LEARN ABOUT THE LATEST
BUSINESS ISSUES AND EARN
CONTINUING EDUCATION
CREDIT HOURS
COLLEGE OF
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Department of Accounting & Finance
P.O. Box 2015
Thibodaux, LA 70310
The College of Business Administration at Nicholls State University
proudly hosts the Bayou Region Business Institute as a way to provide
attorneys, certified public accountants, insurance agents, financial
planning professionals, controllers and business leaders with an
opportunity to learn more about relevant, timely topics from highly
qualified speakers.
Register for the Bayou Region Business Institute today by returning the
form on the back of this brochure. For additional questions regarding
registration, please contact Gina Lagrange at 985-448-4176 or
gina.lagrange@nicholls.edu.
REGISTRATION:
For your convenience, you can register for one day or both days of the
institute. Breakfast and lunch are provided with both options, so you will
have time to mix and mingle with other professionals.
• One day:
• Both days:
2015 Bayou Region Business Institute Registration Form
Please send your payment in the form of a check made payable to Nicholls Foundation.
$250
$450
Name
CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS:
• Attorneys can earn up to 11.33 CLE credit hours.
• CPAs can earn up to 16 CPE credit hours.
Home Mailing Address
City StateZip
Individuals needing accommodations (ADA) can call 985-448-4783 or visit nicholls.edu/ada.
Email Address
Phone
Parking permits will be emailed to all registrants.
Please tear off and return this registration form to:
Nicholls State University
Department of Accounting and Finance
P.O. Box 2015
Thibodaux, LA 70310
SILVER SPONSOR
BAYOU REGION
BUSINESS INSTITUTE
Presented by Nicholls State University and
The South Central Chapter of the Society of Louisiana CPAs
Oct. 26–27, 2015
College of Business Administration
Nicholls State University
Ridley J. Gros Auditorium, Room140, Powell Hall
Thibodaux, LA
GOLD SPONSOR
Les Nettleton
BAYOU REGION BUSINESS INSTITUTE
ON THE AGENDA — MONDAY, OCT. 26:
TUESDAY, OCT. 27 - CONTINUED
8:15–8:20 a.m...................................Welcome and Opening Remarks
Shawn Mauldin, PhD, CPA
Dean, Nicholls College of Business Administration
10:25–10:45 a.m...........................................................................Break
7:45–8:15 a.m.............................. Registration and Continental Breakfast
(Sponsored by JMB)
8:20–8:45 a.m.................................................Lessons Learned from a
Local Family Owned Business
James J. Buquet, III
CEO, Buquet Distributing Company, Inc.
8:45-10:15 a.m.................. Families in Business: Generational Issues
Ernesto Poza
Founder, E.J. Poza Associates, Inc.
10:15–10:35 a.m...........................................................................Break
10:35 a.m.–Noon................ Families in Business: Generational Issues
Ernesto Poza
9:35–10:25 a.m.......................... Successions and the Probate Process
Mervatt Elijaouhari, JD
Wealth Planning Law Group
10:45 a.m.–Noon............Importance of Collaborative Estate Planning
Panel Q&A Session
Gregory A. Walters, CFP;
Michael D. Bergeron, CPA/CGMA/CVA;
Todd Villarrubia, JD, LLM
Noon–1 p.m...................................................................................Lunch
(Sponsored by First American Bank and Trust)
1-2:15 p.m...................................................Federal Tax Update
Tax Professional, Postlethwaite & Netterville, APAC
2:15-2:25 p.m. ...................................................................Break
2:25-3:40 p.m............Louisiana Sales Tax Overview and Hot Topics
Matthew M. Zagotti, CMI
Director of Transaction Tax, Ryan, LLC
1–2:15 p.m..................................... HR Policies Related to Technology:
Implementation and Enforcement
Paul Douglas
Manager, Postlethwaite & Netterville, APAC
3:40-4:30 p.m............................... Louisiana Legislative Update
Jason DeCuir, JD
Director of Public Affairs, Ryan, LLC
2:25–3:40 p.m....................Cloud Computing: Data Protection Issues,
Hiring the Right IT Support
Les Nettleton
Director of Information Technology Services,
Bourgeois Bennett, CPAs and Consultants
3:40–4:30 p.m.............. Providing IT Support: An External Perspective
James Herrington
President, Selagent Technologies LLC
ON THE AGENDA — TUESDAY, OCT. 27:
7:45–8:20 a.m.............................. Registration and Continental Breakfast
(Sponsored by JMB)
8:20–9:35 a.m....................................Comprehensive Estate Planning
That Every Employer Needs to Know
Todd Villarrubia, JD, LLM
CEO, Wealth Planning Law Group
James Herrington
James Herrington is President of Selagent Technologies LLC, a technology management
and consulting firm located in Mandeville, LA. Selagent Technologies provides management
and consulting services for LAN, WAN, network security, Web, Database, VOIP and mobile
technologies. Mr. Herrington began his involvement with Internet and mobile communications in
1989 while studying Electrical Engineering at Ole Miss. He worked both on campus in the Office
of Telecommunications and Network Service, and worked for Adcom Communications helping to
maintain their paging network.
