Newport Marriott, Newport, RI
July 22, 2019 - July 24, 2019
Opal Financial Group’s annual public funds conference addresses issues that are critical to the investment success of senior public pension fund officers and trustees in the new millennium. Concerns of funding liabilities for beneficiaries in a world of declining returns yet maintaining a balance between the risk/reward paradigms is center in the mind of many trustees and representatives of pension plans around the country. The exchange of ideas both in and out of the session halls are key in educating and identifying viable alternatives that will address these concerns. We will discuss how surplus returns should affect employee benefit plans; closely examine the processes for selection and evaluation of investment managers. Beyond the investment sphere we also address legal issues facing pension plans, ethic regulations and the importance of on-going education for plan sponsors and their fiduciaries. 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. By focusing on an atmosphere of education rather than sales or marketing, 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. Opal will kick off the event with its Annual Regatta Cup, in which attendees will have the opportunity to work with a professional sailing charter crew while competing against industry peers.
CONFERENCE FORMAT
This conference will exclusively feature dialogue driven panel discussions led by consultants and pension funds/plan sponsors. Power Point presentations are prohibited during the sessions but may be made available on our mobile app. Please send in PDF or PowerPoint format if you would like to have presentation included on App. Only Standalone Speakers will be allowed to use PowerPoints, but cannot pitch products or advertise anything with their firms.
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Opal Charity Partner: Portfolios with Purpose
Opal has partnered with Portfolios with Purpose to support their mission of shaping the next generation of business leaders. PwP provides a free online financial education to students of any age, promoting financial capability and preparing students for a career in the business sector. Together we are working towards an equitable, inclusive, and values driven community of Professionals with Purpose.
Join one of PwP's global Investor Challenges or learn more about the PwP Academy here!
7:30am |
America’s Regatta Cup Networking Event |
9:00am |
Exhibitor Setup |
9:00am |
Conference Registration Desk Opens |
10:45am |
Closed Door Pre-Conference Workshop and Luncheon (Investors ONLY) |
Part 1: Emerging Markets – Who Knew? – The Sequel
Presented by
Mark Foust, Senior Portfolio Specialist, DuPont Capital Management |
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Part 2: Is it Time to Look at Public Equities through a Different Lens?
Presented by
Lode Devlaminck, Managing Director, Equities, DuPont Capital Management |
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12:45pm |
Welcoming Remarks Russ Kamp, Managing Partner, Kamp Consulting Solutions, LLC |
1:00pm |
State of the US Retirement System: What are the challenges pensions are facing and what does the future look like?
Moderator
Russ Kamp, Managing Partner, Kamp Consulting Solutions, LLC
Panelists
Eric Newman, CPA, CGMA, Treasury Manager, City of Stamford (Conn) Mark Kordonsky, Principal, Sageview Advisory Group Daniel Ryan, Project Coordinator, Illinois Public Pension Fund Association (IPPFA) Kurt Winkelmann, CEO, Navega Strategies, Senior Fellow, University of Minnesota Leonard Gilroy, Senior Managing Director, Pension Integrity Project, Reason Foundation |
