26th Annual Fall Conference
16.00 Credits
Member Price $469.00
Price will increase by $35 after 10/4
Non-Member Price $529.00
Price will increase by $35 after 10/4
Overview
Please see agenda tab for our awesome lineup!
Designed For
All practitioners
Notice
Conference materials will be available electronically in the "My CPE" section of the NESCPA website two days prior to the conference.
Lodging
Sponsorship Opportunity
Increase your organization’s exposure, heighten your brand recognition, and drive sales by claiming your sponsorship or exhibit space at this Nebraska Society of CPAs conference. Visit "Sponsor an Event" for details and to help your corporate message effectively reach Nebraska CPAs.
Exhibitors
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Wednesday, November 4
General Session
- Welcome from the Committee Chairman
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- Legal & Regulatory Watch: Insights from Nebraska's Attorney General's Office - Mike Hilgers, Nebraska Attorney General
Mike Hilgers, Nebraska Attorney General (Lincoln, 68508)Mike Hilgers
Stay informed on the legal and regulatory issues shaping Nebraska’s business environment. Attorney General Mike Hilgers will share insights on emerging legal developments, regulatory priorities, and key issues Nebraska businesses and professionals should be watching in the year ahead.
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- What's Changed, What's Coming, What Matters: A Practical Tax Update - Matt Ottemann & Jon Grob, McGrath North
Matthew Ottemann, McGrath North (Omaha, 68102)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
Jon is a shareholder with the law firm of McGrath North Mullin & Kratz PC LLO in Omaha. Jon serves as Chair of the firm's Tax and Estate Planning Practice Group and serves on the firm's Board of Directors. Jon represents a diverse client base of large corporations, small businesses, corporate fiduciaries, entrepreneurs, charitable institutions, farmers and ranchers, and families. His practice focuses on federal and state tax planning and advocacy, business succession, estate planning, charitable giving, probate and trust administration, business entity formations, governance and reorganizations, structuring and implementing executive compensation arrangements and employee benefits. In addition, Jon regularly assists clients with aircraft purchases and sales, along with aircraft leasing arrangements Jon is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and holds an LLM in Taxation from New York University, a JD, with high distinction, from the University of Nebraska College of Law, and a BSBA., in Accounting and Finance, cum laude, from the University of Colorado, Denver.
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- Beyond the Numbers: Mastering the Art of Business Negotiation - Bryan Slone, Koley Jessen, PC, LLO
Bryan Slone, Koley Jessen, PC, LLO (Omaha, 68124)Bryan Slone
Bryan is currently engaged in a legal practice with Koley Jessen and has served for over four decades as an accountant or lawyer in advising businesses, not-for-profits, and government. His practice includes matters involving corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, risk management, tax dispute resolution, and public policy. He has previously served as President of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Managing Partner of Deloitte's Nebraska Practice, University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business Executive in Residence, and Assistant to the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service. Bryan is a frequent speaker at accounting and legal continuing education events.
“Beyond the Numbers: Mastering the Art of Business Negotiation” explores the critical non-valuation factors that often determine whether complex business negotiations succeed or fail. Drawing on Bryan Slone’s experience in law, accounting, private practice, and government, the presentation will examine how preparation, communication, competing leverage, governance, deal dynamics, and the question of “trust” shape negotiation outcomes. Attendees will gain practical insights into representing public and privately-owned businesses more effectively in transactional and strategic negotiations. The session will offer best practices for moving beyond financial metrics to achieve durable, value-enhancing results, as well as discussing the ethical obligations of accountants and attorneys in negotiations.
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- The Future of the CPA Profession: A National Perspective - Dan Dustin, NASBA
Daniel Dustin, NASBA (Nashville, 37219)Daniel Dustin
Daniel J. Dustin, CPA, is the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), a forum for the nation's 55 U.S. Boards of Accountancy that administer the Uniform CPA Examination and regulate the practice of public accountancy in the U.S. As president and CEO, Dustin leads the association's Nashville, Tennessee headquarters as well as an office in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He also serves as CEO of NASBA's ethics arm, the NASBA Center for the Public Trust (CPT).
Dustin joined NASBA on January 1, 2012, as vice president, state board relations. In this role, he served as an advocate for State Boards of Accountancy and identified new opportunities to provide support and services to NASBA's member boards as an extension of the Association's mission. Dustin has also served as a voice on key issues impacting the administration of the Uniform CPA Examination and the progression of the CPA pipeline. His participation on the joint NASBA-AICPA CPA Evolution initiative resulted in changes to the CPA licensure model, which recognizes the rapidly changing skills and competencies the practice of accounting requires today and will require in the future. As a member of the National Pipeline Advisory Group, established by the AICPA (NPAG), Dustin has worked to explore hurdles to earning a CPA license and ways to strengthen the accounting pipeline. He is also actively involved with NASBA's Professional Licensure Task Force, which is charged with considering new concepts for CPA licensure that may be included in the Uniform Accountancy Act to update the current licensure model.