Todd Villarrubia
Noon–1 p.m.................................................................................. Lunch
(Sponsored by First American Bank and Trust)
2:15–2:25 p.m...............................................................................Break
Les Nettleton serves as Director of Information Technology Services for Bourgeois Bennett, CPAs
and Consultants. In that capacity, he manages the team of specialists that both supports the
technological infrastructure of Bourgeois Bennett and provides individualized technology services
and training to the firm’s staff and diverse client base. Les has specialized experience in the areas
of systems analysis, technology management consulting, policy development, security training,
database management and information systems training.
SPEAKERS:
J.J. Buquet
J.J. Buquet is the President & Chief Executive Officer of Buquet Distributing Company, Inc., a position
he has held since 1990. Buquet Distributing is the Anheuser-Busch Inbev beer distributorship in
Southeast Louisiana. At Buquet Distributing, J.J. oversees the management of over 80 full time
employees. In addition, J.J. manages the day to day operations of the company as well as oversees
the long term strategic direction of the company including the financial structure, capital outlays,
corporate structure, and sales strategies and initiatives. He holds the position of Chairman of
the Board for Coastal Commerce Bank of Houma. He is also a current board member of the
Greater New Orleans Foundation, the Port of Terrebonne Economic Development Corporation,
the Nicholls State University College of Business Advisory Board, and is Chairman of the South
Louisiana Economic Council.
Todd Villarrubia is a board certified expert in Estate Planning and Administration who was admitted
to Louisiana practice in 1992 and is admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court. He
is a member of the New Orleans and Jefferson Bar associations and is a member of the National
Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and the New Orleans Estate Planning Council.
Villarrubia has written various tax articles and is a frequent speaker, including presentations given
at Money Watch Live, National Business Institute, Society of Louisiana CPAs, AICPA, Tulane Estate
Planning Conference and the LSU Estate Planning Day. He has been qualified by the Louisiana
Department of Insurance to present continuing education programs discussing various tax and
estate planning topics.
Mervatt Elijaouhari
Mervatt Elijaouhari graduated Magna Cum Laude from Loyola University New Orleans with a
bachelor degree in International Business in 2010. She has studied business development in Spain,
Austria, Portugal, Morocco, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. Mervatt has also done emerging
markets research in London for the purpose of bringing various franchises to the Middle East.
Being fluent in Conversational Arabic has greatly aided in this effort. Mervatt practices with the
Wealth Planning Law Group where she practices in the area of successions.
Gregory A. Walters
Greg Walters is a Certified Financial Planner and an Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor
with over 25 years of experience. Greg is one of three partners with Walters, Meyer, Trosclair &
Associates, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. They have two
locations, one in Thibodaux and the other in Prairieville. Along with his two partners, Thomas
Meyer and Ray Trosclair, 9 registered and 4 non-registered team members, his team manages
$500 million in assets, 1,500 client groups, and they are ranked 67th out of 10,000 Ameriprise
advisors in the country.
Michael D. Bergeron
Michael Bergeron is the managing director of M. Bergeron + Co., LLC, CPAs. He has been actively
engaged in the valuation of closely held companies since 1996 and, since 1990, has practiced
accounting, including audit, tax and other advisory services. Michael’s practice focus is primarily
on assisting his small to medium sized business clients implement strategic plans that maximize
profits and minimize taxes. He is also regularly involved with private company financial reporting,
tax planning and tax compliance and consults with his clients regularly regarding these matters. He
has extensive experience in assisting business owners who face challenges of ownership changes
and generational transfers.
Ernesto Poza
Matthew M. Zagotti
Matthew M. Zagotti is director of transaction tax at Ryan in the Baton Rouge office. He specializes in
providing transaction tax services to clients in a variety of industries, including consumer products
manufacturing, chemical manufacturing and waste incineration. Zagotti is also responsible for the
coordination, development and instruction of Ryan’s internal transaction tax training courses. He
lectures on various tax topics for Ryan clients, Ryan’s internal Professional Development Program
and has appeared as a speaker for organizations such as Lorman Educational Services, Louisiana
State University and The University of Texas at Austin.
Paul Douglas
Jason DeCuir
Jason DeCuir is director of public affairs at Ryan in the Baton Rouge office. He specializes in
public affairs strategies to resolve state tax policy issues and disputes. DeCuir also provides
state tax legislative and regulatory advocacy services and analyses to clients in a variety of
industries. Previously, he was a partner in a private law firm where he represented clients
with complex tax issues. DeCuir lectures on various tax topics and has appeared as speaker
for organizations such as Council on State Taxation, Institute for Professionals in Taxation,
Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, Louisiana Oil and Gas Association and the
Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants, to name a few.
Ernesto Poza is a global leader in family business education, research and consulting. He is
Professor Emeritus of Global Family Enterprise at Thunderbird School of Global Management,
author of the best-selling textbook, Family Business 4th edition, 2014, and four other books on
family business management. His work has been featured by CNN, NBC, NPR, The New York
Times, Business Week, Inc., and The Wall Street Journal. As the third recipient ever of the coveted
Richard Beckhard Award, the Family Firm Institute recognized him as one of the top consultants in
the field. He serves on the advisory boards of several family-controlled corporations.
Paul Douglas is a Manager in P&N’s Consulting division specializing in IT security compliance
and risk management. He leads a team of professionals that assist healthcare organizations with
addressing cybersecurity vulnerabilities and the security of protected health information.