WCNCC125: 2026 Controller Conference

GS1: Controlling Management Continuity Risk: Ready for the Next Change in Leadership?

Does your organization risk operational disruption due to a key personnel loss? Are your internal auditors and risk management personnel routinely assessing your exposure to losing key skills and talent? Is your Auditor satisfactorily assessing succession and planning risks? What will happen when the next leader takes over? The math is straightforward, the sixty-year-old leader will leave the organization and today’s thirty-year-old will be on tomorrow’s leadership team. What does the younger generation want? What can we do today to protect our business and value? Are our people engaged? Procrastination is not a sound strategy. Leadership will change. Learn how to analyze the risks and prepare in advance, so the organization will be properly positioned. This session could help your organization prevent its next crisis.

Learning
Objectives:
– Identify management continuity risks.
– Evaluate succession planning risks.
– Assess impact on internal controls.
– Apply mitigation strategies.

What
to Expect: This session examines leadership succession and continuity risk through an
accounting, audit, and risk-management lens.

Who Should Attend: Controllers, CFOs, Internal Auditors, Risk Management Professionals.

Required Knowledge: Basic understanding of internal controls and governance.

Field
of Study: Accounting (A&A)
CPE: 1.00

GS2: Dealing with Ever Changing Accounting Standards and Other Demands

GAAP is changing at an increasing rate. Financial leaders are faced with the dual challenge of navigating evolving accounting standards while strategically guiding their organizations toward sustainable growth and profitability. What are the newer accounting changes that will impact professional accounting? This seminar will equip finance professionals with the critical skills and practical insights needed to effectively manage the complexities of ever-changing accounting standards and upgrade your essential strategic planning skills. Strategies that do not keep pace with the market are doomed to fail. If we do not keep up, our successor will.

Learning Objectives:
– Identify recent accounting changes.
– Analyze reporting impacts.
– Implement change management approaches.

What
to Expect: Overview of recent and emerging accounting standard changes.

Who Should Attend: Controllers, Accounting Managers, CFOs.

Required Knowledge: Working knowledge of GAAP.

Field
of Study: Accounting

CPE: 1.50 

GS3: Successful Systems Implementations: Planning is the Key!

System changes are common, so why does seemingly every new system update or installation have multiple, new problems? We will review the causes and effects, including a short-term outlook. We will focus on the best practices of successful organizations, specifically the one key task for success—proper planning. What are the steps to take? Which functions need to be involved? How to reduce risk? These actions can be applied to small system changes, system upgrades, or large ERP systems. Do not make the same mistake over and over—learn from others who have paid the hefty price.

Learning Objectives:
– Identify causes of implementation failure.
– Apply planning best practices.
– Reduce implementation risk.

What
to Expect: Best practices for planning and executing system implementations.

Who Should Attend: Controllers, CFOs, Finance Leaders.

Required Knowledge: Familiarity with accounting systems.

Field
of Study: Information Technology
CPE: 1.50

GS4: Systemic Risk: Six Mega-Trends Facing Organizations Today

Worldwide trends can impact our business. In general, accountants are so detail oriented that we sometimes don’t pay attention to the “bigger picture” and don’t see the impact emerging business models, innovative technologies or global competition have on our organizations. This session discusses six mega-trends and how they can create both hazards and opportunities for your company

Learning Objectives:
– Identify mega-trends.
– Assess systemic risks.
– Integrate macro-level analysis.

What
to Expect: Discussion of global trends affecting organizational risk.

Who Should Attend: Controllers, CFOs, Strategic Finance Leaders.

Required Knowledge: Basic understanding of financial reporting.

Field
of Study: Accounting (A&A)
CPE: 1.20

GS5: Open Book Management: Making it Work in the Real World

Some organizations create extraordinary success by broadly sharing financial information with team members at all levels. Others have tried and failed. This session discusses how real-world organizations have transformed their cultures using open book management. You will gain insight into what works and what does not, learning how giving team members a stake in the action can motivate everyone to create company performance far beyond anyone’s expectations.

Learning Objectives:
– Explain open book principles.
– Assess organizational readiness.
– Improve performance through transparency.

What
to Expect: Real-world application of open book management.

Who Should Attend: Controllers, CFOs, Operational Leaders.

Required Knowledge: Understanding of financial statements.

Field
of Study: Management Services
CPE: 1.50

GS6: Business Ethics Don’t Exist: The Only Ethics Rule You Need to Know

Most ethics courses focus on unethical individuals and their terrible misdeeds. We don’t need another course on lessons from Enron or individuals committing fraud. Most unethical failures result from unethical individuals. Instead, this session will focus on how good people can do better, why there is no such thing as business ethics and why we only need one rule to lead ethical lives.

Learning Objectives:
– Recognize ethical challenges.
– Apply ethical frameworks.
– Strengthen professional judgment.

What
to Expect: Focus on everyday ethical decision-making.

Who Should Attend: All CPAs.

Required Knowledge: None

Field
of Study: Ethics
CPE: 1.20