2:00pm |
Exploring How Gold Can Help Pension Funds Address Short and Long-Term Challenges Juan Carlos Artigas, Director, Investment Research, World Gold Council |
2:20pm |
Keynote Presentation
CISA and the Cyber Threat to the Financial Sector John Felker, Director, National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, Department of Homeland Security |
2:50pm |
Refreshment Break |
3:15pm |
Opportunistic Alternative, Emerging and Niche Strategies – Diversification in a Late Market Cycle Environment
Moderator
Jeff Johnson, Trustee, Municipal Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago
Panelists
Cian Desmond, AVP | Wilshire Alternatives Research, Wilshire Associates Incorporated Matthew Moran, Vice President, Cboe Global Markets C. LaRoy Brantley, Principal, Consultant , Meketa Investment Group |
4:00pm |
Risk Management: Key Considerations and Tools
Moderator
Harry Griffin, Trustee, San Antonio (TX) Fire & Police Pension Fund
Panelists
Max Giolitti, Chief Risk Officer, Verus Investments Thomas Forma, Senior Vice President - Senior Institutional Consultant, The Forma Group - Morgan Stanley Bob Williamson, Vice President, Battea - Class Action Services, LLC Adam Schenck, CFA, FRM, Principal, Managing Director, Head of Fund Services, Milliman John Phinney, CEO, Convergence Inc. |
5:00pm |
Explaining Managed Custody Accounts (MCAs) & How to Use Them to Enhance Alignment of Interest and Performance
Moderator
James Perry, Head of Institutional Investor Solutions, Maples Group
Panelists
Tom Hickey, Partner & Chair of Fund Formation, Foley & Lardner Mark Steed, Chief Investment Officer, Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System Will Forde, CAIA, Senior Consultant, NEPC, LLC Frank Jordan, Managing Director, Head of Client Partnership Group, Crestline Investors, Inc. |
5:45pm |
Investment Officers’ Roundtable: A Conversation with Pension CEOs, CIOs and Executive Directors
Moderator
Eileen Neill, CFA, Managing Director, Senior Consultant, Verus Investments
Panelists
Alec Stais, Chief Investment Officer, Employees' Retirement System of Rhode Island Blair Richards, CEO, Halifax Port ILA/HEA Pension Plan and Trust Funds Gary Draghi, Chief Investment Officer, Hartford Municipal Employees' Retirement System Gerry Fleury, Executive Director, Manchester Employees' Contributory Retirement System |
6:30pm |
Cocktail Reception Sponsored by: DuPont Capital Management |
7:15am |
Breakfast in Exhibit Hall |
7:15am |
Conference Registration Desk Opens |
8:00am |
Welcoming Remarks |
8:15am |
Equity Investing Strategies and Their Role in Today’s Pension Portfolio
Moderator
Jack Frost, Trustee, West Palm Beach (FL) Police Pension Fund
Panelists
Chuck Bryant, Trustee, The Public School and Education Employee Retirement Systems of Missouri (PSRS/PEERS) Darryl Walker, Trustee, Alameda County Employees Retirement Association |
9:00am |
Finding Fixed Income Yield and Income Now that Rates have Plateaued/Stalled/Peaked
Moderator
Greg Knoll, Executive Director, Illinois Professional Firefighters Association
Panelists
William Beck, Vice President, Wilshire Manager Research, Wilshire Consulting Michael Salice, Director of Research, Sky Harbor Capital Management, LLC Mark Foust, Senior Portfolio Specialist, DuPont Capital Management |
10:00am |
How New Technologies Will Create Investment Winners and Losers in Every Sector Edwin C. Davison, CFA, Ph.D., Associate Portfolio Manager and Senior Equity Analyst, DuPont Capital Management |
10:30am |
Refreshment Break |
11:00am |
Real Estate Markets and your Pension System: What should you be looking for?
