Public Funds Summit East 2023
Newport Marriott, Newport, RI
July 10, 2023 - July 12, 2023
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 a Morning Harbor Excursion, a refreshing and invigorating start to the event, providing an opportunity for networking, relaxation, and a memorable experience for all attendees.
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.
Current as of July 12, 2022
| 8:00am |
AMERICA’S REGATTA CUP NETWORKING EVENT |
| 10:00am |
Exhibit Set Up |
| 10:30am |
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
Greg Knoll, Trustee & Executive Director, The Firefighter Pension Investment Fund / IPFA
Panelists
Stacey Dion, Managing Director & Global Head of Government Affairs, The Carlyle Group Jonathan Ward, Founder, Atlas Organization; Author China's Vision of Victory Kurt Winkelmann, CEO, Navega Strategies, Senior Fellow, University of Minnesota Marcia Peters, CFA, Senior Financial Advisor, CAPTRUST |
| 2:25pm |
Traditional Allocation Strategies: Where are the Equity and Fixed Income Markets Heading and How Should Pensions Allocate Moving Forward?
Moderator
Joseph J. Matthews, CFA, CFP, Sr. Investment Management Consultant, Alternative Investments Director, First Vice President – Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley
Panelists
Russ Kamp, Managing Director, Ryan ALM, Inc. Dirk Hofschire, CFA, Senior Vice President, Asset Allocation Research, Fidelity Institutional Asset Management Brian Green, Partner, Consulting, AndCo Consulting Frederick Bailey, Trustee & Chairman of Investment Committee, City of Savannah Employee's Retirement Plan |
| 3:10pm |
How Public Pension Funds Can Maximize ROI in the EV Transition
Presented by
Shane McMahon, Executive Chairman, Ideanomics Alf Poor, CEO, Ideanomics |
| 3:40pm |
Networking Refreshment Break
Sponsored by: Ideanomics |
| 4:00pm |
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
David Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, Founder, & Senior Investment Management Consultant, Equitas Capital Advisors Marc Friedberg, Managing Director & Principal, Wilshire Private Markets Floyd Simpson CFA, CAIA, Director, PFM Asset Management |
| 4:40pm |
Portfolio and Investment Risk Management: What Are You Ignoring?
Moderator
Guy Pinkman, Trustee, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation / Lincoln Fire & Police Retirement System
Panelists
Michael Ashmore, Finance & Investment Committee Chair, University of Waterloo Adam Bonarek, Finance/Risk/IT Director, Charter Township of Redford Robert Butler, Investment Risk & Compliance Officer, Arizona State Retirement System Brad Berggen, Managing Partner, volScout LLC |
| 5:20pm |
LP Roundtable: A Conversation with Pension CEOs, CIOs, Executive Directors & State Treasurers
Moderator
Michael Grodi, Board Chair, Monroe County Employees Retirement System
Panelists
Bryan Lewis, Vice President & Chief Investment Officer, United States Steel Corporation Scott McCarty, Chairman, Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement Michael Fitzgerald, State Treasurer, State of Iowa |
| 6:00pm |
Networking Cocktail Hour |
| 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
Robert Grden, Executive Director, Wayne County Employees Retirement System
Panelists
Jeffrey Lubitz, Managing Director, ISS Securities Class Action Services Serena Hallowell, Member, Motley Rice LLC Guillaume Buell, Counsel, Labaton Sucharow LLP Kevin Ruf, Partner, Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP |
| 11:00am |
Real Estate Investing for Institutional Investors
Moderator
Dean Crombie, Trustee, New Hampshire Municipal Retirement System
Panelists
Jack Frost, Trustee, West Palm Beach (FL) Police Pension Fund Tony Crooks, Senior Portfolio Manager, AEW Capital Management, L.P. Greg Friedman, CEO, Peachtree Hotel Group Cameron Gunter, Founder & CEO, PEG Companies |
| 12:00pm |
