Overview
The 2026 Virginias Construction Conference runs October 18 to 20, 2026, at the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center in Roanoke, Virginia. The Blue Ridge and Central Virginia Chapters of the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) co-host the conference, which is designed for construction financial professionals and the business partners who serve the industry.
The conference runs for two and a half days. Sunday features optional workshops and a welcome reception. Monday focuses on general sessions and ends with an offsite dinner. Tuesday offers concurrent breakouts, followed by a closing session. Exhibitor breaks are scheduled between sessions on both Monday and Tuesday.
Who should attend:
- Construction CFOs, VPs of Finance, controllers, owners, operations managers and accountants
- Construction CPAs, banking and financial services professionals
- Insurance professionals, surety underwriters and attorneys
- Other specialists who support the construction industry
Sessions are delivered as group-live programs. A separate Monday-only Leadership Track is for presidents, VPs, owners, and leaders of construction companies who want a single day of leadership-themed content.
Dates and venue
The conference opens on Sunday, October 18, 2026 at 3:00 PM and closes on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 3:00 PM, all at the historic Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center in Roanoke, VA, overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Most programs takes place inside the hotel's conference center. The two exceptions are the Sunday reception, held in the hotel's club (the Speakeasy, off the Lobby Bar), and the Monday dinner at The Corned Beef & Co., an offsite venue in Roanoke.
Registration, pricing and deadlines
Full conference registration is now $350 for CFMA members and $450 for non-members.
| Day | Date | Hours | Highlights |
|---|
| Sunday | Oct 18, 2026 | 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM | Optional workshops, welcome reception |
| Monday | Oct 19, 2026 | 7:15 AM to 9:00 PM | Keynotes, general sessions, offsite dinner and 9 ball tournament |
| Tuesday | Oct 20, 2026 | 7:30 AM to 3:00 PM | General session, concurrent breakouts, closing session and door prizes |
Things to know before you register:
- The Sunday workshops are free for full registrants, but you still need to sign up for the one you plan to attend so organizers can plan seating.
- Pick one workshop; both run at the same time (3:00 to 5:00 PM).
- Bringing a spouse, partner, or colleague to Monday dinner requires its own guest registration.
- Questions about registration go to virginiaregional@cfma.org.
Agenda
The conference runs from Sunday afternoon to Tuesday afternoon, October 18 to 20, 2026. Sunday opens with two optional workshops and a welcome reception. Monday is a full day of general sessions and keynotes, ending with an offsite dinner and 9 ball tournament. On Tuesday, the program splits into two concurrent breakout tracks for three time slots, so you choose one session per slot before the closing general session and door prizes.
| Time | Session | Speaker / Notes |
|---|
| Sunday, October 18 |
|---|
| 3:00 to 5:00 PM | Optional concurrent workshops: Building Financial Literacy Across Your Organization (WIP, Cashflow, Financials) with Stacy Shiflet, or Captive Insurance Model with Brant Somma | Included with full registration; separate sign-up |
| 6:00 to 7:00 PM | Welcome Reception | The club (Speakeasy) off the Lobby Bar; drinks and light hors d'oeuvres |
| Monday, October 19 |
|---|
| 7:15 to 8:00 AM | Breakfast with Exhibitors | |
| 8:00 to 9:00 AM | Welcome and Morning Keynote | Keynote speaker |
| 9:05 to 9:55 AM | The Psychology of Pay | Kevin Monaghan |
| 9:55 to 10:15 AM | Break with Exhibitors | |
| 10:15 to 11:05 AM | Economic Update | John Lewis |
| 11:05 to 11:15 AM | Break with Exhibitors | |
| 11:15 AM to 12:05 PM | Lead Yourself First: The Counterintuitive Path to Higher Performance Without Burnout | Stacy Gissal |
| 12:15 to 1:15 PM | Lunch with Legislative Update (presented by Atlantic Union Bank) | Spencer Wiegard |
| 1:15 to 2:30 PM | Afternoon Keynote: Achievement Now! Elevate Your Success | Tyler Enslin |
| 2:30 to 2:45 PM | Break with Exhibitors | |
| 2:45 to 3:35 PM | Constructing a Multi-Generational Workforce | Laura Jansen |
| 3:35 to 3:45 PM | Break with Exhibitors | |
| 3:45 to 5:00 PM | The Contractor's AI Playbook | Kathryn Schneider |
| 6:00 to 9:00 PM | Offsite Dinner and 9 Ball Tournament at The Corned Beef & Co. | Included with registration |
| Tuesday, October 20 |
|---|
| 7:30 to 8:15 AM | Breakfast with Exhibitors | |
| 8:15 to 9:05 AM | Driving Efficiency: Best Practices for Equipment & Fleet Cost Management | Billy Robinson |
| 9:05 to 9:20 AM | Break with Exhibitors | |
| 9:20 to 10:10 AM | Breakout A: How Project Management Behavior Shapes a Contractor's Financial Strength | Julie Brown |
| 9:20 to 10:10 AM | Breakout B: Growth Through Acquisition | Jody Williams |
| 10:10 to 10:30 AM | Break with Exhibitors | |
| 10:30 to 11:20 AM | Breakout A: Conquering Lien Waivers: A Guide to Getting Paid Faster | Katia Fremont |