Prior to joining NASBA, Dustin served as executive secretary of the New York State Board for Public Accountancy, an appointment that was made in 1998 by the New York State Board of Regents. As executive secretary, Dustin was responsible for professional licensing, practice and conduct, including professional discipline of Certified Public Accountants and Public Accountants in New York. A key point person in the regulatory process, Dustin monitored the evolution of professional practice at national and state levels and developed and drafted proposed legislation and amendments to New York State accountancy rules and regulations.
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- Luncheon and Annual Business Meeting
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- The ROI of Vulnerability: Mental Health Literacy for CPAs - Adam Nemer
Adam Nemer, Simple Mental Health (Atlanta, 30326)Adam Nemer
Adam Nemer is an author, a former CFO at Kaiser Permanente, and founder of Simple Mental Health.
For nearly 20 years, he led at KP while silently struggling with severe, yet undiagnosed depression and anxiety. His life—and leadership—changed when a compassionate colleague encouraged him to seek help, showing the profound impact leaders can have on their teams' well-being.
Today, Adam works with organizations across the Americas and Europe, spreading mental health literacy and helping build cultures where both people and performance thrive.
Pressure, long hours, client demands, staffing challenges, and seasonal deadlines have long shaped the accounting profession. As burnout, anxiety, and changing workplace expectations continue to affect firms and finance teams, CPAs and accounting leaders need practical tools to support both people and performance.
For nearly 20 years, Adam Nemer led as a CFO and senior operations executive at Kaiser Permanente while silently struggling with severe, yet undiagnosed depression and anxiety. In this session, Adam connects that personal story to practical leadership behaviors CPAs and accounting leaders can use to normalize mental health, recognize when colleagues may be struggling, engage in supportive conversations, and guide people toward appropriate help.
Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of why mental health literacy belongs in their professional toolboxes — and how cultures of wellbeing and psychological safety can improve focus, retention, trust, client service, and performance. They will also leave with a practical first step they can take to begin building mental health literacy in themselves, their teams, and their organizations.
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- The Ethical Leader - Chuck Gallagher, CSP
Chuck GallagherChuck 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!
Ethics in the workplace is a serious matter, but talking about it doesn’t have to be “business as usual.” Chuck Gallagher learned a lesson about choices and consequences the hard way—but now he shares his experience so that others don’t have to. In his compelling presentations, Chuck starts by setting the scene with his own story… and ends by setting the stage for your organization’s ethical success.
Through his unique perspective, your people will gain:
- The desire to make ethical choices for themselves and for your company
- An understanding of what motivates human behavior both positively and negatively
- What to look for in detecting unethical behavior and how to keep people between the straight and narrow
- A deeper understanding of choices and consequences
- The ability to turn ethical concepts into actions, and actions into results
This session is available to registrants only.
Thursday, November 5
General Session
- Welcome to the 2nd day
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- Nebraska's Future: How State Tax Policy Shapes Business & Opportunity - Jared Walczak, Platte Institute
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- Powering Nebraska's Future: Meeting the Energy Needs of a Growing State - Timothy McAreavey, OPPD
Timothy McAreavey, OPPD Omaha Public Power District (Omaha, 68106)Timothy McAreavey
Tim McAreavey is Vice President of External Relations and Chief Customer and Public Engagement Officer at OPPD, a role he assumed in 2022 after joining the organization in 2016. He leads customer sales and service, energy product development, marketing, customer experience and operations, corporate branding, communications, community outreach, economic development, and legislative affairs. Previously, Tim directed OPPD's supply chain management functions. Before OPPD, he spent 13 years at Cabela's in leadership roles spanning marketing transformation, strategic planning, and logistics, and began his career at UPS. Tim holds a bachelor's degree in marketing from Regis University and is a graduate of Leadership Omaha.
Nebraska’s energy needs are changing rapidly as the state experiences new business development, population shifts, and growing demand from data centers and other major energy users. This session will explore what Nebraska’s energy landscape could look like over the next 5–10 years, including the opportunities and challenges that come with growth. Learn how Nebraska is preparing to meet increasing demand, the role energy plays in economic development, and how natural gas, nuclear, wind, solar, storage, and other resources may shape the state’s future energy mix.
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- Leveraging Nebraska's Economic Development Incentives - Panel - Heath Mello, Omaha Chamber, Jason Ball, Lincoln Chamber, and Jim Greisch
Heath MelloHeath Mello
Heath Mello, a former state senator and higher education executive, began his role as the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce President & CEO in August 2023.
