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Technology

15048. Electronic Invoicing & Settlement (EIS)—A Practical Approach
Panel Moderator: CJ Wimley, SunGard AvantGard
In today’s highly-competitive business environment, credit operations are seeking ways to gain greater efficiency and deliver superior customer service. However, many struggle in a paper-based and manual environment. Up to 50% of paper invoices are past due when they arrive in accounts payable and between 10-40% involve exception processing. Learn how leading organizations are gaining a better hold on the endless stream of paper-based invoices and payments resulting in improved cash flow and lower operating costs. Electronic Invoicing and Settlement (EIS) is offering advancements in remittance processing, enabling banks, lockbox companies and corporations to reduce paper processing with electronic conversion and straight-through processing in a buyer, supplier and banking neutral environment. Attend this panel discussion to learn how companies are increasing adoption rates, reducing manual labor and improving cash conversion cycles using a new approach that is customer centric and vendor agnostic. Hear from case study examples of buyer centric payment processing and financial clearinghouses that can track, settle and fund commercial trade transactions between multiple buyers, suppliers and financial institutions. Hear from technology experts and practitioners that are at the frontier.

15053. Go Deep—Establishing the Basis for Portfolio Benchmarking
Speaker: Dan Meder, Experian
The “B to B” marketplace is very dynamic and it is increasingly important for credit professionals to understand the trends and how they effect their own business. Developing a baseline—or benchmark—of broad market trends in certain segments of the B-to-B market is the essential first step in developing the most effective strategic growth plans. In this session we will share insights about the market at large, discuss what these trends mean and propose methods for incorporating benchmarking information into strategic planning. Attendees will understand how benchmarking efforts can guide strategic decisions for acquisition efforts; learn how benchmarking efforts can guide strategic decisions for portfolio management efforts; and gain valuable insight about large and small businesses based on real industry benchmarks.

15056. How to Create Compelling Microsoft PowerPoint Presentations
Speaker: Karen Laugesen, Fred Pryor/CareerTrack
Presentations are precious opportunities. They’re your “day in the sun” to sell, persuade, inform, educate, attract and entertain. If you “flub” a presentation, you seldom get a second chance to do it over. Now you can learn the tools and techniques that will give your presentations the impact, flair and drama people respond to and remember. Understand PowerPoint basics and incorporate advanced PowerPoint tips and techniques. This seminar is perfect for all levels of PowerPoint users, those who are good at PowerPoint now, but want to get even better, those who are having trouble learning PowerPoint on their own or have never created a PowerPoint presentation in their lives.

15068. Excel Tips & Techniques
Speaker: Karen Laugesen, Fred Pryor/CareerTrack
Do you constantly go to the “office expert” with your Excel questions? If so, you are not alone. Most employees who use Excel have learned the program using these methods. There is a better way… this Excel seminar. You will learn tips, techniques, and formulas to help you accomplish everything you want to do with Excel and you’ll be ready to do it in the fastest, most efficient way possible.

15070. Trends in Payment Processing
Panel Members: Rudet Fountain, American Check Management
and Robert Day, Fifth Third Bank
Increased NSF Checks? Using Remote Deposit? How can we reduce our Credit Card Merchant Fees? Accepting Government Purchasing cards? Receiving requests for Payment by Phone? Customers want to pay their bills online? Excessive Bank Fees? Lockboxes issues? In this session, we will discuss these payment issues and many others facing the industry today. Come with your questions for this panel of experts.

15072. Scoring Private Companies
Speaker: Camilo Gomez, Lone Pine Mesa Consulting
Understanding the risk of private companies is one of the biggest hurdles in credit management. The challenge is primarily in the lack of current information. For public companies many approaches have been developed for understanding their credit risk, public ratings and credit scores based on financial information or stock market information. For private companies a number of different approaches have been developed to provide a risk scoring, each with its own benefits and shortcomings. This presentation will review the publicly available approaches, how they are built and their performance. Be sure to take a look at a newly added session, #15096, entitled "How Much Credit?," also being presented by Mr. Gomez.

15080. How to Create Compelling Microsoft PowerPoint Presentations
Speaker: Karen Laugesen, Fred Pryor/CareerTrack
This is an encore presentation of session 15056 as described above.

15089. Excel Tips & Techniques
Speaker: Karen Laugesen, Fred Pryor/CareerTrack
This is an encore presentation of session 15068 as described above.

Legal

15039. Liens and Bonds - Optimizing a Construction Credit Department
Speaker: Greg Powelson, NACM
CEUs: .25/Valid for CCE Recertification/3 CPEs
Construction credit is unique. From back charges to retainage, construction orientated credit managers need to be experts in maximizing the leverage provided by the lien and bond claim statutes. This session is an intensive course presented by Greg Powelson, Director of NACM’s National Lien and Bond Service. Greg will address the construction lien process from a national perspective. From collecting job information through foreclosure, participants should be prepared for a fast paced manager’s view of building the optimal construction credit department.

