Council Information
2026 - 2027 Advertising/Sponsor Opportunities
2025-2026 CEPC Monthly Programs Schedule
All in-person monthly program meetings will be held at the University Club of Chicago.
Please note an informal networking session will be held from 11:30 a.m. - Noon preceding the luncheon programs and from 7:30 - 8:00 a.m. preceding breakfast programs.
Virtual and Luncheons Noon - 1:30 p.m..
Breakfast 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
| DATE | FORMAT | TOPIC | SPEAKER | SPONSORED BY |
| September 25, 2025 | Luncheon | Note-worthy Planning: Using Loans to Achieve Estate Planning Objectives | Jane Ditelberg, Northern Trust | Business Valuation Group, Inc. |
| October 23, 2025 | Luncheon | From IRA to Impact: Charitable Giving Through Retirement Assets and Complex Gifts | Neil Kawashima and Agnes Kawecki McDermott Will & Emery | JPMorgan |
| November 20, 2025 | Breakfast | Do We Have to Tell the Kids They’re Rich? The Trustee's Challenge of Navigating Illinois Legal Disclosures While Preserving Family Harmony | Anna Nichols, Altair Advisers Julie Pleshivoy, Taft | Stout |
| December 10, 2025 | Virtual | Help! My Family Has Gone Global: Cross-Border Estate Planning Challenges and Solutions | Olivia Brennan, Northern Trust Raveet Phull, Perkins Coie Nick Heuer, Katten | The Northern Trust Company |
| January 22, 2026 | Virtual | Planning With Purpose: 30 Essential Tips for Advising Families with Special Needs Beneficiaries | Kristen Lewis, Harrison LLP | Wintrust Private Trust Company |
| February 18, 2026 | Luncheon | Recent Developments | David Handler, Kirland & Ellis LLP | Fifth Third Private Bank |
| March 12, 2026 | Breakfast | Avoiding the Illinois Surprise: Strategic Planning for the State Estate Tax | Christine Quigley and Susan Bart, ArentFox Schiff | The Leonard Company |
| April 22, 2026 | Luncheon | Beyond Heirs: Estate Planning for Childfree Clients and Those Without Descendants | Jennifer Goode, Bernstein | Wells Fargo |
| May 14, 2026 | Luncheon | Modern Estate Planning: What to do When Family Isn't One-Size Fits-All | Ray Prather, Prather Ebner Wilson | The Chicago Community Trust |
| June 3, 2026 | Virtual | Dirt Lawyering: Advanced Tax and Wealth Transfer Strategies for Real Estate Investors | Farhad Aghdami, Williams Mullen | Altair Advisers |
2023-2024 CEPC Monthly Programs Schedule
| DATE | TOPIC | SPEAKER | SPONSORED BY |
2023 | |||
| September 13, 2023 | Fostering Longevity for Family Wealth and Legacy: Critical Structural and Governance Decisions | Austin Fleming Award Recipient Anita M. Sarafa, J.P. Morgan Private Bank | J.P. Morgan Private Bank |
| October 18, 2023 |
These are a few of my favorite things—Managing and Planning for Collections During Life and At Death | Moderator – Stacy Singer, The Northern Trust Company Fred Weber, ArentFox Schiff Michael Darling, Museum Exchange Tim Luke, Hindman Auction/Appraisals | BMO Wealth Management |
| November 8, 2023 | The Sun That Rises Also Sets – Tax Planning in Anticipation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 2025 Sunset | Suzanne Shier, Levenfeld Pearlstein Joe Karczewski, Andersen | Fifth Third Private Bank |
| December 7, 2023 | Practical Application of the ITC | Jane Ditelberg, The Northern Trust Company Rebecca Wallenfelsz, Chapman & Cutler | The Northern Trust Company |
| November/December 2023 | WEBINAR: Corporate Transparency Act | Jim Cundiff and Danny Bell, McDermott Will & Emery | |
| January 18, 2024 | Planning for the Business Owner: Differentiating Reality from Theory | Lou Harrison, Harrison LLP | CIBC Private Bank |
| February 15, 2024 | Recent Developments | Ryan Walsh, Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres | Business Valuation Group, Inc. |
| March 21, 2024 | There's No Place Like Home | Kirk Hoopingarner, Quarles & Brady LLP | The Chicago Trust Company |
