Education

6:00 - 7:00 pm

Adapting Payments Practices to Turbulent Economic Times
Field of Study: Social Environment of Business

A senior payments expert illuminates the dynamic U.S. payments landscape and explains how market forces are changing the economics of the payments industry. Hear the latest market research on payment services that U.S. businesses demand and learn how payments trends and the broader economic environment may affect your company. This session offers insight into opportunities to improve efficiencies during tight economic times and describes what the future holds for corporate treasury departments under each of several future scenarios.

Understand how market forces and payments trends will affect the payments industry

Evaluate strategies to improve efficiencies in a tight economy and its implication for corporate treasury departments

• David Stewart
  Senior Expert, Payments Practice
  McKinsey & Company

8:30 - 9:30 am

Finance as a Leader
Field of Study: Finance

With the breadth, depth and velocity of global expansion; the increased competition from both historical and new sources; and the continual evolution of the economic landscape, the role of Finance as a leader is more crucial than ever.

Discover how the Finance team at the world's premier jeweler and America's house of design has successfully led the organization as the very realm in which businesses operate has changed dramatically.

Learn how Finance can play an integral role in leading an organization through challenging economic conditions

Identify practices your Finance team can utilize to become empowered to develop internal strategic partnerships

• Patrick McGuiness
  SVP, Finance
  Tiffany & Co.
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

9:45 - 10:45 am

Utilizing Retail Treasury Technology to Drive Results
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

There always seem to be more tasks than time in a retail treasury operation. However, technological solutions are available to help improve efficiency, accuracy and help anticipate where potential weakness may lie – for a price. Discover how various technology solutions can be beneficial for your organization. Uncover what criteria to utilize in determining the best technology solutions that fit your needs.

Discuss various treasury technology solutions available for retailers and determine how they can improve efficiency in different areas within an organization

Gain insight how to develop a plan for evaluating different solutions to find the optimal level of treasury technology and automation within yourcompany?s treasury and finance functions

• Jonathan K. Scott, BCom, FCA, AMCT
  Director of US Treasury Operations
  PMC Treasury
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

Discovering Value in the Face of an Economic Recession with Cash Electronification
Field of Study: Social Environment of Business

In today's ultra-tough economy, liquidity is more important than ever. Hear how a well-known retailer leveraged intelligent safe technology to electronify cash to boost funds availability, lower cash-handling risk, and drive measurable cost savings-all at a time when it is critically important to optimize the in-store cash handling processes and create operational efficiency.

Discover how a company leveraged technology to electronify cash and increase available funds

Learn how your organization can free up cash through optimizing in-store handling processes and creating operational efficiency

• Margaret M. Albrecht
  Treasurer
  Boston Market Corporation
• Randy Colvin, Jr., CTP
  Vice President
  Fifth Third Bank
• Colin Holden
  Vice President
  Brink’s, Inc.
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

Business Continuity: Expanding Across the Enterprise
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

In this interactive roundtable, strategies, issues, obstacles and successes encountered when developing and maintaining a business continuity plan are discussed among peers.  Discover the necessary steps required to build and test a successful plan, focusing on retailers’ experiences in integrating recovery efforts across the enterprise.

Develop a framework for constructing an effective business continuity plan

Learn best practices for testing and maintaining an enterprise wide business continuity plan

• Thomas P. Skoog
  Principal, IT Advisory Services
  Midwest Retail Sector Leader - Advisory
  KPMG, LLP
• Emily S. Frolick, CBCP, CIA, CISA
  Senior Manager, Advisory Services
  KPMG, LLP
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

Coffee Cup Roundtable
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

Join your colleagues for an open-ended and frank discussion of treasury or corporate finance topics. Led by a corporate treasury practitioner with attendance restricted to a maximum of 20 corporate practitioners only, each session is intended to enhance the opportunity for everyone to participate in the conversation. There are no prearranged topics or issues planned. The facilitator will begin the session with a question and the exchange of ideas will take off from there!

