Texas Chapter 2021 Annual Meeting

Get ready for the Texas Chapter 2021 Annual Meeting! This will be a hybrid event, with the option to either attend in-person or online via Zoom. The event will take place on October 8, 2021, starting at 7:15 AM CT for in-person attendees, or 7:55 AM for zoom attendees, ending at 4:30 PM CT. The meeting will discuss current happenings and news within the Texas Chapter, as well as feature some exciting and informative sessions with experts! 

Plus, earn up to 8 CPE Credit Hours by attending!

The Zoom portion of the meeting is free for ALL NSAC members. 

Meeting Agenda:

7:30 A.M. Breakfast, Registration, and Welcome: RUSS DUBOSE, President, Texas Chapter, NSAC

8:00 A.M. Legal Update for Cooperatives: GARY MCLAREN, Attorney, McLaren Law Firm, PLLC

Gary McLaren is the most decorated co-op lawyer in Texas. Gary was born in Abilene, Texas. He practices general civil litigation in federal and state courts with experience representing clients involving business transactions, insurance defense, cooperatives, and agricultural matters. Gary holds a degree in finance from Texas Tech University and served as a commercial loan officer for eight years prior to obtaining his law degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston.

After the presentation, members of the NSAC will be updated on COVID laws, rules, and regulations, have a better understanding of the application of COVID laws, rules, and regulations and also have an outlook for future COVID developments.

Participants will earn 1.0 CPE credit in Business Law.

8:50 A.M. Ransomware: Protecting Your Data and Mitigating Risk: BILL CURNOW, Information Security Manager, Plains Cotton Cooperative Association

Bill Curnow is the Information Security Manager for Plains Cotton Cooperative Association. In addition to security, he has over 27 years of internet infrastructure, process automation, and database administration experience. A native of Coral Gables, Florida, Bill lives in Lubbock, Texas, with his wife Lauren and has served on several boards and committees where he’s lent his expertise in emergency management and crisis communications.

During this presentation, we'll explore the current state of ransomware, learn what motivates criminals who use ransomware, and explore strategies for minimizing this risk.

Participants will earn 1.5 CPE credits in Information Technology. 

10:05 A.M. Break

10:20 A.M. Economic Update and Conversation with a Banker: ROB FOX, Director, CoBank's Knowledge Exchange Division, CoBank; MARC ADAMS, Regional Vice President, CoBank

Rob Fox is director of CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange Division. He leads market and industry research in the agricultural and infrastructure sectors affecting the rural economy. He has over 25 years of experience in a wide array of agriculture-related roles, in both private industry and the public sector. Mr. Fox earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Northwestern University and a master’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of California, Davis.

As Regional Vice President for CoBank, Marc Adams oversees the bank’s portfolio of commercial agribusiness and finance customers in the Central Region. With more than 26 years of experience in banking, Marc’s banking career has included production agriculture, agribusiness, commercial business, and commercial real estate. He is an Alumni of Stonier Graduate School of Banking and holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Texas Tech University.

After the presentation, members of the NSAC will have a current economic update, an understanding of financial ratios used by the bank to assess credit risk, and an overview of the general state of cooperatives in Texas.

Participants will earn 1.5 CPE credits. .75 CPE credits in Economics, and .75 CPE credits in Finance.

12:35 P.M. State of Play in Congress and the Impact on Agriculture: KODY BESSENT, CEO, Plains Cotton Growers, Inc.; JOHN DUFF, Executive Vice President, National Sorghum Producers

Kody Bessent, currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer for Plains Cotton Growers, Inc. (PCG), a regional certified cotton producer organization covering 42 counties in the High Plains of Texas. Bessent in conjunction with PCG’s Board of Directors, oversees the organization’s legislative agenda on state and federal matters, while also supervising a staff of five professionals in carrying out the mission of pro- active representation of the region’s cotton producers on policy initiatives, cotton research and market development at a local, state, and national level. Prior to being named CEO, Bessent served as the Vice President of Operations and Legislative Affairs for PCG. He attended West Texas A&M University, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in agriculture education and a master’s degree in agriculture emphasizing in business and economics. Bessent has a background in production agriculture and his family continues to produce cotton, wheat, and grain sorghum on their family farming operation in Acuff, Texas.

John Duff serves as executive vice president of the National Sorghum Producers and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program, where he provides leadership and analysis on an array of sorghum industry issues from markets to policy. In addition, he works directly with staff executive leadership to assist with day-to-day operations, and is involved in legislative and regulatory advocacy. John is a proud alumnus of Texas Tech University, where he received a bachelor's degree in agribusiness in 2012 and an MBA in 2021.

After the presentation, members of the NSAC will have an overview of the state of the agriculture and cotton industries pre and post COVID-19, the impact of proposed agriculture tax policy reforms to the Biden Administration's "Build Back Better Agenda," and regulatory issues facing production agriculture.

Participants will earn 1.5 CPE credits in Specialized Knowledge. 

1:50 P.M. Accounting and Auditing Update: GREG TAYLOR, CPA, D. Williams & Co.

Greg Taylor grew up on a six hundred-acre cattle and cotton farm south of Ralls, Texas. He is a shareholder with D. Williams and Company, P.C. in Lubbock, and oversees the firm’s assurance, litigation support and valuation services. He joined D. Williams and Company, P.C. in 1989 after working with Doshier, Pickens & Francis, P.C. in Amarillo, Texas and in the Lubbock office of KPMG Peat Marwick. Greg received his B.B.A. in finance and accounting from West Texas State University (now West Texas A&M University) in 1983 and his M.B.A. from West Texas State University in 1988. Greg served as the National President of NSAC in 2008-2009.

NSAC members will receive an update concerning accounting principles and timely information to comply with upcoming standards, an update concerning auditing standards and timely information to comply with upcoming standards and an update concerning selected tax code, tax regulation, and tax policy changes that may impact cooperatives in the coming year.

Participants will earn 1.5 CPE credits. .75 CPE credits in Accounting and .75 CPE credits in Auditing

3:05 P.M. Break

3:20 P.M. Roundtable Discussion

The three learning objectives of the roundtable discussion are to compare and discuss common industry practice with colleagues, obtain answers for unique questions involving cooperatives from experienced individuals and to discuss best practices for existing or upcoming challenges faced by cooperatives in relation to accounting practices.

Participants will earn 1.0 CPE credits in Accounting. 

4:10 P.M. Wrap-Up and Evaluations

Link to Agenda PDF