May 12, 2026 – Chapter Meeting

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:
Nuevo Modern Mexican
1000 East 9th Street, Cleveland, OH 44114

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

REGISTER HERE

 

April 21, 2026 – Chapter Meeting

Program Details

Keynote Presentation: “The Davey Tree Expert Company – History, Employee Ownership, and the Future”

Presented by Joseph R. Paul, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of The Davey Tree Expert Company

About the Speaker:

Joe is an accomplished finance executive with more than 40 years of experience spanning public accounting, industry, and service-based organizations. As Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary of The Davey Tree Expert Company, the leading provider of horticultural services throughout the United States and Canada and the ninth largest employee-owned company in the U.S., Joe provides strategic financial leadership and operational oversight in support of long-term growth and sustainability.

Throughout his career, Joe has held senior leadership roles with responsibility for accounting, finance, banking relationships, treasury operations, risk management, tax strategy, and information technology. This broad functional expertise has enabled him to align financial discipline with business strategy, strengthen internal controls, and support informed decision-making across the organization.

During the past 20 years, Joe has been instrumental in driving Davey Tree’s successful growth, contributing to financial stability, scalability, and continued value creation for employee-owners. Known for a collaborative leadership style and deep technical knowledge, Joe is committed to fostering a strong financial foundation that supports both operational excellence and long-term strategic objectives.

https://www.davey.com/

Technical Presentation: “Estate & Tax Planning Techniques for Business Owners”

Presented by Rosemarie Wilkins, Senior Wealth Strategist at Huntington Bank.

About the Session: This presentation will review technical planning techniques that help business owners from an estate planning and tax lens pre & post an ownership transaction.

About the Speaker:

Rosemarie is a Senior Wealth Strategist for Huntington Private Bank, where she provides comprehensive planning for ultra-high net worth families and individuals. Her expertise covers estate, tax, and business succession planning, focusing on customized solutions for wealth preservation and growth.

Prior to Huntington, she held planning roles at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. Rosemarie holds a Master’s in Taxation and a BSBA from the University of Akron, where she currently serves as an adjunct professor. She is a CFP® professional and a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA).

https://www.huntington.com/

Event Details/Registration

LOCATION:
The Davey Tree Expert Company
SEED Campus
6700 OH-43, Kent, OH 44240

DATE / TIME:
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
4:30-7:30pm

REGISTRATION:
FEI Members/Strategic Partners: free of charge
ACG Members: $50.00
Non-members/Guests: $50.00

REGISTER HERE

April 8, 2026 – Cavs Game + CPE Day w/ IIA

Joint meeting with FEI NEO and the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)

Cleveland Cavaliers on the Forbes NBA Team Valuations List

Join FEI Northeast Ohio and the Northeast Ohio Chapter of IIA for a fun day of training, networking and NBA basketball as the Cavs face the Atlanta Hawks.

Technical Presentations:

ASU 2024-03 (DISE): Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses—Accounting Requirements and Data Considerations

Presented by Bryan Sinclair, CPA of RGP. Learn how FASB’s ASU 2024-03 (DISE) is changing income statement expense reporting and disclosure requirements in this practical, insight-driven session for accounting and financial reporting professionals. We’ll explore what must now be disaggregated, how the new rules affect chart of accounts design, ERP systems, and internal controls, and what organizations need to do to prepare for compliance, improve data governance, and avoid common implementation challenges.

Tariff Update

Presented by Mike Heldebrand, Ernst and Young. Mike Heldebrand is a specialist in EY’s Global Trade practice, where he helps companies strengthen their international trade functions and ensure regulatory compliance. With extensive experience in import/export process reviews and Foreign-Trade Zone applications, Mike focuses on identifying operational efficiencies and reducing global customs liabilities.

Licensed as a U.S. Customs Broker, Mike holds an MBA & BBA from Baylor University. He is an active member and frequent speaker for the American Association of Exporters and Importers and the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones.

Topic TBD

Presented by James Gallagher, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor.

 

 

 

 

DATE AND SCHEDULE

Wednesday, April 8, 2026
1:45pm-5:15pm – Program
5:15pm-7:00pm – Dinner & Networking
7:00pm – Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Atlanta Hawks

Detailed Schedule

1:45 – 1:50pm – Opening Announcements
1:50 – 2:50pm – Brian Sinclair (RGP)
Topic: ASU 2024-03 – Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses
2:50 – 3:50pm – Jimmy Gallagher (Economic Crimes Unit, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor)
Topic: TBD
3:50 – 4:10pm –  Break
4:10 – 5:10pm – Michael Heldebrand (Ernst & Young)
Topic: Tariff Update
5:10 – 5:15pm – Closing Announcements
5:15 – 7:00pm –  Dinner/Networking
7:00pm – Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Atlanta Hawks

LOCATION

Rocket Arena
1 Center Court, Cleveland, OH 44115
Enter through the Cleveland Cliffs Entrance located on the corner of East 6th and Huron Rd.

PARKING

Parking is pay on your own for this event and suggested parking can be found here.

REGISTRATION FEES & INFORMATION

Members: $135/in-person only (Dinner & Cavs ticket included)
Non-Members: $155/in-person only (Dinner & Cavs ticket included)
Members in Transition / Retired: Complementary (Meeting Only – No Game Ticket)
Students / Educators: Complementary (Meeting Only – No Game Ticket)
Friends & Family Tickets: $110 (Dinner & Cavs ticket included)

Tickets to be distributed via Seat Geek. Please be sure to register with the email linked to your Seat Geek account or an email you can access via your smart phone the day of the event.

REGISTER HERE