Conference Agenda

WELCOME COCKTAIL RECEPTION

REGISTRATION & NETWORKING BREAKFAST

WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS

Chris Battaglia
Publisher
Pensions & Investments

Tom Woodruff (Co-Chair)
Director
Retirement & Benefit Services Division
State of Connecticut

KEYNOTE ADDRESS:
ECONOMIC UPDATE -WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2009

Darrell Spence
Vice President, Economist
Capital Strategy Research

TRANSITION BREAK

THE WALL STREET CRISIS - SAFEGUARDING PARTICIPANT ASSETS IN A DECLINING ECONOMY

This panel will discuss the impact of the 2008 economic crisis on defined contribution plans.  Expert panelists will provide insights into what happened and share best practices to guide fiduciaries in decision-making and monitoring plan investments going forward.

Moderated by:
Stacy Schaus
Senior Vice President, DC Practice Leader
PIMCO

Panelists:
Roger Williams
CFA, Managing Director
RogersCasey

Chirs Anast
Vice President
Mesirow Financial

Jody Strakosch
Director for Institutional Income Annuities
MetLife

John Sturiale
Managing Director, Investment Management Services
Charles Schwab

NETWORKING BREAK

MARKET TURMOIL - PLAN SPONSOR LEARNINGS AND NEW IDEAS

Plan sponsors will share their approaches to addressing participant concerns during market downturns, and new approaches to plan design and investment selection to help stem the tide of fear in volatile markets.

Moderated by:
Marina Edwards
Senior Consultant
Towers Perrin

Panelists:
Jaime Erickson
Manager, Defined Contribution Plans
Akzo Nobel

Fran Ruderman
Senior Director, Benefits Compensation
Leviton

LUNCHEON AND EDDY AWARDS CEREMONY

TRANSITION BREAK

TRACK A: PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT - THE EXPERTS SPEAK

In this session, portfolio managers will discuss the selection and monitoring process, and offer perspectives on the markets.

Moderated by:
Jeffrey Knight
Managing Director, Deputy Head of Investments and Chief Investment Officer
Putnam Global Asset Allocation

Panelists:
Andrea L. Durbin
CFA, Principal, Senior Portfolio Manager and Equity Research Analyst
Rainier FundsMark Dawson

Lisa Black
CFA, Managing Director, Global Public Markets
TIAA-CREF

TRACK B: BEYOND THE AUTOS --NEXT GENERATION PLAN DESIGN

Automatic enrollment and contribution escalation are the current trends, but what comes next?  How can defined contribution plans continue to improve to provide better outcomes and more retirement security?  Join this session and hear plan sponsors and other industry experts expand on their ideas for the next generation of DC plans.

Moderated by:
Quana C. Jew
Partner
Arent Fox LLP

Panelists:
Matt Radgowski
Vice President
Wilshire Associates

Martha Tejera
Principal
Tejera & Associates

TRANSITION BREAK

TRACK A: THE GREAT DEBATE: ACTIVE VS. PASSIVE MANAGEMENT

This session will dig into the pros and cons of active vs. passive management, and discuss the key elements that must be considered by plan sponsors weighing this decision.

Moderated by:
Matt Gnabasik
Managing Director
Blue Prairie Group

Panelists:
Keith Overly
Executive Director
State of Ohio

Jack McPherson
CFA, Managing Director and Co-Portfolio Manager
Eagle Asset Management

Donald Stone
President
Plan Sponsor Advisors

TRACK B: PARTICIPANT ACCESS: HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?

This session will delve into the fiduciary concerns involved with allowing service providers to correspond with participants one-on-one.  Should fiduciaries be concerned about marketing campaigns that encourage rollovers, enrollment in income products, or IRA’s?

Moderated by:
Lori Lucus
CFA, Defined Contribution Practice Leader
Callan

Panelists:
Tina Stamato
Savings Plan Manager
Pfizer

Jim Langenwalter
Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, Rollover Systems
Spencer Williams

TRANSITION BREAK

TRACK A: THE FUTURE OF STABLE VALUE FUNDS

Coming on the heels of the demise of large insurance companies, how should plan sponsors evaluate stable value funds?  Are general account funds still safe?  What is the real trade-off between risk and reward?  This panel will explore these topics and more.

Moderated by:
Mark Olsen
Consultant
Blue Prairie Group

Panelists:
Karl Tourville
CFA and Managing Partner
Gailliard Capital Management

Victoria Paradis
CFA and Managing Director, Fixed Income
J.P. Morgan

TRACK B: BEST IN CLASS PARTICIPANT EDUCATION - EDDY AWARD WINNERS

Past P&I Eddy Award winners discuss best practices and share ideas on how to change participant behavior.

Moderated by:
Nancy Webman
Editor
Pensions & Investments

Speakers:
Annette Grabow
Manager of Retirement Benefits
M.A. Mortsenson Co.

Dona Helle
Director, Retirement Programs
DirecTV

Joe Masterson
Senior Vice President
Chief Sales Officer
Diversified Investment Advisors

Keith Overly
Executive Director
Ohio Public Employees Deferred Compensation

NETWORKING COCKTAIL RECEPTION

NETWORKING BREAKFAST

WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS

Nancy Webman
Editor
Pensions & Investments

Jaime Erickson (Co-Chair)
Manager, Defined Contribution Plans
Akzo Nobel

KEYNOTE ADDRESS:
WASHINGTON UPDATE – POST-ELECTION
John J. O’Neill
Partner, Washington, DC office
Venable LLP

John will discuss the latest happenings in Washington, and what to expect from the legislative and regulatory branches under the Obama administration. 

Presented by:
Michael J. Clowes
Editor at Large
Pensions & Investments

This panel will share insights and perspectives on where the issues of transparency and disclosure may be headed, and discuss best practices to help your DC plan keep up to speed with new developments.  

Moderated by:
Marla Kreindler
Partner
Winston & Strawn

Panelists:
Tom Woodruff (Co-Chair)
Director, Retirement & Benefit Services Division
State of Connecticut

Steve Dorval
CFA, Managing Director, Investment Services
NYL Retirement Plan Services

Scott Parker
CFA and Senior Manager
Deloitte

THE FUTURE OF RETIREMENT INCOME ADEQUACY IN AMERICA

DC plans were not originally designed to be the sole source of retirement income for participants. Even so, the vast majority of participants will rely only on their DC plan when they retire.  What can plan sponsors and providers do today to begin driving better outcomes for participants?  And, how should we be talking to participants about their responsibilities?  

Moderated by:
Brent Walder
Senior Vice President
Prudential Retirement

Panelists:
Rob Reiskytl
DC Consultant
Hewitt

Ed Gleason
Specialist – 401(k) Plan Retirement Strategy
American Airlines

Dr. Jeffrey Brown
Professor of Finance
University of Illinois

John Pickett
Senior Vice President, Institutional Consulting Group
RBC Wealth Management

LUNCHEON AND KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Dallas Salisbury
President and CEO
Employee Benefit Research Institute

As the president and CEO of EBRI, no one is more qualified to provide us with a detailed review of the impact of the financial crisis on participants' savings habits and retirement preparedness and lead us in a discussion of ways to help encourage participants to continue saving.