Services Tags: Fiduciary Education

Greg Leonberger and Kweku Obed Speaking at NCPERS 2021 Trustee Educational Seminar 6/9

On Wednesday, June 9th, Greg Leonberger, FSA, EA, MAAA and Kweku Obed, CFA, CAIA will be speaking at the National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems’ (NCPERS) 2021 Trustee Educational Seminar (TEDS), being held virtually this year.

Greg and Kweku will be presenting, “Investments 201,” covering the most common alternative asset classes held by institutional investors: real estate, infrastructure, hedge funds, private equity, and private credit. They will be introducing each asset class beginning with background definitions and information, then move through common attributes and characteristics of investments in the asset classes, benefits, risk/return profiles, diversification, and other considerations for alternatives investing.

The National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS) is the largest trade association for public sector pension funds, representing approximately 500 funds throughout the United States and Canada. NCPERS hosts the TEDS for new and novice trustees who are seeking a better understanding of their role and responsibilities as a trustee of their pension fund and for experienced trustees interested in staying up-to-date on investing principles, policies, and concepts. For more information, visit the event webpage.

Retirement Basics Video Series

This video series is intended for plan sponsors and fiduciaries and covers a variety of topics related to creating and managing effective defined contribution investment programs. Co-presented by members of our consulting and research teams, these videos present the basics of retirement plans for trustees and investment staff in an educational format meant to provide guidance and insights on best practices and trends in the industry.

The series includes:

  • Fiduciary Checklist, an overview of the roles and responsibilities of fiduciaries including planning, oversight, communication, and documentation;
  • Defined Contribution Topics & Trends, industry trends and recent developments and guidance from the Department of Labor;
  • Investment Lineup Best Practices, considerations and guidance for selecting investment lineup offerings for retirement plans;
  • Target Date Funds, a deep dive into TDFs, from structure and glidepaths to why target date funds have become so popular; and
  • Stable Value Funds, an overview of stable value, exploring structure, important considerations, and recent litigation.

View each episode in the player below — use the upper-right list icon to access a specific presentation.

For more information, questions, or feedback, please send us an email.

Sustainable Investing Post-COVID Views Featured in Benefits Magazine

An article by Marquette investment consultant and partner Linsey Schoemehl Payne was featured in the April 2021 edition of Benefits Magazine. The article, Sustainable Investment Options in a Post-COVID-19 World, examines performance trends for ESG investments, the impact of recent DOL guidance, and steps for evaluating ESG performance.

COVID-19 and the resulting economic recession have created the first sustainability crisis of the 21st century. As the virus spread across the globe in late March 2020, the global economy came to a screeching hald, and stocks experienced a record-breaking decline. While no sector was left unscathed, research showed that investment strategies that integrated environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into their approach provided more downside protection compared with those that did not. ESG integration is a returns-based approach, using ESG factors as an additional source of information during the investment manager’s risk analysis process. This article explores the why and how of that resilience in times of market turmoil, as well as the hurdles plan sponsors should consider when selecting investments that are considered ESG or sustainable strategies.

For more of Marquette’s sustainable investing coverage, reference our research here. Linsey previously presented our video series, Sustainable Investing, an introduction to our approach to ESG integration and considerations, and has also authored several papers on the topic. An owner of the firm, Linsey has been with the company since 2016 and has 13 years of investment experience. Linsey is the vice chair of the firm’s sustainable investing group and a member of the OCIO committee. She holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Missouri-Columbia, a J.D. from the DePaul University College of Law, and an M.B.A. with honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Benefits Magazine, the monthly publication of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, covers benefit issues affecting multiemployer, single employer, and public employee plan representatives.

Download PDF > Sustainable Investment Options in a Post-COVID-19 World

Reproduced with permission from Benefits Magazine, Volume 58 Number 4, pages 24-31, April 2021, published by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (www.ifebp.org), Brookfield, Wisconsin. All rights reserved. Statements or opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the International Foundation, its officers, directors or staff. No further transmission or electronic distribution of this material is permitted. 

 

The opinions expressed herein are those of Marquette Associates, Inc. (“Marquette”), and are subject to change without notice. This material is not financial advice or an offer to purchase or sell any product. Marquette reserves the right to modify its current investment strategies and techniques based on changing market dynamics or client needs.

Linsey Schoemehl Payne Speaking at KORIED Plan Sponsor Virtual Educational Institute 1/20

On Wednesday, January 20th, Linsey Schoemehl Payne will be speaking at KORIED’s Plan Sponsor Virtual Educational Institute, being held virtually.

Linsey will be joining a panel entitled, “ESG  — how do you measure it?” with several industry professionals. The panel will discuss sustainable investing as an increasingly common investment theme as investors continue to refine their ESG frameworks to better manage risk. Panelists will focus on the impact of regulation, how investment professionals and institutional investors monitor, manage, and analyze exposure within their ESG framework, and the ramifications of ESG from a regulatory, risk, and investment perspective.

KORIED’s Plan Sponsor Educational Institute brings together fiduciaries across public, private pension, and Taft-Hartley funds to discuss current issues and exchange ideas to improve the management of their pension fund portfolios.

For more information, please visit the KORIED website.

