Program - American Public Power Association

Sunday, September 238 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. .............Conference & Seminar RegistrationPRE-CONFERENCE SEMINARS8:30 a.m. – NoonDeveloping Cash Reservesand Financial Targets forYour UtilityLANSDOWNE ROOMRecommended CEUs .3 / PDHs 3.3 / CPEs 3.9,AccountingDetermining appropriate cash reserve levels and targetedamounts of revenue are important to a utility’s bondratings, creating rate stability for customers, and enablea utility to maintain reliable electric infrastructure. Thissession will focus on developing cash reserve policiesthat consider variability of expenses, volatility of powersupply costs, and the utility’s exposure to risks as well asdeveloping targeted revenue recovery from customers thatconsider funding capital replacements and debt service tohelp avoid large rate adjustments. Attendees will receivea template to help them develop cash reserve policies fortheir utilities and sample policies used by other utilities.Other topics will include:• Justifying cash reserves and factors that influence autility’s need for cash• Considerations when developing a cash reserve policy• Why utilities need to maintain cash reserves abovecertain levels• How risks and variability of expenses affect cashreserves• Determining appropriate funding of infrastructurerepair and replacement• How the cash reserve policy helps determine theamount and timing of utility bond issuesInstructor: Mark Beauchamp, CPA, CMA, MBA,President, Utility Financial Solutions, Holland, Mich.8:30 a.m. – NoonDeveloping a Real-LifeStrategic PlanGALAXIE ROOMRecommended CEUs .3 / PDHs 3.3 / HRCI 3.25 / CPEs3.9, Management Advisory ServicesA strategic plan is a business tool used to sustain andenhance the long-term success of an organization. Themost effective strategic plans are applicable to the reallifeactivities of the organization and employees at alllevels. Learn how to create or adapt your utility’s strategicplan to focus on creating better connections with youremployees. Too often, strategic plans lack connectivity toyour mission and the key metrics managed by your team.In this session, the instructor will use a case study toillustrate how a public power utility developed a strategicplanning tool and made it relevant to all employees withinthe organization.Other topics will include:• Converging strategy, key performance indicators (KPIs)and performance metrics into a simple, implementableplan• Major obstacles to developing and implementing yourplan, and how to overcome them• Case study of a utility strategic planInstructor: Tom Unke, CPA, Partner, Baker Tilly VirchowKrause, Madison, Wis.4 2012 APPA Business & Financial Conference