LLR CFO & HR Collaborate 2019

July 15, 2019

In June, LLR once again hosted a day of peer networking and knowledge-sharing for our portfolio company CFOs and HR leaders. This year, CFO Collaborate and HR Collaborate were held simultaneously so that individuals in these two critically aligned leadership roles could engage in a shared dialogue on Elevating Talent & Leadership in Our Organizations. Guest facilitators Steven Gilbert and Cristina Jimenez from RHR International led the combined group through a workshop on managing and developing talent to support growth and value creation in their businesses.

RHR Talent LLR CFO Collaborate 2019
Steven Gilbert and Cristina Jimenez from RHR International lead a workshop on managing and developing talent to support company growth.

 

Following the combined session, the HR leaders continued their Collaborate experience with focused discussions on culture, employee engagement and HR metrics to help build a better workplace, led by LLR’s Managing Director of Human Capital, Kristen Chang, and Talent Associates, Maria Scharper and Melanie Blaine.

Mary Halfpenny, Principal of FC Consulting Group and an experienced employment attorney and HR executive, then led a session on the ideal HR Roadmap, including tools for optimizing human capital to support an engaged employee population in a growth environment.

LLR HR CFO Collaborate group 2
Finance and human capital leaders from across the LLR portfolio share best practices for identifying and retaining top performers.

 

Our portfolio CFOs dedicated their time to a series of conversations on acquisition integration, exit planning and cyber security. LLR’s Managing Director of Finance, Bill Tobia, led a panel of executives on Acquisition Integration from the CEO, HR and CFO perspectives. Jim Flynn, former CEO of SICOM and Maxwell Systems; Mary Halfpenny, FC Consulting and former head of HR for Maxwell Systems; and Ben Selzer, CFO and Chief Development Officer at Schweiger Dermatology Group, shared their experiences planning for and managing integration of people and processes.

Acquisition Integration Panel LLR CFO Collaborate 2019
A panel of seasoned LLR portfolio company leaders share their experiences integrating people and processes following an acquisition.

 

Mike Zarzeka, who has spent 30 years in IT and currently serves as VP of DevOps and IT at Xenial (formerly LLR portfolio company SICOM), shared his insight on Cyber Security risks, assessments and best practices. Mike detailed both the foundational and advanced steps companies should take now to prepare for cyber threats. He also provided an extensive checklist of IT/security discussion questions likely to surface during due diligence with a potential strategic buyer.

Mike Zarzeka on Cyber Security at LLR CFO Collaborate 2019
Mike Zarzeka from Xenial delivers his best practices for preparing a growth company for a cyber attack.

 

Finally, Mike Coluzzi, a career financial leader who has served as CFO of three LLR portfolio companies including eOriginal today, shared his best practices for Exit Planning. Mike outlined the primary activities to expect, key planning considerations, and the most common challenges that finance executives face throughout the lifecycle of an exit process, from pre-marketing to closing.

LLR HR CFO Collaborate group 1
Mike Coluzzi from eOriginal and fellow attendees address key talent issues for companies as they grow and plan for an exit.