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71st Annual Employee Benefits Conference

71st Annual Employee Benefits Conference
Sunday, November 9 - Wednesday, November 12, 2025

Honolulu, HI

Agenda

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4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

Session ID: A

OPENING SESSION—Overcoming Adversity

Category: Keynote

Difficulty Level: All

Location:

Session Type: Virtual / In-Person

World-renowned chef and entrepreneur Andrew Zimmern shares his deeply personal journey with addiction and sobriety and how he found his calling to tell stories through food and travel adventures. Balancing personal and professional moments of adversity, Zimmern offers an inspiring story of hope, perseverance, and how to become a better leader through resilience. From navigating uncertainty to "co-regulating before operationalizing" to learning how to "act your way into right thinking," Zimmern's message is a blend of personal experience and his own prescription for resiliency and success.

7:30 AM - 8:45 AM

Session ID: B

KEYNOTE SESSION—Get Big Things Done: The Power of Connectional Intelligence

Category: Keynote

Difficulty Level: All

Location:

Session Type: Virtual / In-Person

We typically associate success with speed and smarts. But in today's hypercompetitive world, even those gifts aren't enough. Collaboration expert Erica Dhawan argues that the game changer is a thoroughly modern skill called Connectional Intelligence (CxQ). As radical a concept as emotional intelligence was in the 90s, Connectional Intelligence is turning people into superconnectors who accelerate innovation, break down silos and foster breakthrough impact.

This dynamic, engaging, high-energy, fast-paced session will help participants understand the practice of using Connectional Intelligence as the key to purposeful collaboration, resilience and business success. Attendees will shift the notion of collaboration from more meetings and emails to productive engagement that improves speed and quality of service, increases subject matter expertise and specialist sharing across silos, reduces cross-team dysfunction and delay, and eliminates duplicative work. Attendees will learn new insights and tools to accelerate the connected power of teams, become more agile and innovative, and drive breakthrough ideas and outcomes.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Discover new ways to lead, inspire, and communicate with diverse teams through uncertainty.
  • Learn how to keep cross-team collaborations aligned, build trust and foster motivation.
  • Gain specific actions to inspire teamwork, innovation, resilience, revitalization and results-driven progress.
  • Learn behaviors to understand and build trust and connection, no matter the distance.

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: A01-1

Talent Wars: Where Do We Find Our Next Administrator?
This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

Category: Administration

Difficulty Level: All

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

  • Recruiting and onboarding
  • Growing talent—Retention efforts
    • Career and professional development
    • Compensation and benefits
  • Managing attrition

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: F01-1

Fiduciary Responsibility Basics
This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

Difficulty Level: Introductory

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

  • Understanding your obligations regarding:
    • Financial oversight and benefit payments
    • Collections of contributions and withdrawal liability
    • Securing data and privacy
  • Trust fund business vs. union business
  • Familiarity with fund policies and procedures
  • Duties/activities that can be delegated

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: F08-1

Understanding and Monitoring Your Financial Statements
This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

Difficulty Level: Introductory

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

  • How to read the plan's financial statements and tax returns
  • Ratios and reserves
  • Creating and following a budget for the plan/trust
  • Internal financial statements vs. external statements

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: G02-1

The Impact of Changing Workforce Demographics on Benefits
This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

Category: General Topics

Difficulty Level: All

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

  • Impact of demographic trends: Worker tenure, birth rates, mortality tables and more
  • Impact on defined benefit pension funding and cash flows
  • Postretirement employment considerations
  • Recruiting and retaining the next generation

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: G06-1

FEATURED SESSION—The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Benefits
This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

Category: General Topics

Difficulty Level: All

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

This session aims to address the opportunities and challenges that artificial intelligence may bring to benefit fund administration, including how it is currently utilized and its potential impact on the workforce.

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: G08-1

Communicating With Plan Participants—Case Study Examples of Success
This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

Category: General Topics

Difficulty Level: All

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

  • Tailoring messaging to specific generations
  • Bridging language barriers
  • Driving utilization of existing offerings
  • Being creative while fulfilling legal obligations
  • Case study examples

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: G18

Updates in Benefits Litigation

Category: General Topics

Difficulty Level: Advanced

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

Attend this session to learn about updates in litigation and fiduciary responsibility for employee benefit plans. The speaker will cover a range of new and/or updated cases within the federal court system.

