2026 Controllers Conference-In Person
8.00 Credits
Member Price $389.00
Non-Member Price $489.00
More Dates
Overview
In today’s fast-paced world, controllers and finance leaders must navigate constant change while driving innovation and success. The Controllers Conference is your chance to tackle key challenges, explore emerging trends, and build a stronger future for your organization. Connect with industry peers, sharpen your strategy, and walk away with tools to elevate your leadership and financial expertise.
AGENDA7:30 – 7:55 am
Registration and Continental Breakfast
7:55 Opening Remarks
8:00 – 8:50 am
State of the State
Barry Erwin • Leaders for a Better Louisiana • Baton Rouge, LA
Leaders for a Better Louisiana will provide a snapshot of the overall wellbeing of the state based on 35 indicators the organization has been tracking over the last three years. Issue areas include education, the economy, health and wellbeing, infrastructure, and energy and environment.
8:50 – 9:50
Louisiana State and Local Tax Update
Robert S. Angelico, CPA, JD • Liskow & Lewis, APLC • New Orleans, LA
This presentation will cover recent developments in Louisiana state and local taxation including caselaw items as well as regulatory matters from the Department of Revenue. Coverage will also include highlights from the recent state tax reform, particularly in the sales and use tax area.
9:50 – 10:10 am Break
10:10 – 11:10 am
Recent Tax Developments in Compensation and Benefits – One Big Beautiful Bill and Beyond
Stephen Tackney • KPMG LLP • Washington, DC
This session will address recent legislative and regulatory developments on the taxation of compensation and benefits. Anticipated topics include recent legislative changes impacting Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), employee tips and overtime income (including employer reporting responsibilities), the section 162(m) $1 million deduction limitation on certain employees of public corporations, the section 4960 excise tax on tax-exempt organizations for compensation in excess of $1 million and certain severance arrangements, Trump accounts including potential employer contributions, the 100% deduction limitation on certain employer expenses for employee meals, as well as other recent developments.
11:10 am – 12:00 pm
Current Environment for the Insurance Market and Effective Risk Management
Will Garcia • HUB International • Baton Rouge, LA
Is the 2026 insurance outlook better than 2025? What does a “best in class organization” really mean in the insurance marketplace? How can I position my company to get the most attention from underwriters? Will the tort reform bills passed have in impact on our insurance rates? What are creative ways to structure our insurance program to save money? These are all topics we will address in this presentation.
12:00 – 1:00 pm Lunch (provided)
1:00 – 2:00 pm
From Breach to Defense: Lessons from Today’s Cyber Landscape
Allison Ward, CPA, CISA, CISSP, CISM • CRI Advisors, LLC • Baton Rouge, LA
Cybersecurity threats continue to evolve at an unprecedented pace, and organizations must remain vigilant to protect their data and operations. In this session, we’ll explore the current state and future outlook of the cybersphere, focusing on real-world breach scenarios that highlight the risks businesses face today. Attendees will gain insight into emerging trends, practical mitigation strategies, and how to adopt a hacker’s mindset to strengthen defenses and reduce organizational risk.
2:00 – 3:00
AI Practical Application: Case Study at Stuller Jewelers
Lori Carter, CPA • Stuller, Inc. • Lafayette, LA
Sumit Saha • Stuller, Inc. • Lafayette, LA
Stuller, Inc. will demonstrate AI practical use cases within their organization through their adoption of widely available tools. They will provide insight and information on ways to use AI in the workplace to improve efficiency and reduce administrative costs.
3:00 – 3:20 Break
3:20 – 4:20 pm
NIL & Revenue Sharing: The New Era of College Athletics
Taylor Jacobs • LSU Associate Athletic Director • Baton Rouge, LA
In July 2021, the collegiate sports landscape was forever changed when Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) rules went into effect, allowing student-athletes to profit off their own personal brands. Fast forward to July 2025 and the introduction of revenue sharing. College athletics experiences yet another drastic change. In this session we will talk about the new world in which college athletics operates, the impact NIL and Revenue Share have on the student-athlete experience, recruiting, corporate partnerships and more.
Come a Day Early for Ethics with Kurt Oestriecher
ETHICS FOR LOUISIANA CPAs (Non-Public)
We're offering an ethics course the afternoon before (March 19, 3:00-5:40pm) so you can knock out your 2026 ethics CPE requirement in the same trip. Separate registration and fee required.
Register Now!
Notice
HOTEL INFORMATION
Controllers Workshop attendees get exclusive rates on rooms for this event:
The Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center
201 Lafayette St
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
225.344.5866
Exclusive Rate: Only $167/night!
Book by March 5!
SPONSOR THIS EVENT
Sponsorship is a great way to connect with CPA professionals and increase your visibility within the community. To learn more or recommend a sponsor, contract Diedra Allen at dallen@louisiana.cpa or click here for more information.
Leader(s):
- Robert Angelico, Shareholder, Liskow & Lewis
- Lori Carter, Stuller, Inc
- Barry Erwin, Leaders for a Better Louisiana
- Will Garcia, HUB International Limited
- Ryan Hooks, KPMG, LLP
- Taylor Jacobs, Associate Athletic Director, LSU Athletics Administartion Building
- Sumit Saha, Stuller, Inc
- Stephen Tackney
- Allison Ward, Partner, CapinTech
Leader Bios
Robert Angelico, Shareholder, Liskow & Lewis
Bob Angelico is a nationally-known tax lawyer at Liskow & Lewis with years of experience helping top-tier companies with sophisticated state and local tax issues throughout Louisiana. As the head of the firm’s tax practice group, Bob works to minimize the taxes of his clients, which include manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, non-profits, construction businesses and other entities of all types and sizes.
