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Agenda Hotel / Location Sponsors Exhibit Select Page May 20-23, 2024 INDEPENDENTS CONFERENCE & EXPO Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Register Now Registration Rates AFSA Member $1,760 AFSA Non-Member $2,760 First Time Attendee (Members Only) $850 Committee/Board Member $1,430 Outstanding Employee $850 Spouse $850 Join AFSA’s independent members for a content-rich experience, engaging in strategic, thought-provoking discussions on issues affecting the industry. AFSA is pleased to announce that the 2024 Independents Conference & Expo will be held May 20-23 at the beautiful Marriott Harbor Beach in Fort Lauderdale. Each day will feature fast-paced and informative keynotes sessions, thoughtful committee meetings, and engaging networking opportunities.  Explore business strategies and insights from industry leaders and colleagues.  Participate in thought-provoking keynotes, panels and committee meetings.  Network with attendees along the beautiful Florida coast. Register Today Featured Speakers Conference Keynote Lt. Col. (ret.) Scott Mann High-Impact Leadership Expert; Retired Green Beret Described as the Warrior Storyteller,” Lt. Col. Scott Mann is a retired U.S. Army Green Beret who specialized in unconventional, high-impact special operations missions in do-or-die environments across the globe. In a distinguished 23-year military career, Lieutenant Colonel Mann operated at the highest levels of the Special Operations Community, widely recognized for his successful leadership of teams in complex situations. He grabbed global headlines when, alongside fellow Green Beret veterans and other volunteers, he led Pineapple Express” — a grassroots leadership campaign using Rooftop Human Connection Skills to honor a promise and save more than 1,000 Afghans from a life-threatening situation amid America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. Mann brings an innovative approach to problem solving — one that has empowered people from all walks of life to get surrounded on purpose to achieve something much greater than themselves. Following his military service, Mann founded Rooftop Leadership, a professional training and coaching program designed to help high-performing, servant leaders forge deeper connections with the people they serve to create more powerful outcomes in business and life. His training program incorporates leadership and rapport-building principles to organizations in any industry and outlines how today’s leaders can make better human connections in high-stakes, low-trust environments. Lt. Col. Mann advocates on behalf of our troops before Congress and on national media outlets, including CNN, Fox, and ABC. In addition to his speaking, Lt. Col. Mann channels is a playwright and actor in Last Out,” his recent play-brought-to-film illustrating the unforeseen costs of war on our veterans — available on Amazon Prime. Champions Club Kenny Smith Two-Time NBA Champion; Award-Winning Broadcaster Known throughout his basketball career by the nickname The Jet,” Kenny Smith today co-hosts the top-rated Inside The NBA,” alongside Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal, and is recognized as one of the top basketball analysts in the industry. Prior to his media career, Smith had a decade-long playing career in the NBA, winning two World Championships with the Houston Rockets, following a stellar playing career under legendary Hall of Fame coach Dean Smith at the University of North Carolina. Agenda *subject to change* Monday, May 20 8:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Registration Center Caribbean Lobby 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Law Committee (by invitation) Sponsored by Ocean 3/4 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Operations & Regulatory Compliance Committee Ocean 1/2 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Independents Board Meeting (by invitation) Grand D 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. AFSAEF Development & Marketing Committee Jacksonville 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Law Committee Dinner (by invitation) Sponsored by Riva 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. SGA & ORCC Joint Reception Sponsored by Ocean Ballroom Terrace 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. AFSAPAC Event Sponsored by Beach Tuesday, May 21 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Registration Center Caribbean Lobby 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. State Government Affairs Committee Ocean 3/4 8:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m. Independents Auto Finance Executives Breakfast/Meeting (by invitation) Sponsored by 3030 Ocean Restaurant/Ocean 1 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Leadership Development Program Steering Committee Ocean 2 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. EDGE Advisory Board Ocean 2 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. HR Networking Group Sponsored by Grand D 10:15 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Law Committee (by invitation) Sponsored by Ocean 3/4 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. AFSAEF Board Meeting/Lunch Ocean 2 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Executive Committee Meeting/Lunch (by invitation) Ocean 1 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Ancillary Product Working Group Grand D 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Business Partner Board Ocean 2 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. AFSA Board of Directors Sponsored by Ocean 3/4 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Women’s Leadership Council Refreshments Sponsored by Ocean 1 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Welcome Party with Exhibitors Reception Sponsored by Entertainment Sponsored by Grand Ballroom 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Welcome Dinner/AFSAPAC Auction Dinner Sponsored by Entertainment Sponsored by Decor Sponsored by Caribbean Ballroom Wednesday, May 22 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Registration Center Caribbean Lobby 8:00 a.m.- 8:45 a.m. Breakfast with Exhibitors Sponsored by Grand Ballroom 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Opening General Session: Opening Remarks, Outstanding Independents Awards, and Keynote Address KEYNOTE SESSION with Lt. Col. Scott Mann (ret.): Join us for compelling and dynamic storytelling, with lessons learned from critical combat missions that demonstrate transformative relationship-building techniques and decision-making skills that are key to establishing high-trust organizations. Sponsored by Caribbean Ballroom 10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Refreshments with Exhibitors Sponsored by Grand Ballroom 10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. General Session: CEO Roundtable Sponsored by Caribbean Ballroom 11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. General Session: Capital Challenges Speakers: Josh Bullock, Managing Director, Mount Logan Management Jim Chester, Managing Director, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Josh Johnson, President & CEO, Mariner Finance Pam Johnson, Chief Financial Officer, OppFi Milos Milosevic, Principal, Fourshore Partners Moderator: Sharon Mancero, Managing Director, Agora Data Sponsored by Caribbean Ballroom 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Luncheon with Exhibitors Sponsored by Grand Ballroom 1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Public Policy Update Caribbean Ballroom 1:45 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Road to 2024: The Election Outlook Speakers: Jeffrey Horwitt, Partner, Hart Search Micah Roberts, Partner, Public Opinion Strategies Sponsored by Caribbean Ballroom 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Refreshments with Exhibitors Sponsored by Grand Ballroom 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. RSM Survey Sponsored by Caribbean Ballroom 3:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Solutions Showcase Caribbean Ballroom 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Marketing & Communications Committee Grand B 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Independent Accounting Committee Grand C 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Operations Networking Group Sponsored by Grand D 5:15 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Receptions with Exhibitors Reception Sponsored by Entertainment Sponsored by Grand Ballroom Thursday, May 23 8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Registration Center Caribbean Lobby 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast Sponsored by Ocean Ballroom Foyer 9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Breakfast & Breakouts: TBD Sponsored by Ocean 1 9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Breakfast & Breakouts: TBD Sponsored by Ocean 3 9:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Breakfast & Breakouts: TBD Ocean 1 9:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Breakfast & Breakouts: TBD Ocean 3 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Coffee Break Sponsored by Caribbean Foyer 10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Champions Club Speaker: Kenny Smith, Two-Time NBA Champion & Award-winning Broadcaster Sponsored by Caribbean Ballroom 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Luncheon for All...