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: P-ACCT1

Accountants: Accounting and Auditing—Key Updates and Insights for 2025

Category: Fund Professionals - Accountants

Difficulty Level: All

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

This session will review the latest accounting and auditing topics, such as:

  • Quality management standards
  • Peer review hot buttons
  • Risk assessment
  • Form 5500 changes.

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: H01

Health Care Track Kickoff

Category: Health and Welfare

Difficulty Level: Introductory

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

Learn about the sessions in the health care track of the U.S. Annual Conference. Identify the cost drivers that are most impacting your plan and use this knowledge to decide which sessions of the conference to attend.

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: H03-1

Navigating Mental Health Parity Requirements
This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

Category: Health and Welfare

Difficulty Level: All

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

  • Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) overview
  • Recent audit trends
  • Self-compliance efforts

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: H09-1

Utilizing a Peer Support Model—Best Practices
This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

Category: Health and Welfare

Difficulty Level: All

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

  • What is a peer support model?
  • Overview of roles and models
  • Cost, benefits and the value proposition for mental health and addiction resources
  • Case study examples

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: PE1

Public Sector Legislative and Regulatory Update

Category: Public Plans

Difficulty Level: All

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

Attend this session to learn about updates in the legislative and regulatory environment for health and welfare and retirement plans in the public sector.

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: T01

Preapprenticeship Programs

Category: Training and Education

Difficulty Level: All

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

  • Working to create partnerships in the community
  • Communicating the value of apprenticeships
  • Setting up future apprentices for success
  • Developing a curriculum that offers to explore your trade
  • Resources for you

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: I01

Institutional Investing 101

Category: Investments

Difficulty Level: Introductory

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

  • Basics of stocks, bonds and interest rates
  • Separate accounts, commingled funds and mutual funds
  • Cyclical nature of investments
  • Historical views of portfolio design
  • Why market timing doesn't work

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: I12

Cryptocurrency: The Impact of Deregulation for Investments

Category: Investments

Difficulty Level: All

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

  • Overview of cryptocurrency as an investment vehicle
  • New developments
    • New administration deregulation
    • S. central bank digital currency
    • Exchange-traded funds (ETFs)
  • How investment managers are investing in crypto
  • Understanding your indirect exposure risk

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: I17-1

How Artificial Intelligence Is Disrupting Markets and Reshaping the Investment Industry
This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

Category: Investments

Difficulty Level: All

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

  • The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on markets
  • Where is AI being used in investments today?
  • Investing in AI-driven companies and technologies

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: P02-1

Understanding Withdrawal Liability
This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

Category: Pension

Difficulty Level: Introductory

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

  • Overview of withdrawal liability
  • Using separate assumptions for funding and withdrawal liability calculations
  • Where and when does it apply? Are there exceptions?
  • Approaches to managing withdrawal liability

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: P07-1

Department of Labor (DOL) Retirement Plan Audit Trends
This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

Category: Pension

Difficulty Level: All

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

Attend this session to learn about the Department of Labor's trends in retirement plan audits and investigations. Everything from current trends to future initiatives will be covered, as well as details on how to navigate an investigation successfully.

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: P13-1

SECURE 2.0 Act Update—2025 and Beyond
This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

Category: Pension

Difficulty Level: All

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

  • Catch-up contributions
  • Increase in annual catch-up contribution limit
  • Emergency savings and withdrawals
  • Automatic enrollment
  • Required minimum distributions
  • Long-term and part-term employee eligibility
  • Life income

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Session ID: P18

Pension Scorecard

Category: Pension

Difficulty Level: All

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

  • Measuring your plan against other plans using publicly available data
  • Funded status
  • Investment benchmarking
  • Value of the benefits offered

10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

Session ID: A02-1

Work-Life Balance—Keeping Grounded in Times of Uncertainty
This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

Category: Administration

Difficulty Level: All

Location:

Session Type: In-Person

  • Setting boundaries
  • Prioritizing tasks and delegating
  • Time management
  • Utilizing flexible work options
  • Managing stress and self-care practices

    • 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: F02-1

    Best Practices in Trustee Processes and Oversight
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Evolving fiduciary responsibilities
    • Disclosures, conflicts of interest and parties in interest
    • Areas vulnerable to breaches in fiduciary responsibility
    • Oversight of professionals, investments and fees

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: F09-1

    Insurance for Plans and Trustees
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Overview of fiduciary liability and other insurance, including cyber
    • Do you have enough coverage?
    • Understanding the timing for claims
    • Benefit overpayment protection
    • What other benefits does your policy offer?

