Presenters

• Kent Shafer, is the founder of K.H. Shafer & Associates, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in public safety and security for public and private sector organizations. He brings more than 35 years of consulting experience in operational policy, facility security, technology utilization, and strategic planning. Before founding his firm, Kent served 33 years with the Columbus Division of Police, including 18 years as a commander. He held a U.S. Government Secret-level clearance and received the Washington Times Foundation National Service Award for developing the Division's Mission Aligned Policing Philosophy. A graduate of the FBI National Academy, Kent also holds undergraduate degrees in electronics engineering and business administration.

Property Tax Reform

• Krista Bohn has served as the Allen County Treasurer since March of 2021. Before becoming Treasurer, she served Allen County as the Chief Deputy of Finance in the Treasurer’s office for three years. Prior professional experience includes Cashier & Administrative Supervisor for PepsiCo, Administration, Payroll Administrator, and Staffing Counselor. She is the current CTAO Northwest District President and Co-Chair of the Property Tax Review Committee.
  
  
• Matt Nolan has served as Warren County Auditor since his election in 2014. Before taking office, he served as Deputy Auditor under Auditor Nick Nelson and as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney. Matt has been recognized with the County Auditors' Association President's Award and the GFOA Award of Distinction for excellence in financial reporting, which his office has received every year of his tenure. He is active in Warren County civic organizations and serves in leadership roles with Warren County Community Services, the Area Progress Council, Lebanon Kiwanis, and the Warren County Bar Association.

Property Tax Chaos

• Paul Rutter is a member of Bricker Graydon Wyatt's Public Finance group and practices in the areas of public finance and public law, emphasizing school and local government law. A significant portion of his practice is committed to serving as bond counsel for various school districts, municipalities, counties, townships, and other governmental entities in conjunction with the tax-exempt and taxable financing and refinancing of capital improvement projects including general obligation, special assessment, utility revenue and 501(c)(3) conduit financings. He also serves as underwriters' counsel and borrowers' counsel in similar financings.
  
  
• Rebecca Princehorn is a partner in Bricker Graydon Wyatt's Public Finance group, focusing on school and local government law. She has served as bond counsel on numerous first-of-their-kind Ohio financings, including the first income tax-backed school district bonds, the first Public Library Fund-backed library notes, and the first Ohio school district bonds sold to the USDA, among others. Becky is a frequent lecturer on public finance for organizations including the Ohio School Boards Association, Ohio Library Council, Ohio Association of Public Treasurers, and the Buckeye Association of School Administrators.

How to Reduce Mailing Costs Using New Technology and Electronic Delivery

• Jim Cote' founded The Master's Touch, LLC in 1994 as a small family operation and has grown it into three facilities across two states, serving counties and other entities in 29 states. He holds two of the USPS's most prestigious certifications — Mail Design Professional (MDP) and Executive Mail Center Manager (EMCM) — and specializes in helping public sector clients reduce postage costs, improve mail tracking, and eliminate undeliverable return mail through strategic mail preparation and USPS qualification tiers.

From Paper to Performance: The Role of AI in Modernizing County Treasury Operations

• Jim Vlasicak is a Director at Hyperscience, where he works with state and local government agencies to modernize document-heavy operations and reduce manual processes. His experience spans public sector environments including finance offices, health and human services, and benefits administration, with a focus on improving data accuracy, service delivery, and operational efficiency.

• Trevor DeLew is a Field CTO for Public Sector at Hyperscience, where he works with state and local government agencies to modernize document-driven operations and improve service delivery. His experience spans health and human services, financial operations, and citizen-facing programs, with a focus on reducing manual processes, improving data quality, and driving operational efficiency.

• Sachin J. Koshy is an AI Evangelist and Practice Lead with more than 25 years of experience in AI and automation technologies, including RPA, machine learning, generative AI, and agentic AI. He advises organizations on responsible AI adoption, helping teams identify practical applications that streamline processes and reduce employee burnout. Sachin serves as an AI Program Advisor at Central Washington University and as a member of the National AI Business & Industry Leadership Team at the National Applied AI Consortium. He holds certifications from NVIDIA, Intel, IBM, Cisco, AWS, Google, and others, and is a decorated U.S. Navy veteran.

Understanding Levies, the 20 mil Floor, and Its Impact on School Funding

• Anthony Hatmaker has served as Ottawa County Treasurer since 2021. Prior to becoming County Treasurer, he served as Treasurer for the Genoa Area Local School District, the Huron City School District and the Educational Service Center of Medina County. He also has served as Treasurer of the City of Port Clinton and the City of North Ridgeville.
  
  
• Caleb Stidham has served as Erie County Treasurer since 2021. He has also been the Chair of the Erie County Republican Party since 2019. 

New Treasurer Panel

• Agostino Ragozzino has served as the Trumbull County Treasurer since September 2025. Prior to becoming County Treasurer, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and a Master of Science in Education. He worked in the private sector as a branch manager in banking for 12 years and in education as a mathematics teacher for 10 years.
  
  
• Blaine Davidson has served as the Hocking County Treasurer since December 2024. Before taking office, he founded Hocking Hills Winery and its sister restaurant, 58 West, in Logan. Earlier in his career, he worked as a Business Analyst for several IT consulting firms in Columbus.
  
  
• Brieanne Sullivan has served as Hardin County Treasurer since her appointment on April 11, 2024. Before becoming County Treasurer, she served as Deputy Treasurer and then Chief Deputy Treasurer beginning in December 2021. Prior to working in the Treasurer’s Office, she was a waitress at a local pizza joint and homeschooled her two children from fourth and fifth grade through graduation.
  
  
• Taylor Sappington was elected Athens County Treasurer in September of 2025. Prior to his election, he was the City Auditor of Nelsonville.
  
  
• Moderator: John McManus serves as Treasurer of Montgomery County, having been elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2024. Prior to his role as Treasurer, John served as a member of the Dayton Board of Education from 2016 to 2020. He has proudly served in government for his entire career, spanning rolls in local, state, and federal government. John is an attorney and resides in Centerville.

Fraud: A Banker’s Perspective

• Caroline Bove is a Director and Certified Treasury Professional at First Financial Bank, where she has spent 11 years in banking and 8 years working exclusively with Public Fund entities. Caroline is passionate about helping public sector clients save time and taxpayer dollars, and is known for her commitment to responsive, relationship-driven service.
  
  
• Justin Laubach is VP of Public Funds at First Financial Bank. He has over 16 years of experience in the finance industry, including nearly 8 years in banking, with a professional foundation rooted in the commercial risk management industry. Today, he focuses exclusively on serving Public Fund entities. As a Vice President, he is committed to helping public organizations operate more efficiently while safeguarding taxpayer dollars.

Association Updates

• Victoria Gresh, CAE, joined Government Advantage Group in January 2026, bringing more than two decades of experience in association management, advocacy, and state government relations in Ohio. She began her career as a legislative aide in both the Ohio House and Senate before transitioning to chief staff executive roles for statewide professional and trade associations, where she led legislative initiatives, regulatory reform, and comprehensive association management functions.