Back by popular demand, Aaron Harris, CTO of Sage, returns to share fresh insights on the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence in accounting. 

He discusses key trends and the biggest AI shifts impacting the accounting profession in 2025 and beyond.

Part 1: The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is a critical requirement for contractors working with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). With cyber threats escalating and regulatory expectations tightening, organizations across the government contracting (GovCon) space must prepare to demonstrate their security posture through CMMC readiness and certification. This session provides participants with a comprehensive overview of CMMC, including its purpose, structure, and role in protecting controlled unclassified information (CUI). Attendees will gain insights into the certification levels, audit expectations, and the practical steps needed to achieve compliance. Through real-world examples and practical guidance, participants will leave with a clear understanding of what is required to position their organizations for success in the CMMC journey.

Part 2: The role of today’s government contractor CFO is anything but restful. From navigating agency budget reductions and delayed or canceled contract awards to enduring the scrutiny of DCAA and DCMA audits, the challenges are relentless. Compliance has become the cornerstone of the CFO’s reality—but while the stakes are high, the path doesn’t have to be grueling. With the right strategies and mindset, living in a compliant world can be both manageable and empowering.

Unethical behavior can ruin professional careers, and could result in fines, penalties, or even a loss of licensure. This course focuses on the risks faced by those that work in either public accounting or industry. 

A panel of expert actuaries, legal counsel and consultants will convene to help learners understand the root causes of rising insurance costs and fiduciary liability and develop strategies to manage and mitigate risks effectively. Through interactive discussion and real-world examples, we will analyze and understand the effect of current trends in risk management and develop strategies to decrease organizational risk. We will review new laws and regulations that apply to retirement and best practice in financial wellness. We will explore innovative approaches to managing risk, including the use of technology and data analytics.

Part 1: Economic Update:

Tim Quinlan, Senior Economist at Wells Fargo Securities, will provide a one hour economic update. Tim will discuss historic and present economic conditions both globally and domestically. He will also discuss the current and expected rate environment as it relates to the Federal Reserve of both the US and other markets.  

Part 2: Let’s Get Digital: Banking Automation with APIs and Embedded Finance:

As technology and automation options continue to advance, how we do our work is changing. We’ll talk about solutions – APIs, ERP integration, embedded finance – and other elements of the paper-to-electronic transformation. 

This session provides a lively discussion among a panel of well established, financial executives who have been highly successful at the Chief Financial Officer level. The panel will share their thoughts, techniques, behaviors, training etc. that have enabled them to advance in their careers and serve as effective leaders for their organizations.