by Dean Backes
Special to The Leaven
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — After putting together a loaded speaking lineup, the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas is set to put on its first live St. Thomas More Continuing Education Program since 2019 on June 3 at Savior Pastoral Center here.
The 12th annual workshop will run from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. and is set up to assist lawyers, financial advisers, accountants and insurance professionals in earning the continuing education hours they need to maintain their various licenses . . . and do it in a spiritual setting.
“I think the speaker lineup, the sessions and the topics that are going to be discussed are pretty top-notch this year,” said CFNEK marketing coordinator Jane Schmitt. “Not that they haven’t been in the past, but I think it’s a super strong lineup of a great mix of content and relative topics.”
Registration for the event begins at 7:30 a.m., followed by a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann at 8. After a continental breakfast, the archbishop and CFNEK executive director Bill Maloney will offer opening remarks at 9:15 a.m.
Alice L. Walker of the Kansas Disciplinary Office will present the first session on “Professionalism, Personal Beliefs and the Rules of Professional Conduct” at 9:30 a.m. At 10:30 a.m., Rochelle Falk, JD, from Polsinelli, and Counts Law Firm’s Michelle Burge, JD, will team up to discuss the probate and estate planning changes since COVID.
Martin Seay, PhD., CFP, of Kansas State University opens the afternoon sessions with “Rethinking Annuities: Focusing on Client Well- Being.” Robert Hofmann, a fundraiser for the University of Minnesota — Duluth, will conclude the day’s offerings by discussing “Strategies to Avoid Litigation Due to Dementia.”
Schmitt said the CFNEK continuing education committee works to brainstorm different speakers and different topics. She then reaches out to the professionals that have been suggested by the committee to see if they’re available to speak on a topic that is particularly relevant currently.
For Hofmann, receiving an invitation to speak means a lot because it demonstrates that people understand the issue of dementia and that they find it to be relevant and important.
He is also looking forward to speaking live again.
“Presenting in person allows you to engage with your audience in question and answer — talk about things,” Hofmann said. “Sometimes, they come up with ideas that we haven’t thought about, or don’t have the answers to. Then we can go back and find the answers. You get a much better experience — both myself as a presenter, and the people that attend the presentations.”
Hofmann, who may offer presentations as many as five times this year, said the university completed a survey with over 200 financial planning professionals and others that work in wealth development. He will be sharing those results in June.
“We’re going to have new data on those interviews and surveys,” Hofmann said. “Every presentation is slightly different because you learn new things and you share new things.”
Falk, who will be speaking at the workshop for the second straight year, said getting an invitation is a compliment in the highest form. She also likes getting questions and feedback from the audience, as it keeps her on her toes as far as her profession goes.
“Frankly, it’s an honor to have your colleagues think highly enough of you to say, ‘Hey, we think you have some expertise in this area, and we’d like you to present to other attorneys and other professionals so they can get their required continuing education to keep their license up,’” Falk said.
Schmitt said that the continuing education hours have been approved and she hopes that incentive — along with the power lineup — draws a large crowd.
“I think it’s a big draw for lawyers and other professionals when accreditation is no longer pending,” Schmitt said. “It’s just kind of part of their world to keep up to date with their accreditation.”
Each presentation is considered a session and after each session there will be a 10-minute break and booths to attend. The networking lunch runs from 12:20-12:40 p.m. and the registration fee is $80.