Clients frequently rely on Bob to represent them in state and local tax audits and administrative appeals as alternatives to the court system. Bob works extensively with the Louisiana Department of Revenue, Louisiana Tax Commission, Louisiana Board of Tax Appeals and local taxing authorities around the state. In addition, he represents clients involved in state tax litigation, and parish and local tax litigation, at both the trial and appellate court levels.
Bob’s training and credentials set him apart. He is a Board Certified Tax Specialist – as certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization – and a licensed Certified Public Accountant. Bob is immediate past president and managing partner of Liskow & Lewis.
Lori Carter, Stuller, Inc
Lori has been a vital part of the Stuller team since 2003 and currently serves as vice president of finance. Her journey with Stuller began as a financial reporting analyst and has evolved through roles such as director of customization and senior financial analyst, reflecting her broad expertise in finance, merchandising, and operations. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and is a certified public accountant (CPA). Lori is passionate about using data and analytics to drive impactful financial and operational improvements.
Barry Erwin, Leaders for a Better Louisiana
Barry Erwin is the Chief Policy Officer of Leaders for a Better Louisiana, and a Louisiana native who previously served as President of the Council for A Better Louisiana (CABL). CABL served as a statewide, nonpartisan organization that worked on issues that impact the quality of life in Louisiana. CABL was involved in numerous public policy issues at the state level, including education, workforce development, state fiscal policies, and governmental ethics.
The organization also launched and operated the widely-recognized Leadership Louisiana program. Now in its 37th year, it boasts an alumni base of more than 1,600 state and community leaders from across Louisiana. Erwin began doing consulting work for CABL in 1995, and became its President in 2001.
Erwin worked on numerous public affairs projects prior to joining CABL and spent 15 years as a television journalist covering state politics at KSLA-TV in Shreveport and WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge. Erwin graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a bachelor's degree in journalism.
Will Garcia, HUB International Limited
With over 15 years experience in the commercial insurance industry, Will has established himself as a trusted advisor specializing in high-risk, complex sectors that require sophisticated risk management solutions. His expertise spans construction, energy, industrial services, and environmental companies, where he understands the challenges and exposures these industries face. This knowledge allows him to craft tailored insurance programs that not only protect clients’ assets but also support their growth objectives.
His clientele consists of companies headquartered throughout the United States, many of which operate globally, requiring international coverage and coordination across multiple jurisdictions. This broad geographic reach has given him valuable experience navigating the complexities of multi-state and international insurance placements.
Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for delivering comprehensive risk solutions that go beyond traditional insurance placement. His consultative approach involves working closely with clients to develop loss control strategies, structure programs that grow with their changing business needs, claims advocacy/management, and Experience Mod management. Whether managing construction risks, energy risks, industrial services companies or environmental remediation services, he brings both technical expertise and strategic insight to every client relationship, ensuring they have the protection and peace of mind necessary to focus on their core business operations.
Taylor Jacobs, Associate Athletic Director, LSU Athletics Administartion Building
Taylor Jacobs is entering her tenth year with the LSU Athletics Department and her third year as Associate AD of NIL & Strategic Initiatives after working for eight years as the Compliance Coordinator for LSU Athletics.
In this role, Jacobs will oversee the NILSU department providing education, branding and opportunity to the student-athletes at LSU. Through innovative and strategic initiatives, Jacobs and her staff will continue to be an on campus resource to the student-athletes, coaches and community when it comes to providing the education and tools needed to successfully navigate NIL opportunities. During her first year navigating NIL, Jacobs introduced events such as Geaux Time and Build Your Board that serve as opportunities for the student-athletes to engage with business leaders from Baton Rouge and surrounding areas to not only enhance their NIL opportunities, but also create networking opportunities for life after sports.
During her tenure as the Compliance Coordinator for LSU Athletics, Jacobs was charged with oversight of the recruiting visit process, as well as the complimentary ticket program for ticketed sports. In addition to recruiting, Jacobs also assisted the Assistant AD of Compliance in the initial eligibility process.
Jacobs joined the staff at LSU after working as the Recruiting Coordinator for Olympic Sports at Auburn University where she served from 2012 to 2014. In her role as Recruiting Coordinator, Jacobs assisted all Olympic sports in their recruiting efforts for official and unofficial visits. Her responsibilities in this role included planning events, providing educational material and assisting each sport staff with recruiting tours.
A former student-athlete herself, Jacobs competed as a member of the women's tennis program at Auburn University from 2009-2012. In her final two years as a student-athlete, Jacobs served as the team captain as well as a women's tennis representative on Auburn's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee from 2010-2012.
Jacobs earned two degrees from Auburn University, graduating in May 2012 with her Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a minor in Italian and December 2013 with her Master of Education in Higher Education with a Sports Administration concentration.
Sumit Saha, Stuller, Inc
Sumit is the vice president of technology at Stuller, where he has been a driving force since 2017. He began his journey as an ERP subject matter expert (SME) and has since moved into an IT leadership role, motivated by his passion for driving change and optimizing resources. Sumit earned his MBA and bachelor’s degree in computer science and brings more than 11 years of IT consulting experience to his current role, focusing on financials and supply chain applications. He is dedicated to fostering a strong leadership talent pool for the future.
Allison Ward, Partner, CapinTech
Allison joined the firm in 2006 and served as an IT audit intern throughout high school and college. After graduating from Louisiana State University in 2011, she committed full-time to the firm. Throughout her time as an information systems auditor, manager, and partner, Allison has provided information security assessment and consulting services primarily for nonprofit organizations, financial institutions, and health facilities; however, she has served numerous other industries, including auto industry dealers, educational institutions, manufacturing and construction firms, professional service organizations, and other small businesses. In addition to these services, she has provided clients with consulting services in risk assessment and policy development engagements.
Non-Member Price $489.00
Member Price $389.00