Agenda

Download Agenda Here

All meetings and events will be held at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina unless otherwise indicated. 

Conference registration fees cover all conference activities except those that are sponsored. All sponsored activities are identified as such in the conference materials. A cost breakdown will be provided for each sponsored event in the conference binder provided on site and on the NAGDCA website.

Please be aware, if you are seeking CFP or CPE continuing education credits, you must sign-in and sign-out of each session. Sign-up up sheets will be available outside of each session.

Located in the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina (unless otherwise noted on agenda):
• NAGDCA Conference Registration
• ANC Foundation Raffle
• InFRE Booth
• IRS Outreach/Communications Booth
• 1k/5k Walk/Run Information Table
• National Save for Retirement Week Display Table
• Refreshments/Breakfasts/Coffee Breaks
• San Diego Concierge Table (CVB) – Sunday thru Tuesday
• Louisville Information Table (CVB) – Wednesday only

Saturday, September 29

8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. NAGDCA Executive Board Meeting

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ANC Foundation Board Meeting

12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Fun Run/Walk Information Table Sponsored by T. Rowe Price

12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Registration/ANC Foundation Silent Auction

1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. An InFRE Course on Ethics – Level II (Sign-up Required/Additional Fees Apply)
Knowing the ethical thing to do and actually doing it can be difficult at times. This advanced ethics course provides practical examples that help bridge the gap between knowing the InFRE Code of Ethics and doing the right thing when faced with an ethical dilemma.

A brief review of the InFRE Code of Ethics will be followed by examples, case studies and discussion to explore the practical side of ethical decision making. This course fulfills the 2 hour continuing education requirement for renewing the Certified Retirement Counselor® (CRC®) certification and Certified Retirement Administrator (CRA) designation.
Presenter: Mary Willett, CRA, CRC®

1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Community Service Project (Sign-up Required)
Sponsored by Nationwide Retirement Solutions

Sunday, September 30

7:45 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Registration/ANC Foundation Silent Auction

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Fun Run/Walk Information Table Sponsored by T. Rowe Price

8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Cyber Café and Charging Station Sponsored by Fidelity Investments

8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau Information Table

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. InFRE Pre-Conference Workshop – Fundamentals of Plan Design
(Sign-up Required/Additional Fees Apply)
Course #1 of the InFRE® Retirement Plan Administrator Series
designed especially for NAGDCA.

As a retirement plan administrator, or board or committee member responsible for a retirement benefit program, you need to understand the basic features of the various plans and how they can, or cannot, meet the needs of employers and employees.

In this session you will learn:
• the history of retirement plans and the Social Security system
• the background as to how defined benefit and defined contribution plans were first used and how they have changed
• about the different types of employer-sponsored retirement plans most commonly used in the U.S. today, with an emphasis on those in the public sector
• common trends within the retirement industry and how they can impact plan administration.

Perfect for those with new to intermediate level skills, this is the first course in the four-part series designed specifically for public defined contribution administrators.
Presenter: Mary Willett, CRA, CRC®
Attendees earn 4 InFRE CE Credits

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 403(b) Pre-Conference Workshop (Sign-up Required/Additional Fees Apply)
This session is geared toward 403(b) plan sponsors and will include two panel discussions. Panel 1 will focus on Fiduciary Issues and Vendor Relations and Panel 2 will focus on Selection of TPAs/Review of TPA Functions and Changing Service Providers.

12:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Social Event (Sign-up Required) Sponsored by Prudential Retirement

4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. NAGDCA: An Environment for Learning
(Recommended for new members and first time attendees)
This session will help you get the most out of the 2012 conference and show how NAGDCA can help you throughout the year. The session will include an overview of the organization and its leadership, its evolution and growth, the services it offers members, and current special projects. It will include an overview of the conference schedule, “first-timer tips,” and more; it is particularly important for first-time delegates and newcomers to the industry.
Featured Speakers: Julia Durand, CalSTRS, NAGDCA President; Tara Hagan, State of Nevada, NAGDCA Member-at-Large; Alex Hannah, ICMA-RC, NAGDCA Industry Vice President

5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Student Orientation (Students and designated NAGDCA members only)
NAGDCA has again invited university students interested in defined contribution to participate in the annual conference. This conference session will help orient the student attendees, and give them an opportunity to meet with their paired NAGDCA mentor for the conference. This session will also include an overview of the organization, its evolution and growth, the services it offers members, an overview of the conference schedule, and tips for students to get the most out of the conference experience.

5:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Student/Mentor Reception (Students, mentors, financial planning program directors, and Board members) Sponsored by InFRE

6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. President's Reception Sponsored by Nationwide Retirement Solutions

Monday, October 1

6:00 a.m. 1 & 5k Fun Run/Walk Participants Meet

6:15 a.m. 1 & 5k Fun Run/Walk Sponsored by T. Rowe Price

8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Registration/ANC Foundation Silent Auction

8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Cyber Café and Charging Station Sponsored by Fidelity Investments

8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. San Diego CVB Information Table

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast Buffet Co-Sponsored by AonHewitt and NAGDCA

9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Conference Opening and Welcome

9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. General Session Keynote Speaker: Mellody Hobson, President, Ariel Investments

10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Coffee Break Sponsored by Wellington Management Company

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. General Session: The Washington Report: Retirement Security and Individual Responsibility
All eyes seem to be watching Washington as it debates the federal budget, tax reform, deficit reduction, and the debt limit. The Washington Report session will provide up-to-date information on those activities and how they could impact the administration of public employer defined contribution plans. Tax reform proposals have included defined contribution and pension simplification issues. The panelists will review the topics that have been discussed by policy makers who are contemplating changes to defined contribution plans.
Moderator: Gay Lynn Bath, State of Oregon, NAGDCA Past President and Legislative Committee Chair
Speaker: Susan White, Susan J. White & Associates, NAGDCA Legislative Counsel

12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Opening Luncheon Sponsored by ING

1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Break

1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. “Breakout Sessions” – Government Member Sessions
(Government members and students only)

Session #1: $100 million or less

Session #2: $101 million - $250 million 

Session #3: $251 million - $499 million

Session #4: $500 million - $999 million

Session #5: $1 billion or more

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Industry Member Annual Meeting (Industry members and students only)

3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Leadership Recognition Award Winner Photos

6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Reception Sponsored by Great-West Retirement Services

Tuesday, October 2

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast Buffet

8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Registration/ANC Foundation Silent Auction 

8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. San Diego CVB Information Table

8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Cyber Café and Charging Station Sponsored by Fidelity Investments

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. General Session: IRS/Regulatory Update – Activities and Regulations
An IRS representative and others will discuss recently issued (or soon to be released) regulations pertaining to defined contribution plans.
Moderator: Ralph Marsh, City of Houston, TX
Featured Speakers: Marilyn Collister, Great-West Retirement Services; Cheryl Press, IRS

10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Coffee Break Sponsored by BlackRock

10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Concurrent Sessions Divided by Track A & B (See Below)

TRACK A - NEW MEMBERS - DEFERRED COMPENSATION BASICS (Less than 5 years in the industry)

Session 1: DC 101 – RFP Selection Process
The core of a good deferred compensation plan starts with a well-designed Request for Proposal. Written correctly, RFPs can provide an unbiased road map making it easier to determine the best provider for your plan. Whether you have been through RFPs before or are new to the process, there is always something new to learn. The session will illustrate RFP design techniques that provide plan sponsors with the feedback needed to make a thorough evaluation of service provider proposals and pitfalls to avoid in the RFP design. 

TRACK B – ADMINISTRATORS (More than 5 years in the industry)

Session 1: Alternatives in Plan Administration Fee Assessment and Collection Models
For many years the common model for plan administration fee assessment and collection has included “revenue sharing,” in which revenues collected by investment providers through 12b-1 fees, Sub-Transfer/Shareholder Services fees, and other related fees have been used to pay for record-keeping and other plan administration costs. These fees are usually percentage-based, and the fee amounts may vary among plan investments. Understanding these fees is critical for fiduciaries, and this session provides an understanding of the revenue sharing approach and examines alternative models, as well as exploring the question of whether specific participants or “the plan” should pay for elective services such as investment advice or financial planning.

Session 2: 403(b) Compliance
Three years after the new 403(b) regulations went into effect, how are employers adjusting and what trends in compliance are developing? Should employers consider a single vendor? What about the applicability of fee disclosure? What “best practices” should be applied to 403(b) plans and who should be involved in those decisions? This session will focus on providing answers to these questions and more including what to do if the IRS comes knocking (or sending letters!). 

Session 3: Critical Questions for Fiduciaries about Guaranteed Income Products
Given the diverse range of risks and uncertainties facing participants today - an aging population with longer life expectancies and an increasing reliance on the defined contribution plan for retirement savings - there are both tangible and psychological obstacles to achieving retirement security. An array of retirement income options are available to meet this need, but how can plan sponsors better determine the choices that are right for their participants? What risks and issues should plan sponsors pay close attention to in making a selection? To what degree can plan sponsors identify solutions that will provide the type of “base” retirement the workforce will require both to maintain basic lifestyles and cover unexpected contingencies? This session will help plan sponsors better analyze these questions, look at options available today, and discuss what may be available tomorrow.

11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Coffee Break Sponsored by State Street Global

11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Concurrent Sessions Divided by Track A & B (See Below)
TRACK A - NEW MEMBERS - DEFERRED COMPENSATION BASICS

Session 2: DC 101 – Fiduciary Responsibility and the Investment Policy Statement
Plan sponsors want to help provide the best possible retirement outcome for their participants. But with that goal comes fiduciary responsibility. It is important that plan fiduciaries understand their roles and their responsibility to act in a prudent manner for the exclusive benefit of the plan. This session will identify roles performed by plan fiduciaries, the role of your consultant, and the importance of documenting processes that help protect fiduciaries from getting into trouble with a focus on the function of the Investment Policy Statement in plan design.

