$95/ticket
Exclusive to Conference attendees only. Registration link will be sent in your registration confirmation.
Andy Core, Ph.D. – Resiliency Author/Speaker/Researcher
Today’s CFOs are grappling with unprecedented change and uncertainty. The silver lining is, you don’t need to change your entire life to be more successful under stress. But you do have to change your day. After participating in this program, you will walk away with daily action items that can help you envision a brighter future, see the best in others, and recognize the best in yourself.
Specifically, you will:
Strategy, Teamwork and a Little Texas Grit — Add this high-energy, interactive experience to your conference experience!
Ready to connect with fellow CFOs in a fresh, memorable way? The CFO Challenge is a fast-paced team competition. In just 90 minutes, you’ll tackle a series of light physical and mental challenges—each cleverly tied to the CFO mindset—while exploring a little bit of downtown Austin.
You’ll be grouped with fellow attendees against your peers in challenges like:
Teams will race to collect clues and puzzle pieces before reconvening to complete a final task. It’s a fun, fast-moving experience designed to build new relationships, spark strategic thinking and get you energized for the full conference.
Jack McCullough, President, CFO Leadership Council
Oakland McCulloch, LTC Oakland McCullough, (Ret), U.S. Army
Great leaders aren’t born—they’re built through purpose, service and relentless self-awareness. In this energizing opening keynote, LTC Oakland McCulloch (Ret.), a decorated U.S. Army officer and author of Your Leadership Legacy, will share lessons from the battlefield to the C-suite on how to lead with clarity, character and conviction. Drawing from decades of leadership under pressure, he’ll challenge attendees to reflect on your own leadership impact—and you’ll leave inspired to lead more intentionally in every facet of life and work.
Marybeth Gray, Senior Vice President of Health and Welfare Benefits Consulting Trion, a Marsh McLennan Agency
With healthcare costs projected to rise at their fastest pace in 15 years, CFOs are facing tough choices that go beyond just balancing budgets. As the second-largest expense after compensation, healthcare spending directly impacts talent acquisition, retention and overall organizational sustainability. This session will equip CFOs with actionable strategies to address the pressing challenges of healthcare cost management in 2025 and beyond. We’ll help you strike a balance between providing comprehensive healthcare benefits and managing costs without sacrificing your oganization’s ability to attract and retain top talent. It is clear that a “do nothing strategy” with a 10% annual trend will not work.
Join us to explore:
Cameron Kinloch, CFO, Weights & Biases
Jack McCullough, President, CFO Leadership Council
Shelagh Glaser, CFO, Synopsis
Chad Wonderling, CFO, Zone & Co
Joan Bottarini, CFO, Hyatt
As CFO of Hyatt, Joan Bottarini has helped steer one of the world’s most iconic hospitality brands through a period of rapid evolution — from navigating the global disruption of COVID-19 to expanding into new guest segments to the importance of being a purpose-driven company. In this fireside chat, she’ll share her perspective on how today’s CFOs can lead beyond the numbers—balancing financial strategy with bold reinvention and a strong cultural foundation.
Join us to discuss:
This conversation will offer a candid, forward-looking perspective on what it takes to lead with impact in a world where financial decisions are inseparable from people, purpose and innovation.
Leanna Rossmann, CFO & Head of Strategy, SXSW
Exhibit hall closed
10 CPEs offered, pending NASBA approval on final agenda.
