Spring Half-Day Conference & Annual Meeting

Program Registration & Lunch: 12:00pm (Come early, it’s a great chance to network!)

 

Presentation # 1: 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Topic: Merchant Services & Payments Innovation

Session Description: Businesses today face growing pressure to accelerate cash flow, reduce receivables friction, and keep up with evolving payment technologies. Instead of overhauling systems, leveraging expertise and technology tools from trusted advisors can vastly improve efficiency and working capital.

Speaker: Eric Goldberg, Lead Merchant Services Consultant at Wells Fargo

Speaker Bio: With over a decade of experience advising organizations across industries, Eric helps clients modernize receivables through consultative review and tech-driven solutions. He’ll share practical insights on streamlining A/R - including electronic billing, multi-channel payments, payment file consolidation, and automated payment & bill matching. Based in the New York metro area, Eric collaborates with Bankers and Treasury teams to align payment strategies with financial goals - he will also highlight payment trends and data relevant to upstate New York.

 

Break: 2:00pm - 2:15pm

 

Presentation # 2: 2:15pm – 3:15pm
Topic: Economic Update

Session Description: TBD

Speaker: Tim Quinlan, Director, Senior Economist, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

Speaker Bio: Tim is a director and senior economist with Wells Fargo Securities. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, he provides analysis on U.S. and major foreign economies. Tim’s work has been published in academic economic journals and his comments on the economy regularly appear in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and USA Today. He is also a frequent guest on Bloomberg TV, CNBC and National Public Radio. Tim is a member of the National Association for Business Economics and the Canadian Association for Business Economics. Tim has a B.A. from Siena College in Albany, New York.

 

Break: 3:15pm - 3:30pm

 

Presentation # 3: 3:30pm – 4:30pm
Topic: Building the Right Team for Growth: Strategies for Success in Western NY

Session Description: In this presentation Mark Rizzo will discuss the key factors in building a successful team in Western NY. He will cover topics such as hiring strategies, marketing the brand on LinkedIn to attract top talent, utilizing talent pools effectively, and finding the right mix of skills across the team. By focusing on these essential elements, businesses can ensure they have the right team in place to drive growth and success in the competitive Western NY market. Join us to learn valuable insights and strategies for building a winning team in this dynamic region!

Speaker:  Mark Rizzo, Commercial Banking Leader of Upstate NY & Eastern Canada - Wells Fargo

Speaker Bio: Mark Rizzo is a senior banking executive with extensive experience in relationship management, strategic sales, as well as building and leading high-performance teams. As a Commercial Banking Leader at Wells Fargo, Mark is responsible for leading a team of talented relationship managers who are focused on delivering best-in-class financial solutions to a diverse group of middle market and mid-corporate companies across the Upstate NY region. Mark is a native of Buffalo, New York; and throughout his career, he has been highly active in his community serving on several not-for-profit boards and advisory councils. He is a current member of the University at Buffalo School of Management Dean’s Advisory Council, where he was recognized by the school for outstanding service by an alum. He is also the immediate past President of the Kids Escaping Drugs Board of Directors. Mark obtained his undergraduate degree (accounting and finance) and MBA (with distinction) from the University at Buffalo. He is also a 2018 graduate of the Execution Education Leadership Program at the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business. 

 

Reception: 4:30pm - 6:00pm