Public Funds Summit 2022
Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia, Scottsdale, AZ
January 10, 2022 - January 12, 2022
The Public Funds Summit provides a unique environment in which members of the public sector can exchange ideas and learn from other delegates, money managers, and consultants. Although attendance is not limited to those in the public sector, the conference takes aim at topics that are of particular relevance to public pension funds.
Funding concerns and declining returns have led many pension plans to seek a balance between risk and reward in order to meet pension obligations. Furthermore, the role of investment and its returns are essential to the concern of meeting obligations to pension members. How investment managers, across various strategies, can aid public pension plans in ensuring a safe future for its members will be key in the conversations at the event. The exchange of ideas both in and out of the session halls is key in educating and identifying viable alternatives that will address these concerns. Beyond the investment sphere, we also address legal issues facing pension plans, ethics regulations and the importance of on-going education for plan sponsors and their fiduciaries. We will also discuss the importance of politics and public perception of pension plans and the role that trustees and pension officers have in creating a positive image for their plans.
To request our current agenda, participant list and sponsors
Current as of January 5, 2022
| 10:30am |
Exhibit Set Up / Registration / Information Desk Opens |
| 1:20pm |
Welcoming Remarks |
| 1:25pm |
A Global Macroeconomic Outlook: State of the Global Economy, US Retirement System and Future Forecast
Moderator
Jim Schnorf, Investment Committee, Eastern Illinois University Foundation
Panelists
Jonathan Ward, Founder, Atlas Organization; Author China's Vision of Victory Robert Michel, Chief Investment Officer, Glen Eagle Advisors Leonard Gilroy, Senior Managing Director, Pension Integrity Project, Reason Foundation Paul Strauss, United States Senator (Shadow), District of Columbia |
| 2:20pm |
Equity and Fixed Income Market Allocation Strategies: Where are the Markets Heading and What Should We Know Moving Forward?
Moderator
Joseph Matthews, CFA, Alternative Investments Director, First Vice President - Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley Consulting Group & Institutional Services
Panelists
Russ Kamp, Managing Director, Ryan ALM, Inc. Todd Morris, Portfolio Manager & Analyst, Polen Capital Management Scott Whalen, Executive Managing Director | Senior Consultant, Verus |
| 3:00pm |
Keynote Presentation: Why the FBI Can’t Stop Cybercrime and How You Can
Presented by
Jeff Lanza, Retired FBI Agent, The Lanza Group |
| 3:25pm |
Networking Refreshment Break
Sponsored by: Applied Real Intelligence “A.R.I.” |
| 3:50pm |
Opportunities in Credit Lending: Private Debt and Direct Lending
Moderator
Guy Pinkman, Trustee, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation / Lincoln Fire & Police Retirement System
Panelists
Zack Ellison, Managing General Partner, Applied Real Intelligence “A.R.I.” Scott Schaefer, Senior Investment Officer, Office of Investment and Innovation | SBA |
| 4:30pm |
Portfolio Risk Management: What Are You Ignoring?
Moderator
Steve Swanson, Executive Director, Park Employees' Annuity & Benefit Fund of Chicago
Panelists
Robert Michel, Chief Investment Officer, Glen Eagle Advisors Sarah Benatar, Coconino County Treasurer, Coconino County |
| 5:10pm |
LP Roundtable: A Conversation with Pension CEOs, CIOs, Executive Directors & State Treasurers
Moderator
Premal Amin, Fund Administrator, Austin Fire Fighters Relief and Retirement Fund
Panelists
Scott McCarty, Chairman, Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) Michael Viteri, Chief Investment Officer, Arizona State Retirement System Curtis Loftis, Jr., State Treasurer, State of South Carolina |
| 6:00pm |
Networking Cocktail Hour |
| 7:15pm |
NCAA College Football National Championship Viewing Party Sponsored by: Levi & Korsinsky LLP Rastegar Property |
| 9:00am |
Registration / Information Desk Opens |
| 9:00am |
Networking Breakfast |
| 10:05am |
Welcoming Remarks |
| 10:10am |
Best Practices for Securities Litigation & Portfolio Monitoring for Public Pensions
Moderator
Premal Amin, Fund Administrator, Austin Fire Fighters Relief and Retirement Fund
Panelists
Adam Savett, Director of Communications & Institutional Research, Levi & Korsinsky LLP / CORE Monitoring Systems LLC Robert Grden, Executive Director, Wayne County Employees Retirement System Mario Alba, Partner, Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP |
| 10:50am |
Real Estate Investing: Opportunistic vs. Value Added vs. Core vs. Debt
Moderator
Kurt Vroman, Chairman, Deltona Firefighters Pension Plan
Panelists
Steve Hagenbuckle, Founder and Managing Partner, TerraCap Management, LLC Henry Wilson, MPA, Chairman-Trustee, Wayne County Employees Retirement System |
| 11:30am |
Keynote Presentation: The Future of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Winning Strategy
Presented by
Sarah Hammer, Managing Director, Initiative on Diversity & Inclusion, The Wharton School |
| 12:00pm |
Networking Luncheon |
| 1:20pm |
Alternative Ideas for Alternative Thinkers: Emerging, Niche, & Non-Correlated Alternative Strategies for Pension Plans
