Executive Education

Certificate of Completion Program
Take 5 core classes and 3 electives to earn your Certificate.
Check with your state CPA Society regarding their participation in the certificate program.

Core Elective

Analyzing and Managing the Worldwide Effective Tax Rate in a Global Supply Chain Environment

Mark. A. Sellner, CPA, JD, LLM
Why is Caterpillar’s provision for income taxes 30% while 3M’s effective worldwide tax rate is 32.1%? Financial executives generally have a good understanding of cost of goods sold in a manufacturing environment and compensation and benefits in a workforce-intensive business, but may have a lesser understanding about how and why corporate income taxes impact the bottom line as one of a company’s biggest expenses. Understand how to answer this question about differences in corporate income taxes for companies like Caterpillar and 3M, as well as for their current and emerging global trading partners. 

Assessing the Ethical Dimensions of Strategy and Execution

Mark L. Frigo, Ph.D., CPA, CMA
Ethically maximizing owner/shareholder wealth is the overriding objective of any business. But getting there is another issue. Using diagnostic tools and case studies, learn how to evaluate the ethical issues that can surface, from financial reporting and supply chain management to employee engagement and strategic communications. Learn to identify the questions every business should ask regarding ethical issues in business strategy and execution. 

Astute Cash Flow Management: Improving Company Value

Marian Powers, PhD

Astute cash Flow Management is a key to improving company value. What are some practical operational approaches to enhancing company valuation? What diagnostic tools aid assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of cash flow management?

Through hands-on experimental cases, real world examples and small group activities, you will reexamine the link between company valuation and operating working capital, revenue growth, capital expenditures, outsourcing and more. In the process, various strategies used by high performing companies to maximize cash flos and consequently company valuation will be identified.

Bring your company's financial statements and plan to make some keen assessments to help your company go to the next level in creating firm value.

Capital Investments  

Thomas L. Zeller, PhD, MBA, CPA
Finance professionals are constantly faced with recommending or not recommending capital investments, based on the following issues:

• Will the capital investment increase sales, reduce costs and/or improve productivity?
• Is cash available? Is this the best use for it?
• Are there are alternatives? If so, which one should be pursued?
• What if the assumptions are wrong and the costs are higher or the savings lower - have you adequately captured the risk?

Putting to work business insight and useful budgeting software tools, participants will develop a framework to identify the range of possible capital budgeting outcomes and identify the signs and symptoms of successful (and unsuccessful) capital projects.

BONUS: Participants will receive several Excel spreadsheet templates on CD designed to measure, evaluate, and analyze the risk of capital expenditures.             

The Path to Good Governance:  Managing the Intersection of Corporate Governance, Risk Assessment-Management and Strategic Leadership

Dan R. Dalton, PhD

Learn how to apply best-in-class corporate governance principles, proactive risk assessment/management techniques and strategic leadership practices. While many issues in the corporate governance arena remain controversial, by reviewing principled contemporary governance options, their implementation, and their consequences, you can set off down the right path.

• Network with other corporate finance leaders to discuss and understand the current hot topics in corporate governance and risk management.
• Learn about the governance environment and its key players.
• Understand your role and responsibilities in the governance process.
• Identify warning signals and areas of exposure to your business.
• Learn how and when to communicate these issues to your board and senior management.
• Understand how leadership at the senior management and Board levels “set the tone” for good governance.
• Gain a new appreciation for the impact of ethical behavior on governance.

Corporate Income Tax: Analyzing the Impact of FAS 109  

Mark. A. Sellner, CPA, JD, LLM (taxation)

In this ever-changing tax landscape, it is critical that you protect your company by understanding reporting and disclosure requirements. FAS 109 is positioned to have the most sweeping reform to date. This executive education program will provide you with an in-depth understanding of the requirements and nuances of FAS 109, including the tax provision process and financial statement documentation requirements, as well as the ability to analyze tax rates and tax positions for your company.