Exchange ideas and solutions on various treasury and finance issues with fellow retailers

Understand the challenges and opportunities colleagues and peers are facing at their companies

• Cindy Holmes, CTP
  Director of Treasury
  The Kroger Company

11:00 - 12:00 pm

The New World of Bank Relationship Management
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

Bank failures, consolidation and direct capital infusion by the US government are just some of the factors that have completely transformed the banking industry.  How is it possible to monitor the financial health of existing and potential bank partners and manage your exposure to any one institution? This roundtable discussion provides treasury professionals with the unique opportunity to discuss the challenges retailers are facing in the new world of bank relationship management.

Review the current difficulties in evaluating the financial viability and exposure to current and potential bank partners

Discuss the challenges of building and maintaining banking relationships in the future

• Peter D. Nash
  Assistant Treasurer
  CVS Caremark Corporation
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

The Economics of Alternative Payment Methods
Field of Study: Economics

With slowing retail sales, merchants continue to seek opportunities to attract consumers and impact the bottom line. Alternative payment options offer merchants lower pricing and other advantages in these uncertain economic times. Discuss mainstream alternatives, notably PayPal and BillMeLater, and explore smaller emerging players including GoogleCheckOut, Amazon Payments, Revolution Money, Green Dot, and NACHA’s Secure Vault Payments, and uncover their value proposition to businesses.

Examine the advantages and disadvantages of accepting current and emerging payment methods

Gain insights into which alternative payment methods may benefit your company

• J. Daniel Simmons, CTP
  Director of Treasury & Risk Management
  Zappos.com, Inc.
• Bryan S. Derman
  Partner
  Glenbrook Partners
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

Winning Trends in Loss Prevention: Benchmarking Success
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

Superior loss prevention can give retailers one important competitive advantage.   But just talking about LP isn't enough.  The co-author of a comprehensive study by Retail Systems Research on this topic will review major findings. You will learn the role of organized crime, employees, and customers in creating shrink and the Best Practice technology tools and techniques used to mitigate it and produce meaningful ROI.

Evaluate the findings of a recent retail-focused loss prevention study

Learn about technologies and techniques used to improve loss prevention efforts that can be used to create competitive advantage

• Paula Rosenblum
  Retail Systems Research, LLC.
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

Coffee Cup Roundtable
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

Join your colleagues for an open-ended and frank discussion of treasury or corporate finance topics. Led by a corporate treasury practitioner with attendance restricted to a maximum of 20 corporate practitioners only, each session is intended to enhance the opportunity for everyone to participate in the conversation. There are no prearranged topics or issues planned. The facilitator will begin the session with a question and the exchange of ideas will take off from there!

Exchange ideas and solutions on various treasury and finance issues with fellow retailers

Understand the challenges and opportunities colleagues and peers are facing at their companies

• Glenn C. Gershenson, CTP
  Former Treasurer
  Rite Aid Corporation

2:00 - 3:00 pm

Impact of Going Global on Retail Treasury Operations
Field of Study: Finance

As retail companies increase their global footprints it complicates existing treasury functions and creates new responsibilities within a treasury department.  Core treasury functions that can become significantly more complex as a company expands across country borders include payments, receipts, cash forecasting, short term investments, and risk management.  This session will facilitate a dialogue around strategies successfully employed by retailers as their businesses have crossed new borders.

Discuss the obstacles encountered in the realm of treasury and finance operations when your business expands across new borders

Explore techniques to cope with the new treasury responsibilities presented by a global expansion

• Rue A. Jenkins, CTP
  Assistant Treasurer
  Costco Wholesale Corporation
• Download presentation

Extracting Working Capital through Order-to-Pay Automation
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

Companies have undertaken various initiatives to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their order-to-pay processes. Learn how treasury and finance professionals can be active partners in advancing the efficiency of these key processes. Find out how a world renowned retailer, Tiffany and Co., has been able to successfully improve working capital efficiency while also reducing operating expenses and driving down exception processing. Participate in an interactive discussion on how to build a business case for an order-to-pay initiative, the magnitude of results that can be achieved, and the lessons learned in leveraging technology and automation to improve working capital management.

