FINANCE
AGENDA
The Vendor Meet and Greet will be held at the Hilton Omaha, Grand Central Ballroom, 2nd Floor. All other PDS sessions will be held at the CHI Health Convention Center at 455 North 10th St, Omaha, NE 68102
Monday, July 22
Noon - 3:45pm
Mega Millions Standard & Guidance Committee Meeting (CLOSED MEETING by Invite Only)
2:00pm - 7:00pm
Registration Open
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3:00pm – 5:30pm
MUSL Security Meeting (CLOSED MEETING by Invite Only)
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5:30pm – 8:30pm
Vendor Meet & Greet
Hilton Omaha, Grand Central Ballroom, 2nd Floor
Tuesday, July 23
9:00am – 9:15am
Conference Kickoff
Brian Rockey, Director, Nebraska Lottery
9:15am – 10:15am
General Session Keynote
Todd Simon, Chairman and Chief Steak Evangelist, Omaha Steaks
10:15am – 10:30am
Networking Break
10:45am – Noon
Roundtable Discussion – Mobile Claims: The Pros, Cons, and Level Limits
Ryan Mindell, Executive Director, Texas Lottery
Greg Bowers, Deputy Executive Director of Finance, Administration & Security, North Carolina Education Lottery
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As a continuation of a multiyear series on cashing modernization options, this session will explore the benefits of offering a mobile cashing solution. In recent years, lottery players have adopted to new ways of purchasing lottery tickets; thus, it is imperative that lotteries also continue to innovate and find more convenient ways for our players to cash winning tickets. This roundtable discussion will elaborate on the challenges some lotteries may have encountered when launching a mobile solution, as well as any limitations that should be considered.
Noon – 1:30pm
LUNCH
Lunch sponsored by Allwyn and Aristocrat Interactive
1:45pm – 2:45pm
General Session – Lotteries in the Gaming Space
Helene Keeley, Director, Delaware Lottery
Matt Strawn, Chief Executive Officer, Iowa Lottery
Laurie Holman, Committee Counsel, Nebraska General Affairs Committee
Michael J. Pollock, Senior Policy Advisor, Spectrum Gaming Group, Executive Director, National Council of Legislators From Gaming States
2:45pm – 3:00pm
Networking Break
3:15pm – 4:30pm
Roundtable Discussion – How Were GASB 87 and 96 Implemented?
Arthur Alexander, Chief Financial Officer, Minnesota Lottery
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This open-discussion roundtable will include a question-and-answer session on how lotteries gather information to evaluate these two pronouncements, as well as “do’s and don’ts” and what needs to be reported in the disclosures for the footnotes. Attendees should be prepared to discuss where they are in the implementation process and share their experiences. For those lotteries who are just beginning implementation, they should come away with a framework of how to begin.
4:45pm – 5:15pm
Powers Awards and Ott Brown Scholarship Presentation
Celebrate industry excellence with the annual Powers Awards and Ott Brown Scholarship!
The prestigious annual NASPL Powers Awards are presented in recognition of the significant contributions lottery and vendor employees have made through exceptional job performance. NASPL also awards one lottery professional the Ott Brown Scholarship each year, enabling the recipient to participate in the NASPL Lottery Leadership Institute at no cost.
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5:15pm – 6:15pm
Women In Lottery Leadership (WILL)
Rebecca Paul, President & CEO, Tennessee Education Lottery
Terri Rose, DED, Brand Management and Communications, North Carolina Education Lottery
Wednesday, July 24
9:00am – 10:15am
General Session Keynote – Leadership & Overcoming Obstacles for Pioneering Innovation
Jeff Koterba, Speaker, Author, and Creativity Coach
10:15am – 10:30am
Networking Break
10:45am – 11:15am
Roundtable Discussion – How Do You Handle Unclaimed Prizes?