15040. Bankruptcy: A 360° View
Speakers:Wanda Borges, Esq., Borges & Associates, LLC, Jerry Myers, Esq., Smith Debnam Narron Wyche Saintsing & Myers, LLP, Gary Weiner, Esq.,Weiner Law Firm, PC, Mary Ann Blackmore, CCE, Tech Data Corp., and Greg Garner, San Diego Credit Association (NACM San Diego)
Learn from the diverse forces brought together by the commercial bankruptcy process—the trustee, the commercial trade creditor, the creditors’ rights attorney, the bankruptcy practitioner and an adjustment expert as they share their “behind the scenes” thoughts, challenges and experiences. Learn the facets a trade creditor must consider in deciding whether or not to take a seat on a creditors’ committee, what to do with an ongoing contract, whether or not to sell to a Chapter 11 debtor and how to keep the line of communication open. Gain an understanding of what issues confront the creditors’ rights attorney who needs to protect his commercial client when a bankruptcy hits. Learn from an experienced bankruptcy practitioner what some of the more complex issues that must be dealt with in a Chapter 11 proceeding. Understand some of the avenues a trustee must pursue either in a Chapter 11 proceeding or in a Chapter 7 proceeding. What does that trustee do with assets, receivables claims against creditors or insiders? Discover how an adjustment expert can work with a trustee in liquidating the assets; or how an adjustment expert can be utilized in the first place to liquidate the assets to the best interests of creditors.

15041. You Be the Judge: Two Dueling Expert Witnesses in a Mini Preference Trial
Speakers: Val Venable, CCE, GE Plastic Americas, Eric Lopez Schnabel, Esq., Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, and Bruce Nathan, Esq., Lowenstein Sandler PC
Many credit professionals have to face the dreaded preference claim but few have ever seen such claim litigated through an actual trial. Understanding what happens at a trial and how various positions will play out in the court room are critical to convincingly presenting one’s case during settlement negotiations. In this interactive session, the speakers will first use a fact pattern of a preference action that actually went to trial as a means to discuss various issues relating to preference actions. In the second part of the program, a mini trial involving the direct and cross examinations of two certified expert witnesses will take place with the audience acting as an interactive jury, who will be given the opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussions during certain points in the trial.

15050. Credit Enhancements
Speaker: Mark Berman, Esq., Nixon Peabody, LLP
This session will focus on credit enhancements, a variety of provisions that may be used to reduce the credit risk of an obligation, for the credit professional. Topics will include letters of credit, guarantees, security interests in assets including purchase money security interests, security deposits, liens and much more. The pros and cons of each enhancement will be discussed.

15057. Credit Applications
Speaker: Mark Berman, Esq., Nixon Peabody, LLP
This session will review the purposes, basic composition and laws applicable to a credit agreement. It will also explore how the credit agreement can be utilized, in accordance with key provisions of the UCC, to protect a seller of goods from being bound by different or additional terms put forth in forms transmitted by the buyer, i.e., to win the “battle of the forms.” Finally, the session will examine other areas where the credit agreement can be utilized to provide legal protections to a seller.

15059. BAPCPA – Part 1 (This session continues in #15069.)
Speakers: Bruce Nathan, Esq., Lowenstein Sandler PC, Wanda Borges, Esq., Borges & Associates, and Judge Judith Fitzgerald, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania
As the dust settles on the revisions to the Bankruptcy Code created by the BAPCPA, practitioners and judges alike have tackled the myriad of issues where debtors and creditors have sought to obtain rulings in their respective favors. While many written opinions have focused on consumer issues, there has been a significant amount of motion practice and Bankruptcy Court activity surrounding the new issues evolving from the BAPCPA. These two sessions focus upon current cases and the ongoing legal battles therein and the latest “hot” issues that arise during the spring of 2007.
Part 1 of this two-part session will cover reclamation (the battle of reclamation rights versus the “Prior Lien Defense” asserted by debtors rages on), 20- day Administrative Claims for goods suppliers and restrictions on Key Employee Severance and Retention Packages. Members of the audience will be encouraged to ask questions. The session promises to be lively and provide trade creditors valuable practice tips on their expanded rights under the BAPCPA that could affect their credit decisions.

15069. BAPCPA – Part 2 (This is a continuation of session #15059.)
Speakers: Bruce Nathan, Esq., Lowenstein Sandler, PC, Wanda Borges, Esq., Borges & Associates, and Judge Judith Fitzgerald, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Part 2 of this two-part session will cover preference defenses (are they improved or not?), creditors’ committees (now comfortable with their new responsibilities), other challenges which have arisen including trade creditors’ ability to challenge the composition of creditors’ committees and expanded rights granted to utilities under BAPCPA. Members of the audience will be encouraged to ask questions. The session promises to be lively and provide trade creditors valuable practice tips on their expanded rights under the BAPCPA that could affect their credit decisions.

15071. Battle of the Forms
Speaker: Randall Lindley, Esq., Bell Nunnally & Martin LLP
Contracts are formed in many different ways. A traditional contract sets out the terms of the agreement and is signed by the parties. Everyday, however, many contracts are formed without the signatures of both parties on a document. These contracts arise through a “battle of the forms.” This presentation will discuss the fundamentals of contract formation, particularly in a construction setting. Specifically, it will focus on Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code that deals with the sale of goods. The presentation will also address how some courts have viewed contract enforcement in construction disputes, as well as the legal principles that govern an enforceable agreement.

