Panel to include CBIA economist & CFOs from three major companies in western Connecticut
The chief financial officers for three major corporations in western Connecticut and the chief economist for the state’s leading business organization will participate in the Ancell School of Business CFO Forum on Wednesday, March 16, at Western Connecticut State University. Register HERE (registration is free).
The forum will be at 7 p.m. in the Ballroom of the Campus Center on the university’s Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury. The major sponsor for the CFO Forum is RSM US, the Connecticut-based affiliate of RSM International and provider of accounting, audit, tax, wealth management and consulting services with offices in Stamford, New Haven, Westport and Farmington. Admission will be free; public reservations are available at www.wcsu.edu/cfoforum.
Participants in the panel discussion will include Ron Bruehlman, senior vice president and CFO of IMS Health, a Danbury-based company providing information technology services for the health care industry; Jeff Gulbin, CFO of Finacity, a Stamford-based financial and capital market services company; and Sean Smith, senior vice president and CFO of Photronics, a Brookfield-based manufacturer of high-tech products for the semiconductor industry. Peter Gioia, vice president and economist of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA), will offer opening remarks. The moderator will be Robert Barghaus, who retired in 2014 as vice president and CFO of Blyth Inc.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for our school and the regional business community to learn from industry experts at the top of their game,” Ancell School Dean Dr. David Martin said. “This is the second of our annual CFO Forums, which will continue to mine the insights and perspectives of our region’s brilliant financial executives.”
Since 2011 Bruehlman has overseen financial operations at IMS Health, a global provider of database applications, cloud platforms and other IT services designed to enhance measurement and performance in disease management, treatments, costs and outcomes in the health care industry. He previously served for 23 years in various financial operations and management positions at United Technologies Corporation, including vice president of business development for UTC and vice president of operations planning and analysis for UTC Commercial Companies.
Smith has served since 2002 as vice president and CFO at Photronics, which has pioneered the manufacture of photomask products for the semiconductor and flat panel display industries worldwide during the past three decades. He was the company’s corporate controller from 2000 to 2002, and previously held positions as controller and chief accounting officer for Starter Corporation, CFO for Carvel, and a CPA at the accounting firm Ernst & Young.
As head of CBIA’s research department, Gioia manages the association’s quarterly surveys of the Connecticut economy as well as periodic surveys of specific topics including manufacturing and small business outlooks, international trade and IT trends, transportation, credit availability and workforce training needs. Gioia organizes several Connecticut and regional economic outlook conferences each year in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank and area business groups, and provides analysis and commentary on economic trends at public seminars and in the area media.
During his 13-year tenure at Blyth, a designer and marketer of candles and home accessories, Barghaus held responsibility for management of finance and accounting operations and development of reporting, tax and treasury functions for the company.
For more information, contact Ancell School Coordinator Kathleen Lindenmayer at lindenmayerk@wcsu.edu or the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486.