GSB Finance Roundtable

March 10, 2005, 6PM - 8PM

Going Global: Perspectives from U.S. Firms

The people in the trenches best know what it�s like to be a U.S. firm doing business on a global basis, both from selling products worldwide and producing products overseas, which is why we�ve asked the following to share their best practices, horror stories and lessons learned.

Keynote Speakers:

• Meredith W. Mendes, Executive Vice President and Worldwide CFO, EDELMAN (the largest privately-held global public relations firm) discusses:
  • The world business viewpoint from a professional services corporation’s perspective
  • International Mergers & Acquisitions: The Top 10 List Of What To Look For & What Not To Do
  • Tax planning: bringing back the losses, transfer pricing & support payments.
    
• Matthew J. Hower, Treasurer, Amsted Industries (a $2 billion diversified manufacturer with locations in Canada, South America, Africa, Europe, India, Asia, South Pacific & Australia), focuses on:
  • Cash Management: Repatriation Of Cash, What To Do If Your Firm Doesn’t Want To Have Treasury Offices Overseas, Pros And Cons Of Notional Cash Pooling
  • Outsourcing: The Top 10 List Of What Works & What Doesn’t
  • Surviving Overseas Local Banking Experience
    
• Saul T. Caisman, International Corporate Services & Risk Management Partner, KPMG, delves into:
  • The Tax & Regulatory Disadvantages That U.S. Based Firms Have compared to their foreign competitors and what can be done to improve this picture.

Where:
Gleacher Center
Room 621
450 North Cityfront Drive
Chicago, Illinois
Map on how to reach Gleacher Center

Doors open at 5:30PM so come early to view our sponsors’ tables, chat with their representatives, and choose a great seat.

After the presentation, which will begin promptly at 6:00PM, there will be a question and answer period followed by informal one-on-one conversation. NOTE: Plenty of time has been allocated to answer all questions during Q&A section.

Cost:
No Charge but pre-registration is required.

Registration:
Register Online

Business casual to business attire is appropriate. You need not be a graduate of The University of Chicago to attend although program content minimally requires MBA or equivalent work experience exposure. Guests are welcome provided their attendance is also registered in advance (see REGISTER above).

Questions:
Vern Broders
Contact for Finance Roundtable
vern.broders@chartermast.com

Sponsored by:

• Ariel Capital Management, LLC.
• The Center for Research in Security Prices (CRSP)
• DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP
• Dow Jones Indexes
• Headstrong
• LaSalle Bank
• McKenna Partners LLC
• Ritchie Capital Management
• Tavakoli Structured Finance, Inc.
• Tsunami Capital LLC
• William Blair & Company, LLC.
  

Hosted by:

The University of Chicago’s GSB Finance Roundtable

Speaker Profiles:

Saul T. Caisman is the Midwest Risk Management Partner-Tax for KPMG and has been an International Corporate Services partner in KPMG’s Chicago office for more than 25 years. Mr. Caisman has advised a diverse group of US and foreign based multinational companies on international tax issues and planning opportunities, including e-commerce initiatives, establishing operation and joint ventures in overseas markets, cross border mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, foreign tax credit planning, transfer pricing, foreign sales corporations, and international executives. He has also coordinated the world-wide tax planning and delivery of services to multinational clients in the Information, Communication and Entertainment and Manufacturing, Retail and Distribution lines of business.

Mr. Caisman has been named several times by International Tax Review Magazine as one of the leading tax advisors in the United States. Mr. Caisman is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Illinois. He graduated from DePaul University with a BS degree in Commerce and a JD degree in Law. He is a member of the International Fiscal Association, a member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of International Education, Vice President, Treasurer and Director of the British American Chamber of Commerce for the Midwest and Treasurer and Director and Treasurer of the US Marketing Scholars Fund.

Matthew J. Hower, Treasurer for AMSTED Industries Inc., a $2 billion diversified manufacturer of industrial components primarily serving the railroad, vehicular, and construction/building markets, has been with one division or another of AMSTED Industries his entire career, starting as a staff accountant for their Griffin Wheel Company. He has been in every phase of manufacturing finance and accounting – from plant controller to cost accounting, benefits administration, internal audit, accounting, parent company controller to his current Treasurer role for the parent firm. Matt has a BS in Accountancy from University of Illinois, a MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago, and his CPA and CMA certifications.

Meredith W. Mendes, Executive Vice President and Worldwide Chief Financial Officer for Edelman, the largest privately-held global public relations firm, Meredith W. Mendes is Executive Vice President, Worldwide Chief Financial Officer of Daniel J. Edelman, Inc., dba Edelman, the fourth largest global public relations agency with 39 offices worldwide. Ms. Mendes is a member of the Board of Directors and Edelman’s Executive Committee. Ms. Mendes oversees a staff of 50 finance personnel in the Chicago and New York headquarters, as well as regional finance directors and accounting staffs in Edelman Europe, Asia, Canada and Latin America. Ms. Mendes manages global financial reporting, accounting and controls, treasury, tax, strategic planning and budgeting, acquisitions, real estate, payroll, insurance and the legal department. At Edelman, Ms. Mendes has closed 11 acquisitions adding $32 million of revenue, improved working capital by $36 million, reduced income taxes by $9 million through worldwide, state and local tax planning, and negotiated lease buyouts saving $6 million. She has also lead successful implementations of Hyperion Financial Management for global financial reporting, Hyperion Essbase for global client management, and PeopleSoft for Edelman’s US financial system. Ms. Mendes also participated in SAP financial system installations at two previous employers.

Prior to her employment at Edelman, Ms. Mendes was recruited to serve as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Hartford Computer Group, a computer reseller and distributor, and of Medline Industries, Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of healthcare supplies. From 1988 to 1994 Ms. Mendes was an investment banker at First Chicago Capital Markets, Inc. where she improved the bank’s corporate tax-exempt bond ranking from 9th to 1st nationally. Prior to working at First Chicago, she practiced law in Chicago and Massachusetts. Ms. Mendes received her Bachelor of Arts from Brown University, her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and her Masters in Business with a Specialty in Finance from The University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. She is an Illinois certified public accountant