Agenda

We live in the age of corporate problems and disasters.  From Enron to BP, AIG, J&J, 3M, General Electric, Boeing, Credit Suisse, and Silicon Valley Bank, to name a few -- seemingly great and iconic companies that have been harmed or destroyed by self-inflicted wounds.  What has changed?  Are we worse at compliance?  Are we less ethical?  Has corporate culture changed significantly?  The leaders at these organizations did not set out to do harm. Their challenges arose from an inability to lead their teams through and to the right decisions in what we call the Gray Zone -- that place where creative application of complex and ambiguous rules allow us to get to a technical answer that may be the wrong solution and even criminal.

Andy Fastow spent six years in federal prison thinking about his role as CFO at Enron. He is now a sought-after public speaker who consults with Boards of Directors on ways to help leaders not only avoid the type of mistakes Fastow made but make better, more transparent business decisions. 

Leaders from national general contractor, Suffolk Construction, will provide insights from a multitude of disciplines, including design firms, insurances, and technology startups, to discuss the impact of including Artificial Intelligence in our daily lives. They will focus on how technology is changing our world, being deployed in our industry, and how we may need to adapt to make more-informed decisions for the betterment of our clients and businesses.

Joan will share her economic, public policy and political outlook in this data-driven analytical presentation.  She will also discuss the most pressing challenges facing Congress and the Biden Administration in 2024.  What do higher interest rates, coupled with elevated inflation mean for your business and can the U.S. avoid a recession?  Will legislation recently passed by Congress, such as the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS Act, bring relief to consumers and businesses?  Joan will explore those issues, as well as what the upcoming election might mean for insurance, tax policy, and the economy. Also, as President of the Travelers Institute, Joan will give a preview of the Institute’s 2024 initiatives.