Agenda
Monday, December 8 | Day One
| Monday, December 8 |
8:00 – 8:45 |
Registration & Breakfast |
| 8:45 – 9:00 | Welcome & Introductions — Bill Glazner, Adams Brown |
| 9:00 – 10:00 | Trade, Taxes and Tractors: An Overview of the Issues and Legislation Impacting Farmers and Ranchers — Katie Sawyer, Office of U.S. Senator Roger Marshall
|
| 10:00 – 11:00 | Navigating Agribusiness Turnarounds: In-Court and Out-of-Court Strategies that Work — Evan Blum & Darryl Myers, BDO Alliance USA
|
| 11:00 – 11:20 | Break |
| 11:20 – 11:30 | Sponsor Spotlight: Figured |
| 11:30 – 12:30 | Harvesting Innovation: A Look at Today’s Technology Landscape — Brendan Giesick, Adams Brown Technology Specialists
|
| 12:30 – 1:15 | Lunch – Sponsored by Figured
|
| 1:15 – 1:30 | Sponsor Spotlight: BDO Alliance |
| 1:30 – 2:30 | Built to Last: Tax Strategies and Succession Planning to Retain Your Wealth — Scott Balestrier & Lindsay Heckman, BDO Alliance USA
|
| 2:30 – 2:50 | Break |
| 2:50 – 3:00 | Sponsor Spotlight: Xero |
| 3:00 – 4:00 | Agribusiness Bankers Panel: How to Become Your Banker’s Best Customer — moderated by Bill Glazner, Adams Brown
· Adam Wacker, Frontier Farm Credit and Farm Credit Services of America · David White, INTRUST Bank · Mark Sorensen, Rabo AgriFinance
|
| 4:00 – 5:00 | Discussion & Closing Remarks |
| 5:30 | Happy Hour at Hilton Hotel Bar (770 W 47th Street, Kansas City) – Sponsored by Xero |
Tuesday, December 9 | Day Two
| Tuesday, December 9 |
7:30 – 8:00 |
Breakfast |
| 8:00 – 8:15 | Welcome & Introductions — Bill Glazner, Adams Brown |
| 8:15 – 9:45 | 2025 Farm Tax Overview — Part 1 — Paul Neiffer, Farm CPA Report |
| 9:45 – 10:00 | Break |
| 10:00 – 11:30 | 2025 Farm Tax Overview — Part 2 — Paul Neiffer, Farm CPA Report |
| 11:30 – 12:15 | Lunch |
| 12:15 – 1:45 | Agricultural Law & Taxation — Part 1 — Roger McEowen, Washburn University School of Law
|
| 1:45 – 2:00 | Break |
| 2:00 – 3:30 | Agricultural Law & Taxation — Part 2 — Roger McEowen, Washburn University School of Law
|
| 3:30 – 4:00 | Discussion & Closing Remarks |
| 4:00 | Adjourn |
Paul Neiffer is the primary author of the FarmCPAReport.com blog, writes a column and does a podcast for Top Producer. He also provides tax education services for CPAs and other tax preparers annually.
Paul is recognized as a national speaker on many topics related to farm businesses such as income and estate tax planning, Farm Service Agency planning and many other topics.
Paul grew up on a farm in Southeastern Washington and currently farms in Iowa, Missouri and Washington. He enjoys getting as much combine therapy as he can.
Paul Neiffer, Ag Insight Expert at FarmCPAReport.com, Speaker & Writer
Roger McEowen is the Kansas Farm Bureau Professor of Agricultural Law and Taxation, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, KS. Roger focuses on legal and tax issues that agricultural producers, agricultural businesses, and rural landowners face.
He teaches an undergraduate course in agricultural law at Kansas State University in addition to agricultural law and tax courses at the law school.
Roger McEowen, Professor of Agricultural Law and Taxation at Washburn University School of Law
Katie Sawyer graduated in 2006 from Pittsburg State University with dual bachelor degrees in communications and international studies and earned her masters degree in strategic communication from Purdue University in 2016.
She now works full-time off the farm as District Director for U.S. Congressman Roger Marshall. Katie joined the CommonGround™ Kansas program in the summer of 2012. Growing up in an urban environment provided her with a different perspective on farming and agriculture. She enjoys talking about her farm, farming practices and how she and her husband work to create a safe and affordable food supply for people across the world.
Katie's area of expertise is in livestock and crop productions, communications and crop technologies.
Ag Connections: Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Livestock Association, Kansas Corn Growers Association, Inman FFA Alumni Association. She also is a guest blogger for the Kansas Beef Council and runs as a member of the council’s Beef Endurance Team.
Katie Sawyer, State Director for U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D.
Darryl Myers, CIRA, is an accomplished professional with expertise in transaction due diligence, business operating models, and capital markets access, including DIP loans and M&A. His contributions are critical in providing essential financial advisory and bankruptcy compliance services to clients.
Darryl launched his career in financial services as the equities sales desk manager at Hudson Sloan LLP, a boutique securities brokerage firm in New York. Later, he co-managed an alternative resources fund at Karasel Asset Management LP, a $500 million hedge fund. During his tenure at Karasel, Darryl drove all related local and international capital-raising initiatives.
