WHEN: Wed 9/16/26 12:00 Noon to 2 PM EST
Thurs 9/17/26 12:00 Noon to 2 PM EST
Fri 9/18/26 12:00 Noon to 2 PM EST
RCH: 2 RCH’S per day/session – total 6 RCHs for 3 days
VENUE: For those who RSVP/Pay – a Private Zoom Meeting Invite will be emailed
RSVP/Pay: Two Simple steps: RSVP DEADLINE IS THURSDAY 9/10/26
Step 1 reply: SurveyMonkey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8NSSMQR
Step 2 make payment: http://apanewyorkmetro.com/adjustments
Option 1: Nonmember $25 per session ($25 - $75)
Option 2: Nonmember Special $60 for all sessions
Option 3: Member-only Special $20 for all sessions
Agenda:
Dates
Day of Week
Event Description
Venue
# of RCH's
September National Payroll Week – Three Day Celebration: 9/16, 9/17 & 9/18
9/16/2026
Wednesday
Speaker: Brian Barnett, SR Account Executive, ValeU Group
Virtual – 12:00PM to 2:00PM, EST
2
Topic: SUI Management: Problems, Solutions, and Insights
9/17/2026
Thursday
Speaker: Roy Chugh, Head of Integrated Partnerships Convera Holdings LLC
Virtual – 12:00PM to 2:00PM, EST
2
Topic: Global Payments and FX Risk Management
9/18/2026
Friday
Speaker: Nermine Zakhary
Virtual – 12:00PM to 2:00PM, EST
2
Topic: Boost Your Game Unlock Leadership Excellence
Wednesday September 16th – 12:00 Noon to 2 PM EST - Speaker Bio: Brian Barnett, Account Executive at ValeU Group, Inc.
Brian has over 30 years of experience in servicing the SUI needs of Corporate America. Brian has gained valuable insight into payroll administration, unemployment claims, verification of employment and SUI tax management. He has used that knowledge to improve the operating procedures and lower the SUI tax cost burden for his clients, through proactive consulting.
Brian assists companies in auditing and analyzing their SUI tax rate calculations. The audit identifies tax refunds, incorrect rate calculations, penalty tax rates, M&A compliance
Background, Professional and industry experience Brian started his Unemployment Consulting career in 1990 as one of the founding members of Barnett Associates, Inc. His efforts assisted in establishing Barnett Associates as one of the premier SUI consulting firms in the nation. Barnett Associates was acquired by Equifax in 2017 and shortly after Brian joined ValeU Group, Inc., which was started in 2010 by Jared Vale. Brian and Jared had worked together for 20 years at Barnett Associates, so it was a natural fit.
Summary of Presentation Topic: State Unemployment Insurance, Tax and Claims Management.
Presentation Title: SUI Management: Problems, Solutions, and Insights.
Session Description: The management of an organizations SUI tax cost has many moving parts that can create problems for the employer. Attendees will gain the insights necessary to avoid problems or implement the solutions that are needed to fix them. We will discuss, tax ramifications of M&A, importance of auditing accounts, compliance issues, penalty tax rates, claims control, payroll analytics and more in this comprehensive overview.
Presentation Abstract: SUI is a somewhat controllable payroll tax, but compliance to each state’s individual laws is a key component. SUI laws offer businesses opportunities to decrease cost or limit cost increases, but employers must have the insight to take advantage of these cost lowering solutions. In addition, they must understand the compliance requirements of each state, so they don’t become penalized. The management of SUI cost has many moving parts that create problems for the employer, but solutions are available if you do your "homework" and become educated on the "best practices". SUI cost management can be broken down into 2 distinct areas: Tax & Claims. A comprehensive SUI management program encompassing both areas, will be taught and discussed during the session. With emphasis on; Tax Laws, Compliance Issues, M&A, Account Audits, Life Cycle of a Claim, and HR Payroll Data Analytics. SUI is an employer cost that encompasses multiple departments, Payroll, Finance, Tax, HR. The session will review how the multiple departments can work together to save time & cost, thus benefiting the organization as a whole.