Designing and Implementing a Balanced Scorecard Framework  

Mark L. Frigo, Ph.D., CPA, CMA

With so many performance metrics available, how are you measuring the success of your company? No two companies are alike. Using the right measures for your company is vital to managing and accurately assessing your performance and building your success. This hands-on, interactive class will help you to design and implement a Balanced Scorecard Framework for your organization based on its specific strategy, critical success factors and customer-value propositions. this is knowledge you can take back and utilize in your company right away.

Developing an Executable Strategy

• Develop an executable strategy as a first step in Balanced Scorecard design
• Energizing and refine your strategy
• Use Return Driven Strategy to launch a Balanced Scorecard initiative

The Balanced Scorecard and Strategy Maps

• Understand the Balanced Scorecard terminology and concepts
• Learn the four perspectives of the Balance Scorecard
• Identify cause and effect linkages

Strategy Mapping

• Develop a strategy map
• Identify strategic themes and strategic objectives
• Link strategic objectives using strategy maps

Identify and Assessing Performance Measures

• Assign performance measures to strategic objectives
• Assess performance measures
• Link performance measures
• Set target performance levels

Balanced Scorecard Implementation

• Review best practices in Balanced Scorecards and strategy maps
• Learn how to continuously improve and refine a Balanced Scorecard Framework
• Understand how to manage a Balanced Scorecard initiatives
  

Developing and Executing Strategies for Growth & Profitability:
The Return Driven StrategyTM Framework

Mark L. Frigo, Ph.D., CPA, CMA
Many organizations have attempted to adapt strategic activities of “great” companies based on the latest best-selling business books. What’s missing is a clear set of guidelines for developing an executable strategy.

Return Driven Strategy provides a clear and practical pathway to develop a business strategy aimed at achieving maximum long-term wealth creation for your company. This model shows you how to design, implement and evaluate superior strategies that position your company for breakthrough growth and profitability. Return Driven Strategy answers key questions such as:

• How do you prioritize among an endless array of potential business initiatives?
• Where do your customer’s needs fit into strategic planning?
• How does the value of innovation compare with the need for operational efficiencies?
• How important is a strong brand, and when?
• What are your unique Genuine Assets and how are they being leveraged to create financial value?
• How executable is your strategy?
• How are financial results and financial metrics linked to strategy planning?
• How do initiatives like Six Sigma, CRM and the Balanced Scorecard fit into your strategy?

You will leave with a solid understanding of the tools and framework needed for strategy development, and the applications for immediate implementation and use in your business.  

How to Measure Financial Success: The Which, When, Why and How of Strategic Financial Measurement  

Thomas L. Zeller, PhD, MBA, CPA

Financial Measures – you learned about them in school and probably talk about them every day, but are you really USING them? Why is the business owner or shareholder so interested in specific measures?
ROE, ROA, ROI, economic profit and EVA are probably on your radar screen, but do you know HOW to use them effectively, WHEN to use them, and WHICH ones to use in any given situation? What is the link to value creation and value destruction?

Through a combination of lecture by one of the area’s top accounting professors and hands-on case study analysis, you’ll gain first-hand exposure to why these measures, their mechanics, and the advantages and disadvantages of each. And most importantly, you’ll learn how to apply them directly to your company.

BONUS: Participants will be provided an Excel template to guide the evaluation process during the course as well as upon returning to the work place.

Implementing FIN 48 for Privately-Held Companies

Mark. A. Sellner, CPA, JD, LLM
FIN 48: Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes adds new documentation and disclosure requirements on a scale that has not been seen since the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in 2002. Income tax issues aren't just for tax directors anymore; they directly impact anyone with financial statement and external reporting responsibility.