15081. Advanced Credit Management and Contract Terms
Speaker: James Fullerton, Esq., Fullerton & Knowles, PC
You have learned the importance of contract forms to increase profits, lower costs and lower risk Consider more effective and advanced contract terms for credit applications, proposals, quotes, guarantees, lien waivers and joint check agreements. In this seminar, we will focus particularly on advanced subjects such as the “battle of the forms” in Uniform Commercial Code sales and how to determine what terms are binding on you and your customer, trust fund agreements to make your customer a trustee for your receivable, limitations of your liability to a return of the purchase price and exclusions of express and implied warranty, limitations on claims of defect or delay, waivers, venue selection and dispute resolution, such as arbitration. Each attendee will leave with a packet of camera-ready forms for immediate use.

15083. Supply Contracts
Speakers: Deborah Thorne, Barnes & Thornburg LLP, Val Venable, CCE, GE Plastics Americas and Bruce Nathan, Esq., Lowenstein Sandler PC
Trouble lurks whenever one deals with a financially troubled party on the other side of a long-term contract. Credit professionals that agree to provide goods and/or services on a long-term basis invariably run into problems, whether they be on the customer or provider side. What happens when the other party to a long-term contract becomes financially troubled and unreliable? This session will provide helpful hints for dealing with a troubled company outside and inside of bankruptcy. The panel participants will also discuss the most recent developments in Chapter 11 cases as the courts and parties deal with the problems surrounding long-term contracts, particularly where trade creditors are obligated to extend credit and whether that obligation continues in bankruptcy. The speakers will provide useful tips for maneuvering through the waters of insolvency and supply contracts.

15086. The Credit Manager’s Guide to Unclaimed Property/Escheatment
Speaker: Valerie Jundt, Deloitte & Touche LLP
Every state has enacted some version of an unclaimed property law and many of these laws have been in effect since the early 1900s. However, there are still many companies who are unfamiliar with the law and struggle with how best to implement internal controls and reporting procedures in an effort to comply with the various state unclaimed property laws. With an emphasis on compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley regulations, your company can’t afford to not be in compliance. This session will provide a foundation and a greater understanding relating to the purpose of the laws, what every company and credit manager needs to know and to understand the consequences if found not to be in compliance. We will also provide a summary of proactive measures to achieve internal suggested practices in an effort to achieve compliance.

15087. Voice of the Gavel
Panelists: Adrienne Murphy, CCE, Sandberg Furniture Manufacturing Company, Inc., Scott Blakeley, Esq., Blakeley & Blakeley LLP and Dick Kaufman, CMA Business Credit Services
Using real attorneys and volunteers from the audience, this new version of “Voice of the Gavel” is an entertaining drama that follows a fictitious company through the bankruptcy process to lead them out of their financial difficulties, either through reorganization or liquidation. Inspired by actual cases and updated to reflect the new BAPCPA laws. Many real events have been compiled into this multi-act play to demonstrate the various situations that may occur: court appearances, meetings with attorneys and creditors’ committees meetings. This session is an educational and entertaining way to see the bankruptcy process at work.

15091. Bankruptcy—The Not So Obvious Implications for Matters That Come Up Everyday
Speaker: Robert Mercer, Esq.
This interactive presentation will answer many different questions, including how to apply payments to reduce preference exposure and why is it important to terminate a contract with customers before they file bankruptcy. This session will further cover proof of claim questions as well as how to put the trustee on the defensive when you get a preference demand letter. And finally, this presentation will discuss the concern of why substantive consolidation of payments may not be a wise move.

15092. E-Contracting: The Mouse Is Mightier Than the Pen
Speaker: Randall Lindley, Esq., Bell Nunnally & Martin LLP
Many of us (if not all) have surfed the web. We search for our favorite music, airline tickets or even supplies for our business. E-Commerce makes it easier and more efficient to find the products and services we need. Inevitably, we encounter the “fine print” associated with Internet commerce—the legal terms and conditions we agree to by clicking “I agree” or even just by using the website. Although we understand the basic transactions, the legal effects of these new “E-Contracts” are foreign to most of us. The body of law governing E-Commerce is constantly changing. This presentation will explain how “E-Contracts” work in today’s paperless world. This presentation will also address several of the laws that govern E-Contracting, as well as the requirements of an enforceable “E-Contract.” Finally, this presentation will address the “E-Credit Application” and how to make it legally enforceable.

15097. Sue, Settle or Drop: Evaluating and Making the Suit Decision in the Collection Effort
Speaker: Steven Sass, Esq., The Receivable Management Services Corporation (RMS)
This discussion will touch on many of the factors often incorporated in the thought process and quantitative analysis used by collection and litigation professionals in deciding whether to move a collection action into litigation, whether to settle for something less than the entire balance sought or drop the matter entirely. In addition, the discussion will explore the use of a “prelitigation checklist” for in making these decisions.

