Toy professionals will learn about a variety of finance and credit issues including the health of key retailers, business financing options, and implications of new e-commerce tax rules, among other topics, during The Toy Association’s Annual Business Conference (ABC), co-hosted by Target in Minneapolis this June.
“Conference participants will come away with a better understanding of how to implement strategies aimed at making their companies more efficient and profitable – and better protected against troubled retailers,” says Paul Vitale, executive vice president of finance and operations at The Toy Association. “The informative finance- and credit-related sessions are a must for toy professionals.”
Highlights of finance and credit seminars taking place throughout the June 18 to 19 conference include:
- Dennis Cantalupo, president of PulseRatings and partner at RiemerPlus, will present a seminar on the financial health of key retail customers, and offer an analysis on the true risk of extending credit to specific retailers;
- “Selling Direct to Consumers: eCommerce Tax Implications” will be presented by Matt Ehinger, a partner at Ice Miller, LLP;
- A panel of top industry executives will discuss their experiences with mergers, acquisitions, and private equity transactions, including Jeremy Ballaro, CFO of Buffalo Games, Jay Foreman, CEO of Basic Fun!, Dean Stewart, vice president of credit & risk management at Spin Master, and Bob Wann, chief play monster at PlayMonster and The Toy Association’s chairman;
- Boyd Evert, president of Harvest Revenue Group, will present a session titled “Current & Emerging Deduction Trends: New Strategies for Supply Chain, Credit & Collections;” and
- A financing panel titled, “Making the Most of Your Short-Term Assets Including Receivables and Inventory,” moderated by David Tawil, co-founder and principal of ETG Capital. Presenters include Marc Heller, president of CIT Commercial Services, Steven Redmer, director of broker and client management at Euler Hermes North America, and David W. Slavik, senior vice president of business development and asset based finance at U.S. Bank.
Additional seminars held throughout the conference will be presented by a host of seasoned toy, retail, and credit executives including sessions led by Target executives, who will cover the future of retail, importing, branding, licensing, product innovation, sustainable sourcing, digital marketing, and more. The full conference agenda can be found online at www.toyassociation.org/abc.