 

Internal Controls Today 

TBD

 

Leadership: Becoming an Impact Player 

Dennis L. Faurote, CPA

Leadership: Laying the Foundation

• Identify the traits and foundation of leadership
• Determine if you are really a leader or just have the title
• Understand the myths around leadership
• Recognize the importance of emotional intelligence
• Learn the difference between leading and managing
• Identify steps you can take immediately to improve your leadership skills

LifePrint™ to Living and Leading

• Learn how to start a journey of self-realization that will motivate you to improve in all aspects of your life
• Understand the importance and power of career and life planning
• Identify and clarify your Lifevalues™ and motivators, Liferoles™, Lifepurpose™, and Lifevision™
• Begin working toward your Lifegoals™
• Outline the Lifelines™ (talents, skills, education, support) necessary to successfully carryout your Lifeprint™
• Draft a strategy to begin building your Lifeplan™
  

One of the most significant differences between good and great companies is great leadership. It is what turns ideas into realities and makes visions come to life. If an organization wants to be successful in the 21st century, it must recognize the importance of creating leaders at all levels.

To make this happen, it is essential that you have a sense of direction and purpose in your life. Research has shown that most of us are continually searching for meaning in what we do everyday. Unless you have a clear picture of who you are; why you do what you do; what you believe in; and what’s important to you you cannot effectively lead others, and, more importantly, yourself.

Before you can lead and inspire others you must first have a strong sense of self-awareness – an understanding of yourself. Research also indicates that for you to perform at your best, you need to have your talents, passions and Lifevalues™ aligned with your organization’s needs.  

Strategic Cost Analysis: Tools for Lowering Your Company's Costs  

John W. Hill, PhD, JD

Excess capacity, improved productivity and marketplace competition continue to increase with no end in sight. In times like these, lowering your company’s cost structure is more critical than ever before.

Finance executives need to take the lead in implementing strategies that lower cost and improve profitability. The low hanging fruit has been picked. Therefore, you now need to look beyond traditional costing practices and focus on strategic cost analysis tools such as target costing, activity-based costing (ABC) and life-cycle costing. This program will show you how to implement strategic costing analysis tools at your company in order to gain a competitive edge and increase your profitability.

 

Strategic Risk Management: Protect Your Company for the Long Term

 

Mark L. Frigo, Ph.D., CPA, CMA
As the risk profiles of companies have become more complex and more uncertain, management teams and boards need a practical and systematic way to assess and manage the risk in the plans and strategy of the company. One of the major challenges facing every management team is how to link the business strategy and performance measures with Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC). Another significant challenge is to develop a practical strategy for ERM and GRC that meets the specific needs of the organization based on its size and its environment.

 

Learn a process for assessing and evaluating strategic risk using leading practices from high performance companies and risk assessment tools. Specifically, learn how to address the following questions:

• Has your organization done a Strategic Risk Assessment to identify and prioritize the risks its most significant risks?
• What events or scenarios could create significant downside risk for your business strategy and 2010 plans?
• Has your company considered the upside of risk and how it plans to realize the opportunities?
• What countermeasures have been developed to address these risk scenarios and events?
• How can risk management be incorporated in your 2010 plans and business strategy?
• What performance measures and key risk indicators can you monitor and continuously assess in order to manage strategic business risk?
• How can your organization develop Strategic Risk Management as a core competency?
  

The How To of Mergers & Acquisitions  

Sreenivas Kamma, PhD., MBA
No major strategic endeavor is as fraught with peril or leads to more value destruction than a poorly designed or executed acquisition. Learn how you can avoid these pitfalls and gain the conceptual framework and practical tools needed to make value-creating mergers or acquisitions. Use case discussions and actual transactions to demonstrate how synergy can be created, valued, and shared, and how deals can be negotiated and structured to properly allocate risks and rewards.

Using Financial Statements to Drive Better Business Decisions  

Marian Powers, PhD
Are your financial reporting practices helping to increase your company’s value? Are you measuring the right things to drive success? Discover how you can enhance your role as a strategic business partner to help your company drive better business decisions through effective design, analysis, and communication of financial statements.

Through a hands-on, experiential approach with real world examples, you will focus on the critical measures that drive business results, sharpen your analytical skills, and discover strategies to maximize value creation and minimize value destruction. You are also invited to bring in actual, hypothetical, or competitor financial statements for analysis.