| April 18, 2024 | Not Your Everyday Trusts: What You Need to Know About SLANTs, INGs, BDITs and Other Nonconventional Estate Planning Techniques | Karin Prangley, Brown Brothers Harriman & Company David Allen, Katten | Wells Fargo Advisors |
| May 16, 2024 | Confidentiality Breach or Not: Revealing Information About a Client’s Testamentary Documents Post-Mortem | Dr. Gerry Beyer, Texas Tech University School of Law | Stout |
| June 13, 2024 | Gray Divorce: Estate Planning Tools | Beth McCormack, Beermann, LLP Michelle Canerday, Holland & Hart, LLP | Altair Advisers |
2021-2022 CEPC Monthly Programs Schedule
| DATE | TOPIC | SPEAKER | SPONSOR |
| September 23 | The Future of Philanthropy and How Wealth Advisors Can Maximize Philanthropic Impact for High Net Worth Clients. | Austin Fleming Distinguished Service Award Recipient | Stout |
| October 21 | Federal Legislation Impacting the T&E World | Beth Kaufman, Caplin & Drysdale | CIBC Private Bank |
| November 18 | SLATs | David Handler, Kirkland & Ellis LLP | BMO Wealth Management |
| December 16 | Charitable Lead Trust Primer | Stevie Casteel, Snell & Wilmer LLP Lawrence Katzenstein, Thompson Coburn LLP | Wells Fargo Private Bank |
| January 20 | Pivot Planning and Drafting to Maximize Flexibility | Christine Quigley, Allison Pfeifle and Joanna Morrison Schiff Hardin LLP | Fifth Third Bank |
| February 17 | Recent Developments | Ryan Walsh, Hamilton Thies & Lorch LLP | The Chicago Trust Company, A Wintrust Wealth Management Co. |
| March 17 | Securing the Right Result Under the New IRA Rules | Svetlana Bekman, The Northern Trust Company | The Northern Trust Company |
| April 21 | Illinois Estate Tax Planning | Jason Ornduff, Harrison & Held LLP | Business Valuation Group, Inc. |
| May 19 | Cannabis, Guns, Wine, Pets and More. Oh MY!: Planning for the Unexpected Assets | Wendy Goffe, Stoel Rives LLP | JPMorgan |
| June 16 | Ethics: Implicit Bias | The Kaleidoscope Group, LLC | Altair Advisers |
2020 - 2021 CEPC VIRTUAL LUNCHEON PROGRAMS SCHEDULE
All luncheon program meetings will be held from Noon – 1:30 p.m. via Zoom
| DATE | TOPIC | SPEAKER | SPONSOR |
| September 24 | Austin Fleming Award Recipient Generosity Amid Uncertainty: Silver Linings and Dark Clouds for Giving in the Midst of Uncertainty | Suzanne Shier, Northwestern University Law School | Altair Advisors |
| October 27 | 20/20 Vision: Drafting for the New Decade | Adam Damerow, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP Jane Ditelberg, The Northern Trust | Business Valuation Group, Inc. |
| November 17 | Managing Fiduciary Issues in Challenging Times | Adam Clark, Anita Sarafa & Monique Valbuena, J.P. Morgan Private Bank | Stout |
| December 3 | Intellectual Property and Estate Planning | Chang Chae, Hoffman, Sabban & Watenmaker | CIBC Private Wealth Management |
| January 27 | Well-Being Trusts — the Future of Imbuing Trusts with Positivity, Meaning and Purpose | Richard Franklin, Franklin Karibjanian & Law PLLC Ray Odom, The Northern Trust | Northern Trust Company |
| February 18 | 2020 Recent Developments | Ryan Walsh, Hamilton Thies & Lorch LLP | BMO Wealth Management |
| March 18 | What Every Estate Planner Needs to Know About Fiduciary Income Taxes | Brian Whitlock, Brian T. Whitlock, P.C. | JPMorgan |
| April 21 | Family Co-Investment Entities in a Post-Powell/Cahill World | Domingo Such, Perkins Coie LLP | Wintrust Wealth Management |
| May 20 | Family Mediations and Settlements | Michelle Canerday, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP Jim Carey, Levin Schreder & Carey, LTD Fred Sperling, Schiff Hardin LLP | Herman Agency, Inc. |
| June 9 | ETHICS: Dealing with Financial Exploitation of an Elderly Person | Deborah Cole, Hoogendoorn & Talbot LLP Caroline Manley, Center for Disability & Elder Law Dawn Lawkowski-Keller, Cook County Public Guardian's Office | Fifth Third Private Bank |
2019 - 2020 CEPC LUNCHEON PROGRAMS and WORKSHOPS SCHEDULE
All luncheon program meetings will be held at The Standard Club, 320 S. Plymouth Ct., 5th Floor Ballroom, Chicago, IL
Noon – 1:30 p.m.
