Fall 2010

2010 Annual Conference
The NAGDCA 2010 Annual Conference Committee developed a very successful conference this year. The conference held September 11-15 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania focused on the theme "Retirement: Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness”.  Session topics centered on helping plan participants successfully reach their retirement goals.

More than 56 NAGDCA members served as speakers and over 100 guests joined us for the week for a total of 635 conference attendees.  NAGDCA was honored to have both Representative Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) and the Mayor of Philadelphia, Michael Nutter, as special guests. Overall, the conference was a great success.  If you weren’t able to attend this year’s conference be sure to check out our keynote presentation which is online now thanks to a sponsorship by ING and stay tuned for the annual conference report that will be available online in mid-November. The conference report will be a transcription of the following sessions; Washington Report, IRS Update, Stable Value Funds and Fixed Account Options, Target Date Funds – New Trends, and Keep Participants Saving for Retirement.


Attendees listened intently during the Opening Session.


Representative Allyson Y. Schwartz (D-PA)spoke on the importance of saving for retirement during the opening session at the conference. NAGDCA presented the Congresswoman with an award for her work in Congress to raise awareness on this issue.  


"What’s going on in Washington?" Conference attendees found out during the Washington Report General Session. (Moderator:Alex Turner, State of Arizona. Featured Speakers: Jennifer Eller, Groom Law Group; Susan White, NAGDCA Legislative Counsel.)  

 
General Session: MARKET SIGNALS: What the Financial Markets are Telling us Now. (Keynote Speaker: Peter Ricchiuti, Investment Expert, Professor of Finance at Tulane University.) Click here to view a video of the presentation.


General Session: IRS Update – Activities and Regulations. (Moderator: Mindy Harris, Multnomah County, OR. Featured speakers: Marilyn Collister, Great-West Retirement Services; Cheryl Press, IRS)


Members taking advantage of the Cyber Café sponsored by Fidelity Investments. 

 
One of NAGDCA’s ten educational breakout sessions: Understanding Risks (Moderator: Jacob O’Shaughnessy, Arnerich Massena & Associates, Inc.  Featured Speakers: Fredrik Axsater, BlackRock; David Fischer, State of New York; Jim Link, PFM Asset Management, LLC; Julian Regan, Marco Consulting.)

 
Attendees take a quick break between sessions to enjoy cupcakes in honor of NAGDCA’s 30th Anniversary.

NAGDCA Arthur N. Caple Scholarship and the Student Mentoring Program at the 2010 NAGDCA Annual Conference

NAGDCA and the ANC Foundation recognize the following 2010 Scholarship Recipients.
 
Full Scholarship Winner – Graham Brown (University of Georgia)
 
Brown was selected by the ANC Foundation Board based on his demonstrated knowledge on retirement planning and commitment to the industry.  Brown received $1,000 to go towards his last year in graduate school at the University of Georgia where he is studying Family Financial Planning. He also received all-expense paid travel to the 2010 NAGDCA Annual Conference.
 
A travel stipend and conference registration was also awarded to the following students: Travis Hanson (Texas Tech University), Amanda Freeman (University of Georgia), Tim Griesdorn (Texas Tech University), and Thomas Wade Hill (University of Georgia).
 
Applications for the 2011 Scholarship Program will be accepted in Spring 2011. 
 
The ANC Foundation in partnership with the International Foundation for Retirement Education (InFRE) developed the criteria for the scholarship. To be considered, applicants must be enrolled as a full-time student at a university or college, be a junior or senior, be enrolled to continue university studies for the following semester, and be a U.S. citizen.
 
The scholarships commemorate the lifework of Arthur N. Caple, former Executive Director of the State of Maryland Supplemental Retirement Plans and NAGDCA Past President, who passed away in 2004.
 
For additional information about the scholarship program or to make a donation please visit the ANC Foundation website at www.caplefoundation.org.

The Arthur N. Caple Foundation was formed to advance knowledge in the field of public sector retirement security. The Foundation, established in 2006 as a supporting organization of the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA), supports both individual educational opportunities and research to expand knowledge related to the importance of retirement readiness.


2009-2010 NAGDCA President, Ed Lilly, presents Graham Brown, a student at the University of Georgia, with a check for the Arthur N. Caple Scholarship.

Student Mentoring Program

Along with the presentation of the Arthur N. Caple Scholarship, 15 students from three different universities participated in the 2010 NAGDCA Student Mentoring Program.  With the surge of financial planning programs found in universities throughout the United States, it has been a goal for NAGDCA to reach out to these individuals and introduce them, early on, to the benefits of NAGDCA and its membership. For the sixth year, NAGDCA has provided the Student Mentoring Program at the Annual Conference, and it was another great success. NAGDCA paired 15 students, representing three universities (Texas Tech University, University of Georgia, and William Patterson University), with two mentors from both the industry and government sector of the defined contribution community.

The students and their mentors attended a specially planned session that introduced the students to NAGDCA and its many benefits, while opening a channel of communication between the students and their mentors. Mentors were also encouraged to take some time out of their busy conference schedules and help the students network with fellow attendees, offer themselves as future resources, and provide onsite support for the students while at the conference.
 
The students and mentors were both polled on their experience, and from the responses that were received, this program will continue to expand and develop in years and conferences to come.

This week, NAGDCA and its members are celebrating National Save for Retirement Week (October 17 - 23, 2010). 

NAGDCA would like to hear what your plan has done to promote this very important week. Please send your information and sample materials to Kari Emmons (kemmons@amrms.com).

A NAGDCA task force worked hard this year to create promotional materials for plan sponsors to utilize during National Save for Retirement Week.  The materials are downloadable and can be personalized.  Please visit the National Save for Retirement Week page on the NAGDCA website for information.