Program Details
Keynote Presentation: Cleveland Unseen & Unhinged
Presented by John Skrtic, Chief of Special Projects and Collections at Cleveland Public Library, and Mike Polk Jr., Comedian and TV commentator
About the Speakers:
John Skrtic has been with the Cleveland Public Library (CPL) for over 35 years. He has extensive library experience and is responsible for overseeing the 11 million items in the Library Collection. He holds a Master of Library and Information Science degree from Kent State University and a Master of Public Administration from Cleveland State University. He is the father of two children and is a life-long resident of Cleveland. He spends his free time archiving the day-to-day activities of Clevelanders and the history of the city online each day.
Mike Polk Jr. is a Cleveland-based writer and comedian whose self-produced videos have more than 50 million combined views on You Tube alone. He is responsible for such viral hits as “The Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Video” (which appeared in the Michael Moore documentary Capitalism: A Love Story), “The Honest R&B Song,” “The One Semester of Spanish Love Song,” and the award-winning internet series “Man In The Box.” Polk has been performing sketch comedy with the group “Last Call” for over nine years, young throughout North America. The troupe won “Best of the Festival” in Toronto in 2011 and Seattle in 2010 and regularly perform at Cleveland’s Playhouse Square Theaters. Polk has been named Cleveland’s best comedian by Scene Magazine and Cleveland Magazine on several occasions. His work has also appeared on TNT’s Inside the NBA, and on FunnyorDie.com. For all of his bluster, Polk is a huge advocate of the Northeast Ohio area and is happy to call Cleveland his home.
Technical Presentation: The Evolving Role of Finance Leaders – Navigating with Technology and Foresight
A look at the top priorities for finance leaders — among them, security and privacy of data, AI in finance, and financial and strategic planning and analysis in a time of economic and price volatility— points the way toward evolving roles and the tools to navigate change for leaders whose responsibilities continue to expand in challenging ways.
Join Robert Half and Protiviti as they address the growing list of priorities faced by both leaders and professionals. In this session, we explore the results of Protiviti’s 2025 Global Finance Trends Survey and offer practical takeaways for finance leaders to address these challenges and how to identify technology and talent skills gaps for achieving short- and long-term business objectives.
Learning objectives:
• Identify the top priorities for CFOs and finance leaders in the next 12 months, including data privacy, FP&A and strategic planning
• Discuss ways finance organizations are utilizing Generative AI
• Explain how finance teams are navigating a dynamic, volatile economic and pricing environment
• Identify key employment trends and in-demand roles to stay competitive in attracting and retaining talent
About the Speakers:
Tim Hird, Executive Vice President, Robert Half & Protiviti
Tim Hird leads enterprise optimization for Robert Half and Protiviti, enhancing finance and accounting processes for global businesses. Since joining Robert Half in 2000, he has spearheaded the firm’s expansion across the UK, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, previously serving as Executive Director of the Management Resources practice.
Chris Wright, Managing Director, Protiviti
Chris Wright leads Protiviti’s Business Performance Improvement and Public Company Transformation groups. With over 30 years of experience—including partner roles at KPMG and Arthur Andersen—he specializes in financial reporting risk, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, and ESG steering. Chris holds a Doctorate in Interdisciplinary Leadership and serves on several charitable and civic boards.
Event Details/Registration
LOCATION:
DATE / TIME:
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
4:00 to 7:30 PM
4:00 p.m. – Registration & Refreshments
4:30 – 5:30 p.m. Technical Presentation – Robert Half / Protiviti
5:30 – 5:45 p.m. Networking & Refreshments
5:45 – 6:45 p.m. Keynote Presentation – John Skrtic, Chief of Special Projects and Collections at Cleveland Public Library, and Mike Polk Jr., comedian and WKYC commentator
6:45 – 7:30 p.m. Additional Networking & Refreshments
7:30 p.m. – Event Concludes
REGISTRATION:
FEI Members/Strategic Partners: free of charge
Guests: $50.00