| 10:30 to 11:20 AM | Breakout B: From WIP to Working Capital: Improving Cash Flow Visibility | Samantha Lake |
| 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM | Lunch | |
| 12:30 to 1:20 PM | Breakout A: One Year After the OBBB Act: Key Provisions, New Guidance, Sunset Dates, and Open Questions | Peter Mills |
| 12:30 to 1:20 PM | Breakout B: Beyond Bar Charts: Choosing the Right Visualization for Your Dashboard | Ken Jones |
| 1:20 to 1:45 PM | Break with Exhibitors | |
| 1:45 to 3:00 PM | Closing General Session: IT Trends in Construction: Evaluating Your Systems within the Context of the Solution Marketplace, plus Door Prizes | Christian Burger |
Full session descriptions are posted on the chapter's session descriptions page.
Speakers and session topics
Seventeen speakers cover five broad themes: leadership and personal development, people and pay, finance and cash flow, tax and legal, and technology. Summaries below are drawn from the official session descriptions.
| Speaker | Company | Session | What you will take away |
|---|
| Leadership and personal development |
|---|
| Stacy Gissal | Evolve Beyond Limits | Lead Yourself First (Mon 11:15 AM) | How neglected self-leadership drains capacity, how you personally react to pressure, and one concrete action to reduce stress and lift performance. |
| Tyler Enslin | Tyler Enslin International, Inc. | Achievement Now! Elevate Your Success (Mon 1:15 PM) | An interactive keynote on why goals fail, how to set meaningful ones, and four simple habits that drive achievement. Attendees leave with a personal action plan. |
| People and pay |
|---|
| Kevin Monaghan | Intuitive Compensation Group | The Psychology of Pay (Mon 9:05 AM) | Why how you pay matters more than what you pay, including private equity pay tactics and building delayed gratification into compensation. |
| Laura Jansen, MS-HRD | ADP | Constructing a Multi-Generational Workforce (Mon 2:45 PM) | Bridging gaps between Boomers, Gen X, millennials and Gen Z, with a focus on attracting and retaining younger workers through coaching, feedback and technology. |
| Finance, cash flow and operations |
|---|
| Stacy Shiflet | Blauch Brothers | Building Financial Literacy Across Your Organization (Sun workshop) | How to train staff across the company on WIP, cash flow and financial statements. |
| Brantley (Brant) Somma | MarshMMA | Captive Insurance Model Workshop (Sun workshop) | Using your own loss and premium data to judge whether a single or group captive insurance program fits your company. |
| John Lewis | Lewis Wealth Partners | Economic Update (Mon 10:15 AM) | Economic policy trends, 2026 tax law changes for individuals and businesses, and how the midterm elections may shape the economy. |
| Billy Robinson | Brown Edwards | Driving Efficiency: Equipment & Fleet Cost Management (Tue 8:15 AM) | Total cost of ownership versus leasing, preventive maintenance and life-cycle planning, telematics and right-sizing the fleet. |
| Julie Brown | Faulconer Construction | How Project Management Behavior Shapes a Contractor's Financial Strength (Tue 9:20 AM) | How PM habits around forecasting, cost coding and change orders flow into WIP, margins and ultimately borrowing and bonding capacity. |
| Jody Williams | Not listed | Growth Through Acquisition (Tue 9:20 AM) | Reasons to acquire, steps that improve deal success, and what to expect in the first year after closing. |
| Samantha Lake | ProNovos Financial Intelligence | From WIP to Working Capital (Tue 10:30 AM) | Spotting cash gaps early even when jobs look profitable, and moving from spreadsheet WIP to integrated forecasting. Includes live examples in ProNovos. |
| Tax, legal and legislative |
|---|
| Spencer Wiegard | Presented by Atlantic Union Bank | Legislative Update (Mon lunch) | A lunchtime update on legislation affecting the industry. No written description is posted. |
| Katia Fremont | Siteline | Conquering Lien Waivers (Tue 10:30 AM) | Which waiver to use when, how to manage waivers with clients and vendors, and avoiding mistakes that delay payment. |
| Peter Mills | YHB CPAs & Consultants | One Year After the OBBB Act (Tue 12:30 PM) | One Big Beautiful Bill Act provisions most relevant to contractors, permanent versus temporary changes, Treasury and IRS guidance so far, and what is still pending. |
| Technology |
|---|
| Kathryn Schneider | Forvis Mazars | The Contractor's AI Playbook (Mon 3:45 PM) | Moving from AI experiments to measurable value: high-value use cases in finance and operations, governance and controls, and change management. |
| Ken Jones | Business Information Group | Beyond Bar Charts (Tue 12:30 PM) | Matching chart types to the message and audience, avoiding data dumps, and designing clearer dashboards. Demonstrated in Power BI but tool-agnostic. |
| Christian Burger | Not listed | IT Trends in Construction (Tue 1:45 PM, closing) | Making sense of a crowded software market, IT governance, and how to evaluate, select and implement systems for better return. |
CPE credits and professional development
A full registrant who attends a Sunday workshop and one session in every slot can earn up to 15.5 CPE credits; Monday-only attendees can earn up to 8.