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: G03-1

    Suspension of Benefits—Part I: Retirement Plan Rules and Workforce Needs
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Employers are facing workforce challenges and need seasoned employees to remain in or return to covered employment, even on a part-time basis. But participants need to collect their pension benefits, which often violates the plan's suspension of benefits rules.

    • Can the pension plan's suspension of benefits rules help solve this problem?
    • Regulatory options
    • Industry and other considerations

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: G09-1

    Cybersecurity Benefits Update
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • The importance of investing in cybersecurity
    • Utilizing DOL and HHS guidance
    • Best practices—What are your first steps after a breach?

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: P-ACCT2

    Accountants: Understanding the Tax Implications of Investments

    Category: Fund Professionals - Accountants

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    With any new administration comes a possibility for changes in reporting and disclosures. This session will address the following:

    • UBIT reporting
    • Alternative investment compliance
    • 990-T reporting
    • T-1 and other reporting and disclosure impacts
    • LM-10/LM-30
    • Complex K-1s.

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: P-ATTY1

    Attorneys: Changes to the Legal Landscape Impacting Employee Benefit Plans

    Category: Fund Advisors - Attorneys

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    This session will discuss how attorneys who work with employee benefit plans can navigate the rapidly changing legal landscape with the presidential administration. New leaders in the EBSA, HHS, Treasury, PBGC and other agencies will have impacts on the regulations and enforcement on benefit plans.

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: H02-1

    Health Care Legal and Legislative Update
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Attend this session to learn about updates in the legislative and regulatory environment for health and welfare plans.

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: H04-1

    Prescription Drug Pipeline Update
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • What's coming down the pipeline?
    • Specialty drug update
    • Biosimilars, formularies, utilization management and other cost-containment strategies
    • Gene therapy/genetic testing update
    • The role of advocacy groups
    • Legal and legislative implications

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: H10-1

    Mental Health Provider Update
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Provider landscape overview
    • Best practices in evaluating providers
    • Utilizing free and low-cost services
    • Avoiding common coverage pitfalls

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: H23

    Ancillary Benefit Roundup

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Dental, hearing, vision and chiropractic coverage
    • Other benefits for consideration
    • Aligning your offerings with changing plan demographics
    • Case study examples

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: H25

    Planning for "What If?" Scenarios With Your Health Plan

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: Advanced

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Health plans today are operating in a tumultuous legal and legislative environment and must be prepared to adapt to ongoing changes. To help prepare and protect your fund amid this uncertainty, this session will cover:

    • Key policies and procedures that your fund should be adopting or refining
    • Enhancing operational effectiveness and integrity
    • Ensuring compliance with all applicable rules and regulations.

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: PE2

    Recruitment and Retention Challenges in the Public Sector

    Category: Public Plans

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Trends in recruitment and retention in the public sector
    • Coordinating benefits and your recruitment/retention strategies
    • Real-world examples of practices in action
    • Return-to-work impact
    • What role do benefits play in recruiting?

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: T02

    Supporting Neurodivergent Learners in Your Apprenticeship Program

    Category: Training and Education

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Understanding neurodivergence such as ADHD, dyslexia and autism (ASD)
    • Guidelines for success in the training program courses
      • Making accommodations
      • Additional support

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: I02-1

    Investments: A Fiduciary Primer
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: Introductory

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • DOL guidance for making investment decisions
    • Consultant vs. manager roles
    • Understanding your investment policy statements (IPS)
    • When is a consultant or manager a fiduciary?
    • Can I give up my fiduciary responsibility for investment decisions?

