Fall Conference

Carla McCall

Carla is Managing Partner of AAFCPAs, a preeminent, 350-person CPA and consulting firm based in New England. She is also Chair of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Carla was named one of the Most Powerful Women in the Accounting Profession in 2020-2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 by the AICPA and CPA Practice Advisor Magazine. Her dynamic executive leadership, bold practicality, and enthusiasm to embrace change is setting the standard for mission driven, growth organizations.

Bryan Slone

Bryan E. Slone became president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry in May 2018. 

A Nebraska native, Bryan has lived in several Nebraska communities throughout the state.

As an attorney and accountant, Bryan brings more than three decades of policy and business experience to the State Chamber.  Prior to his arrival at the Chamber, he was a tax attorney with Koley Jessen in Omaha, where he advised business clients on legal matters related to taxation, administrative law, international law, mergers and acquisitions, and government affairs.  

Before Koley Jessen, he was the Nebraska office managing partner for Deloitte, one of the nation's largest professional services firms.  

In the 1990s, Bryan worked in Berlin, Germany, as a tax attorney and co-founding partner for the Wilmer Cutler & Pickering law office located there.  

In the 1980s, Bryan spent much time in Washington, D.C., where he was legal advisor to the IRS commissioner and served as a House Ways and Means Committee staff member under former U.S. Rep. Hal Daub of Nebraska.  In this capacity, he helped shape the 1986 federal tax law.

Bryan was also a candidate for Nebraska governor in 2014.

He holds a law degree from the University of Nebraska College of Law, and a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  

Bryan and his wife Leslie have two adult children, Steve and Lauryn.

The State Chamber has proudly served as the voice of Nebraska's business community since 1912.  With approximately 1,200 members statewide, the Chamber's mission is to protect all aspects of the free enterprise system, while making Nebraska an even better place to do business.

Heath Mello

Jason Ball

Jason is president and CEO of the Five-Star Accredited Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development. As Chamber president, he also oversees the operations of the Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau. Jason is a Certified Economic Developer and a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management and Oklahoma University's Economic Development Institute. He is an active member of the International Economic Development Council, the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the U.S. Chamber's Committee of 100 and serves on the board of the U.S.
Chamber Midwest Institute for Organization Management. He was also selected as one of Development Counsellors International "40 Under 40 Rising Starts in Economic Development. Prior to his current role with the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, Jason served as the president & CEO of the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce, the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce. He also served as the director of business development for the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce for five years. Jason also has professional experience in chemistry, technology transfer and business plan development. A Nebraska native, Jason was raised in Sidney, Nebraska and earned his undergraduate degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University and an MBA from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

Jeremy Wortman

 

Jeremy Wortman, HRD Initiatives

With a strong passion for and a commitment to the positive development of individuals and organizations, Jeremy Wortman is the Owner of HRD Initiatives, specializing in leadership development, organizational development, and talent management solutions. In this capacity, he works with client partners' executive teams in determining talent management strategies, building leadership talent, implementing solutions, and coaching individual leaders.

Wortman has more than twenty years of experience in organization and leadership development with a significant amount of his time, early in his career, at TD Ameritrade, where he was the Director of Organizational Effectiveness. There, he was responsible for enterprise-wide talent management initiatives. He partnered with senior executives to determine business unit and department-level talent management strategies and solutions that drove their performance goals. He was also responsible for building their leadership development programs. He has extensive knowledge of organizational psychology and has had great success in developing strategies and programs that make better individuals and organizations using a strengths-based approach.

Chuck Gallagher

Chuck Gallagher, Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), is a recognized authority in the speaking world, and an esteemed voice in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI). But he's not your average tech guru. With a knack for making complex subjects approachable, Gallagher brings a refreshing blend of insight and humor to his talks, making the future of AI not only understandable, but also exciting.
Whether he's unpacking the ins and outs of AI for business leaders or exploring the ethics of automated systems, Gallagher keeps his audiences hooked with his dynamic style and engaging anecdotes. Drawing from his rich background in business and ethical leadership, he brings a practical perspective that helps audiences connect the dots between technology and their daily lives.
So, if you're ready to delve into the world of AI with a speaker who keeps things lively and enlightening, Chuck Gallagher is your go-to expert. Buckle up and enjoy the ride!

 

Matthew Ottemann

Matthew Ottemann is a shareholder with the law firm of McGrath North Mullin & Kratz, PC LLO who specializes in taxation, including state and local taxation, tax disputes and appeals, business tax incentives, estate planning, site selection and planning, and corporate business law.  Matt has successfully represented clients of all sizes in income, withholding, and sales tax assessments and claims before the Internal Revenue Service and Nebraska Department of Revenue.  In addition, Matt advises clients regarding the organization and incorporation of business entities, the design of tax-efficient business transactions and estate planning.  Matt has an extensive background in state tax incentives, including the Nebraska Advantage Act and Iowa's incentive programs, and has advised clients of all sizes with their tax incentive applications and claims.  Matt is an Adjunct Professor teaching Estate Planning at the Creighton University School of Business and was formerly an Adjunct Professor at the Creighton University School of Law.  Matt received an LLM in Taxation, magna cum laude and valedictorian, from University of Alabama School of Law; a JD, summa cum laude, from the Creighton University School of Law; and a BSBA in accounting and finance, summa cum laude, from Creighton University. 

Jon Grob

 

Bill Busch

James Kamm

Jim Kamm became Nebraska's Tax Commissioner on Sept. 5, 2023, after being appointed by Gov. Jim Pillen. Prior to this appointment, Kamm was with the University of Nebraska at Omaha where he most recently served as UNO's Assistant Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance. Before that, Kamm held leadership roles at several Nebraska-based financial institutions. He received a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a Master of Business Administration from UNO.

Sandy Peters

Sandy Peters, CFA, is head of financial reporting policy and serves as spokesperson for CFA Institute to key financial reporting standard setters including the IASB, FASB, and the US Securities and Exchange Commission. She holds the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation.

Janice Mullen

 

Daniel McDowell

Dan McDowell focuses his practice on general business and corporate matters and also assists his clients with corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, and reorganizations. His background in general practice law gives him the flexibility to address a wide range of client concerns.