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The Commercial Finance Conference
of California is the trade group for
commercial finance companies,
factors, banks and other financing
agencies engaged in the asset-
based financial services industry
of California.
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EVENT REMINDER:
GOT PROFITS?
Profits, now you see them now you don't!
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| What takes years to accomplish vanishes overnight from competition, rising costs, loss of a key customer, or even worse never existed. Hear from veteran turnaround professionals as they discuss how they have dealt with recent crisis situations and fraudulent activity. |
| Speakers |
James Davidson
Avant Advisory Group |
John DiDonato
Huron Consulting Group |
Jeff Brandlin
Brandlin and Associates |
Moderator:
Hamid R. Namazie
Buchalter Nemer |
| Speaker Bios below |
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| Date: |
Wednesday, June 6th, 2012 |
| Venue: |
Sheraton Universal Hotel
333 Universal Terrace Parkway
Universal City, CA 91608
Starview Room (Roof Garden)
Click for directions » Map |
| Time: |
5:00pm – 6:00pm Registration/Cocktails
6:00pm – 7:00pm Presentation
7:00pm – 8:00pm Hot and Cold Hors D'oeuvres
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| Cost: |
| Pre Registration |
(Before 06/04/12) |
| Member Reservations |
$65.00 per person |
| Guest Reservations |
$75.00 per person |
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| On-Site Registration |
(After 06/04/12) |
| Member |
$75.00 per person |
| Guest |
$85.00 per person |
| Validated Self Parking |
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Registrations must be received no later than
Monday June 4th, 2012 |
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Speaker Bios
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JAMES F. DAVIDSON, CPA/CFF, CFE, CFS, FCPA, CTP, CIRA, CGMA
Managing Director and Partner
Avant Advisory Group |
Jim Davidson integrates experience from public accounting, auditing and consulting. As a former senior executive (CFO, CEO, and COO) and member of boards of director in private industry, he provides expert advice in the areas of distressed and special situations that include insolvency, bankruptcy, financial restructurings, operational turnarounds, and profitability improvement. He uses his expertise in issues of financial forensics, fraud, and corporate investigations, litigation and dispute resolution, strategic planning, and corporate governance. His combined experience and professional qualifications fulfill the financial expert requirements defined by Sarbanes-Oxley, NYSE, and NASDAQ. He also served on the Financial Executives International ("FEI") committee for Mid-Sized Public Companies. He currently serves on the Small Business Bankruptcy Task Force of the American Bankruptcy Institute and is president and board member of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
Jim has served in executive positions at both public and private companies ranging from entrepreneurial to multi-billion dollar firms. After 10 years of accounting, auditing, and consulting for Big Four Certified Public Accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, Jim spent over 10 years as a member of several boards of directors and in various financial and executive positions, including president and CEO, COO, CFO, secretary-treasurer, chief accounting officer, and corporate controller.
In over 30 years' experience, Jim has obtained experience across multiple industries, including retail and wholesale distribution, consumer products - packaging, food processing, business and professional services, manufacturing – specialty, industrial products, defense components, semiconductor electronics, real estate, construction, building materials, telecom, media, and many others.
He primarily serves middle-market companies ranging from $25 million to billion dollar sales, private equity firms and their portfolio companies, banks, and other capital providers. Over the years, he has performed hundreds of audits, forensic, fraud, and corporate investigations for lenders, private equity firms, and attorneys under privilege.
A university-certified facilitator and instructor, Jim has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in business and management. These have primarily related to business ethics, auditing, forensic accounting, finance, economics, management, and critical thinking. He has also presented to various professional and business associations such as the following:
- "Corporate Transgressions and Financial Reporting Gimmickry" at the National Fraud Conference of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
- "Liability of Attorneys, Accountants and Other Professionals in Ponzi Schemes" by the Beverly Hills Bar Association and Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
- "Managing a Turnaround" at the Southern California Business Conference by the Los Angeles Venture Association and Harvard Business School Alumni
- "Managing in a Down Economy: Doing More with Less" by the Los Angeles Venture Association
- "Turnaround Opportunities in Consulting" for the Institute of Management Consultants
- "Creating Value in Turbulent Times: Corporate Restructuring/Turnaround Differences and Advantages of 363 Sale vs. 1129 Plan and Other Alternatives" by YPA 360 Conference
Jim is a business mentor for the exclusive Midas Nation Advisor Program and member of the following professional associations:
- Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
- Association of Certified Fraud Specialists
- Forensic CPA Society
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- California Society of CPAs
- Turnaround Management Association Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors
- California Bankruptcy Forum
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- Association for Strategic Planning
- National Association of Corporate Directors
- Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors
- Association for Corporate Growth – Orange and Los Angeles County Chapters
- Los Angeles Venture Association
- Institute of Management Consultants
- Financial Executives International Mid-Sized Public Division Committee Member
Jim has attended executive certification programs at UCLA to obtain such credentials as Certified Director. He obtained a master's in business with an emphasis in finance and managerial accounting and a bachelor of arts from the University of California at Irvine. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant holding a specialization credential of Certified in Financial Forensic (CFF), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified Fraud Specialist (CFS), Forensics Certified Public Accountant (FCPA), and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA). He is current president and board member of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. He is a Certified Turnaround Professional (CTP), Certified Insolvency & Restructuring Advisor (CIRA), Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA), and Certified Corporate Director.
