Tuesday, July 18, 2017 - Day One

Optional Speed Networking

Attending a conference with 100+ of your closest peers is a tremendous networking opportunity, so how do you make the most of it? Speed networking is a great way to quickly (just 6 minutes) and efficiently get to know your peers. FOX staff will be on hand to make this a warm welcome to the 2017 FOX Financial Executives Forum.

Welcome

Presenter: Alexandre Monnier, President, Family Office Exchange

Blockchain and Beyond: The Imminent Impact of Distributed Ledger Technology on the Family Office

Presenter: Carlos Arena, Director of Business Development, R3

Blockchain may be the name of the biggest, most imminent upheaval in the way we function since the advent of the World Wide Web in 1990. What is Blockchain, and what does it mean for your office? In this session, our guest technology expert, Carlos Arena of R3, will lead a discussion on blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) and the changes he sees on the horizon for family offices. His company, R3, is an innovation firm working to deliver advanced DLT to the global financial markets and leads a consortium partnership with over 80 of the world’s most prominent financial institutions and regulators. In this forward-thinking discussion, Carlos will provide an overview of what the technology is, as well as what he sees as practical applications of the technology for family office executives.

Join this session to learn:

• How DLT will help streamline custodial expenses.
• Why a private distributed ledger is more appropriate than its public counterpart, including the pros and cons of each.
• Which office operations will be directly impacted by DLT and the tangible ways the industry, and your office, will benefit.

Luncheon and Technology Demonstrations: Solution Introductions

FOX has once again invited multiple technology service providers to highlight their product features with emphasis on how their technology can solve unique challenges inherent in the family office. Each provider will present a brief overview of their technology with emphasis on the solutions their technology provides preceding an actual demonstration of the software.

Technology Demonstrations

Choose among multiple technology solution providers for 3 different showcase sessions. Technology providers will demonstrate the features and benefits of their technology with emphasis on how their products uniquely serve the needs of the family office.
Sessions are at 1:15, 1:50, and 2:25 pm.

• Complex Interests
• Dynamo Software
• ETON Solutions
• FundCount
• Intacct
• iPaladin
• Private Client Resources
• SEI Archway
• Solovis
• SS&C | GlobeOp
• Trusted Family

Executive Dialogues

• Small Family Offices (1-6 employees)
• Medium Family Offices (7-14 employees)
• Large Family Offices (15+ employees)
• Multi-Family Office, Thought Leaders, and Wealth Advisor Councils
• Technology Demonstration Providers

Network Dialogue Meetings

In this annual meeting of the FOX Technology Operations and Data Security (TODS) and Human Capital (HCAP) Networks, gather face-to-face with your peers and engage in open roundtable discussions around topics of most concern to the family office community. Collect and share ideas and solutions to help you and your peers manage the critical issues in the year ahead.

• FOX Technology Operations and Data Security (TODS)
• FOX Human Capital Network (HCAP)

Wednesday, July 19, 2017 - Day Two

Tax and Estate Update

Presenters:
Jeff Saccacio, Tax Partner, Personal Financial Services, PwC
Tom Abendroth, Partner, Practice Group Leader, Private Clients, Trusts & Estates, Schiff Hardin LLP

In what is frequently our most popular Forum session, experts will share the latest income tax and transfer tax developments that family office executives need to watch for in 2017 and beyond.  Our speakers will comment on the possible significant tax law changes on the horizon, including any specific tax bills that are proposed by the time of the session.  Recent judicial decisions and regulatory developments also will be discussed.

The Journey of the Family Office: A Formulated Approach to Modernizing Business Processes

Presenters:
Robin Munro, CFO and Treasurer, Briar Hall LLC
Susan Cotts, Managing Partner, C/D/H
Mary Timmons, COO, Global Family and Private Investment Office, Northern Trust

Briar Hall, a longtime FOX single family office member, has embarked on a journey to review business processes for all critical functions within the office. All Briar Hall offices start with a carefully formulated approach to each function, but things change - employees change, family member needs change, and soon the process either doesn't look like it did originally or the process itself has changed or needs to change.