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: I03-1

    Investing for Health and Welfare and Apprenticeship Plans
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Investing through the lens of a plan type
    • Investment horizon
    • Risk tolerance
    • Reserves and cash flows
    • John Teramana

      Senior Consultant
      Verus Investments

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: I14-1

    Interpreting Interest Rates
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • What drives interest rates?
    • What the Fed news really means
    • Understanding the charts

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: I21

    Emerging Markets

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Why have emerging markets underperformed?
    • Role of emerging markets in your portfolio
    • New opportunities
    • Role of politics and policies

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: P03-1

    Advanced Withdrawal Liability Topics
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: Advanced

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Using separate assumptions for funding and withdrawal liability calculations
    • Complete or partial withdrawal liability
    • PBGC regulations—What's new?
    • Legal and other issues

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: P08-1

    Effectively Communicating Your Pension/Retirement Plans
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • How do you talk about your plan to stakeholders?
    • Building a model of education
      • Goals of the retirement plan
      • Planning for the future
      • Delivery methods
    • Appropriate messages for participants, employers, trustees and administrators

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: P10-1

    My Pension Plan Is Well-funded—Now What? Part I: Understanding Pension Plan Risk
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Congratulations—Your plan is well-funded. But don't get too comfortable. A solid funded ratio today doesn't guarantee long-term success.

    • What does it mean to be "well-funded"?
    • What are the key risk factors to consider?
    • How do assumption choices influence risk profile and stability?
    • What is the impact of plan maturity?

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: P15-1

    Retirement Plan Merger Overview
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Administrative, implementation and compliance issues
    • Defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) concerns
    • Zone status issues
    • Governance issues
    • What's working in this space?

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: A04

    Charting the Course: Key Decision Points and the Path to Merging Multiemployer Plans

    Category: Administration

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Assessing financial and operational impacts
    • Addressing legal and regulatory considerations
    • Insight into the step-by-step process
    • Challenges to anticipate
    • Best practices for a smooth transition

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: F03-1

    Understanding the Fiduciary Duty of Appointing a Multiemployer Trustee
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • How are trustees appointed, and who has the authority to appoint?
    • Understanding your fiduciary responsibility and duty to monitor as a trustee
    • Strategies for recruiting trustees
    • Institutional knowledge and continuity
    • Succession planning
    • Professional trustees

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: F10-1

    Cybersecurity—It’s Okay to Spend Money to Protect Member Data
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Funds need independent review of:
      • Email policies and usage (staff, trustees, employers)
      • Security (hardware, software, etc.)
      • Connections to other data sources (e.g., recordkeepers)
    • How to review vendors for security audits and services
    • No fund is too small for security improvements

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: G04-1

    Suspension of Benefits—Part II: Health Plan Rules and Workforce Needs
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Employers are facing workforce challenges and need seasoned employees to remain in or return to covered employment, even on a part-time basis. Although related, the practical and legal considerations for health and welfare plans when retirees transition between active and retiree status are in many respects different from those of retirement plans and require independent consideration by plan fiduciaries.

    • Alignment with the pension plan's suspension rules
    • The impact of Medicare Secondary Payer rules
    • What happens to the contributions for working retirees?
    • Interaction with Medicare Advantage Plans and claims risk
    • Administrative considerations as participants move between active and retiree status

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: G05-1

    Benefit Plan Audits
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Review the types of audits and key areas involved in benefit plan auditing, including:

    • Auditing standards and SOC-1
    • Remittance reporting
    • DOL, IRS, payroll and internal audits
    • Specialty audits.

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: G11

    You’ve Been Summoned—Best Practices in Litigation, Depositions and Trial Testimony

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: Advanced

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Plan trustees, plan professionals, administrators and staff are often involved in plan litigation with little to no experience in these legal settings. How can you best prepare for these situations?

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: P-ATTY2

    Attorneys: Ethical Considerations

    Category: Fund Advisors - Attorneys

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Attorneys will discuss recent developments in the representation of ERISA plan stakeholders. Potential topics include:

    • What practitioners need to know about attorney-client privilege
    • Work product doctrine and their representation
    • The evolving ethical rules and considerations for attorneys.