15099. Mechanic's Lien Rights
Speaker: Jim Fullerton, Esq., Fullerton & Knowles
Suppliers in the construction industry have the advantage of secured creditor status for most of their sales, as long as these mechanic’s lien rights are carefully preserved. Even minor failure to follow the rules will leave you unsecured. True mechanic’s lien litigation is a “Battle between Innocents.” Successfully preserving your rights will establish your priority over other innocent creditors of the insolvent customer.

Some states have “prefiling” requirements before delivery of goods. All states require some action shortly after delivery. How do you determine and track your deadlines? What information do you need to collect to know whether you will be secured? How do you know when your work is complete? How do you “trace” your materials to a particular property and allocate the amount of each lien? Does it matter whether your customer has been paid on the project? What is the priority of your claim compared to other creditors? What if your customer files bankruptcy or the property is sold? Can you waive your security rights in your contract or in progress payment waivers? Many mechanic’s lien principles are similar or the same in all states. This session will consider common rules in most states and differences you must recognize.

International

15028. International Industry Day
Speaker: Laura Pedersen, First National Bank of Omaha
Laura Pedersen, Global Banking Officer for First National Bank of Omaha, will give attendees an insight into the world of international trade transactions by providing a working knowledge of legal and economic issues exporters need to consider, such as: Incoterms and their impact on international trade, proforma invoices, international payment terms, understanding of documentary collections, political and customers risks, FX exposures and risk mitigation, knowing the score with letters of credits... and much more.

15043. When Unsecured Open Account Terms Are Too Risky, What Do You Do? Alternatives to Just Saying “No”
Panel Moderator: Tom Corbett, Atradius
Credit Insurance, credit default swaps, receivable puts, receivable sales and more will be discussed in this session. The relative benefits and drawbacks of the techniques that are available to manage trade credit exposures will also be covered. A panel of experts will talk about their real world experiences utilizing the tools mentioned above. Further they will review how they evaluate the alternative solutions and the results of the choices they make.

15046. Introduction to International Credit
Speaker: Paul Beretz, Pacific Business Solutions, A Q2C Partner
Does your company export goods or services outside the country? Or perhaps you just want to learn more about the methods that effectively identify and apply credit approaches on a global basis in order to expand your own professional skills. This program examines risk attributes that result from country, currency and cultural influences in the global credit and collection process. Legal options for the credit risk manager are analyzed. Risk mitigation techniques such as credit insurance and how to recognize and apply a variety of payment options are evaluated. Utilizing current best practices are considered and enhanced with international experiences from a seasoned credit executive.

15085. The New UCP 600: How Changes in the Letter of Credit Regulations Impact Credit Management
Speaker: Madeline Sprague, CTP, JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A.
For the first time since 1993, the basic rules for letters of credit are changing. The new UCP 600 goes into effect in July 2007, so get up to speed by attending this session! The majority of the changes to the UCP have clarified areas of confusion, have streamlined processing and are designed to make it easier to use LCs as a secure payment mechanism. As a result, there should be fewer discrepancies, payment timing will be more efficient and you may want to explore some options to expedite payments. Learn what's changing, what’s not, what will happen at the banks and most importantly, how to use the new UCP 600 to your greatest advantage.

15098. How Letters of Credit Work (and Why They Sometimes Don’t)
Speaker: Buddy Baker, Atradius Trade Credit Insurance, Inc.
Many people think of letters of credit as nearly equivalent to cash. What they don’t realize is that sometimes letters of credit don’t get paid when called upon. Most often this is due to misunderstanding how LCs work and then failing to present the documents correctly; indeed, occasionally it is not even possible to present the documents that are called for. This session walks participants through the steps in the life of a letter of credit, identifying pitfalls along the way. The fundamental principles will be reviewed and illustrated using real-life examples. The presenter will explain how these principles apply to both commercial and standby letters of credit and how these two types differ. In particular, participants will learn why letters of credit might not get paid. Along the way, participants will learn about standard and silent confirmations and how to get paid in hours instead of weeks.

Financial

15047. Advanced Financial Statement Analysis
Speaker: D.J. Masson, Ph.D., CTP, Cert ICM
This session will outline a six-step process to be used in advanced financial analysis. The effective analysis of a set of financial statements begins with an understanding of (1) the economic characteristics and current conditions of a firm’s businesses, and (2) the particular strategies the firm selects to compete in each of these businesses. It then moves to (3) assessing how well the firm’s financial statements reflect the economic effects of the firm’s decisions and actions. Next the analyst (4) assesses the profitability and risk of the firm in the recent past, using financial statements, ratios and other analytical tools, and then (5) forecasts its expected future profitability and risk. Finally, the analyst (6) values the firm using various valuation methods. This session will also discuss the basics of how financial accounting statements might not always provide a full and accurate picture of a company’s financial health. The problems in analyzing financial statements range from legitimate adjustments within GAAP guidelines to more “creative accounting” methods that are designed to actively mislead investors or hide financial problems.