The totals below are calculated from the credits listed for each session on the session descriptions page. Tuesday breakouts run in pairs, so only one session per slot counts.
| Day | Sessions counted | CPE available |
|---|
| Sunday | One workshop (100 instructional minutes) | 2.0 |
| Monday | Seven general sessions and keynotes | 8.0 |
| Tuesday | Opening session, three breakouts, closing session | 5.5 |
| Full conference total | | 15.5 |
Program details for every session:
- Delivery method: Group Live
- Program level: Basic
- Prerequisites and preparation: none
- Fields of study: Finance, Personal Development, Personnel/Human Resources, Economics, Information Technology, Specialized Knowledge, Business Law and Taxes
- 50-minute sessions carry 1 credit, 75-minute sessions carry 1.5, and the 100-minute workshops carry 2
The Monday lunch Legislative Update is not listed with CPE credit.
CCIFP holders: each session is also mapped to a CCIFP (Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional) domain, such as Revenue Recognition, Accounting & Reporting, Budgeting & Planning, Human Resources, Risk Management, Taxes and Information Technology. That mapping can help you track continuing education against certification requirements. The chapter's CCIFP Certification page has more on the credential.
Keep your own attendance record and confirm with the organizers how CPE certificates will be issued after the event.
Networking and social events
The conference includes two evening events and more than ten exhibitor breaks and meals, so most networking happens between sessions rather than during them.
Sunday Welcome Reception (6:00 to 7:00 PM). Held in the hotel's club, known as the Speakeasy, just off the Lobby Bar. Drinks and light hors d'oeuvres are included with full registration. It is the first chance to meet fellow attendees, speakers, and sponsors before the main program.
Monday Dinner and 9 Ball Tournament (6:00 to 9:00 PM). An offsite dinner at The Corned Beef & Co. in Roanoke, included with registration. A pool tournament runs alongside dinner. Guests can join if they are registered through the guest dinner registration. Confirm transportation plans with the organizers if you are not driving.
Meals and exhibitor breaks. Breakfast with exhibitors opens both Monday (7:15 AM) and Tuesday (7:30 AM). Lunch is served both days, with four exhibitor breaks on Monday and three on Tuesday. These are the best times to visit vendor tables and follow up with speakers.
Door prizes. Prizes are drawn during the closing general session on Tuesday afternoon, so plan to stay through 3:00 PM.
Sponsors and exhibitors
Every sponsorship tier with an exhibit table is sold out for 2026; only Bronze sponsorships ($750, 8 offered) remain listed for purchase.
| Tier | Price | Available | Registrations | Exhibit table | Speaking time | Other benefits |
|---|
| Platinum | $5,000 | 2, sold out | 3 | Premier location | 1 minute at a General Session | Registration list, logo on slides and all materials, sponsor banner |
| Gold | $4,000 | 6, sold out | 2 | Near the General Session room | 30 seconds at a session | Registration list, logo on slides and all materials, banner recognition |
| Silver | $3,500 | 4, sold out | 2 | Near the Breakout room | 30 seconds at a session | Registration list, logo on slides and all materials, banner recognition |
| Badge | $3,000 | 1, sold out | 1 | None | 30 seconds at a session | Logo on front and back of name badges, registration list, logo on slides and materials, banner recognition |
| Bronze | $750 | 8 offered | None | None | None | Registration list, logo on slides and all materials, banner recognition |
Bronze sponsorships are purchased through the PayPal link on the conference page. The chapter's sponsorships page covers year-round chapter sponsorship.
