TVPPA Accounting & Finance Conference

Accounting & Finance Conference
Oct. 20-22, 2010 Register online with TVPPA Make your hotel reservations: Embassy Suites Hotel 1200 Conference Center Drive Murfreesboro, TN 37129 615.890.4464 TVPPA room rate: $135 single/double ends Sept. 29. Use the link above or call 615.890.4464 and use TVPPA online group/convention code "AFC" to make hotel reservations. IMPORTANT: The hotel will hold the TVPPA room block until Wednesday, Sept. 29. Early reservations are encouraged, since the room block could sell out prior to Sept. 29. Reservation requests received after Sept. 29 will be confirmed on a rate- and space-available basis. CUA certificates will be presented at this Accounting & Finance Conference. If you have completed this program and would like to receive your certificate at this conference, please contact the E&T department at training@tvppa.com. Certificates not presented at conferences will be sent by mail.		Conference Sponsorship Information Packet WHY ATTEND A TVPPA CONFERENCE?
*Certified Utility Accountant (CUA)* Want to enhance your conference experience? Why not consider taking advantage of one of the professional training and certificate programs that TVPPA offers. The Certified Utility Accountant (CUA) program is designed to provide public utility accounting staff who are new to accounting or who have a non-accounting background with the knowledge and resources necessary to effectively and efficiently perform their jobs in the unique utility industry. The CUA program consists of a core curriculum of four accounting courses which range from basic to advanced level classes and three non-accounting classes that cover topics ranging from the basics of electricity to customer service skills for utility employees. In addition to the core classes, 4.2 elective credits are required for completion of the CUA. For details, contact John Cooke at 423.756.6511, jcooke@tvppa.com or see our training information.
Wednesday, Oct. 20
5:30 – 6:30 p.m.	Welcome Reception in Vendor Exhibit area Network with fellow attendees and make dinner plans.
Thursday, Oct. 21
7:30 a.m.	Registration Desk Open Coffee and soft drinks available in Vendor Exhibit area (Embassy Suites guests receive a complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast)
8:30 a.m.	FIRST GENERAL SESSION *Thriving in an Environment of Change* 1.0 Regardless of your age or personal achievements, the best is yet to come! You can (and should) change your catalyst to a better you and a better life! Trainer, author and speaker Dr. Fred Broder will provide insights, strategies and techniques on how to improve your personal and professional level of success and happiness – even in an environment of dramatic, sometimes traumatic, change. *TVA Changes in Rates & Billing* 1.0 Effective April 1, TVA will implement a new wholesale rate structure that will include seasonal and time-of-use price variations. This replaces an end-use wholesale rate structure that has been used for the past 18 years. Mike Hynes, TVA vice president for Rates & Regulatory matters, will provide the reasons for this change and the differences power distributors can expect. TVPPA’s Rates & Contracts Committee has been working closely with TVA for three years on the details.
10:10 a.m.	*Refreshment Break* *RATES: Distributor Decisions, Impacts* 1.0 Prior to the April 1 rate change implementation, TVPPA-member utilities have some choices to make. Examples include retail rates, large (B, C and D) customers, meter reading dates, true-ups, and more. Power distributors may also make no decision and accept TVA’s default decisions. One size rarely fits all and the defaults may not be optimal for every power distributor, when considering factors like size, location, customer mix and density, weather, load factor and inherent differences between a muni and co-op. Jim Sheffield, TVPPA pricing manager, will lead us through the maze of decisions to consider and potential impacts.
11:20 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.	Lunch (on your own)
1:00 p.m.	SECOND GENERAL SESSION *Retail Parallel Billing Issues & Preparation* 1.0 From the retail perspective, parallel billing should not be a difficult task, according to Jimmy Weatherington, principal in JW Electric Utility Consulting. He should know, having 32 years of experience with TVA in rates and power supply. The presenter will demonstrate how each local power distributor currently has all the information necessary to determine how much monthly revenue will be collected from the new retail rates. He’ll take an example, break it down, and answer your questions. *Business Ethics for Accountants* 1.0 Two areas of business with great potential for ethics violations are purchasing and accounting. Is it OK to give a local vendor preference over an out-of-town vendor’s lower bid? What about using a vendor that employs the relative of a utility employee? Do political officials ever exert pressure or request favors that “cross the line”? Dr. Kimball Bullington, associate professor in Middle Tennessee State University’s School of Business, will lead two one-hour sessions on business ethics.
2:40 p.m.	*Refreshment Break* *Business Ethics for Accountants* (continued) 1.0 *Collections & Bad Debt: Is Pre-pay the Solution?* 1.0 DHow does a utility set up a pre-pay program? Will customers participate? Does it reduce bad debt? Two TVPPA-member utilities with a year or more of pre-pay experience will share results and lessons learned. Session leaders are Dan Rodamaker, left, president & CEO of Gibson Electric Membership Corporation (EMC), Trenton, TN, and Glenn Hale, right, director of Finance & Administration, Tri-County EMC, Lafayette, TN. What you learn from this session alone could be worth the entire cost of attending.
4:45 - 5:45 p.m.	*Reception*
Friday, Oct. 22
	Coffee & soft drinks available in Vendor Exhibit area Embassy registered guests receive a complimentary breakfast
8:00 a.m.	THIRD GENERAL SESSION *Forecasting, Tracking Cash Flow* Power distributors will want to keep closer tabs on cash flow and maintain a larger cushion in the future. Previously there was a tight match-up between power costs and revenue collected. Beginning April 1, however, the variations between wholesale power costs and retail revenues could be significant. Cindy Herron, general manager of TVA Customer Support Services, will explore accounting issues raised by this “de-coupling” of wholesale and retail rates and techniques that might be used to manage large variations when they occur. She is a CPA, a former TVA field accountant and previously general manager of TVA Contracts & Pricing. *The OIG Audit: What You Need to Know* 1.0 About two years ago TVA’s Office of Inspector General began performing power distributor contract compliance reviews. Since the OIG is able to perform only a few of these reviews each year, you may not be aware of this program and the reasons for it. Jill Matthews, TVA deputy assistant inspector general for Audits & Support, will cover why these audits are being done, profile the Distributor Audits group performing the reviews, and provide an outline of both the audit process and reporting process. She will also discuss things a power distributor can look for now to improve compliance with the power contract.
9:40 a.m.	*Refreshment Break* *Protecting Utility Customer Info from Thieves* 1.0 Identity theft continues to be a pervasive problem in our country. This session will examine strategies for protecting information that, if misused, would be detrimental to customers and ultimately the utility. Tish Erdmann of Company Compass will update us on the Federal Trade Commission’s “Red Flags” regulations and suggested strategies for compliance. Included will be actual case studies and group discussion. She’ll also share common problems found at utilities in the region. *Closing Presentation* Presenter to be determined
11:50 a.m.	*Adjourn* TOTAL CPE HRS: 11.0 *Continuing Education Credit* TVPPA is a member of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), Tennessee state roster, as a sponsor of continuing professional education. The course level of this conference is an overview of various accounting-related topics. No prerequisites or advance preparation is required. The instructional method is group-live. CPAs attending may earn 11 CPEs at the conference – 7 in Accounting/Auditing, 2 in Ethics, and 2 other (non-technical). A certificate of attendance will be available prior to conference adjournment. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be addressed to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors, 150 Fourth Avenue North, Suite 700, Nashville, TN 37219. The NASBA phone number is 615.880.4200. Their web site is www.nasba.org.