15055. Financial Statement Fraud: Where Have All the Assets Gone
Speaker: Bruce Dubinsky, Dubinsky & Company, P.C.
In today’s business world, making good credit decisions rests upon understanding all of the financial aspects of the debtor’s business from the inside out. However, what do you do when you are faced with a company to whom you have already granted credit and whose financial picture appears to have changed almost overnight? Financial statement fraud is becoming more and more prevalent in the business world and therefore, detecting it is even more important. With the proliferation of computer bookkeeping software, it is very easy to create fraudulent financial statements in order to either gain credit in the first instance or avoid collection actions in the later. This session will look at how to spot financial statement fraud and most importantly, how to uncover clues that will help track assets that have been removed or concealed from the corporate books. In fraud detection, it’s not what’s on the page in front of you that’s critical, it’s what’s not on the page.

15062. Cash Is King
Speaker: Harvey Goldstein, Singer Lewak Greenbaum & Goldstein LLP
Is forecasting the wave of the future? Companies spend thousands of dollars each year to find out where they have been. How much does your company spend to find out where they are going? What’s more important? In this session we’ll discuss how to develop a financial plan that will answer the three most important questions facing each business. How much cash will you need? When will you need it? Where will you get it? Cash is King... the more the merrier.

15073. Financial Ratios
Speaker: Harvey Goldstein, Singer Lewak Greenbaum & Goldstein LLP
Financial statements: are they accounting nightmares or useful information? This session will help explain how to better understand financial ratios as well as how to use them to improve operations and how the financial community uses them to judge your company.

15084. Credit and Financial Analysis
Speaker: William Thomas, Microsoft
This session will cover important topics relating to credit and financial analysis including the application of the four C’s of credit; definition and discussion of creditworthiness; performing non-financial analysis (voluntary trade groups, bank ratings, and credit reports); financial analysis (financial statements, ratios, trends, etc.); and decision procedures (findings and setting credit lines).

Credit Management

15039. Liens and Bonds - Optimizing a Construction Credit Department
Speaker: Greg Powelson, NACM
CEUs: .25/Valid for CCE Recertification/3 CPEs
Construction credit is unique. From back charges to retainage, construction orientated credit managers need to be experts in maximizing the leverage provided by the lien and bond claim statutes. This session is an intensive course presented by Greg Powelson, Director of NACM’s National Lien and Bond Service. Greg will address the construction lien process from a national perspective. From collecting job information through foreclosure, participants should be prepared for a fast paced manager’s view of building the optimal construction credit department.

15048. Electronic Invoicing & Settlement (EIS)— A Practical Approach
Panel Moderator: CJ Wimley, SunGard AvantGard
In today’s highly-competitive business environment, credit operations are seeking ways to gain greater efficiency and deliver superior customer service. However, many struggle in a paper-based and manual environment. Up to 50% of paper invoices are past due when they arrive in accounts payable and between 10-40% involve exception processing. Learn how leading organizations are gaining a better hold on the endless stream of paper-based invoices and payments resulting in improved cash flow and lower operating costs. Electronic Invoicing and Settlement (EIS) is offering advancements in remittance processing, enabling banks, lockbox companies and corporations to reduce paper processing with electronic conversion and straight-through processing in a buyer, supplier and banking neutral environment. Attend this panel discussion to learn how companies are increasing adoption rates, reducing manual labor and improving cash conversion cycles using a new approach that is customer centric and vendor agnostic. Hear from case study examples of buyer centric payment processing and financial clearinghouses that can track, settle and fund commercial trade transactions between multiple buyers, suppliers and financial institutions. Hear from technology experts and practitioners that are at the frontier.

15052. How to Make Your Sales People Like You
Speakers: Michelle Achondo, CBA, Wilbur-Ellis Company and Kelly Simon, CCE, Cutter & Buck
Ever been standing in front of a room of sales reps and felt certain that they were text messaging a customer rather than listening to your presentation? Then this is the session for you! The speakers will show you how to create a fun, interactive and informative training session for your sales force by using a game show format. You’ll learn that this format not only builds teamwork with your credit and sales force, but it also builds morale and professional development for your credit staff as well.

15053. Go Deep—Establishing the Basis for Portfolio Benchmarking
Speaker: Dan Meder, Experian
The “B to B” marketplace is very dynamic and it is increasingly important for credit professionals to understand the trends and how they effect their own business. Developing a baseline—or benchmark—of broad market trends in certain segments of the B to B market is the essential first step in developing the most effective strategic growth plans. In this session we will share insights about the market at large, discuss what these trends mean and propose methods for incorporating benchmarking information into strategic planning. Attendees will understand how benchmarking efforts can guide strategic decisions for acquisition efforts; learn how benchmarking efforts can guide strategic decisions for portfolio management efforts; and gain valuable insight about large and small businesses based on real industry benchmarks.