2018 - 2019 CEPC LUNCHEON PROGRAMS SCHEDULE
All luncheon program meetings will be held from Noon – 1:30 p.m. at
The Standard Club, 320 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago
| DATE | TOPIC | SPEAKER | SPONSOR |
| September 25, 2018 | Choice of Entity in Light of 2017 Tax Law Changes | Steve Gorin, Thompson Coburn LLP | Northern Trust Company |
| October 18 | Charitable Giving for Entrepreneurs after TCJA | Brian Whitlock Brian T. Whitlock, P.C. 2018 Austin Fleming Award Recipient | MB Wealth Management |
| November 2 | Workshop: Basics of Charitable Planning | Pat Bitterman, Quarles & Brady | Quarles & Brady |
| November 7 | Workshop: Supplemental Needs Planning | Larry Rivkin, Rivkin & Rivkin | Mesirow Financial |
| November 7 | Webinar: Uniform Powers of Appointment Act | Susan Snyder and Kathleen Eggers Buchar, The Northern Trust Company | |
| November 14 | Dealing w/Basis Planning and Income Taxation (and other higher lifetime exemption planning) | Jim Raaf, Andersen Tax LLC | Stout |
| November 15 | Basics Course: Part 1 Introduction to Estate Planning | Eileen Trost, Freeborn & Peters; Janet Montgomery, Daluga Boland & Montgomery | Freeborn & Peters
Taft Stettinius & Hollister |
| December 13 | Tax and Estate Planning for Crypto Assets | Andrew “Drew” Hinkes, Athena Blockchain | Altair Advisers |
| January 9, 2019 | Basics Course – Part 2 Overview of Estate, Gift and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax | Christine Quigley, Schiff Hardin; Steve Bonneau, The Northern Trust Company | Schiff Hardin |
| January 23 | Basics Course – Part 3 Fidicuiary Responsibility and Income Tax Matters | Susan Bart, Schiff Hardin; Michelle Huhnke, SFG&H Paige Goepfert, Andersen Tax | Andersen Tax |
| January 24, 2019 | Ethics: Estate Planning for Aging Population | Ben Neiburger, Generation Law Ltd Martha Kern, LifeCare Innovations | CIBC Private Wealth Management |
| January 30 | Basics Course – Part 4 Drafting Estate Planning Documents | Erica Lord and Reetu Pepoff, Northern Trust; Natalie Perry, Rathje Woodward LLC | Northern Trust
JNJ & Associates |
| February 6 | Basics Course – Part 5 Putting It All Together: Case Studies on Estate Planning and Reporting | Jeffrey Bergman, Charles Schwab Bank; Rebecca Solomon, Plante Moran | BMO Wealth Management
Plante Moran
|
| February 21 | 2018 Recent Developments: Selected Federal and Illinois Statutes, Rulings and Cases | Ryan Walsh, Hamilton Thies & Lorch LLP | BMO Wealth Management |
| March 13 | Changing Residency from IL for Business Owners, Executives, and Retirees | Tim Halleron and Mary Kay Martire, McDermott Will & Emery | Herman Agency, Inc. |
| April 18 | Ethics: The ABC and E(thics) of LGBTQ | Lauren Wolven, Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC | J.P. Morgan Private Bank |
| April 23 | Workshop: Planning for Younger Generations | Claudia Sangster Emily Rustemeyer The Northern Trust Company | The Northern Trust Company |
| April 25 | Networking Breakfast | Members are encouraged to invite a non-member(s) who is in the industry and would be a potential candidate for membership. As you think about who to invite, keep in mind CEPC's goal of building a more diverse membership body, including racial, ethnic and gender diversity, and the next generation of estate planners. | Plante Moran |
| May (tbd) | Workshop: Beyond the Fundamentals: Introduction to Trust Modification and Common Estate Tax Planning Techniques | Julie Pleshivoy, Taft Stettinius & Hollister Christine Quigley, Schiff Hardin | |
| May 16 | State Law Pitfalls: Don’t Step In It When Your Client Steps Across State Lines | Professor Gerry W. Beyer, Texas Tech University School of Law | Wintrust Wealth Management |