As President & CEO, Mello is responsible for the overall day-to-day management of the Greater Omaha Chamber, with a focus on economic development, public policy, workforce and community partnerships across an eight-county service region.
Mello currently serves as a gubernatorial appointee to the Nebraska Highway Commission and also serves as a member of the U.S. Strategic Command Consultation Committee and the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition Nebraska Advisory Committee. Mello also serves on numerous boards including the Business Ethics Alliance and Aksarben Foundation Board of Councilors.
For eight years, Mello served as a Nebraska State Senator representing South Omaha and spent four years as chairman of the Nebraska Legislature's Appropriations Committee. While in the Legislature, Mello also served on the Nebraska Retirement Systems Committee, the Legislature's Planning Committee, and a number of select committees and task forces.
Prior to his time at the Greater Omaha Chamber, Mello previously served as the University of Nebraska System Vice President for External Relations, a nonprofit executive, and in various community affairs roles with Metropolitan Community College in Omaha.
An Omaha native, Mello earned his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Jason Ball
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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 & amp; 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.
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- Unasked Questions, Unmet Needs: Strengthening Client Relationships - Melissa Toledo, RSM
Melissa Toledo, RSM US LLP (Phoenix, 85016)Melissa Toledo
Melissa Toledo is a Managing Director with RSM US LLP and leader of the firm's Client Insights & Enablement team. She leads a multidisciplinary organization responsible for client experience measurement, client and market intelligence, research, analytics, and enablement initiatives that help the firm better understand clients and accelerate growth.
A member of RSM's Client Experience Leadership Council, Melissa is passionate about creating clarity from complexity and helping leaders turn insights into action that improves client outcomes. Over her career at RSM, she has served in leadership roles across strategy, operations, marketing, client experience and insights, helping shape many of the firm's client listening, client advocacy and relationship development initiatives.
Before joining RSM, Melissa worked in strategy consulting and planning roles with organizations including Frank Lynn & Associates and Monsanto Company, serving clients across multiple industries and markets.
Melissa holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.
What if your next growth opportunity is hiding in a question you haven't asked? Join us for a practical introduction to client feedback for CPAs. Learn how to gather meaningful input, recognize unmet needs, and strengthen trust and your impact by turning feedback into action. We'll also explore how AI can help uncover deeper insights and spark better client conversations.
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- AI You Can Use Today: Practical Applications for Accountants - Janny Mullen, Eide Bailly
Janice Mullen, Eide Bailly (Omaha, 68154)Janice Mullen
Janny Mullen is currently the Office Administrator for Eide Bailly's Omaha office. Having worked in both Eide Bailly's tax and audit practices, she now focuses in firm operations, process improvement, and workplace technology. As a frequent attendant of CPE's spotlighting AI, she quickly became frustrated by the lack of practical examples, and set out on a course to outline quick and effective ways accounting professionals can work more efficiently, communicate more effectively, and create capacity for higher-value client service.
Artificial intelligence is transforming the workplace, but many accounting professionals are still looking for practical ways to apply it in their daily work. In this session, we'll explore real-world examples of how Microsoft Copilot can be used to streamline routine tasks, improve communication, enhance productivity, and create more time for meaningful client service. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas they can begin using immediately.
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- Leveraging AI Without Risking the Business: A CPA’s Guide to Security, Privacy, and Trust - Russell Vaughn, Ascend Technologies
Russell Vaughn, Ascend Technology Group (Omaha, 68164)Russell Vaughn
Russell Vaughn is a seasoned technology leader and cybersecurity professional, specializing in delivering IT and cybersecurity solutions and support to small and mid-sized businesses. As a Partner at Ascend Technology Group, Russell has been instrumental in establishing the company as a trusted provider of industry-leading technology services. His expertise lies in managing and mitigating cybersecurity risks, ensuring that his clients are well-protected against evolving digital threats.
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Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday business—from drafting emails and analyzing documents to recording meetings, accessing company data, and completing multi-step tasks. These capabilities can create meaningful productivity gains, but they also introduce new cybersecurity, privacy, and professional-responsibility risks.
This session will explain those risks in practical, nontechnical terms, including prompt-injection attacks, excessive access to company data, autonomous AI agents, meeting assistants, deepfake fraud, and confidently inaccurate AI-generated information. Rather than recommending that organizations prohibit AI, the session will focus on building understanding of risks and how organizations can create a safe, approved path for employees to embrace it.
This session is available to registrants only.
