Is there a dress code?

The dress code is business casual.

Is there a parking fee?

Parking is free at South Bend Four Winds. You can park in front of the hotel doors (not the casino doors).

How do I access program materials?

Materials will be emailed from KL_Marketing@klcpas.com to all registered attendees 1-2 days prior to the conference. Materials will be sent to the email address provided at registration. Hard copy materials will not be available onsite.

Is the CFO Summit being held in the casino?

No, the South Bend Four Winds Hotel and Conference Center is connected to the casino but is not in the casino. There are no gambling machines in the hotel.

I cancelled my registration the day before the event, when can I expect my refund?

You can receive a full refund if you cancel your reservation at least 7 days prior to the event. All cancellations within 7 days of the event is non-refundable. All refunds will be processed within a timely fashion.

What if I need to leave early, can I still receive CPE credit?

Yes you can! Please stop at the registration desk to check out if you are leaving prior to the scheduled end time. CPE will be adjusted based on the time you leave.

Is the agenda and speakers final?

The agenda, times, speakers and order is subject to change. We will keep the website up to date so you can revisit the agenda at anytime.

Will wi-fi be available in the conference room?

Free wi-fi will be available in the conference room for all our guests.

If I need a hotel room, which hotel do you recommend?

Four Winds South Bend offers a hotel onsite. Use the link provided to book a room. Be sure to select South Bend as the location. https://fourwindscasino.com

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Wednesday, November 5

2025 CFO SUMMIT

By Kruggel Lawton CPAs

The CFO Summit provides expert knowledge for finance and accounting executives.

Date and time

Location

Four Winds Casino South Bend

3000 Prairie Avenue South Bend, IN 46614

Agenda

7:30 AM - 8:05 AM

Registration and Breakfast

Check in at the registration desk located in the Main Lobby of the hotel. Staff will direct you to the meeting space from there.

8:00 AM - 8:15 AM

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Barry Hall, CPA, CGMA

Sara Sweers, CPA

Welcome message from Barry Hall, Kruggel Lawton Managing Partner; and Sara Sweers, Emcee.

8:15 AM - 9:15 AM

Maximizing Value in a M&A Process

Eric Higgins, G-Side Capital Advisors

Bob Snape, G-Side Capital Advisors

Dan Leyes, CPA, CVA - Kruggel Lawton

Our speakers will explore the methodologies used to value your business, how to effectively prepare for a transition, the steps and timing of a sale, and the best strategies and negotiation tactics t...

9:15 AM - 10:30 AM

Timely Tax Updates from Kruggel Lawton Tax Professionals

Kate N. Leichty, CPA

Brandon R. Gritton, CPA

During this session, Kruggel Lawton Tax Leaders will share most current and relevant Tax updates that are applicable to you.

10:30 AM - 10:45 AM

Morning Break

Morning break will be held in the Foyer.

10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

Navigating Emerging HR Risks: Your Guide to Reducing Surprises

Michael Palmer, Barnes & Thornburg

Kruggel Lawton knows many of its clients task their CFOs with supervising the human resource department, and for many, that can be an overwhelming responsibility because effective HR leadership requi...

11:45 AM - 12:45 PM

Lunch

Lunch buffet will be served in the Foyer

12:45 PM - 1:45 PM

Genius at Work: Unlocking Potential with the Working Genius Model

Diana Rowan, Diana Rowan Consulting, LLC

What if you could unlock your team’s full potential with a simple, proven framework? What if you could enhance productivity, prevent burnout, and transform the way work gets done? Great leaders don’t...

1:45 PM - 2:00 PM

Afternoon Break

Afternoon break will be held in the Foyer

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM

Economic Outlook

Gus Faucher, Ph.D.

PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.

3:15 PM - 4:30 PM

AI in the Real World: Opportunities and Risks for Today’s Leaders

Moderator: Tyler Cahill, BDO Digital Labs

Panelist: Maggie K. King, SouthBank Legal

Panelist: Jodi L. Havera, CPA, Landscape Forms, Inc.

Panelist: Pat Powers, Ave Maria Press

AI is moving fast—but what matters most for organizations right now? This panel brings together a CFO with real use cases, an IT Director with technology insights, and an attorney with a focus on leg...

4:30 PM - 4:35 PM

Closing and Q&A

Sara Sweers, CPA - Emcee

4:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Reception and Networking

Join us after the event for networking, light appetizers, and drinks.

Good to know

Highlights

9 hours
In person

Refund Policy

Refunds up to 7 days before event

About this event

Business • Startups

Welcome to the 2025 CFO SUMMIT! Join us for a day of networking, learning, and collaboration with top financial executives from around our region. This in-person event will take place on Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at the Four Winds Hotel South Bend. Get ready to gain valuable insights, exchange ideas, and build connections that will help elevate your career and business. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect with industry leaders and take your financial expertise to the next level. See you there!

SESSION INFORMATION

Location: Four Winds Hotel South Bend – Ribbon Town Ballroom

Delivery Method: Group-Live

There will not be a virtual option available

SESSION DESCRIPTION

The CFO Summit provides expert knowledge for finance and accounting executives. Join us for a day to plug in, recharge, and connect with other professionals in your field.

SESSION OBJECTIVES

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Describe and share with your leadership teams current tax issues of relevance to their organizations
Apply knowledge of economic trends and forecasts to help set strategy
More effectively navigate emerging risk and compliance requirements in critical employment/human resources areas
Access effective team-building concepts via an innovative assessment tool for confirming one’s strengths and “working geniuses”
Appreciate practical use cases and risk issues surrounding the use of artificial intelligence for finance/accounting functions.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Chief Financial Officers (CFO)

Vice Presidents of Finance

CPAs in Private Industry
Controllers

CPE INFORMATION

Program Sponsor: Kruggel Lawton CPA

Recommended CPE: 8.1 (3 SK, 1.5 Taxes, 1.2 PHR, 1.2 PD, 1.2 FIN)

Prerequisites: None

Advanced Preparation: None

Program Level: Overview

Refund Policy: You must cancel your registration within 7 days prior to the event to receive a full refund.

For more information regarding refund, complaint and program cancellation policies, please contact our offices at 574.289.4011 or email kl_marketing@klcpas.com.

CPE CERTIFICATES

CPE certificates will be based on sign-in at the conference. CPE Certificates will be issued within three weeks from the conference date and will be sent from kl_marketing@klcpas.com. Please be sure that this email is not blocked by your company firewall.

We ask that all attendees sign-in regardless if you need CPE or not. For safety reasons, it is important that we can account for all our of guests.

In accordance with the standards of the National Registry of CPE Sponsors, credits will be granted based on a 50-minute hour. State boards of accountancy, state bars, and other state regulatory bodies have final authority on the acceptance of courses for continuing education credit. Please check with your state board regarding applicability of this course towards your continuing education requirement.

Organized by

Kruggel Lawton CPAs

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