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Is a Chief Treasury Officer in the Future of Corporate America?

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As companies seek to maintain liquidity amid volatile markets, chief financial officers and corporate treasurers will convene at the eighth annual CTC Global Corporate Treasurers Forum in May to discuss how the principles of innovation can apply to the treasurer's global role.

The event, produced by the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) will take place May 16-18 at the Royal Palms Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona, with Bank of America Merrill Lynch as the exclusive sponsor.

"During the recession, treasurers rose to new leadership visibility because they were recognized as being directly responsible for the financial health of their businesses," said Jim Kaitz, president and CEO of AFP. "At the best companies, we are seeing that financial leadership continues through innovation. Now the question is whether the treasurer's job function should become a C-level role."

Senior executives from The Coca-Cola Company and Brocade Communication are among the panelists who will explore this question in an in-depth roundtable discussion, one of the highlights of the forum.

Other roundtable discussions will focus on hedging foreign exchange volatility, reinvigorating strategic bank relationships, and the best way that a treasurer can help to position a company for future growth - whether that growth is expected to occur in North America, Europe or the Asia-Pacific region.

"Bank of America Merrill Lynch is proud to be sponsoring the Global Corporate Treasurers Forum for the third consecutive year," said Dub Newman, head of North America Global Treasury Solutions at BofA Merrill. "Gatherings like this provide an opportunity for CFOs and corporate treasurers to step back from their daily activities to learn about and discuss strategic, long-term issues affecting the treasury function worldwide. This year's focus on innovation regarding the role of the treasurer should be particularly interesting in creating and advancing ideas on how treasurers can add more value for their companies."

Stay tuned for more information as this important event develops. For more information, see www.afponline.org/gctf

ABOUT AFP®
The Association for Financial Professionals (www.afponline.org ) is the daily resource for the finance profession. Headquartered outside Washington, D.C., AFP serves a network of more than 16,000 members with news, economic research and data, treasury certification programs, networking events, financial analytical tools, training, and public policy representation to legislators and regulators.

AFP's global reach extends to over 150,000 treasury and financial professionals worldwide, including AFP of Canada; London-based gtnews, an on-line resource for the treasury and finance community; and bobsguide, a financial IT solutions network.

ABOUT BANK OF AMERICA MERRILL LYNCH

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 57 million consumer and small business relationships with more than 5,800 retail banking offices and approximately 18,000 ATMs and award-winning online banking with 29 million active users. Bank of America is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in more than 40 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch is the marketing name for the global banking and global markets businesses of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., member FDIC. Securities, strategic advisory, and other investment banking activities are performed globally by investment banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation ("Investment Banking Affiliates"), including, in the United States, Banc of America Securities LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, which are both registered broker-dealers and members of FINRA and SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, locally registered entities. Investment products offered by Investment Banking Affiliates: Are Not FDIC Insured * May Lose Value * Are Not Bank Guaranteed

www.bankofamerica.com

SOURCE Association for Financial Professionals