Learn how introducing automation into the order-to-pay cycle initiative can improve working capital efficiency while reducing operating expenses and driving down exception processing

Discover how to develop a business case for an order-to-pay initiative

• Kevin Post
  Group Director, Financial Systems
  Tiffany & Co.
• W. Greg Kerwick
  Managing Director, Global Sales Executive Commercial Card and Order-to-Pay
  J.P. Morgan
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

E-Commerce Risk Management
Field of Study: Business Management and Organization

E-commerce opens up a whole new world of risk exposure. Learn how to develop an e-commerce risk strategy that incorporates process, policy, systems, and organization that is designed to work across the enterprise.  Gain knowledge from piers on how to reduce total fraud costs related to e-commerce by finding balance between fraud, the customer experience, and internal investment.  The session will also include a discussion of how to assess the electronic payment fraud risk associated with any new product, service, or line of business.

Gain insights into how to develop an e-commerce risk strategy that incorporates process, policy, and systems to work across the enterprise

Exchange ideas to identify and mitigate the fraud costs related to e-commerce while finding the balance between fraud prevention initiatives and the customer experience

• Steve Parise
  Director of Operations, E-Business
  Louis Vuitton
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

Coffee Cup Roundtable
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

Join your colleagues for an open-ended and frank discussion of treasury or corporate finance topics. Led by a corporate treasury practitioner with attendance restricted to a maximum of 20 corporate practitioners only, each session is intended to enhance the opportunity for everyone to participate in the conversation. There are no prearranged topics or issues planned. The facilitator will begin the session with a question and the exchange of ideas will take off from there!

Exchange ideas and solutions on various treasury and finance issues with fellow retailers

Understand the challenges and opportunities colleagues and peers are facing at their companies

• Michael Connolly
  Vice President and Treasurer
  Tiffany & Co.

3:15 - 4:15 pm

Maintaining Liquidity in the Current Credit Environment
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

Liquidity risk management is a top priority for treasury professionals due to tightness in credit markets. In this session, retailers will learn how to devise strategies to maintain access to credit in tough market conditions. A senior credit officer of a major financial institution with experience in creating policies will reveal what is currently driving availability of credit within the retail industry.

Uncover what is driving the current availability of credit

Examine new approaches to gaining and maintaining access to credit in the current economic environment

• Richard L. DeVore
  Executive Vice President
  Chief Credit Officer
  The PNC Financial Services Group
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

4:30 - 5:30 pm

Risk Management in Retail: The Changing Landscape
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

Managing risk in a retail environment poses its own unique set of challenges. Continued turmoil in global economic markets underscores the importance of identifying and understanding new risks.   This session will include a discussion of the effective identification and mitigation of existing and emerging risks.  Emerging risks considered will include changes to the landscape of the insurance industry and unforeseen dynamics in counterparty risk across the business enterprise.

Identify existing and emerging risks in the face of a changing economic landscape which include great uncertainty in the insurance industry and new sources of retail operational risk

Develop a framework for mitigating current and emerging risks in retail

• Adrienne B. Urban, CTP
  Treasurer
  The Children’s Place
• Download presentations: First & Second (restricted to forum attendees)

Credit Card Acceptance: The Blocking and Tackling of Success
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

Regardless of how long you have been in business of accepting credit cards there is always room for improvement. This session will focus on the challenges and opportunities in the world of basic credit card acceptance. This discussion is particularly relevant as companies consider the risks associated with acceptance of credit in the face of an ongoing recession. Session attendees will share insights and strategies to overcome business challenges presented by credit card acceptance and how to effectively manage fraud, PCI security, and lower program costs including interchange fees.

