Public Funds Summit East 2024 | Opal Group | 22 July 2024 | Newport Marriott Hotel & Spa, 25 America's Cup Ave, Newport, RI 02840, USA

The 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, this 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.

Who should attend:
• 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

2024 Speakers

MODERATORS:

Sarah Hammer
Managing Director, The Wharton School

William Beck
Senior Vice President, Wilshire

Sarah Hammer
Managing Director, The Wharton School

Frederick Bailey
Trustee & Chairman of Investment Committee, City of Savannah Employee's Retirement Plan

Jason Samansky
Investment Consultant, RVK Inc

Henry Wilson
MPA, Chairman-Trustee, Wayne County Employees, Retirement System

Dean Crombie
Trustee – Investment Committee, New Hampshire Municipal Retirement System

Yi Zheng
Associate Manager, Investment & ODD, HRM Pension Plan

Jack Frost
Trustee, West Palm Beach (FL) Police Pension Fund

Kolby Beckham
Chair, Longview Firefighters Relief & Retirement Fund

Greg Knoll
Beneficiary Trustee & Board Treasurer, The Firefighters Pension Investment Fund, Executive Director, IPFA

Robert Saffer
Vice Chairperson, Boca Raton GE Pension Plan

Joe Matthews CFA CFP
Senior Institutional Consultant, First Vice President, Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

Kurt Vroman
Chairman, Deltona Firefighters Pension Plan

PANELISTS:

Jamie Gnall
Senior Vice President, Wilshire

Al Cumplido
State Investment Commission Member, State of Rhode Island

Treasurer James A. Diossa
General Treasurer, State of Rhode Island

Serena Hallowell
Attorney at Law, Motley Rice LLC

Irv M Lowenberg
City Treasurer, City of Southfield Fire & Police Retirement System

Lindsay Powers
Investment Analyst Private Credit, NEPC LLC

Kurt Vroman
Chairman, Deltona Firefighters Pension Plan

Adam Barsky
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, New York Power Authority

Julian Regan
Senior Vice President & Public Sector Market Leader, Segal Marco Advisors

Robert Patzelt
Deputy Chair, WCBNS

Michelle Boyles
Consulting Actuary, Bolton

SPEAKERS:

General Treasurer
James A. Diossa, State of Rhode Island

Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong
City of Newport RI

John Chiang
Former State Treasurer of California, Board Member, Astrana Health

General James A. "Spider" Marks
Head of Geopolitical Strategy, Academy Securities

Oliver Fratzscher
Chief Executive Officer, EM Leaders LLC

Dennis White
Partner, Kahn Swick & Foti LLC

Adam Phillips
Managing Director, Loop Capital Asset Management

Anthony Giordano
Executive Committee Member, NYC Board of Education Retirement System

Jim Robertson
Executive Vice President – Private Debt, ATEL Growth Capital

Anurag Chandra
Trustee & Invest Committee Chairman, San Jose Federated Retirement Plan

LaRoy Brantley
Principal, Meketa Investment Group Mass PRIM

Duncan Burrill
Secretary & Treasurer, CBC Pension Fund

Treasurer Michael Frerichs
State Treasurer, Treasurer’s Office State of Illinois

Treasurer Mike Pieciak
State Treasurer, State of Vermont

Treasurer Erick Russell
State Treasurer, State of Connecticut

Treasurer Daniel Elliott
State Treasurer, State of Indiana

Kevin Ruf
Partner, Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP

Scott Foglietta
Partner, Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP

Eric Newman CPA, CGMA,
Treasury Manager, City of Stamford (Conn)

Sara Cassidy
Head of Portfolio Management, AEW Capital Management LP

Steve Hagenbuckle
Founder & Managing Partner, TerraCap Management, LLC

Justin Pinckney
Head of Private Debt, AEW Capital Management LP

Lan Chen
Senior Investment Manager, State of Michigan

Timothy Schantz
Chairman of the Investment Committee, Historical Society of Pennsylvania

Dennis Knueven
Investment Manager, CalPERS

Irv M Lowenberg
City Treasurer, City of Southfield Fire & Police Retirement System

Frederick Bailey
Trustee & Chairman of Investment Committee, City of Savannah, Employees Retirement Plan

Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong
City of Newport RI

Rebecca E Lilly
Financial Advisor, The Centre Harbour Group – Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

Christopher Rowlins
Partner, Senior Consultant, Fiducient Advisors

William Beck
Senior Vice President, Wilshire

Russ Kamp
Managing Director, Ryan ALM Inc

Piotr Krekora
Senior Consultant and Actuary, Gabriel Roeder Smith & Company

Jillean Battle
Chief Privacy Officer, Health and Hospital Corporation

Michael Grodi
Board Chair, Monroe County Employees Retirement System

2024 Sponsors

PLATINUM SPONSOR:
• AEW

SILVER SPONSORS:
• Atel Capital Group
• BLB&G
• GPM Glancy Prongay & Murray
• KSF Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
• Loop Cpital
• MotleyRice

BRONZE SPONSORS:
• Federated Hermes
• KM Kirby McInerney