Moderator
Dean Crombie, Trustee, New Hampshire Municipal Retirement System
Panelists
Henry Wilson, MPA, Vice Chairman, Wayne County Employees' Retirement System Joe Yiu, Managing Principal, Elmtree Funds Steve Hagenbuckle, Founder and Managing Partner, TerraCap Management, LLC Mike Acton, Head of AEW Research, AEW Capital Management, L.P. |
12:00pm |
Public Pensions in Puerto Rico’s Landmark Restructuring Robert Gordon, Partner, Jenner & Block LLP |
12:20pm |
Keynote Presentation
Navigating a Volatile World: How Public Policy Can Inform Your Investments Anthony Scaramucci, Founder & Co-Managing Partner, Skybridge Capital, LLC |
12:50pm |
Networking Luncheon |
2:00pm |
Keynote Presentation
Funding Government Pensions and Risk Taking Chester Spatt, Pamela R. and Kenneth B. Dunn Professor of Finance, Carnegie Mellon University |
2:30pm |
Opportunities, Strategies, Risks & Rewards for Investing in Real Assets
Moderator
Guy Pinkman, Trustee, Lincoln (NE) Fire & Police Retirement System
Panelists
Matthew Mark, Director, Asset Owners, World Gold Council Julian Regan, Senior Vice President, Segal Marco Advisors Doug Watler, Trustee, Broward Firefighters Health Trust |
3:15pm |
Extracting Alpha with Private Equity and Venture Capital
Moderator
Mark Eisner, Chairman, Daytona Beach Police and Fire Pension Fund
Panelists
Shawn Quinn, Managing Director, Wilshire Private Markets Dana Callow, Managing Partner, Boston Millennia Partners, and Trustee and Former Chair of Investment Committee, Tufts University Haydar Haba, Managing Partner, Andra Global Kai Schmitz, Senior Investment Officer, International Finance Corp. - World Bank Group |
4:15pm |
Investing in Private Debt and Direct Lending (or Opportunities in Credit Investing)
Moderator
Will Buividas, Chairman, Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS)
Panelists
Mark Johnson, Senior Managing Director, Cliffwater John Morabito, Managing Director, Portfolio Manager, Entrust Global LLC Timothy Conway, Head of Private Credit, First Eagle Investment Management Ken Kencel, President & CEO, Churchill Asset Management LLC |
5:00pm |
Role of Treasurers in State and Local Pensions
Moderator
Suzanne Taylor, Chairperson, Old Saybrook Retirement Board
Panelists
Curtis Loftis, Jr., State Treasurer, State of South Carolina Michael Fitzgerald, State Treasurer, State of Iowa |
6:00pm |
Summer Social Networking Bash
Thank you to our Sponsors!
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7:15am |
Breakfast in Exhibit Hall |
7:15am |
Conference Registration Desk Opens |
8:00am |
Welcoming Remarks |
8:15am |
The Role of a Consultant – Past, Present, and Future
Moderator
John Agenbroad, Chairman, Inter-Local Pension Fund
Panelists
Kevin Nichols, CAIA, CIMA, Senior Investment Management Consultant & Vice President, Morgan Stanley Consulting Group & Institutional Services Marcia Peters, CIO, Portfolio Evaluations Don Shannon, Director, StepStone Group Nadine Pfeifer, Consultant, Chartwell Consulting |
9:15am |
Learning from Actuaries: Actuarial Science and your Pension Plan
Moderator
John Girard, Trustee, Boca Raton Police and Firefighters’ Retirement System
Panelists
Ronald Ryan, CEO, Founder, Ryan ALM, Inc. Jim Rizzo, Senior Consultant & Actuary, Gabriel, Roeder, Smith & Company Peter Gerlings, CFA, CAIA, Senior Vice President, Implemented Investment Consulting, Segal Marco Advisors |
10:15am |
Non-Investment Challenges: 20+ questions facing pension plans and how to handle them
Robert Grden, Executive Director, Wayne County Employees Retirement System
Panelists
Joe Andriole, President, Rhode Island State Association of Fire Fighters Jim Smith, Trustee, San Antonio (TX) Fire & Police Pension Fund Daniel Miller, Deputy Executive Director, Board of Education Retirement System of the City of New York Darryl Mabini, Assistant Vice President, Growth & Stakeholder Relations, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) |
11:15am |
Practical Tools to Improve Governance, Fiduciary Responsibility & Avoid Conflicts
Moderator
Lily Cavanagh, Treasurer, Redford Township Police & Firemens Retirement System
Panelists
Tom Herek, County Commissioner, Bay County Employee's Ret. System, Bay County (MI) Kathryn Pizzi, Sr. Investment Consultant, Fiduciary Investment Advisors, LLC Adam Frankel, Trustee, City of Delray Beach General Employees Retirement Fund Matthew Lay, Trustee, Oklahoma Firefighters Pension & Retirement System |
12:15pm |
Concludes Concludes |
• Rooms are available only to those participants who are registered conference attendees.
• Rooms will not be guaranteed without a credit card.
• Rooms are allocated on a first come first serve basis. Room types/rates are subject to availability.
• The name on the form will be the name of the guest room.
Standard Rate | |
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Managers/Service Providers | $2,895 |
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.