Chapter Holds Spring Half-Day CFO Conference
Event Jointly Sponsored with New Jersey Bankers Association

Members of the FMS NY/NJ Chapter joined Members from the New Jersey Bankers Association (“NJBA”) at the Spring Half-Day CFO Conference recently held at the Stony Hill Inn in Hackensack, NJ on Friday April 22, 2016. The event was jointly sponsored with the NJBA. The conference featured timely sessions presented by top industry speakers geared for the financial institution CFO. Topics included balance sheet management strategies, FDICIA and SOX best practices, merger and acquisition essentials, industry trends and a federal and state tax update. Members enjoyed a hot buffet breakfast prior to the first session. A full course luncheon was served during the final session.

Scott Hildenbrand, Sandler O'Neill + Partners, opened the program with Balance Sheet Management in 2016.
Attendees listen intentively during the opening session presented by  Scott Hildenbrand.
Raji Sathappan, Director at the Mercadien Group, presented an excellent SOX/FDICIA/COSO compliance session.
Balance Sheet Management in 2016 was the topic of the opening session presented by Scott Hildenbrand, Principal and Chief Balance Sheet Strategist at Sandler O’Neill + Partners LLC. Scott is a leading contributor to the community bank industry and recently participated as a member of the balance sheet management panel discussion at the Chapter’s March Dinner Meeting. Scott discussed current balance sheet themes, common ALCO misconceptions and provided key takeaways regarding liquidity, balance sheet restructurings and derivative use.

Raji Sathappan, Director, Financial Institution Services Group at the Mercadien Group, presented SOX/FDICIA/COSO - 2013 Best Practices. Raji has been a valued speaker at previous Chapter events. She has particular expertise in regulatory compliance and financial reporting for community banks. Raji contrasted FDICIA vs. SOX and noted that SOX is required for all SEC registrants regardless of industry. She also explained the differences in scope and reporting requirements. She then discussed the evolution and framework of COSO. Raji presented a number of tips and tricks for compliance testing and summarized a series of best practices for maintaining compliance.

Following a relaxing “networking” break, a Tax Update for Financial Institutions was presented by David Thornton, Partner at Crowe Horwath LLC. David has extensive experience in providing tax advisory services for community banks. David first discussed the deferred tax asset regulatory limitations under Basel III. He then provided an overview of ASU 2016-09 with specific attention to the tax aspects related to share-based accounting. He concluded by reviewing the latest New York State tax reforms and explained the factors that New Jersey bankers “need to know”.

Kamal Mustafa, Founder and CEO of Invictus Consulting Group presented M&A Secrets and Essential Analytics. Kamal presented a very thought provoking and entertaining session designed to provide the ideas and strategies necessary for an institution to maintain a competitive edge in today’s challenging merger and acquisition marketplace.

He discussed the factors that management should consider in order to provide fast, accurate and relevant decision-making information. He provided detailed examples of identifying risk related to specific loan originations and the “hidden pitfalls” when evaluating capital adequacy.

While Members enjoyed a full-course luncheon, Robert Kafafian, President and CEO of the Kafafian Group, presented Industry Trends and Today’s Realities, an informative view of the community banking industry. Robert has been a frequent speaker at previous Chapter events and has extensive experience providing management advisory services to the community banking industry. Robert reviewed the latest industry trends with specific attention to the significant changes in the “mix” of loans and deposits over the past few decades. He noted how branch banking has declined due to economic factors, the low interest rate environment and the advent of technology requires less face-to-face customer contact. The program concluded with an exchange of ideas form the Membership.

Topics and Speakers


Balance Sheet Management in 2016

James Hughes FMS Photo
Scott Hildenbrand
Principal and Chief Balance Sheet Strategist
Sandler O'Neill + Partners
212 466-7865

shildenbrand@
sandleroneill.com
www.sandleroneill.com
Slide Presentation

SOX/FDICIA/COSO -
2013 Best Practices

David Lutz FMS Photo
Raji Sathappan
Director, Finacial Institutions Group

The Mercadien Group
609 689-9700
rsathappan@mercadien.com
www.mercadien.com
Slide Presentation

Tax Update for Financial Institutions

Lavent Kacan FMS Photo
David Thornton
Partner
Crowe Horwath LLP
212 572-5588
david.thornton@
crowehorwath.com
www.crowehorwath.com
Slide Presentation

Industry Trends and Today’s Realities

James Hughes FMS Photo
Robert Kafafian
President and CEO
The Kafafian Group
973 229-0300
rkafafian@kafafiangroup.com

www.kafafiangroup.com

M&A Secrets and Essential Analytics

William Nowik FMS Photo
Kamal Mustafa
Founder and CEO
Invictus Consulting Group
718 219-0441
kmustafa@invictusgrp.com
www.invictusgrp.com
Slide Presentation

David Thornton, Partner at Crowe Horwath, presented a Tax Update for Financial Institutions.
M&A Secrets and Essential Analytics was presented by Kamal Mustafa, Founder and CEO of Invictus Consulting Group.

Robert Kafafian presented an informative view of the latest trends in the banking industry during the luncheon session.
Members enjoy a full course luncheon while following the presentation by Robert Kafafian.