AGENDA

7:00AM - 5:00PM

7:00AM - 8:00AM

Location: TBD

8:00AM - 9:00AM

Presented by: Cal Christian, Ph.D., CPA

Session Overview:
North Carolina Professional Ethics and Conduct rules are just one subsection of the set of rules and standards governing North Carolina CPAs. However, the importance of professional ethics merits an in-depth study, because making the right decision every time is hard! Without a solid ethical base, the rules are difficult to apply. The North Carolina Professional Ethics and Conduct rules provide the foundation for examining the standards of ethical conduct. These standards of ethical conduct are not only examined for those CPAs in public practice, but also for CPAs working in industry, government, and education throughout North Carolina. You will examine current trends in ethical behavior, social networking, and fraud. Real-life case studies supplied by North Carolina CPAs that examine those ethical dilemmas most prevalent in the workplace will be discussed. Note—This activity fulfills the state board’s annual minimum 50-minute ethics CPE requirement. The 50-minute ethics activity is required for annual license renewal for North Carolina CPAs and does not qualify one to obtain an original or reciprocal certificate (the NC Accountancy Law course required for certification and reciprocity is an eight-hour program that is also offered by NCACPA, and it satisfies this requirement). If you have questions, please contact the NC State Board of CPA Examiners.

Learning Objectives:
1.     This course allows CPAs to meet the requirement of 8G.0410 Professional Ethics and Conduct CPE

2.     As part of the annual CPE requirement, all active CPAs shall complete CPE on professional ethics and conduct as set out in 21 NCAC 8G

3.     The North Carolina CPA shall complete a 50-minute course in professional ethics and conduct in either a group-study format (of which a webcast is included) or in a self-study format

Level: Overview
CPE Credit in Behavioral Ethics

9:00AM - 9:10AM

9:10AM - 10:25AM

Presented by: Anthony Huey

Session Overview:
Stand Up. Stand Out. And Stand Apart! Whether you realize it or not, your communication skills are constantly being judged by others, often subconsciously. How you communicate in everything from casual conversations to formal presentations can be the difference between success and failure. Don’t miss what is often your only opportunity to connect and leave a lasting impression. This pragmatic keynote offers attendees battle-proven communications techniques to ensure they and their messages are remembered.

Learning Objectives:
• Breakdown the differences between great, average and bad communicators.

• Turn mediocrity (or worse) into engaging verbal communications.

•  Develop messages that are strategically crafted to achieve your objectives.

•  Recognize the ways your body language affects how you are perceived.

•   Organize content for more effective presentations, sales calls, and meetings.

Level: Overview
CPE Credits TBD in Personal Development

10:25AM - 10:35AM

10:35AM - 11:50AM

Interactive Session Continued.

Level: Overview
CPE Credits TBD

12:00PM - 1:00PM

Sponsored by:

1:15PM - 2:20PM

Presented by: Kathryn Schneider and Chris Clinard

Session Overview:

AI is already being used across the construction lifecycle—from estimating and contract review to jobsite progress tracking and safety insights. This session focuses on real‑world AI use cases construction teams are actually using today, where they show up across the lifecycle, and what it takes to move from experimentation to adoption. Attendees will gain practical examples and a simple framework for deciding where AI can deliver value and where to start.

Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize real‑world AI use cases being applied today across key stages of the construction lifecycle, including preconstruction, project execution, and finance

2. Evaluate which AI opportunities are best suited for near‑term adoption based on business impact, data readiness, and team adoption, not hype

3. Apply a practical starting framework to prioritize, pilot, and scale AI use cases in their organization while maintaining trust, governance, and accountability

Level: Overview
CPE Credits TBD in Technology

2:20PM - 2:45PM

2:45PM - 3:50PM

Presented by: Jake Smithwick

Session Overview:

In today’s market, labor is the fastest way to win or lose schedule and profit. This keynote translates the outlook into clear actions you can take now, staffing strategy, retention, smarter deployment, and productivity levers that help you deliver with confidence.

