AMARILLO AREA ESTATE PLANNING COUNCIL

Amarillo Area Estate Planning Council's Thirty-Third Annual Spring Institute

Wednesday May 7th, 2025

Amarillo Club

600 S Tyler St., Amarillo -  31st Floor

Please join us for our 33rd Annual Spring Institute for a day of engaging speakers and meeting your fellow AAEPC members.

7:30 am – Registration and light breakfast

8:00 am to 12:00 am – Morning session

12:00 am to 1:00 pm – Lunch

1:00 pm to 5:00 pm – Afternoon session

Featured Speakers:

Deanna Sullivan, is an internationally recognized speaker, author and trainer. Her most popular topics are in the areas of fraud, ethics, leadership and communications. She has a diverse background ranging from auditing and accounting to consulting and training. She was a partner in Arthur Andersen’s Risk Consulting Practice and earlier in her career, responsible for international and operational auditing at Enron Corp and Diamond Shamrock Corporation. Deanna is certified to teach ethics for Texas CPAs and is a Certified Ziglar Legacy Trainer, a certified DISC Behavioral Analyst and a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Speaking is a passion of Deanna's so when not traveling she teaches a Bible Study class at Second Baptist and is on the Speakers Committee for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Carla Burr has been with the Amarillo Police Department since 1993, starting as a dispatcher before becoming an officer in 1996 (FIGHTING 66th ACADEMY). She was assigned evening patrol and later served as a field training officer. In 2001, Carla joined the School Liaison program, where she was promoted to Corporal and became a Hostage Negotiator. In 2009, she was promoted to Sergeant and was assigned to the Robbery and Domestic Violence Squad. From 2012-2015, she was assigned as the Academy Sergeant and spent time as a patrol Sergeant. In 2015, Carla was assigned as a Dispatch Supervisor/Liaison for 3 years. Since 2018, Carla has served as the department’s Public Information Officer. She is one of the coaches for academy fitness and is a member of the Peer Support team. Outside of work, she coaches at CrossFit 806 and volunteers with organizations like Amarillo Area CASA, the Lone Star Runners Club, and Special Olympics. She cherishes her close-knit community, her loving family spread across the country, and, of course, her 3 spoiled dogs.

Shannon Ferrell is a Professor in the Oklahoma State University Department of Agricultural Economics, specializing in Agricultural Law. He grew up on a cattle and wheat operation in Western Oklahoma and obtained his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Agricultural Economics from OSU before earning his Juris Doctorate from the Oklahoma City University School of Law with endorsements in Estate Planning and Business and Financial Services Law. After several years in private practice, he joined OSU in 2007. As an educator and speaker, Shannon has helped over 35,000 people across North America understand farm business management and transition planning. He has delivered nearly 1,000 presentations, authored 50+ publications—including the Farm Transition Workbook—and testified before Congress and the Oklahoma legislature on farm transition policy. In private practice, he assists farm families in planning and executing successful transitions.

Scott D. Martin is the Chief Investment Officer of Kingsview Wealth Management in Chicago, Illinois, a Contributor to Fox News Channel, and an Index Specialist with Monarch Funds. He previously served as Chief Market Strategist at United Advisors, LLC, and co-portfolio manager at Astor Asset Management, where he and his team earned recognition as one of Forbes' “Best ETF Managers” of 2008. A frequent speaker, Mr. Martin has been featured in major media outlets like The Wall Street Journal and Yahoo! Finance, and he was formerly a columnist with TheStreet.com. Named one of Chicago’s Notable Financial Advisers by Crain’s Chicago Business, he is a Certified Investment Management Analyst® and a Denison University graduate with a double major in Economics and French.

Courses:

Deanna Sullivan - Ethics – It's a Matter of Choice:

 If we believe there are only two choices for being successful in business: 1) to win by doing whatever it takes, or 2) to lose by behaving ethically, we are faced with a true moral dilemma. While most organizations don’t set out to be dishonest or unethical, no one wants to lose. What is the culture in your organization? Is management choosing to deal with no-win scenarios by rationalizing their choices and doing what is most convenient? This course provides a look into the ethical philosophies we hold that guide our personal and professional lives and discusses the values upon which our choices are based. Ethical behavior is more than knowing what’s right and what’s wrong. It’s making the right choices for our profession and the organizations and customers we serve. The public looks to us as to maintain a standard of ethics and integrity and the Texas State Board holds us accountable for protecting the CPA brand, but are we meeting these obligations?
CPE: 4.0 hours. This course is designed to meet the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy’s (TSBPA) Ethics Course Requirement for Licensees for four hours of continuing education. It also satisfies the annual ethics requirement for the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) and the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA).

SGT. Carla Burr - Financial Crimes and Scams:

​In today’s world of AI and advanced technology, thieves and scammers are becoming more sophisticated than ever. We will discuss the latest trends in financial crimes and scams affecting the Amarillo area. Learn what to watch out for, what to avoid, and how to protect yourself from becoming a victim. 

Shannon Ferrell - How Do We Manage a Generational Shift in Agriculture:

Promotional Abstract: The next 20 years will see a transfer of agricultural assets the likes of which have never been seen. How farmers, ranchers, and their professional advisors handle that transition will impact not only the agricultural industry and its members but rural America as a whole. So what are the unique challenges of this transition and how can we help our clients meet them? This session will help answer those question by taking an in-depth look at the farm transition process, the parties at the heart of that transition, and how estate planning professionals can both craft creative solutions for their clients to navigate the challenges of getting America’s farm and ranches into the hands of the next generation. 

Scott Martin - Economic Overview - Past, Present,& Future:

Over the past year, the U.S. economy has demonstrated resilience, with notable developments in key indicators. Nonfarm payroll employment has seen consistent growth, adding 256,000 jobs in December 2024 and 143,000 in January 2025, bringing the unemployment rate down to 4.0% in January.  Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanded at an annual rate of 2.8% in the third quarter of 2024, and expanded further by 3.1% in Q4.  This has been driven by strong consumer spending and a surge in exports.  The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, rose at a 2.5% annual rate in the fourth quarter, indicating still moderate inflation pressures.

Looking ahead, forecasts suggest a continuation of these trends to the upside. The Federal Reserve’s Aggregate Survey of Professional Forecasters anticipates real GDP growth of 2.2% in the first quarter of 2025, but a rebound in Q2 and Q3 to near 3.3%. This will feature monthly nonfarm payroll gains averaging around 134,100 for the year. The PCE deflator is expected to continue inch toward the Federal Reserve’s former 2.0% target, but could limp back higher as shelter cost decelerate and but consumer goods inflation picks up.  Overall, the economic outlook points to sustained growth, a steady labor market, and mild inflation in the near term.

CE has been approved for ABA (8.5 CTFA, 8.5 CRSP credits), CPE 8.5 credits, TX MCLE 7 credit hours (4 ethics hours), and CFP 7.5 credit hours.

Fees:

Members - $250

Non-Member - $350

Questions, please contact Amber Womble at aaepc1@gmail.com

Please Note: We will not be able to provide refunds for cancellations after May 1st or for no-shows.