Equity's New England Community in Action

Tavola da Siena Restaurant  |  400 Putnam Pike, Smithfield, RI 02917

This presentation will explore the potential of using Generative AI (GenAI) to design, manage and streamline your equity program. Sharmon and Haley will share use cases they see in the market and will leverage the knowledge and experience of the audience to share their own examples. Sharmon and Haley will discuss how to move from theory to action by discussing the role of culture in driving successful GenAI adoption, the challenges faced by organizations resistant to change, and the disconnect between leaders’ and employees' perceptions of GenAI. Participants will leave this session armed with practical ways to adopt and apply the power of GenAI to their equity programs.

Learning Objectives: 

• Understand the Generative AI and its potential for impact on equity plan operations and customer (employee, other internal stakeholder) experience.
  
  

• Recognize the importance of fostering a culture that encourages experimentation, including applying GenAI.
  
  

• Identify the challenges in GenAI adoption, especially in organizations resistant to change.
  
  

• Learn about the Will, Skill, and Opportunity framework for encouraging new behaviors supportive of GenAI application.
  
  

• Understand the role of transformative leadership in shaping a positive culture for GenAI adoption.

Speakers:

• Sharmon Priaulx, PwC

• Haley Houston, PwC

1.2 continuing professional education credits for CPAs

CONCURRENT SESSION
The integration of your payroll data can provide more than updated demographic information and YTD tax values. Learn how to utilize this partnership to create efficiencies within your transaction process with identifiers for mobile participants, global taxation, and local jurisdictions. In anticipation of T+1 settlement, understand how you can save yourself and your tax team hours of review work.

Learning Objectives: 

• Importance of integration and accuracy of payroll data
  

• Collaboration with payroll provider and leveraging custom fields
  

• Utilizing your equity plan provider platform and all it can offer 
  

Speakers:

• Brook Anderson, CEP, Charles Schwab

• Christine Consolato, CPA, PwC, MarketAxess

• Jennifer Francis, CEP, Aon

1 continuing professional education credit for CPAs

CONCURRENT SESSION
In partnership with the Colonial Total Rewards Association (CTRA) and World at Work, this session will have consultants from Mercer providing insights on how compensation benchmarking practices, tools, and techniques have become more sophisticated, and how the job of the compensation practitioner has become easier and better – or has it? They will address market pricing strategy, selecting data sources and scopes, choosing benchmark jobs, refining matches, and assessing data validity.

Learning Objectives: 

• Discuss what is compensation benchmarking
  

• Understanding data sources for proper benchmarking

  
  

Speakers:

• Vlad Gogish, Mercer

• Sophie Harpt, Mercer

1 continuing professional education credit for CPAs

CONCURRENT SESSION
When and how to hire a guide to help you stay on the right path on your equity compensation journey. This session will cover the when, how, and why for hiring outside equity compensation consultants to assist with short- or long-term administration or special projects.

Learning Objectives: 

• Understand different challenges a company can face where external resources can help
  
  

• How to engage with third parties to become an extension of your own team 

Speakers:

• Ken Bonanno, LivaNova

• Jennifer Tardif, CEP, ISP Advisors LLC

1 continuing professional education credit for CPAs

CONCURRENT SESSION
Tension can sometimes arise when creative plan design creates administrative challenges, but it doesn’t have to be like this. You can have your cake and eat it too! Join this session for a review of hacks, tweaks, and best practices that keep everyone, including your employees, happy. We’ll address requiring acceptance for RSUs, handling LOAs, reducing the headaches about expiring options, maximizing tax deductions, and minimizing headaches for ESPP, setting reasonable deadlines, helping employees align their equity awards to their risk tolerance, and more.

Speakers:

• R.J. Foltz, Stock & Option Solutions

• Joe Magner, Fidelity Investments

1 continuing professional education credit for CPAs

CONCURRENT SESSION
This session will cover the crucial role global employee share plans can play in improving employee engagement, boosting revenues, and enhancing profitability. Attendees will gain insights into effective strategies for employee equity compensation programs, cross-border communications, and future modifications, as companies seek to efficiently navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities presented by global expansion.

Speaker:

• Zachary Crumpton, Computershare

1.2 continuing professional education credits for CPAs

CONCURRENT SESSION
Join us for an enlightening session where we demystify valuation techniques for equity awards, simplifying them to even to non-valuation specialists. In this session, we'll embark on a journey through the valuation landscape, breaking down complex concepts into easily digestible pieces. Whether you're new to the industry or seeking a refresher, this session is designed for everyone eager to grasp the essentials of valuation. From understanding the basics to navigating the intricacies of ASC Topic 718, we'll equip you with the knowledge needed to confidently navigate the valuation process. Join us and uncover the fundamental pieces to understanding equity awards, ensuring you're well-prepared to tackle valuation challenges with clarity and confidence.

Speakers:

• Jackson Swindells, Infinite Equity

• Tom Yarnell, Infinite Equity

1.2 continuing professional education credits for CPAs

How does your ESPP measure up to your peers’ plans? Get valuable benchmarks as we examine results and trends from the 2023 ESPP Survey from the NASPP and Deloitte Tax, with a focus on comparing the ESPPs offered by technology and life sciences companies to those offered by companies outside these sectors. We’ll highlight industry comparisons on discounts, lookbacks and other economic benefits, tax qualification status, eligibility and participation, plan contributions, purchase limitations, participant education, and plan administration. BONUS: We’ll include a cut of data on ESPPs offered by east coast companies.

Speakers:

• Barbara Baksa, NASPP

• Greg Kopp, Deloitte

1.2 continuing professional education credits for CPAs