Atlantic Union Bank is named as presenter of the Monday lunch Legislative Update. The full 2026 sponsor roster is shown as logo images on the conference page.
For attendees: exhibitor tables are concentrated near the General Session and Breakout rooms, and every break is billed as a break with exhibitors. Sponsors receive the registration list, so expect follow-up from vendors after the event.
Travel, lodging and logistics
The conference room block at the Hotel Roanoke closed on September 18, 2026, so anyone still without a room should try the group booking link first and then contact the hotel or organizers directly.
Hotel. The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center is the host venue, so staying on site keeps every session, meal, and the Sunday reception within walking distance. The chapter notes that rooms were limited and that posted pricing is subject to change. The historic hotel is part of Hilton's Curio Collection and sits beside downtown Roanoke, linked to the Market Square area by a pedestrian bridge.
Getting there.
- By air: Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA) is a short drive from the hotel. Larger airports within driving range include Greensboro (GSO), Richmond (RIC), and Charlotte (CLT).
- By rail: Amtrak's Northeast Regional serves Roanoke's downtown station, within walking distance of the hotel.
- By car: Roanoke sits on Interstate 581, off I-81. Check parking options and rates with the hotel before arrival.
Local timing. Sunday programming starts at 3:00 PM, so a Sunday morning or midday arrival works for workshop attendees. Tuesday wraps at 3:00 PM after door prizes; book return travel for late afternoon or evening if you want to stay for the closing session.
Monday evening. The dinner is offsite at The Corned Beef & Co. in downtown Roanoke. Plan how you will get there and back, and confirm with organizers whether group transportation is provided.
What to bring. Business casual attire is typical for CFMA events (confirm with organizers if unsure), plus a light layer for October evenings in the mountains and for air-conditioned session rooms. Bring business cards, a charged laptop or tablet for interactive sessions, and a notebook for the Achievement Now! keynote, which asks attendees to write goals and an action plan.
Attendee tips and preparation checklist
With the conference 11 days away as of this guide, the priorities are confirming registration and lodging, choosing your Tuesday breakouts, and planning Monday evening.
Before you go
- Register for the full conference or the Monday-only Leadership Track.
- Sign up separately for one Sunday workshop if you plan to attend.
- Register any guest for Monday dinner.
- Confirm your hotel reservation (the room block closed September 18)
- Book travel that arrives before 3:00 PM Sunday (or 6:00 PM for the reception only) and leaves after 3:00 PM Tuesday.
- Read the session descriptions and pick one breakout in each of the three Tuesday slots.
- For the Captive Insurance workshop, gather recent property and casualty premium and loss history, since the session uses your own data.
- Pack business cards, a laptop or tablet, chargers and a light jacket.
| Slot | If your focus is... | Choose |
|---|
| 9:20 AM | Operations, WIP, bonding and lender relationships | How Project Management Behavior Shapes a Contractor's Financial Strength |
| 9:20 AM | Strategy, M&A, growth planning | Growth Through Acquisition |
| 10:30 AM | Billing, AR, subcontractor payments | Conquering Lien Waivers |
| 10:30 AM | Cash forecasting, WIP reporting | From WIP to Working Capital |
| 12:30 PM | Tax planning and compliance | One Year After the OBBB Act |
| 12:30 PM | Reporting, dashboards, Power BI | Beyond Bar Charts |
Teams sending two or more people can split up across breakouts and share notes afterward.
At the event
- Arrive by 7:15 AM Monday for breakfast with exhibitors before the 8:00 AM keynote.
- Use breaks to visit exhibitor tables; sponsors include banks, CPA firms, insurers, and software providers.
- Bring specific questions to the Economic Update, OBBB Act and AI Playbook sessions, which cover fast-changing topics.
- Track the sessions you attend for CPE reporting.
- Stay through the closing session on Tuesday for door prizes.
After the event
- Follow up with new contacts within a week.
- Confirm receipt of your CPE certificate.
- Share key takeaways with your team, especially from breakouts colleagues missed.
Contacts and resources
Conference questions go to virginiaregional@cfma.org; general Blue Ridge Chapter questions go to blueridge@cfma.org.
Sources
Travel details on the airport, rail and the hotel's history are general background, not taken from the conference page; confirm them before you travel.