REPEAT OF TRACK B – ADMINISTRATORS

Session 1: Alternatives in Plan Administration Fee Assessment and Collection Models

Session 2: 403(b) Plan Compliance

Session 3: Critical Questions for Fiduciaries about Guaranteed Income Products

2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. NAGDCA Retirement Knowledge Quiz Bowl (students and program directors)

2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. San Diego History & Education Event (Sign-up Required) Sponsored by ICMA-RC

Wednesday, October 3

7:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Registration/ANC Foundation Silent Auction 

7:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Cyber Café and Charging Station Sponsored by Fidelity Investments

7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau Information Table (Site of 2013 Annual Conference)

7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Breakfast – Recognition of ANC Foundation Donors (Open to all)

8:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Concurrent Sessions (All Attendees)

Session 1: Stable Value Funds
Stable value is represented on 80% of defined contribution (DC) menus and accounts for over half a trillion dollars in assets. Its unique objective of attempting to provide principal protection and a yield in excess of money funds makes it particularly attractive to both conservative investors and plan participants in and near retirement. The credit crisis that began in 2008 has reshaped the stable value market place and the book value wrap contracts have become a commodity of limited supply, as many of the previous issuers of these contracts have elected to reduce their exposure or to leave the Stable Value market. This decrease in wrap capacity, in concert with today's low yielding environment, has caused both plan sponsors and wrap providers to take a more nuanced look at their stable value offerings. Given the current environment and complexities, the session will help plan sponsors be better informed to make decisions.
 
Session 2: Benchmarking Your Plan – It's Not Just About Investments
When most Plan Sponsors think about Benchmarking it's usually in relation to their investment lineup, however “best practices” would suggest that all aspects of your plan should be monitored. This session will focus on the reasons why, along with examples of how, you should be monitoring and benchmarking all aspects of your plan in order to truly fulfill your fiduciary duties. Whether it is fees, services, participation rates or average participant balance - knowing how your plan stacks up to your peers is valuable to a successful plan. 

Session 3: Investment Innovations
This session will focus on the latest investment-related solutions designed to improve retirement outcomes for participants, including a discussion of:
- Recent trends in terms of target-date funds, target-risk funds and managed accounts, vehicles playing an increasing critical role in U.S.
worker retirement security
- Structuring benchmarks, including target-date fund benchmarks, to manage risk and help participants meet retirement income goals
- Strategies developed to incorporate investments commonly used in defined benefit (DB) pension plans now gaining popularity in defined contribution (DC) plans
- Solutions designed to combat inflation, diversify participant's holdings, and/or dampen volatility

Session 4: The Impact of Social Media in Communicating with Participants
In a world of texting, iPads, Facebook, and Twitter, participants are learning beyond the traditional seminar and individual consultation environments. This session explores the challenges that plan sponsors face in integrating these alternative communication channels to ensure that participants understand the key concepts and benefits of their supplemental retirement plans. Speakers will explore the most effective ways to take advantage of social media.

10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Coffee Break Sponsored by Arnerich Massena, Inc.

10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. NAGDCA Retirement Knowledge Quiz Bowl

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Challenges and Opportunities in Implementing the new DoL Participant Fee Disclosure Requirements
The Department of Labor has issued finalized participant fee disclosure rules for defined contribution retirement plans that are subject to ERISA, and most governmental plans and Third Party Administrators (TPA) plan to implement these rules as well. Plan Sponsors need to know when this disclosure will begin, and what the new disclosure will look like. They also need to prepare for participant reactions to the new disclosures and to work with their provider to prepare a communication strategy that is suitable for their circumstances. This session will review the specifics of the DoL disclosure model, identify questions participants are likely to ask, and present information from leading TPA firms regarding their planned schedules for implementation and their communication efforts.
Invited Speaker: Phyllis Borzi, Assistant Secretary for Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of Labor

12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Government Member Annual Business Meeting and Luncheon
(Government members and students only)

12:00 p.m. Guest Program (Advance Sign-up Required) (Guests Only)

1:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Repeat of Concurrent Sessions (All Attendees)

Session 1: Stable Value Funds

Session 2: Benchmarking Plans

Session 3: Investment Innovations

Session 4: The Impact of Social Media in Communicating with Participants

3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Coffee Break

3:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Closing Session: Behavioral Finance
Featured Speaker: Professor Shlomo Benartzi, UCLA Anderson School of Management

6:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. Final Night Reception Co-Sponsored by Charles Schwab and NAGDCA

7:15 p.m. – 10:15 p.m. Final Night Dinner Entertainment Sponsored by TIAA-CREF