15058. Standards of Professional Collections
Speaker: Tim Paulsen, T.R. Paulsen & Associates
Mention collections to people and what comes to their mind? For many, it’s a picture of a large, burly guy, standing on top of a desk blasting someone on the other end of the telephone. The infamous “collection by decibel” theory. It is a technique that may have been used years ago and one that resurfaces from time to time in the fringes of our business, but it is not professional collections. There are standards to be known, aimed for and achieved in order tobe successful in this business. In this content-rich program, author and international accounts receivable specialist, Tim Paulsen, starts with the ever so important philosophy and quickly moves into the standards and effective collection techniques. The satisfied participants will not only know what the standards are, but most importantly, how to put them to use.

15060. Understanding Construction Credit from the Ground Up
Speaker: Greg Powelson, NACM
CEUs: .15/Valid for CCE Recertification/1 CPE
“I can’t pay you until I get paid.” THE number one objection to payment for a construction orientated creditor. Greg Powelson of NACM’s National Lien and Bond Service will provide insights into dealing with payment objections from sensitive subcontractors. This intermediate level course will address the construction lien process from a “tools” perspective, offering project management essentials. Details and insights on collecting job information, maximizing the value of pre-liens and managing lien waivers will be addressed. In addition Greg will offer practical solutions to managing states and dates from both a private (lien) and public (state/federal, bond) perspectives.

15063. Change Your Business by Changing “1” Thing
Speaker: Susan Lujan, CCE, Kenworth Sales Co., Inc.
Participants will learn that success sometimes depends on the process, not the talent, and what changing “1” thing can do. This session will also explain how to deal with internal issues that impact your aging and collections, how to promote the image and value of the credit department within your own business as well as how to deliver information with tools you may already have. Simple can be effective!

15064. Deductions—Effectively Measuring and Driving Financial Improvement
Speaker: Mark Wood, Genpact
Even though many companies have improved their internal controls and transaction measurement systems via Sarbanes-Oxley and large investments in ERP systems, deduction management is still a troubling and often misunderstood area for many finance professionals. As such, deductions continue to reduce the financial performance of many companies. This session will walk through some practical examples on how to measure, quantify and develop action plans to drive improvement in deduction management resulting in improved profitability and working capital. Attendees will walk away with a deduction check-up worksheet that can be used as a scorecard to gauge the health of their own deduction management practices.

15065. How to Make Your Customers Sit Up and Beg!
Speaker: Scott Tillesen, CCE, Tech Data Corp.
Credit professionals need to expand their role to create value within their organizations. One area that many of us should improve is making ourselves of greater value to our customers. Too often the only contact we have with them is when we are calling for payment or asking for updated financial statements. We have a lot to offer and our customers need the help we can provide. Mr. Tillesen will review specific tips and techniques for developing deliverable value to customers that will surely get them to “Sit Up and Beg” for more!

15066. Enough Theory!—How to Manage Trade Credit Risk in the Real World
Speaker: John McCann, CCE, King Architectural Metals
Unrealistic guidelines and theories often clash with the realities we face in the real world of credit management: time constraints, lack of information, insufficient information, sales pressure, competition, etc. This presentation will offer practical advice on how to manage trade credit risk when faced with these challenges. Topics include:
- Why jargon and unrealistic guidelines hamper our ability to make effective credit decisions
- How to use technology to speed up and streamline processes
- The value of credit scoring
- Decisions with or without financial statements
- Setting appropriate credit lines: “The Law of Proportionality”
- How to conduct an autopsy on bad debts
- When security is necessary and how to get it from your customer
- “The top 10 directives for effective trade credit risk management”

15074. Don’t Get MAD… Get DATA!
Speaker: Davy Tyburski, CreditandSales.com
As a credit services professional, you’re always looking to improve your bottom line and to prove your value across your organization. But let’s face it; sometimes it takes too long to get others on board with your ideas and concepts. Resistance to change and “turf issues” are a few reasons you waste so many hours in meetings and working on “special project” teams trying to solve your problems. In this session, you’ll learn how to gather data, identify trends and patterns to help solve business issues; deal with large volumes of data and make informed decisions based on evidence; apply and interpret data to support effective decision making; present data (graphically and numerically) in a way that lends credence to your ideas; diffuse emotional decision making (the “I think we should” approach); sell your ideas and concepts across the organization; format and present information with clarity and precision; and finally, explain the benefits of your ideas to gain commitment from difficult people.

15075. Credit Leadership That Gains Buy-In and Support From All Levels of Management Within Your Organization
Speaker: Susan Archibeque, CCE, Nicholas & Co., Inc.
Is the credit department in your organization underrated? Are you considered part of the “team” and getting the support and recognition you deserve? Or, are you perceived as “black and white,” hard to work with and your sales people avoid you at all costs? This is a common frustration many credit professionals experience. When you have a better understanding of your organization’s structure and culture, you can develop a strategic plan that guarantees success. This session is designed to pinpoint key components to successful credit leadership by developing skills in conflict resolution, evaluating and addressing challenges with your customers, your credit department, your sales department and the entire company overall. Understanding the different personality traits and gaining a better understanding of the daily challenges your peers and upper management face will change the way you are perceived and gain the respect and backing you deserve. Company officials clearly understand that sales generate revenue, but they may not understand the true impact cash flow has on the financial stability and growth of the organization. Tracking and reporting simple, easy to understand measurements that tie sales and credit to the same goals and objectives, will promote and encourage teamwork. Learn how to be a resource to the sales department by identifying the problem areas, and turning them into opportunity in terms of profits.

