We are the largest and most diverse property/casualty trade association in the country, with regional and local mutual insurance companies on main streets across America joining many of the country’s largest national insurers who also call NAMIC their home. More than 200,000 people are employed by NAMIC members.