Moderator
James Maloney, Board of Directors, Illinois Public Pension Fund Association (IPPFA)
Panelists
Howard M. Hodel, CFA, Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Employees’ Retirement System of the State of Hawaii Misha Malyshev, CEO, Teza Capital Management Jim Schnorf, Investment Committee, Eastern Illinois University Foundation |
| 2:10pm |
Driving Growth with Private Equity and Venture Capital: Deal Structures + Opportunities
Moderator
Donald Kendig, CPA, Retirement Administrator, Fresno County Employees' Retirement Association
Panelists
Bill Thatcher, CFA, CAIA Portfolio Manager, AZ Public Safety Personnel Retirement System Joe Merrill, Partner, Sputnik ATX |
| 3:00pm |
Networking Refreshment Break
Sponsored by: Sputnik ATX |
| 3:20pm |
Integrating ESG Investment Strategies Across Asset Classes
Moderator
Darryl Walker, Trustee, Alameda County Employees Retirement Association
Panelists
Samuel Boyd, Chief Investment Officer, Office of Investment and Innovation | SBA Guy Hopgood, Director, bfinance US Scott Whalen, Executive Managing Director | Senior Consultant, Verus |
| 4:00pm |
Institutional Education: Digital Assets and Investing in the Blockchain
Moderator
Doug Watler, Trustee, Broward Firefighters Health Trust
Panelists
Oliver Wriedt, President & Head of Capital Markets, 10X Capital Venture Acquisition II Corporation Scott Schaefer, Senior Investment Officer, Office of Investment and Innovation | SBA Oksana Malysheva, Managing Partner, Sputnik ATX |
| 4:45pm |
Networking Cocktail Reception |
| 8:30am |
Networking Breakfast |
| 9:30am |
Breakfast with Consultants
Moderator
Henry Wilson, MPA, Chairman-Trustee, Wayne County Employees Retirement System
Panelists
Guy Hopgood, Director, bfinance US |
| 10:00am |
Learning from Actuaries: Actuarial Science and Your Pension Plan
Moderator
Greg Knoll, Executive Director, Illinois Professional Firefighters Association
Panelists
Eric Atwater, Partner, Aon Hewitt Donald Kendig, CPA, Retirement Administrator, Fresno County Employees' Retirement Association |
| 10:30am |
Non-Investment Challenges: 5+ Questions Facing Pension Plans and How to Handle Them
Moderator
Robert Grden, Executive Director, Wayne County Employees Retirement System
Panelists
Mark Meyers, Trustee, Dearborn Heights Police & Fire Retirement System James Maloney, Board of Directors, Illinois Public Pension Fund Association (IPPFA) Doug Watler, Trustee, Broward Firefighters Health Trust |
| 11:10am |
Practical Tools to Improve Governance, Fiduciary Responsibility & Avoid Conflicts
Moderator
Guy Pinkman, Trustee, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation / Lincoln Fire & Police Retirement System
Panelists
Premal Amin, Fund Administrator, Austin Fire Fighters Relief and Retirement Fund |
| 11:50am |
Closing Remarks |
| 12:30pm |
Golf Tournament Padre Course – JW Marriott Camelback Golf Club *Limited Availability and Preregistration Required* |
Registration Pricing
| Standard Rate | |
|---|---|
| Managers/Service Providers | $2,895 |
| Pension/Union Trustee, Administrator, Director or Officer/ Non-Discretionary Consultants*** | Complimentary* |
*Subject to Opal Group’s verification and approval. Only individuals who are solely investing on their own behalf can be verified for a complimentary pass. Solution Providers or Fund Providers to third parties will not be able to receive complimentary access. As investment portfolios/strategies are constantly changing, we reserve the right to re- verify past delegates for future complimentary passes.
- Global Macroeconomic Outlook
- Comparing Fixed Income and Equity Market Allocation Strategies
- Indexing & ETFs for Institutional Investors
- Portfolio Risk Management
- LP Roundtable
- Multi-Strategy Asset Allocation
- Emerging, Niche, & Non-Correlated Alternative Strategies
- Real Estate Investing
- Private Equity and Venture Capital: Deal Structures + Opportunities
- Opportunities in Credit Lending: Private Debt and Direct Lending
- Financial Performance of Real Assets
- Responsible and Sustainable ESG/Impact Strategies
- Actuarial Science and your Pension Plan
- Non-Investment Challenges
- Governance, Fiduciary Responsibility & Avoid Conflicts
UNIQUE CONFERENCE FORMAT
This conference will exclusively feature dialogue driven panel discussions led by consultants and public pension plans. In order to maintain the educational value of our events, we prohibit any use of PowerPoint presentations during panel discussions. *Only Standalone Speakers will be allowed to use PowerPoints during their presentation. All other PowerPoint Presentations can be added to our Mobile App by submitting a PDF/PPT document to an Opal Associate. Speakers must keep in mind the educational objective of this event. Speakers will NOT be allowed to market specific products or services during presentations.*PLAN SPONSOR EDUCATION HOURS
Investment training = 14 hours
Actuarial science = 1 hour
Legal education regarding the laws, rules, and regulations = 2 hours
Fiduciary duty and ethics = 1 hour
- Pension Rep – Trustee, Administrators, Commissioners, Staff
- Consultants
- Attorneys
- Taft Hartley Reps – Trustee, Administrators, Commissioners, Staff
- Accountants
- Hedge Funds
- Fund of Funds
- Real Estate Managers
- Equity Managers
- Venture Capitalists
- Private Equity
- Insurance Companies
- Benefit Companies
- Public Service Administrative Providers