Discuss the benefits and obstacles experienced when accepting credit cards

Learn best practices for mitigating risks associated with credit cards

• Janet R. Langenderfer
  Senior Director, Credit Cards
  Amtrak
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

Accurate Cash Forecasting: A Critical Tool in Working Capital Management
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

A solid cash forecasting process is critical as your organization faces tough credit markets and a myriad of economic conditions.  A failure to do so can mean increased borrowing costs, missed business opportunities, and can even contribute to bankruptcy. This session will discuss issues and challenges specifically faced by retailers in the arena of cash forecasting and an interactive discussion of techniques to improve the accuracy of forecasts.  

Establish effective strategies for accurate cash forecasting

Discuss the difficulties in making an accurate assessment, particularly for retailers, and changes in practices in the response to the challenging economic environment

• Kenneth Grogan
  Treasury Services Manager
  Wakefern Food Corporation
• Timothy T. Hesler, CTP
  Head, Treasury and Risk Advisory Practice
  KPMG, LLP
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

Coffee Cup Roundtable
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

Join your colleagues for an open-ended and frank discussion of treasury or corporate finance topics. Led by a corporate treasury practitioner with attendance restricted to a maximum of 20 corporate practitioners only, each session is intended to enhance the opportunity for everyone to participate in the conversation. There are no prearranged topics or issues planned. The facilitator will begin the session with a question and the exchange of ideas will take off from there!

Exchange ideas and solutions on various treasury and finance issues with fellow retailers

Understand the challenges and opportunities colleagues and peers are facing at their companies

• John H. Robinson
  Treasurer and Finance Manager
  IKEA

8:30 - 9:30 pm

Managing Treasury through the Business Cycle
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

Faced with challenging economic times, treasury professionals need to identify opportunities that will demonstrate the strategic value of the treasury function within the organization. In this interactive discussion, focus on which programs, actions, and processes treasury and finance professionals have utilized to mitigate the impact of weakening macroeconomic and industry conditions on their companies.

Discover specific initiatives and practices that have been utilized to mitigate the impact of difficult economic conditions at a leading retail company

Discuss specific strategies with retail peers that have been successful in identifying opportunities in the face of a recessionary environment and lessen the impact of tough industry conditions in the future

• John H. Robinson
  Treasurer and Finance Manager
  IKEA
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

Going Green in Retail
Field of Study: Finance

What is the role that treasury and finance professionals can play in driving eco-friendly projects?  In light of the current economic downturn, is there a place for "green" initiatives?  Are there projects that can contribute to both the environment and the bottom line?  Potential topics include electricity management systems, lighting retrofits, demand response agreements with utilities, and paperwork reduction through EDI/scanning.

Discuss how green initiatives can decrease costs and increase efficiencies

Explore strategies on how Treasury can benefit from Going Green

• Thomas L. Robershaw, CTP
  Assistant Treasurer
  Big 5 Sporting Goods
• Justin Doak
  Chief Executive Officer
  Blue Bin
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

Privacy Laws and Business Intelligence: Knowing your Boundaries
Field of Study: Business Law

Personal information (including customer transaction data) collected by retailers often yields valuable insights into customers, and their buying patterns.  It is used to drive successful marketing initiatives. However, this customer personal information is subject to privacy laws.  This session will focus on the information retailers typically collect, do’s and don’ts in working with this information and what internal policies are needed to balance compliance efforts without crippling business intelligence efforts.

Understand relevant privacy laws, particularly those that are most commonly violated in the retail industry

Identify the dos and don?ts related in working with customer information typically collected by retailers to utilize in driving privacy law compliance initiatives

• Kimberley D. Overs
  Vice President and Legal Counsel
  The Estee Lauder Companies, Inc.
• Lisa J. Sotto
  Partner
  Hunton & Williams, LLP
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

The Fundamentals of Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCIDSS) Compliance: What You Need to Know
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

Every merchant that accepts credit cards must meet the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCIDSS). This session will focus on critical issues that need to be addressed in obtaining and maintaining PCDISS compliance. The discussion will include how the standard is evolving, the risks and costs of noncompliance, practical actions that can be taken to manage PCIDSS risks, and resources available to help ensure compliance. This session is designed for retailers that fall into the merchant tier category of 3 or 4.