Masterminds: How To Add $100K+ In Profit To Your Bottom Line and Increase Your Impact In 5-10 Hours a Month
Presented by
Brad Hart, Founder, Make More Marbles |
| 12:20pm |
Networking Luncheon |
| 1:50pm |
Opportunities in Credit Lending: Private Debt and Direct Lending
Moderator
Alex Dauria, Senior Portfolio Advisor, Aksia
Panelists
Zack Ellison, CFA, CAIA, Managing Director & CIO, A.R.I. Venture Debt Opportunities Fund Scott Schaefer, Senior Investment Officer, Office of Investment and Innovation | SBA Ken Kencel, President & CEO, Churchill Asset Management Mike Fang, Senior Portfolio Manager, Maryland State Retirement and Pension System |
| 2:40pm |
Driving Returns with Private Equity and Venture Capital: Growth Opportunities
Moderator
Jim Schnorf, Investment Committee, Eastern Illinois University Foundation
Panelists
Eric Newman CPA, CGMA, Treasury Manager, City of Stamford (Connecticut) Dana Callow, Managing Partner, Boston Millennia Partners, Trustee and Former Chair of Investment Committee, Tufts University Bryan Lewis, Vice President & Chief Investment Officer, United States Steel Corporation |
| 3:30pm |
Networking Refreshment Break |
| 4:00pm |
Integrating ESG Investment Strategies and Policies for Pensions
Moderator
Julian Regan, Senior Vice President, Public Sector Market Leader, Segal Marco Advisors
Panelists
Rebecca E. Lilly, Financial Advisor, Investing with Impact Director, U.S. Government Entity Specialist, Morgan Stanley Carol Jeppesen, Head of the US, Signatory Relations, UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) |
| 4:40pm |
Institutional Education on Digital Assets – Investing in the Blockchain and Web 3.0
Moderator
Doug Watler, Trustee, Broward Firefighters Health Trust
Panelists
Sarah Hammer, Managing Director, Initiative on Diversity & Inclusion, The Wharton School Keli Callaghan, Partner, Arrington Capital |
| 5:40pm |
Panels Conclude |
| 6:00pm |
Summer Social Networking Bash |
| 8:30am |
Registration Desk Opens & Networking Breakfast |
| 9:30am |
Breakfast with Consultants: Gatekeepers vs. Outsourced Due-Diligence
Moderator
Henry Wilson, MPA, Chairman-Trustee, Wayne County Employees Retirement System
Panelists
Daniel Johnson, Director, AndCo Consulting Marcia Peters, CFA, Senior Financial Advisor, CAPTRUST C. LaRoy Brantley, Principal, Meketa Investment Group |
| 10:10am |
Non-Investment Challenges: 5+ Questions Facing Pension Plans and How to Handle Them
Moderator
Robert Grden, Executive Director, Wayne County Employees Retirement System
Panelists
Scott McCarty, Chairman, Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) Justin Maistrow, CFA, Senior Investment Strategist, State of Rhode Island |
| 10:40am |
Learning from Actuaries: Actuarial Science and Your Pension Plan
Moderator
Greg Knoll, Trustee & Executive Director, The Firefighter Pension Investment Fund / IPFA
Panelists
Lorie Barnwell, City Treasurer, City of Warren Michelle Boyles, Consulting Actuary, Cheiron |
| 11:20am |
Practical Tools to Improve Governance, Fiduciary Responsibility & Avoid Conflicts
Moderator
Kurt Vroman, Chairman, Deltona Firefighters Pension Plan
Panelist
Darryl Walker, Trustee, Alameda County Employees Retirement Association |
| 11:50am |
Conference Concludes |
Registration Pricing
| Standard Rate | |
|---|---|
| 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.
- Pension Outlook: The State of the U.S.Retirement System
- New Styles and Strategies for Investing
- Asset Allocation best Practices
- Ongoing Education for Plan Fiduciaries and Participants
- Challenges facing Public Pension Plans
- Risk Management
- Manager Selection
- Equity Investing
- Securities Lending
- Hedge Funds
- Private Equity/Venture Capital
- Real Estate
- Real Assets – precious metals, timber, infrastructure, agriculture, managed futures, etc.
- Emerging and Frontier Markets
- Choosing the right advisor/consultant
- and many more!
- 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