15076. Distribution Finance Programs to Help Grow Your Business
Speaker: Michael Dixon, CCE, GE Commercial Distribution Finance
GE Commercial Distribution Finance is an industry leading global distribution finance company providing inventory and receivable finance, receivables management, business process outsourcing, purchase order financing, assetbased lending, account receivable securitization and export/import finance via trade finance programs. Dealer-specific programs such as equipment leasing, real estate, corporate credit cards and retail consumer credit programs, along with services leveraging GE’s intellectual property such as Six Sigma/ Black Belt consulting, are among the tools to support the product distribution process that help customers improve their cash flow, reduce risk, increase sales volume and expand their businesses. During this session, you’ll enjoy an overview of each of these programs, and gain a broad understanding of how they can provide value to manufacturers, distributors or dealers.

15077. Twelve Special Negotiating Techniques for Collections
Speaker: Tim Paulsen, T.R. Paulsen & Associates
It is not nice or simply desired to be good at negotiating if you are in the business of collections. It is critical success. In this dynamic (and lots of fun) program, Tim Paulsen, collection specialist and author of Collect Those Debts and Paid in Full will share how you can master the 12 special negotiating techniques for collections to dramatically improve your collection performance.

15078. Yes, I Am a Credit Manager
Speaker: Mark Knapp, CBF, SYSCO Food Services of Indianapolis, LLC
Mark Knapp, CBF will delve into these facts about the credit profession: (1) Most do not plan on a career in credit management, (2) Credit management is an extremely important segment of business—past, present and future, (3) No one will take credit professionals seriously until credit professionals take themselves and their career in credit seriously, (4) What is a credit professional anyway?, (5) Getting back to the basics, avoiding burnout, and (6) “...life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.” – Charles Swindoll.

15082. Credit Fraud Risk Management Essentials
Speaker: Darren Skarecky, Verifraud
New trends in business credit fraud continue to emerge as domestic and international perpetrators respond to vulnerabilities in the changing marketplace. We highlight the most significant developments in perpetrator behavior while also detailing the solutions necessary to counter the latest threats. We also provide insights into the future of fraud risk management in terms of both expected scheme evolution and prevention advancements. Effective fraud risk management requires knowledge, innovation, collaboration and a companyspecific response. This session gives credit professionals the information they need to succeed in this challenging and dynamic environment.

15093. The Strategic Role of the Credit Professional in Building Stronger Customer Relationships
Speakers: Rich Ferrera, CCE and Bill Balduino, D&B
Let’s face it. In your role, you have a unique opportunity to enable your business to strengthen relationships with your best customers and manage poor performing customers out of your customer base. In this dynamic session, we’ll examine the interface the credit department has with a customer throughout their “lifecycle” of doing business with your company. We’ll discuss best practices and the tools and techniques you can use to better manage customers through the lifecycle to drive better results for your business and increased customer satisfaction. From acquiring “the best” customers, to setting the right credit limits with a customer, to managing the customer account within the portfolio—surfacing the “hidden risks” and determining the right opportunities for cross-sell, upsell or “manage-out,”—we’ll look at the portfolio analytics you can apply to increase profitability for your business as well as your own internal visibility as a strategic business partner.

15095. The 3 Cs of a Successful Team and How to Apply Them
Speaker: William Thomas, Microsoft
This session will define and discuss the 3 Cs of a Successful Team, cooperation, coordination and communication. It will further explain what a team is and how to use the three Cs in your credit department. This session will also elaborate on how to apply the 3 Cs to working with the sales department and customers to achieve common goals.

15096. How Much Credit?
Speaker: Camilo, Gomez, Lone Pine Mesa Consulting
CEUs: .15/Valid for CCE Recertification/1 CPE
How should you set credit lines? You have credit scores, but need an answer. Learn about an innovative new model that combines proven statistical methods, financial data and the selling company's situation to compute a credit limit recommendation. Learn about automatic daily monitoring of the credit limit so you are alerted of changes that are actually significant to your credit exposure. Camilo Gomez, Ph.D. will present the principles of his new model and two credit practitioners will share their experiences using it. They will answer your questions in this interactive session. Learn how they have saved time, increased objectivity, improved compliance, responded more rapidly to changes in customers' risk profiles, and explained their decisions better.

Business & Management Skills

15042. Negotiations Strategies and Tips
Speaker: Jessica Butler, Attain Consulting Group, LLC
This interactive session will cover negotiation strategies, tips and keys to success when dealing with customers, suppliers or even people in your own company (works with kids and spouses too). Topics will include: negotiation checklists—how to prepare for a negotiation session; words to use/avoid; what to do when people say “no”; and tips for dealing with “difficult” people. The session will also include various role-play opportunities for attendees to “practice what they have learned” using actual negotiation situations.