Darryl worked at Investec Bank, a global banking group, advising clients in the high-net-worth private client division on integrated property finance solutions and professional practice finance.
Darryl Myers, CIRA, Director, BDO Consulting Group, LLC
Scott Balestrier is a tax principal focusing on expansion and growth. Scott is a seasoned financial executive in both the public and private sector, having served as a CEO for Solomon Edwards Group as well as a managing partner for several professional services firms over the course of his three-decade career in public accounting and consulting, during which over 20 years have been fulfilled at the partner level.
Scott’s experience includes tax, risk management, information technology, financial accounting, employee benefits, capital raise, and succession planning. As the managing partner for an international accounting firm, Scott led operations for its Philadelphia, PA tax practice, managing several departments and dozens of employees. Through this high-profile position, he developed and executed top-level strategy with technical resources and industry acumen to bring additional value to clients and colleagues.
Scott has been the lead coordinating partner for companies in a wide variety of industries, and has significant experience working with manufacturing and distribution, retail, and financial services companies. He has also facilitated an impressive amount of high-level M&A proceedings, through both professional services firms and his own clients.
Scott Balestrier, Tax Principal, BDO USA, P.C.
Brendan Giesick brings over seven years of expertise in Information and Risk Management, including IT Strategy, Cybersecurity, Cyber Liability Insurance, Risk Analysis, and Technology Infrastructure.
As Chief Revenue Officer at ABTS, Brendan is passionate about helping businesses use technology to achieve their goals. He excels at understanding operational needs and tailoring secure, disruption-free technology plans.
Brendan is a frequent speaker on IT topics and has appeared on local television news. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Tabor College and is licensed in Property and Casualty Insurance, specializing in Captives and Cyber Liability.
Brendan Giesick, Chief Revenue Officer, Adams Brown Technology Specialists
Evan Blum is a Managing Director with BDO where he provides financial advisory, interim management and turnaround consulting services. He brings more than 25 years of experience representing clients on restructuring matters on a nation-wide basis. He is known for taking a hands-on approach to issues and resolving complex cases creatively.
Mr. Blum represents management teams, lenders and other stakeholders in situations requiring operational and financial restructuring services. He has managed liquidity and business plan issues, as well as negotiated complex balance sheet restructurings and recapitalizations.
He focuses on middle market assignments across a range of industries, including agribusiness, coal, media, retail, telecommunications, distribution, leasing, grocery, real estate/hospitality, building products, and construction.
Evan Blum, Managing Director, BDO Consulting Group, LLC
Adam Wacker is a Vice President of Credit for Frontier Farm Credit and Farm Credit Services of America. Over the past 17 years Adam has served in different underwriting roles for those organizations analyzing agricultural credit needs from commercial cattle feedlots to individual row crop producers to agribusinesses.
He currently leads a team of credit underwriters who are charged with loan underwriting needs of farmers, ranchers, and agribusiness across the company’s eight Midwest state service area. Prior to joining the farm credit system he was a Safety & Soundness Examiner for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
Adam grew up on a farm and ranch in the high plains of western Nebraska where his passion for agricultures stems and received his B.S. in Agricultural Business and Agricultural Economics from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.
Adam Wacker, Vice President of Credit for Frontier Farm Credit and Farm Credit Services of America
Accounting is about more than numbers to Bill Glazner. It's always been about helping people build stronger businesses.
Bill works closely with clients to help them make confident decisions, navigate growth and solve challenges with clarity and purpose. He advises clients on all aspects of their business from financial planning and operations to leadership and long-term strategy.
With more than 35 years of experience, Bill has seen what works and what doesn’t and he uses that insight to help clients avoid pitfalls and seize opportunities.
Bill Glazner, CPA, Principal, Agriculture Industry Leader, Adams Brown
David White is a seasoned professional in the banking and finance industry, currently serving as a Senior Commercial Relationship Manager in Commodities and Correspondent Banking at INTRUST Bank since October 2013.
With a solid foundation in correspondent banking and agribusiness lending, David has progressed through various roles including Commercial Relationship Manager and Senior Commercial Analyst. Prior experience encompasses positions as a Risk Analyst at CoBank and U.S. AgBank, as well as internships focused on credit and quality assurance.
David holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Fort Hays State University and a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics with a focus on Agricultural Communications and Journalism from Kansas State University.
David White, Senior Commercial Relationship Manager in Commodities & Correspondent Banking, INTRUST Bank
With more than 19 years of experience in tax and accounting, Lindsay Heckman brings deep expertise in both public accounting and corporate tax environments. she specializes in advising complex pass-through entities—including partnerships and S corporations—as well as high-net-worth individuals.
Lindsay’s practice focuses on strategic tax planning, compliance, and consulting across a range of industries, including professional services, financial services, manufacturing and packaging, and real estate/construction. She is known for her ability to navigate intricate tax structures and deliver practical solutions tailored to each client’s unique needs.
In addition to her work with business entities, Lindsay provides comprehensive tax planning for high-net-worth individuals and their estates, helping clients identify opportunities to mitigate tax liabilities and optimize long-term financial outcomes. Her strengths include federal tax research, law change implementation, income tax planning and compliance, accounting system integration, and managing specialized tax projects.
Lindsay Heckman, Tax Managing Director, Private Client Service, BDO USA, P.C.