Lee H. Martin Speaking at Florida Public Pension Trustees Association Conference 10/26

Lee H. Martin, Ph. D. will be speaking at the Florida Public Pension Trustees Association’s “PIVOT 2020: Challenge & Change Virtual Summit,” being held virtually October 26th–28th.

Lee will join an education panel entitled, “Assessing New Asset Classes in a Post COVID World,” with several industry professionals. The FPPTA is Florida’s largest state-wide educational organization for municipal public pension boards, plan sponsors, and elected/appointed officials, and introduced Pivot 2020: Challenge & Change to replace the usual Fall Trustee School.

For more information, please visit the event webpage.

Dave Smith Speaking at CFNEIA Professional Advisor Education Series 1/15

On Wednesday, January 15, Dave Smith, CFA will be speaking at the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa’s 2020 Professional Advisor Education Series event in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Dave will be presenting a “Market Review and 2020 Outlook” for attendees. The session will address current themes in the global economy, equities, fixed income, and alternative asset classes. The annual education series is part of the Foundation’s partnership with professional advisors to provide support, expertise, and information to assist advisors in their work with clients to not only meet their financial goals, but support the community and causes they care about. The Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa serves as a resource for attorneys, financial planners, CPAs and other professionals to simplify giving for clients, recommend strategies, and help advisors connect with the community.

For more information, please visit the CFNEIA webpage.

Financial Factors in Selecting Plan Investments Proposed Rule

On June 23rd, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor released a proposal to amend certain fiduciary regulation around the consideration of economically targeted investments, or those that incorporate environmental, social, and governance factors.

The purpose of this legislative update is to provide some background on ESG integration and the subsequent DOL guidance on these issues as well as a summary of the Proposed Rule and its impact on ERISA plans.

Read > Financial Factors in Selecting Plan Investments Legislative Update

For additional Marquette coverage on sustainable investing, reference our recent newsletter, Sustainable Investing in a Post-COVID World, and white paper, The Future of Investing: Sustainability and ESG Integration.

 

The opinions expressed herein are those of Marquette Associates, Inc. (“Marquette”), and are subject to change without notice. This material is not financial advice or an offer to purchase or sell any product. Marquette reserves the right to modify its current investment strategies and techniques based on changing market dynamics or client needs.

Target Date Funds Education Featured in Benefits Magazine

Marquette research was featured in the December 2019 edition of Benefits Magazine. The article, To or Through: Evaluating TDF Glide Paths, explores different target date fund (TDF) glide paths and how they may affect retirement savings outcomes.

While there is much debate about whether “to” or “through” glide paths better serve plan participants, the multitude of offerings allows for a best-fit solution that can address the specific characteristics and needs of the participant group. TDFs should be evaluated according to the benefits and risk exposures of the specific fund as well as the characteristics of the group, and as the steepness and length of derisking periods have large effects on participant outcomes, glide paths are a critical component of the evaluation process.

For more of Marquette’s TDF coverage, read our white paper, Target Date Funds: Preparing Participants for Retirement.

Benefits Magazine, the monthly publication of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, covers benefit issues affecting multiemployer, single employer and public employee plan representatives.

Download PDF> To or Through: Evaluating TDF Glide Paths

 

The opinions expressed herein are those of Marquette Associates, Inc. (“Marquette”), and are subject to change without notice. This material is not financial advice or an offer to purchase or sell any product. Marquette reserves the right to modify its current investment strategies and techniques based on changing market dynamics or client needs.

 

 

Sustainable Investing in a Post-COVID World

Defined as an unpredictable occurrence that is beyond the scope of normal expectations, a black swan event is rare and has potentially severe consequences. Even as COVID-19 spread across the globe in late March, the level of disruption ultimately caused by the virus came as a surprise to most. The global pandemic that followed suit was certainly a black swan event with some economists dubbing it the first sustainability crisis of the 21st century.

From a market perspective, stocks experienced the sharpest sell-off in history; while no sector was left unscathed, some relative winners and losers were identified. Of note was the outperformance of sustainable investing strategies compared to their non-sustainable counterparts. The purpose of this newsletter is to dive deeper into the performance of sustainable investing strategies during the past several months and attempt to provide insight into what investors, investment managers, and companies will be seeking from a sustainability perspective in a post-COVID world.

Read > Sustainable Investing in a Post-COVID World

 

The opinions expressed herein are those of Marquette Associates, Inc. (“Marquette”), and are subject to change without notice. This material is not financial advice or an offer to purchase or sell any product. Marquette reserves the right to modify its current investment strategies and techniques based on changing market dynamics or client needs.

Lee Martin and Kit McCarty Presenting at PSACC Conference 11/14

On Thursday, November 14, Lee H. Martin, Ph. D. and Kit McCarty, CEBS, REBC, AIF®, C(k)P® will be presenting at the Pennsylvania State Association of County Controllers Conference in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Lee and Kit will be participating in a roundtable discussion on 457(b) Defined Contribution Plans. The panel will cover PA County 457(b) plans specifically, including their history, benchmarking, and the RFP process and fiduciary oversight. The panel will also examine two county case studies in regards to 457(b) plan transition and engaging and educating 457(b) plan participants.

The Pennsylvania State Association of County Controllers Conference offers a variety of educational opportunities as well as a chance for Controllers, Deputies, staff, and Solicitors to share fellowship.