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JOHN DIDONATO
As a senior financial executive, John has more than 20 years of extensive experience in reorganization, restructuring, capital raising, buy side advisory and merger integration. He provides guidance to financially challenged entities maneuvering through both out-of-court and court-supervised restructurings.
His expertise encompasses a wide range of industries, including automotive original equipment and aftermarket suppliers, aerospace suppliers, engineering and construction, metals, equipment leasing, logistics, distribution, transportation and retail.
Throughout his career, John has served in excess of 100 debtors, functioning for many as chief restructuring strategist.
John has extensive experience servicing debtors with syndicated senior credit facilities and complex capital structures and also advises creditors in these situations. Throughout his crisis management career, John has raised replacement and exit financing in excess of $1.0B.
Professional experience -
Representative examples of John's engagement experience include:
- As financial advisor to Dura Automotive Systems, a $2 B Tier I automotive supplier, prepared company for its October 2006 bankruptcy filing, including management of liquidity, supply chain, customers, and DIP raising.
- Restructuring Advisor to Dick Corporation, a $1.5 B contractor. Advised company on strategic and restructuring alternatives. Successfully negotiated a refinancing of the company's existing debt while managing liquidity constraints to keep the company outside of the bankruptcy process reorganization and provided litigation support on PBGC litigation.
- Chief Restructuring Advisor of Railworks, a $750 M provider of integrated rail system construction and services. Directed the financial and operational restructuring, negotiated bifurcated DIP credit and surety arrangements. The Plan of Reorganization was confirmed with 12 months of the case being filed.
- Advised the buyer of Venture Industries (now Cadence Innovation) in its successful bid to purchase the company in a 363(b) auction. Provided due diligence services and transitional support as well as transactional advice on the buyer's complicated syndicated credit bid.
Education and certification
- Bachelor of Science, highest honors, Pennsylvania State University
- Certified Turnaround Professional
- Certified Managerial Accountant
Professional associations
- Member, Turnaround Management Association
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JEFF BRANDLIN
Jeff founded BRANDLIN & ASSOCIATES in 1980 to fulfill the unique needs of capital sources, service industry firms and closely-held businesses. His vision for B&A has resulted in an exceptional accounting firm that: Spans the chasm between capital sources and their borrowers/investments; Lowers the operating costs of routine accounting functions for service industry firms; and Maximizes cash flow and profitability for closely-held businesses.
Jeff's extensive experience encompasses serving clients in a broad range of industries, including: corporate, asset-based and mezzanine lenders; equity sponsors; manufacturing; distribution; software; clothing manufacturers; food processors and packaging; entertainment; food service; oil and gas production, refining and distribution; healthcare; construction; retail; financial and professional services; merchants; and non-profit organizations.
He graduated from San Diego State University in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, has been licensed to practice accountancy in California since April 1976 and is a Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor (CIRA).
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HAMID NAMAZIE
Hamid Namazie is a Shareholder and Co-Chair of the Firm's Bank and Finance Practice Group in Los Angeles. Mr. Namazie focuses his practice on representing clients in the areas of commercial lending, banking and bankruptcy. His clients include banks, institutional lenders, hedge funds and other commercial lending institutions providing asset-based loans, senior-secured loans and second-lien loans.
Mr. Namazie has expertise in complex intercreditor issues, widely syndicated loan transactions, cross-border and multi-currency lending structures, workouts, debtor-in-possession financing, and exit financing. He also has expertise in handling secured loan facilities extended to borrowers who are in the business of providing financing to consumers, as well as the Truth-in-Lending and similar local law issues involved in such transactions. |
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