Thursday September 17th – 12:00 Noon to 2 PM EST - Speaker Bio: Roy Chugh Head of Integrated Partnerships, Convera Holdings LLC Roy Chugh is Director, Account Management at Convera, where he works with enterprise clients and strategic partners across the global payments ecosystem. His work spans cross-border payments, foreign exchange, payroll, statutory payments, Travel & Expense payments, clinical trials payments, AP automation, and integrated partner channels. Roy brings a practical and executive level client-facing perspective on how organizations can simplify international payment execution, manage FX exposure, and improve payment operations across regions.
Roy Chugh is Director, Account Management at Convera, where he works with enterprise clients and strategic partners across the global payments ecosystem. His work spans cross-border payments, foreign exchange, payroll, statutory payments, Travel & Expense payments, clinical trials payments, AP automation, and integrated partner channels. Roy brings a practical and executive level client-facing perspective on how organizations can simplify international payment execution, manage FX exposure, and improve payment operations across regions.
Background, Professional and industry experience
Roy is well suited to present on behalf of Convera because he combines commercial leadership with hands-on knowledge of global payment flows, FX risk management, partner integrations, compliance considerations, and enterprise client needs. In his role, he regularly translates complex payment, foreign exchange, API integration, and operational topics into clear guidance for executives, sales teams, partners, and customers. His experience supporting large enterprises and strategic partnerships gives him a strong understanding of the real-world challenges payroll and finance teams face when paying globally, including transparency, controls, timing, funding, beneficiary experience, and currency risk.
Summary of Presentation
Presentation Title Global Payments and FX Risk Management
Summary of Presentation Topic This presentation will provide an accessible overview of global payments and FX risk management for payroll and finance professionals. Roy will discuss why cross-border payments are becoming more complex, how currency volatility can affect payment outcomes, and what organizations should consider when designing reliable global payment programs. The session will also highlight practical approaches to improving visibility, reducing operational friction, strengthening controls, and partnering effectively with payment providers to support global workforce, vendor, and business payment needs.
Friday September 18th – 12:00 Noon to 2 PM EST - Speaker Bio: Nermine Zakhary, Founder and Chief Empowerment Officer of Strengths-Edge Coaching.
Speaker Bio: Nermine Zakhary is Founder and Chief Empowerment Officer of Strengths-Edge Coaching. Through 1:1 coaching, group coaching, and team workshops, she helps individuals and teams uncover their unique talents and reach their full potential. Combining the Gallup CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder 2.0) assessment with the Positive Intelligence (PQ) program, Nermine helps clients navigate challenges with greater clarity, resilience, and performance, trading weakness-fixing for strengths-building.
Background, Professional and industry experience Nermine brings over 20 years of experience in the training industry, including roles at Highland Hospital and Xerox Corporation. She holds a master’s degree in education, specializing in Instructional Design for Online Learning, from Capella University. She is a Certified Strengths Strategy Coach, trained and certified through Strengths Strategy, LLC (now People Acuity), and a trained Positive Intelligence (PQ) coach, and has spoken for organizations including the American Payroll Association, Rochester Women’s Network, NAWBO, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Syracuse University, as well as for PAYO’s New York Metropolitan Chapter, where she presented on Strengths & PQ in May 2022.
Summary of Presentation This session makes the research-backed case for strengths-based leadership, busting three common myths about growth and teamwork and showing how focusing on strengths drives 43% higher productivity, 36.4% higher individual performance, and six times higher engagement. Through a hands-on writing challenge, attendees experience firsthand why work from a place of strength feels natural and fluid, while work from weakness feels awkward and effortful. That distinction matters: teams are 40% likely to be disengaged when a leader ignores their strengths, 22% when a leader focuses on weaknesses, and just 1% when a leader focuses on strengths.
Nermine traces the story behind the Clifton Strengths assessment (StrengthsFinder 2.0) and the strengths movement now embraced by more than 30 million people and organizations from Toyota to the U.S. Coast Guard, then walks through how to lead with strengths: knowing and owning your own strengths as a leader and learning your team’s strengths across the four domains of leadership: Strategic Thinking, Executing, Influencing, and Relationship Building. She closes with three key findings on why followers follow the most effective leaders, and practical next steps, including a bite-sized action, a vision for what’s possible, and a support system, to create lasting impact.