Amber Chappell, Chief Financial Officer, Illinois Lottery
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In this session, we explore how lotteries manage unclaimed prize money and their statutory ability. We also weigh the pros and cons, share key takeaways, and explore the procedures for recording unclaimed prizes.
11:30am – Noon
Data Analytics in Accounting
Tom Seaman, Economic Research Manager, Virginia Lottery
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In this session, we will explore the world of forecasting and the various types of analysis that underpin it, with insights into both current and historical examples of forecasting applications. We will also conduct a hands-on group experiment to illustrate how mathematical principles and analytical techniques can be used to shape our expectations.
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Noon – 1:30pm
LUNCH
1:45pm – 3:00pm
The Fight Against Retail Fraud
Danny Goldberg, Founder, GoldSRD
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Retail fraud in the lottery industry is always a challenge. Theft from the consigner, player fraud, fraudulent bank/debit cards – it is a constant battle. This session is for auditors who want to learn the basics of fraud training, to apply to their audit approach immediately (NASBA Field of Study: Auditing). Attendees will go over common industry fraud and what can be done to prevent and detect it; discover how to identify fraud risk with appropriate tools and techniques; learn to apply critical thinking skills to fraud situations; and discuss retailer fraud specifically, including its challenges and potential solutions.
Combined session with Audit
3:00pm – 3:15pm
Networking Break
3:30pm – 4:00pm
Dealing With the IRS: Reporting, Filing and Tracking
Rich Kerper, Discovery Examiner Supervisor, Nebraska Deptartment of Revenue
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This session explores the types of records and paper trails examined in discovery work and what DOR and/or IRS examination efforts entail.
4:15pm – 4:45pm
Getting Familiar With FLEX and Its Accounting Functions
Shannon Underwood, Director of Finance, Multi-State Lottery Association
Dallas Beek, Principal Software Engineer, Multi-State Lottery Association
It has been nearly a year since MUSL’s new game management system, FLEX, was fully implemented for draw reporting. Join MUSL Director of Finance Shannon Underwood on a walk through the recent changes to draw reports and some of the frequently asked questions about the new format. MUSL Principal Software Engineer Dallas Beek will also be on hand to show how lotteries can utilize FLEX to create custom data reports, as well as the new FLEX features currently being developed.
Combined session with IT
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5:30pm – 7:30pm
NASPL Networking Reception
The Durham Museum
Thursday, July 25
9:00am – 9:15am
Closing Remarks From Our Host
Brian Rockey, Director, Nebraska Lottery
9:15am – 10:15am
General Session Keynote – Integrity Aligns Destiny
Willie Miller, BSN, RN
10:15am – 10:30am
Networking Break
10:30am – 11:15am
General Session – Identifying and Mitigating Points of Failure: Building a Business Resiliency Program
Cathleen Atchison, Business Continuity Program Manager, Oregon Lottery
11:30am – Noon
Roundtable Discussion – Recruiting and Retaining Qualified Accounting Staff
John M. White, Deputy Director of Finance, New Jersey Lottery
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At public lotteries, accountants are perhaps the most mobile staff members, capable of leaving for other promising opportunities in their field. Given the unique financial nature and the significant fiduciary responsibilities of lotteries, high turnover among accountants could have significant costly consequences. This discussion will explore ways of minimizing turnover among the finance staff.
Noon – 1:30pm
LUNCH
1:45pm – 3:00pm
Roundtable Discussion – Promotions and ROI: How Is It Measured and Are They Worth It?
John M. White, Deputy Director of Finance, New Jersey Lottery
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This discussion will explore methods for measuring the success of a given promotion. Specifically, did the promotion achieve the desired results and, from a financial perspective, did the promotion pay for itself (including all marketing costs) and result in higher sales?
3:00pm – 3:30pm
Final Networking Break
The connections made at PDS lead to new ideas, friendships and business successes. Spend this dedicated time mingling, establishing new professional relationships, and strengthening existing ones. Share a beverage, exchange contact information and connect with others before departing.