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I hope everyone is enjoying their summer! Before we know it, fall will be here, and our monthly FEI meetings will be back in full swing. As our program schedule for 2026-2027 is being finalized, now is a great time to start thinking about individuals you would like to invite as guests to one of our upcoming meetings.
As we think about prospective guests and future members, I encourage you to keep an open mind about who those individuals might be. Consider colleagues within your own organization who would benefit from FEI membership. You may also know someone you worked with at a previous employer or someone who has recently relocated to the area and would value networking with a strong community of local finance professionals.
If you know someone who would be a great fit but don't have the time to reach out—or simply don't feel comfortable making the introduction—please feel free to share their name with one of our board members or Michelle Weiss. We would be happy to contact them, provide information about FEI, and answer any questions they may have about our chapter.
I truly believe the continued success of our chapter depends on all of us. Each of us can play a small role in helping maintain and grow this outstanding organization that we all benefit from. Whether it's inviting a guest to a meeting, following our LinkedIn Page and encouraging others to do the same, or making a commitment to attend more monthly meetings this year, every contribution helps move our chapter forward. Together, those small efforts can have a significant and lasting impact.
Bob Faulds
FEI Member Experience Chair
Bob.Faulds@truitypartners.com
Healthcare Cost Increases Show No Signs of Slowing: What Employers Can Do
While the current market is challenging, there are new options and strategies to contain costs and support employees.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Healthcare costs for employers are expected to increase 9.5% in 2027, marking a second consecutive year at this level, prior to cost-mitigation actions.
Cost increases are now driven more by how much and what kind of care is used, not just by price hikes.
Employers should manage these challenges by adopting strategies focused on core drivers of cost increases: price, utilization and care mix.
Developing a Problem-Solving Mindset for C&I Leaders
Today’s business environment presents no shortage of challenges for C&I organizations—economic uncertainty, supply chain disruptions, workforce pressures and evolving customer demands, among others. While it can be tempting to take a wait-and-see approach, companies that move forward with intention create a competitive edge.
Join the KPI Lab and Associated Bank for an interactive webinar about cultivating a problem-solving mindset. In this session, discover how thinking differently can unlock growth and momentum across your organization. The KPI Lab will provide practical tools and frameworks you can apply immediately:
- Mindset Matters: How beliefs shape our approach to challenges
- Wheel of Control: Focus energy where it matters most
- Problem Solving Mindset in Action: Brief activities and examples
- Progress Principle: Celebrate small wins to build big momentum
This session is designed to be interactive and hands-on, bringing peers together to provide insights and learn from one another in real time. A recording will be made available; however, due to the interactive nature, the webinar is best experienced live.
This webinar will be hosted on Microsoft Teams. If you are not able to make the live event, please register to get access to the on-demand recording at your convenience.
Middle Market M&A Update: Q2 2026
Cameron Hewes
Head, Mid-Market M&A
Despite volatility in the broader macro environment, middle market M&A activity remained resilient as the momentum established in 2025 carried into early 2026. Our latest Middle Market M&A Update highlights the latest trends in activity and valuation, and examines the evolving private credit landscape, where conditions are reshaping capital availability and impacting downstream deal outcomes.
The Hidden Driver of Employee Experience: Financial Security as a Talent Strategy | September 16, 2026 | 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Join financial wellness benefits experts to discuss the impact of employee financial security on productivity, job satisfaction, absenteeism, and turnover. Learn practical ways your organization can incorporate financial wellness into talent strategy initiatives to reduce employee stress, strengthen loyalty, and improve plan engagement.
Session to take place on Wednesday, September 16th at 12pm CST over Zoom. Eligible for 1 PDC through SHRM.
Coffee & Copilot Learning Session | August 12, 2026 | 8:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Interested in joining? Email Alissa.dorn@roberthalf.com or Kate.Bradley@roberthalf.com for the invite!
Rethinking Capital, Cash Flow & Operational Readiness | August 12, 2026 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Most businesses don’t feel pressure at first in the financial statements. They feel it operationally. Fragmented reporting, limited cash flow visibility and growing complexity are making it harder to deploy capital with confidence.
Finance and operations leaders are being asked to make faster decisions with less insight into performance, forecasting and capacity. The challenge isn’t identifying growth opportunities — it’s determining which investments the organization can realistically support and when conditions may require a shift in strategy.
The webinar will cover:
- How leaders are prioritizing capital and evaluating ROI
- How improved visibility builds decision confidence
- What operational constraints are limiting execution capacity
Join Wipfli partners Sean LaFortune, Robert Zondag, Kat Maddi and Kevin Smith for a discussion on how leadership teams are navigating these challenges while staying focused on long-term growth. Through live polling and dynamic discussion, they’ll share how organizations are responding to today’s operational pressures.