Public Funds Summit 2023
Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia, Scottsdale, AZ
January 12, 2023 - January 13, 2023
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 10, 2023
| 8:00 am |
Exhibit Set Up |
| 8:20 am |
Registration/Information Desk Opens |
| 8:20 am |
Networking Breakfast |
| 9:15 am |
Welcoming Remarks |
| 9:20 am |
Future Forecast: State of the Global Economy, US Retirement System and Geopolitical Forecast
Moderator
Tom Latzke, Consultant, Senior Vice President, Marquette Associates
Panelists
Stacey Dion, Partner, Head of Global Government Affairs, The Carlyle Group Jonathan Ward, Founder/Author, Atlas Organization/Author of "China's Vision of Victory |
| 10:20 am |
Equity & Fixed Income Allocation and Portfolio Construction in a Fragmented World
Moderator
Joe Matthews, CFA, CFP, Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
Panelists
Russ Kamp, Managing Director, Ryan ALM, Inc. Jane White, CEO, Granahan Investment Management Sarah Hillegass, Director of Public Market Investment, Office of the Illinois State Treasurer Scott Kimball, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer, Loop Capital Markets |
| 11:00 am |
Alternative Ideas: Emerging, Niche, & Alternative Strategies for Pension Plans
Moderator
Jim Schnorf, Investment Committee, Eastern Illinois University Foundation
Panelists
James Parker, Co-Founder, Leonid Capital Management Mark Steed, Chief Investment Officer, Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement Alex Julian, Client Consulting, Bfinance |
| 11:40 am |
Networking Refreshment Break
Sponsored by: Muinin Capital Limited |
| 12:00 pm |
Trade Finance: Investing in the Real Economy
Presented by
Simon Phillips, Chairman, Muinin Capital Limited |
| 12:20 pm |
Opportunities in Credit: Private Debt and Direct Lending
Moderator
Kathleen Barchick, Senior Managing Director, Cliffwater
Panelists
Alex Julian, Client Consulting, Bfinance Michael Zimmerman, Co-Founder and Managing Director, MC Credit Partners LP |
| 1:00 pm |
Networking Luncheon |
| 2:10 pm |
Driving Growth with Private Equity and Venture Capital: Deal Structures + Opportunities
Moderator
Guy Pinkman, Trustee, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
Panelists
David Lissek, Managing Partner & Chief Executive Officer, BayFront Capital Partners LLC Jack Selby, Managing Director, Thiel Capital, Managing Partner, AZ-VC |
| 2:50 pm |
Portfolio Risk Management: What Are You Ignoring?
Moderator
Larry Mahle, Trustee, City of Atlanta Firefighter's Pension Fund
Panelists
Robert Butler, Investment Risk & Compliance Officer, Arizona State Retirement System Kyle Geordan, Sr. Investment Analyst, Fire and Police Pension Association of Colorado |
| 3:30 pm |
Integrating Sustainable Investment Strategies Across Asset Classes
Moderator
Rebecca E. Lilly, Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
Panelists
Dail St. Claire, President & Sr. Advisor, St. Claire Consultants, LLC Guy Pinkman, Trustee, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Doug Watler, Trustee, Broward Firefighters Health Trust Lauren Gellhaus, Vice President, Wilshire |
| 4:10 pm |
LP Roundtable: A Conversation with Pension CEOs, CIOs, Executive Directors & State Treasurers
Moderator
Steve Swanson, Executive Director, Park Employees' Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago
Panelists
Greg Knoll, Beneficiary Trustee, Illinois Firefighters Pension Investment Fund, Executive Director, IPFA Blair Richards, CIO, Halifax Port ILA/HEA Pension Plan and Trust Funds Michael Frerichs, State Treasurer, State of Illinois Gregory Samorajski, CEO, Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System |
| 5:00 pm |
Networking Cocktail Hour |
| 8:30 am |
Registration/Information Desk Opens |
| 8:30 am |
Networking Breakfast |
| 9:35 am |
Welcoming Remarks |
| 9:40 am |
Best Practices for Securities Litigation & Portfolio Monitoring for Public Pensions
Moderator
Robert Grden, Executive Director, Wayne County Employees Retirement System
Panelists
Jeff Lubitz, Managing Director, ISS Securities Class Action Services Guillaume Buell, Counsel, Labaton Sucharow LLP Kevin Ruf, Partner, Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP |
| 10:20 am |
A Conversation with Congressman Ruben Gallego, 3rd District of Arizona, U.S. House of Representatives |
| 10:40 am |
Real Estate & Real Asset Investing
Moderator
Frederick Bailey, Trustee & Chairman of Investment Committee, City of Savannah Employee's Retirement Plan
Panelists
Owen Holm, Managing Director of Investor Relations, SROA Capital Nick Vician, Partner, TerraCap Management, LLC William Veliz, Trustee, El Paso Firemen and Policemen's Pension Fund Irv Lowenberg, City Treasurer, City of Southfield Fire & Police Retirement System |
| 11:20 am |
Learning from Actuaries: Actuarial Science and Your Pension Plan
Moderator
Dana Blydenburgh, Director, City of Tampa General Employees' Retirement Fund
Panelists
Eric Atwater, Partner, Aon Hewitt Leonard Gilroy, Senior Managing Director, Pension Integrity Project, Reason Foundation |
| 12:00 pm |
Non-Investment Challenges: 5+ Questions Facing Pension Plans and How to Handle Them
Moderator
Adam Bonarek, Chief Financial Officer, Charter Township of Redford<
Panelists
Kurt Vroman, Chairman, Deltona Firefighters Pension Plan Paul Matson, Executive Director, Arizona State Retirement System Gregory Samorajski, CEO, Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System |
| 12:35 pm |
Practical Tools to Improve Governance, Fiduciary Responsibility & Avoid Conflicts
*Box Lunches Provided*
Moderators
Greg Knoll, Beneficiary Trustee, Illinois Firefighters Pension Investment Fund, Executive Director, IPFA Darryl Walker, Retired Trustee, Alameda County Employees Retirement Association |
| 1:15 pm |
Closing Remarks |
| 1:30 pm |
Golf Outing – Arizona Biltmore Golf Club
*Limited Availability & Separate Preregistration Required* |
Registration Pricing
| Standard Rate | |
|---|---|
| Managers/Service Providers | $2,495 |
| Plan Sponsors, Pension Trustee & Staff, Non-Discretionary Consultants, Endowments, and Foundations can be verified for complimentary access* (must be allocators to 3rd party fund managers) | 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