Recognize the issues necessary to obtain and maintain PCIDSS compliance

Analyze the implications of noncompliance

• Robert Russo
  General Manager
  PCI Security Standards Council
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

9:45 - 10:45 am

Going Global with Credit Cards
Field of Study: Finance

If processing credit cards domestically can sometimes present difficulties, then processing credit cards in different countries can certainly be a baffling experience. What are the differences in the industry and government structures? How do you navigate the RFP process? Who are the big players in relevant markets? Find out the answers to these perplexing questions through an interactive discussion with treasury professionals who are making sense of these complex processes in Europe and China.

Understand common international card processing issues

Exchange ideas on how to effectively process cards internationally

• James M. Schockett
  Senior Manager, Capital Markets
  Yum! Brands, Inc.
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

F/X Risk Identification and Mitigation across the Supply Chain
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

Typical discussions on F/X hedging focus around forecasts, hedging instruments and accounting treatment.  What about the operational factors in the supply chain that create the F/X risk in the first place?  This roundtable discussion will focus on how to identify the F/X risks that are inherent in the operational supply chain as well as the accounting practices for cross-currency receivables and liabilities in order to identify and implement process changes or hedging strategies that can mitigate or eliminate these risks.

Identify and Evaluate inherent F/X risks in the operational supply chain

Explore best practices to help mitigate these risks

• Michael Connolly
  Vice President & Treasurer
  Tiffany & Co.
• Carla Schmidt
  Senior Treasury Analyst
  Tiffany & Co.
  
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

PCIDSS - Challenges and Techniques to Achieve and Maintain Level 1 and 2 Compliance
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

Initial compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards is often done as a project, but sustainable compliance is a dynamic, process oriented endeavor.  This session will focus on typical challenges that Level 1 and Level 2 organizations must address in getting beyond project thinking and building a platform for sustainable long-term compliance, and a review of the areas that are most likely to cause an organization to slip out of compliance.

Discover how to obtain and sustain level 1 or 2 PCI compliance

Identify issues that commonly lead companies to slip out of compliance and determine how to mitigate or avoid these issues to remain compliant

• Ashok Misra, CISSP, CPISM/A
  Senior Manager, Payments and Security
  Real Networks, Inc.
• Download presentation (restricted to forum attendees)

Coffee Cup Roundtable
Field of Study: Management Advisory Services

Join your colleagues for an open-ended and frank discussion of treasury or corporate finance topics. Led by a corporate treasury practitioner with attendance restricted to a maximum of 20 corporate practitioners only, each session is intended to enhance the opportunity for everyone to participate in the conversation. There are no prearranged topics or issues planned. The facilitator will begin the session with a question and the exchange of ideas will take off from there!

Exchange ideas and solutions on various treasury and finance issues with fellow retailers

Understand the challenges and opportunities colleagues and peers are facing at their companies

• Glenn C. Gershenson, CTP
  Former Treasurer
  Rite Aid Corporation
  Retail Treasury Forum Task Force Member

11:00 - 12:00 pm

Closing General Session:
Ninety Days in Office -  The Impact on Economic Policy and Prospects for the U.S. and Global Economies
Field of Study: Economics

In 2008, policy makers grappled with the turmoil in the global financial markets, which has seen a virtual lockdown in credit markets and an accelerated, worldwide economic slowdown.  This session reviews the impact of the new administration's first ninety days on economic policy and considers the prospects for the U.S. and global economies for the remainder of 2009 and into 2010. 

Understand the impact of the new administration?s first ninety days in office on U.S. and global economic policies

Discover the prospects for the U.S. and global economies for the remainder of 2009 and into 2010 given the current state of geopolitical and global economic conditions

• Geoffrey Bell
  President, Geoffrey Bell & Company
  & Executive Secretary, Group of Thirty