General Session
- Attitude Over Everything: Leading What's Next - Aaron Davis, Author, Speaker, Cancer Survivor
Aaron Davis, Aaron Davis Presentations (Lincoln, 68516)Aaron Davis
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Aaron Davis has inspired over a million people with his powerful message on performing like a champion because he's lived it.
A leading authority on the power of a Champion Attitude, Aaron's wisdom is rooted in real-life experience.
From mopping floors alongside his father at age eight, he learned a lesson that shaped his life: It's not what you do, it's how you do it.
That belief fueled his journey from humble beginnings to becoming a member of the 1994 National Championship Nebraska Football Team.
A business owner, former corporate professional, and cancer survivor, Aaron knows what it means to fight, persevere, and win in sports, business, and life.
He is also the creator of the AOE: Attitude Over Everything formula, a practical approach to mindset that's transforming audiences nationwide.
Aaron has worked with leading organizations such as The PGA of America, Walmart, Farm Bureau, ConAgra, USC, Penn State, Notre Dame and John Deere, Cargil and helping individuals and teams see how attitude drives results.
When he's not on stage inspiring others around the nation, Aaron co-hosts a weekday morning Sports talk radio show!
A proud University of Nebraska graduate, Aaron and his wife, Brooke, live in Nebraska and are the proud parents of three adult children.
The accounting profession is changing faster than ever. Technology, AI, talent shortages, evolving client expectations, and increasing demands require more than technical expertise, they require the right attitude.
In this high-energy, practical session, former national champion and leadership expert Aaron Davis shares his proven AOE (Attitude Over Everything) framework to help leaders prepare for change, adapt with confidence, and create cultures where people choose excellence every day.
Attendees will discover how to:
- Lead through uncertainty without losing momentum
- Build a culture of ownership, resilience, and accountability
- Strengthen engagement and retain top talent
- Respond to challenges instead of reacting to them
- Leave with practical strategies they can implement immediately with their teams
Because organizations rarely outperform the attitude of the people leading them.
This session is available to registrants only.
- Elizabeth Adams - Yahoo Inc (Omaha)
- Lori Applegate - Lincoln Surgical Hospital (Lincoln)
- Alan Ashcraft
- Rachel Brenden - Duncan Aviation, Hanger I (Lincoln)
- Patrick Brusnahan - Sweet & Associates Inc. (Omaha)
- Laurie Ann Buhlke - Contryman Associates PC (Grand Island)
- Daniel Charron - Contryman Associates, PC (Scottsbluff)
- Perry Demma - Perry L. Demma, CPA (Lincoln)
- Jeremy Eddie - Omaha Zoological Society (Omaha)
- Anne Fuhrman - HBE LLP (Omaha)
- Michael Gorka - Michael Gorka, CPA (Lincoln)
- James Greisch
- Kevin Harford - University of Nebraska System (Lincoln)
- Kayla James - University of Nebraska System (Lincoln)
- James Jehorek - Nebraska Department of Revenue (Lincoln)
- Travis Johnson - Timpte, Inc. (David City)
- Kevin Karas
- Azalia Khousnoutdinova - Highway Signing LLC (Council Bluffs)
- Brian Klintworth - HBE LLP (Lincoln)
- Benjamin Kruger - UNICO Group Inc. (Lincoln)
- Kenneth Long
- Neal Lyons - UNICO Group Inc. (Lincoln)
- Mark Manning - Manning & Associates PC (Crete)
- Andrew Marsh
- Michael Massman - Massman Nelson Reinig, PC (Omaha)
- Robin Matthes - Lamp Rynearson, Inc. (Omaha)
- George Nelson - Massman Nelson Reinig, PC (Omaha)
- Brooke Pauley - Horsepower Today (Omaha)
- Karen Peppmuller - Lincoln Industries (Lincoln)
- Mariah Phillips - Chief Industries Inc. (Grand Island)
- Jill Rathke - Midwest Bank (Norfolk)
- Jason Reineke - Shaw, Hull & Navarrette, PC (Fremont)
- Noah Rieber
- Todd Rogge - HUB International Great Plains (Omaha)
- Paul Schlorholtz - Duncan Aviation, Hanger I (Lincoln)
- Linda Scholting - Doane University (Crete)
- Edward Schroeder - Edward W. Schroeder, CPA, Inc. (Blair)
- John Schulz - John E. Schulz CPA, LLC (Omaha)
- Leonard Sommer - Hancock & Dana PC (Omaha)
- Annette Swartz - Shaw, Hull & Navarrette, PC (Fremont)
- Christopher Wassenaar - DeBoer & Associates, PC (Omaha)
- Daniel Wells - Hancock & Dana PC (Omaha)
- Susan Wiggins - Susan Wiggins, CPA, LLC (Bellevue)
Non-Member Price $529.00
Member Price $469.00