| June 12 | FLP & LLC Planning Developments After Tax Reform | Louis Harrison Harrison & Held | Business Valuation Group |
| August 12 | ANNUAL GOLF & TENNIS OUTING | Ravinia Green Country Club Riverwoods, IL |
2017 - 2018 CEPC Luncheon Programs, Webinars and Workshop Schedule
| DATE | TOPIC | SPEAKER | SPONSOR |
| September 20, 2017 | Do Trusts Really Create Trust Fund Babies? | Thomas W. Abendroth Schiff Hardin 2017 Austin Fleming Award Recipient | MB Financial |
| October 17 | Changing Views of Philanthropy as We Face 'The Great Wealth Transfer" | Brian Whitlock; Brian T. Whitlock, P.C.; Kirk Hoopingarner, Quarles & Brady; Shawn Donnelley, Strategic Giving | Business Valuation Group |
| November 8, 2017 | ‘754 Does Not Mean 6 Minutes to 8’ | Elliott Friedman, Friedman & Huey Assoc | CIBC |
| November 9, 2017 | Workshop: Estate Administration Fundamentals | Julie Pleshivoy, Sugar Felsenthal Grais & Hammer; Raquel Porter, BMO Harris | BMO Wealth Management |
| November 14, 2017 | Workshop: Trumping Uncertainty: A Comparative Study of GRATS, Installment Sales and Private Annuities in the Current Environment | Tom Pauloski, Alliance Berstein’s Wealth Investment and Strategies Group | Alliance Bernstein’s Wealth Investment and Strategies Group |
| November 28, 2017 | Networking Evening Event and Toy Drive | LaRabida Children’s Hospital Recipient of Toy Drive | Fidelity Charitable |
| December 13, 2017 | Estate and Income Tax Planning Considerations for IRA's and Qualified Plans: the IRA Provider’s View | Svetlana Bekman, The Northern Trust Company | Altair Advisers |
| January 10, 2018 | Basics Course Part 1 – Drafting Estate Planning Instruments | Eileen Trost, Freeborn & Peters; Erica Lord and Reetu Pepoff, The Northern Trusts | Freeborn & Peters |
| January 16, 2018 | Ethics: Ethical Dilemmas for Estate and Business Planners in Representing Family Members | Janet Rae Montgomery, Daluga, Boland & Montgomery, LLC | The Herman Agency |
| January 17, 2018 | Basics Course Part 2 – Estate Gift and GST Tax | Christine Quigley, Schiff Hardin; Steve Bonneau, The Northern Trust | The Northern Trust |
| January 30, 2018 | Webinar: Tax and Wealth Planning 2018 – The Act for You | Suzanne Shier, The Northern Trust | |
| January 31, 2018 | Basics Course Part 3 – Fiduciary Responsibility and Trust Taxation | Susan Bart, Schiff Hardin; Michelle Huhnke, Sugar Felsenthal Grais & Hammer; Tina Milligan, CTCmyCFO | Andersen Tax |
| February 7, 2018 | Basics Course Part 4 – Putting It All Together – Case Studies on Integrating and Planning and the Reporting | Jeffrey Bergman, Charles Schwab Bank; | |
| February 21, 2018 | 2017 Recent Developments: Selected Federal and Illinois Statutes, rulings and Cases | Ryan Walsh, Hamilton Thies & Lorch LLP | BMO Wealth Management |
| February 27, 2018 | Workshop: Results Driven Networking – Seven Simple Steps to Develop a Stronger Network | Steve Fretzin, Author and Business Development Coach | CTCmyCFO |
| March 6, 2018 | Workshop: Discretionary Distributions: Drafting and Administering Along the Fiduciary Continuum | Holly Bailey, BMO Wealth Management; Erica Lord, The Northern Trust Company | Barnes & Thornburg LLP |
| March 22, 2018 | Demystifying Divorce for Estate Planning and Probate Professionals | Elizabeth Garlovsky, Robbins, Salomon & Patt; Carrie Harrington, Levenfeld & Pearlstein | JP Morgan |
| April 19, 2018 | Ethics: Planning for Privacy in a Public World: The Ethics and Mechanics of Protecting your Client’s Privacy and Personal Security | John Bergner, Winstead PC; Brian Hill, Computer Forensic Services | Stout |