15044. Emotional Intelligence
Speaker: Bruce Christopher, Bruce Christopher Seminars
What do the super-stars of success know that the rest of us do not? This hot new topic is the number one training seminar in corporate America today. In this fast paced seminar, your group will learn the six essential key ingredients to the science behind success. Why do some people just seem to rise to the top in their field? Why is it that some people have all the luck? In this program, you will learn how your E.Q. is more important than your I.Q. and how your attitude is more important than your latitude.

15045. Got No Time for a Nervous Breakdown
Speaker: Tim Paulsen, T.R. Paulsen & Associates
Not finding time for that nervous breakdown you so richly deserve? Then you need to squeeze in the time to attend this short (keeping with the spirit of the title) program delivered by consultant, author and keynote speaker, Tim Paulsen. Do you believe honesty is the best policy? Think a little stress won’t hurt you? Do you ever say, “I don’t mind criticism, as long as it is constructive criticism?” Do you think that hindsight really is 20/20, just like they say? There are breakdowns, breaking up, hitting the brakes and more… but how about breaking free? Break free once and for all, from the shackles and myths of time and stress and hit the ground running. (Mind you, the direction is up to you!) You’ll have the time for that breakdown after this session, but you won’t need it.

15049. Give Me a Break: A Real-World Approach to Training for Success PLUS Davy’s Top 10 actions to Strengthen Your CREDITandSALES Relationship!
Speaker: Davy Tyburski, CreditandSales.com
The goal of this session is to provide practical, easy to use strategies and techniques that will help strengthen not only your training and development programs, but also your employee performance. Davy presents his real-world training and employee development strategies and techniques developed over 20 years of leading sales, customer service and credit services teams. You'll walk away knowing how to: structure your programs to support your business needs, recognize the challenges of personal development, maintain the momentum of your training programs, prepare an effective program from start to finish, overcome the obstacles and possible resistance to training, incorporate four simple guidelines to improve performance and ask for additional budget dollars to support your training efforts.

15051. Behavioral Interviewing
Speaker: Vicki Muscari, Performance Consultant
Both research and practical experience have shown that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. This is why interviewing experts agree that the best way to predict future on-the-job performance is to gather infolrmation from applicants that either prove they have the required competencies to be successful in a given role, or that they do not. This session provides hiring managers with an overview of the interviewing method that is now widely recognized as the best predictor of job performance. Participants will gain a solid understanding of the rationale and methods for skillfully preparing for and conducting behavior-based interviews while also providing the opportunity for practicing a simulated behavior-based interview using an actual job to be filled.

15054. Strength-Based Career Management (This session is offered again in #15090.)
Speaker: Susan Fee, SusanFee.com
Are you happy, energized and highly productive in your career? If not, there’s a good chance you’ve been overlooking your greatest strengths. The key to career success and fulfillment is capitalizing on your strengths and managing around your weaknesses. Learn how to discover, develop and play to your unique strengths through appreciative inquiry and why it’s a waste of time to try and be “well-rounded.”

15061. Why Are Women So Strange and Men So Weird?
Speaker: Bruce Christopher, Bruce Christopher Seminars
At the heart of any business are relationships between team members, customers and supervisors. Excellent communicators have better relationships at work and home. They climb the ladder of success more effectively and achieve greater success. It is no secret that communication runs our lives. This session takes a very hilarious look at how men and women think, speak, and make decisions differently. Turn yourself and your audience into great communicators!

15067. 4 Strategies to Increase Productivity (This session is offered again in #15088.)
Speaker: Renée Belisle, Clutter Rehab, LLC
Participants will learn steps to organize their space and information, effective paper management techniques, how to use technology to increase efficiency and proven time management techniques.

15079. Bambi vs. Godzilla!
Speaker: Bruce Christopher, Bruce Christopher Seminars
Difficult people are everywhere! They can be customers, co-workers, bosses, neighbors, even spouses. This program humorously reveals the six basic difficult personality styles that are out to drain you and your organization of vital energy. You will learn what they do, why they do it, and what you can do about it! You will learn how to stay empowered in the face of negative, reactive, and draining people - and laugh while they do it.

15088. 4 Strategies to Increase Productivity
Speaker: Renée Belisle, Clutter Rehab, LLC
This is an encore presentation of session 15067 as described above.

15090. Strength-Based Career Management
This is an encore presentation of session 15054 as described above.

15094. Building Your Soft Skills
Speaker: Andrea Hoban, Robert Half International
As the strategic importance of the credit function has grown, so has the visibility of credit professionals. They are increasingly involved in cross-department project teams and are asked to discuss their perspectives to varying audiences. This requires strong communication and interpersonal skills in order to work effectively with people at all levels of an organization. This session will provide attendees with an overview of the specific “soft skills” today’s employers look for in prospective hires as well as advice for developing these attributes.

15095. The 3 C’s of a Successful Team and How to Apply Them
Speaker: William Thomas, Microsoft
This session will define and discuss the 3 C's of a Successful Team, cooperation, coordination and communication. It will further explain what a team is and how to use the three C’s in your credit department. This session will also elaborate on how to apply the 3 C's to working with the sales department and customers to achieve common goals.