Experts will lead workshops after Economic Trends Breakfast

BizTimes Media will host the 11th annual Northern Trust Economic Trends Breakfast on Friday, Jan. 20 at the Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago St., beginning at 7:30 a.m. Following the event, attendees will have the opportunity to attend one of two exclusive workshops conducted by Milwaukee area business professionals.
The workshops will be held in breakout rooms at the Italian Community Center from 9:45 to 10:30 a.m.
The first workshop, presented by Amy Krier, attorney at Davis and Kuelthau S.C.; Ryan Laughlin, tax manager at Wipfli LLP and Matthew Peterson, chief fiduciary officer at Northern Trust-Wisconsin, is called “Leaving a Legacy in Uncertain Times- Income and Estate Planning in Today’s Environment.” This workshop will highlight and discuss opportunities to create and maintain different types of legacies amid the current and anticipated income, estate and gift tax laws.
The second workshop is titled "Select Topics for Mergers and Acquisitions in 2012." Greg Butler, partner at Wipfli LLP; Robert Mathers, shareholder at Davis and Kuelthau; Jeff Milkle, managing director; WCF Advisors, a subsidiary of Wipfli LLP; and Roger Sandell, senior vice president at Northern Trust Wisconsin will present an analysis of various topics in the field of mergers and acquisitions. Attendees will have the opportunity to walk away with a better understanding of what buyers and sellers in the market want, how to proactively plan for a sale or acquisition and the life cycle of the merger and acquisition process as well as how to prepare for closing and post closing expectations. The workshops are available to attendees at no additional cost.
The annual Economic Trends event provides southeastern Wisconsin business leaders with early forecasts about the worldwide trends that will affect their companies in 2012. Panelists at this year’s event include Michael Knetter, economist and president of the University of Wisconsin Foundation; Daniel Ariens, president and chief executive officer of Ariens Company; Mark DiBlasi, president and CEO of Roadrunner Transportation Systems Inc.; Bill Haack, chairman and CEO of Zywave Inc.; Frank Krejci, president and chief operating officer of Strattec Security Corp., and Sara Meaney, a partner at Hanson Dodge Creative. For additional information, visit www.biztimes.com/trends.