| May 16, 2018 | Life Insurance as a Funding Vehicle for Multi-Generational Wealth Transfer and Gift/Valuation Issues | Domingo Such, Perkins Coie, LLP; Rebecca Ryan, BNY Mellon Wealth Management | WinTrust Wealth Management Company |
| June 7, 2018 | Tax and Estate Planning Considerations for Foreign Persons Owning US Assets and Vice Versa | Suzanne Shier, The Northern Trust Company; Andrew Stone, Kozusko Harris Duncan | The Northern Trust Company |
2016 - 2017 CEPC LUNCHEON PROGRAMS and EVENTS SCHEDULE
*All luncheon program meetings will be held from Noon – 1:30 p.m. at: The Standard Club, 320 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago
Events locations TBD
| DATE | TOPIC | SPEAKER | SPONSOR |
| *September 21, 2016 | Illinois Descent & Distribution: Timeless Principles or Time for a Change? | Anne-Marie Rhodes, Professor, Loyola University Law School - 2016 Austin Fleming Award Recipient | The PrivateBank |
September 22 - Webinar 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Webinar: The Proposed 2704 Regulations Limiting Valuation Discounts Are Finally Here! Now What? | Richard Dees, McDermott Will & Emery | |
| *October 18, 2016 | Disabled Persons: Planning For and Implementation of Special Needs Trusts and Guardianship | Kristin Weaver, Northern Trust Ray Koenig, Clark Hill | The Northern Trust Company |
October 27 5– 6:30 Reception 7:00 Performance | Member Evening Event | Lyric Opera of Chicago/ The Second City Collaboration | The Chicago Community Trust |
| *November 8, 2016 | Trust and Estate Administration With Family Business Interests: Advising Fiduciaries | Christine Quigley and David Blickenstaff, Schiff Hardin, LLP | WinTrust Wealth Management: The Chicago Trust Company
|
| *December 6, 2016 | Intersection of Family Businesses & Estate Planning | David Herzig, Professor, Valparaiso University Law School | Business Valuation Group |
| *January 19, 2017 | Recent Income Tax Developments for Estate Planners | Robert Romanoff Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC | Altair Advisers |
| *February 23, 2017 | 2016 Recent Developments: Selected Federal and Illinois Statutes, rulings and Cases | Robert E. Hamilton Hamilton Thies & Lorch LLP | MB Financial |
| *March 22, 2017 | The Relevance of Probate In A Revocable Trust World | John Brooks, Foley & Lardner Fred Weber, Northern Trust | Stout |
| *April 20, 2017 | Family Business and NxG Development | Andrew Keyt, President of the Family Business Network North America and Clinical Professor of Family Business- Loyola University Chicago | BMO Wealth Management |
| April 25, 2017 | Fundamentals Workshop: Five Keys to Effective Time Management and Becominga Solid Networker | Steve Fretzin, Author and Business Development Coach | |
| April 27, 2017 | Breakfast Networking Event | Plante Moran | |
| *May 17, 2017 | Anatomy of a Will Contest | John Dadkis, Holland & Knight | Herman Agency |
May 23, 2017 8:30 – 10:45 a.m. | Fundamentals Workshop: Getting Comfortable With Life Insurance: Conceps, Products and Illustrations | Steve Fretzin, Author and Business Development Coach | |
| *June 8, 2017 | Ethics: Privilege - Differences for Attorneys and Accountants | Terry Franklin, Sacks Glazier Franklin & Lodise, LLP; Daniel Cook, Director at Deloitte Tax LLP | JPMorgan |
| June 2017 | Networking Evening Event | More Information to Come | |
| June 2017 | Fundamentals Workshop: GST | Steve Bonneau, The Northern Trust Company | |
| August 31, 2017 | CEPC Annual Golf & Tennis Outing – | Highland Park Country Club, Highland Park, IL | |
| September 2017 | Fundamentals Workshop: Administering Your First Estate | Julie Pleshivoy, Sugar Felsenthal Grais & Hammer; and Raquel Porter, BMO Harris Bank | |
| November 2017 | Fundamentals Workshop: Leveraged Wealth Strategies | Tom Pauloski, Bernstein Alliance |