Learning Objectives:
·         Identify the economic and labor indicators that signal workforce pressure early, and translate them into staffing and backlog risk implications.

·         Evaluate the true cost of labor beyond hourly rates, including benefits, overtime, turnover, learning curves, and schedule impacts on margin.

·         Choose practical workforce actions that protect delivery, including hiring and retention tactics, subs sategy, and smarter crew deployment.

·         Apply productivity levers that help firms “do more with the same,” using technology adoption, process discipline, and leadership routines to reduce execution risk.

Level: Overview
CPE Credits TBD in Economics

3:50PM - 4:15PM

4:15PM - 5:25PM

Presented by: Anthony Huey

Session Overview:
In a world where ChatGPT enables everyone to write like a Harvard graduate, the true power to stand out now lies in verbal communication. Unfortunately, many studies show that the fear of public speaking ranks higher than the fear of death, and those who struggle to talk in front of others will quickly find themselves and their organizations falling behind. Join Anthony Huey in this lively and thought-provoking keynote as he explores the power of verbal communication. Anthony helps his audiences understand the importance of perception and how first impressions are primarily formed when we speak, whether in person, virtually, or on the phone.

Learning Objectives:
·         Understand the critical importance of verbal communication in an AI-driven world.

·         Transform your first impression instantly with three simple strategies.

·         Discover six key reasons to prioritize verbal communication over written communication.

·         Explore the importance of small talk in business & life, and how to master it.

·         Leverage AI to dramatically enhance your verbal communication in meetings, conversations and presentations.

Level: Overview
CPE Credit TBD in Personal Development / Technology

5:30PM - 7:00PM

7:00AM - 8:00AM

8:05AM - 9:05AM

Presented by: S. McKinley Gray III, Merrill Jones, Evan Musselwhite and Jamie Norment

Session Overview:
The construction industry is facing a rapidly shifting legal and regulatory landscape — and staying informed is critical. In this rapid-fire session, our speakers deliver sharp, focused insights on several pressing legal topics: ICE investigations, lawful use of lawful products, construction contract concerns, legislative update, and choice of law and venue.

Learning Objectives:
1.     Identify key legal risks and compliance considerations related to ICE investigations and lawful use of lawful products in the construction industry.

2.     Recognize recent legislative developments and contract provisions that affect construction project planning, execution, and dispute resolution.

3.     Evaluate choice of law and venue considerations when drafting or reviewing construction contracts to better protect business interests.

Level: Overview
CPE Credits TBD in Business Law

9:10AM - 10:25AM

Presented by: Steve Coughran

Session Overview:

The contractors who win aren't the ones with the biggest revenue. They're the ones who know exactly where their money is, which jobs are actually making it, and what to do next. Most construction companies are still operating on numbers that show up too late, which means by the time the financials hit the desk, the decisions have already been made on the job. This session is for owners, executives, and operators who want to change that. You'll walk out with the specific metrics that predict profit and cash, the levers every contractor can pull to drive free cash flow, and a clear picture of how to build a financial system that runs the business instead of just reporting on it.  We'll work through real examples, and you'll leave with a framework you can put to work the week you get home.

Learning Objectives:

1.      Focus on the numbers that actually matter. Move past revenue and EBITDA to understand the handful of metrics that tell you whether you're building a valuable business or just a bigger one.

2.      Apply the eight levers framework to drive cash flow. Learn the specific levers every contractor can pull to improve cash, and how to figure out which one to pull first based on where the bottleneck actually is.

3.      Bridge the gap between finance and the field. See how job profitability, labor efficiency, and schedule reliability tie directly to financial results, and where most contractors lose money between the field and the books.

Level: Overview
CPE Credit TBD in Finance

10:25AM - 10:45AM

10:45AM - 11:00AM

11:00AM - 12:15PM

Presented by:Milt Lowder

Session Overview:

Learning Objectives:

Level: Overview
CPE Credit TBD in Personal Development

12:15PM