Briar Hall has partnered with Sue Cotts from C/D/H to address information technology architecture in addition to business process review and with Mary Timmons from Northern Trust to review all transactions between Briar Hall and Northern Trust and address any inefficiency or missed opportunity. Together, Robin, Sue, and Mary will describe what started the journey, how they are proceeding, and what they have found thus far.

State of the Art for D&O and E&O Insurance: Protecting the Family Office from Itself

Presenters:
Seth Spreadbury, National Family Office Practice Leader, Marsh & McLennan Agency
Lonny Agulnick, Senior Vice President, AIG

Management liability insurance such as Errors and Omissions Insurance (E&O) and Directors and Officers Liability Insurance (D&O) can help family owned businesses and senior leaders deflect many of the risks to which managers and fiduciaries are exposed. The risk scenarios are wide-ranging and in this session we’ll explore:

• Why a family office should consider this type of policy and true horror stories from peers that did not
• How to obtain coverage and navigate an application
• Policy considerations - who is insured, what are they insured for, and what aren’t they insured for?
• Benchmarking amongst family office peers
• Additional insurance and other policies to consider

Family Office Business Process and Internal Control

Presenters:
Xandra Burnette, Chief Operating Officer, Signature Family Wealth Advisors
Mike Miller, CFO and Family Office Director, Petty Group, LLP

One of the mandates for the financial executive is to ensure effective accounting controls and efficient processes. This session brings to life how two offices moved forward in addressing risk and growth issues that required a review of internal controls and business processes. Join this session to hear the approach, process, outcomes, and changes implemented in a family office and a multi-family office.  

You’ll learn:

• Processes used to review internal workflows and operations
• Steps taken to communicate with owners, management and team members
• Approaches to align roles and job responsibilities
• Insights on technology to support processes and the correct use of systems
• The use and role of outside advisors to facilitate change
• Lessons learned in shifting to new processes within the office

Lessons Learned in Moving to the Cloud

Presenter: Sarah Overman, Chief Financial Officer, Endurance Capital Management LLC

There is a lot of talk of moving to the cloud, but most FOX members have yet to make the leap. Sarah transitioned her office to the cloud last year and will share her experience, from finding the right solution, to the impact of this change on staff time and productivity to the cost of making the change.

Matters of Security: A Family Case Study

Presenter: John Lugiano, President, MPS, LLC

In today’s ever-connected world, security threats continue to evolve while the sources of threats remain elusive and sophisticated. In this session, our security expert, John Lugiano, will share designs on systems and processes he has successfully implemented to analyze and mitigate personal, physical, and cyber-related security threats. Throughout the conversation he’ll also share the latest updates on the security front, top issues the families should be concerned about, and the latest best-practices and security technology.

Philanthropic Trends, Strategies and the Family Office – Maximizing Impact Through the Combination of Charitable Giving Vehicles

Presenters:
Kim Laughton, President, Schwab Charitable
Cathy Molnar, Executive Director, CHS Management LLC

Wealth levels continue to rise, yet overall charitable giving has remained stagnant over the past forty years. What is on the horizon for philanthropy? How can families most effectively have an impact on society now and in the future? Kim Laughton, President of Schwab Charitable will share current giving trends including the tax benefits, new ideas in asset contributions, and opportunities for using multiple charitable vehicles to fulfill families giving objectives. She will be joined by Cathy Molnar, Executive Director of CHS Management LLC, a single-family office, and a member of FOX Executive Council ’14, to provide a first-hand example of these strategies in practice.

Don't Get Swiped:  How to Minimize the Risk, Monitor and Manage the Damage to Protect Your Identity and Finances

Presenter: Adam Levin, Author, Swiped: How to Protect Yourself in a World Full of Scammers, Phishers, and Identity Thieves

In this session, join best-selling author and identity theft expert, Adam Levin, as he provides you with the blueprint to navigate a dangerous digital world. Adam offers essential tools to minimize your exposure to fraud, strategies to monitor your sensitive personal and financial accounts, and solutions to manage the damage if you become the victim of an identity theft incident.