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: H05-1

    GLP-1 Drugs—Part I: Where Are We Now?
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Industry update
    • Current state of coverage for diabetes and weight-loss care
    • The role of prescription drug therapies as a part of a total health approach
    • Utilization management
    • Case study examples

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: H07

    Pharmacy Benefit Managers 101—A Guide for New Trustees

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: Introductory

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • What is a pharmacy benefit manager?
    • What do they do?
    • PBM market update
    • Potential legislative and/or regulatory updates
    • Maintaining a productive relationship

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: H11-1

    New Horizons in Mental Health Treatment—Psychedelics
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • High-level industry check-in
    • Coverage, funding, legal considerations
    • Defining the market: Ketamine, LSD, MDMA, psilocybin and more
    • Common pitfalls and best practices

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: H12-1

    Health Hacks—Best Practices in Participant Health Literacy
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • CDC's definitions and emphasis
    • Communicating the "language of health care" to plan participants
    • Initiatives for leadership, staff and plan participants
    • Utilizing multiple communication channels
    • Case study examples

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: H21

    Health Plan Reserve Policies—Finding the Right Balance

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • How many months are too many? Too few?
    • Factors to consider: Size, funded status, population characteristics and more
    • Impact of plan investment metrics
    • Creating and maintaining an effective plan reserve policy

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: PE3

    Retiree Health Care—Approaches for Public Plans

    Category: Public Plans

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Overview of coverage options for pre- and post-Medicare enrollees
    • Pros and cons for health plans and participants
    • Examples of success approaches in action
    • Medicare Advantage plans
    • CMS guidance on 2026 plans

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: T03

    Emerging Technologies in Using Artificial Intelligence in Your Apprenticeship Programs

    Category: Training and Education

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • What are the tools being used?
    • Areas of use
      • Administration
      • Recruitment
      • In the classroom and on the jobsite
    • New, emerging technologies and artificial intelligence (AI)
    • Policies and best practices

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: I04-1

    Working With Your Investment Professionals
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Understanding investment consultants and managers and their roles
    • Understanding fee arrangements and negotiations
    • Ensuring that strategies align with your fund's goals
    • Reading the reports from your consultant and fund managers
    • Maximizing your advisory obligation while maintaining a strong relationship

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: I06-1

    Basics of Defined Contribution Plan Investments
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: Introductory

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Participant vs. trustee directed
    • What is a QDIA?
    • Fees: Custody, recordkeeping, investment
    • Trustee responsibilities and risks

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: I08-1

    Private Markets—Part I: The Basics
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • How do they fit into your portfolios?
    • Different underlying types
    • How to invest
    • Secondary market
    • Fee structures
    • Reporting

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: I13-1

    Asset Allocation for Today’s Markets
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Reviewing interest rate trends
    • Removing risk from your portfolio
    • Active vs. passive
    • Investment deregulation

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: I20

    The Impact of Tariffs and Investment Restrictions on Your Portfolio

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Understanding tariffs
    • How asset classes and sectors are affected
    • Risk management strategies and portfolio rebalancing considerations
    • Resources that trustees can use to monitor changes

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: P01-1

    Legal and Legislative Update for Retirement Plans
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • New legislative and regulatory developments
    • State initiatives that may affect the plan sponsor
    • Defined contribution litigation

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: P04-1

    Actuarial Basics for the Nonactuary
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: Introductory

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Understanding the valuation report
    • Key assumptions and how they impact valuation and costs
    • How changes in benefits affect long-term costs
    • Understanding zone status
    • What are present values, and how are they calculated?

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: P11-1

    My Pension Plan Is Well-Funded—Now What? Part II: Considering Your Options
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Once you've assessed your plan's risk, it's time to consider the options. From investment strategies to benefit design to funding policies, a well-funded position opens the door to important—and sometimes difficult—decisions.

    • Investment strategies tailored to plan maturity and cash flow needs
    • Plan design features for long-term sustainability
    • Considerations around benefit improvements
    • The importance of stress testing and stochastic modeling

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: P19-1

    Things You’re Dying to Know About Mortality
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Understanding demographic actuarial assumptions
      • Impact of longevity
      • Generations in the workforce
    • How actuaries evaluate plan experience to develop new actuarial assumptions
    • Trustees' role in how assumptions are determined for the plan

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: A05

    Merging Benefit Plans—Administrators’ Perspectives

    Category: Administration

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Facilitation roles
    • Preparation
    • Professionals' involvement
    • Timeline
    • Communications
    • Policies and plan documents

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: F11

    Vetting the Value of a “Professional” Trustee

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    This session is designed to provide trustees with information on why some funds may use a "professional" trustee to fill vacancies.

    • What are "professional" trustees and "independent" fiduciaries?
    • Identify reasons a fund seeks a "professional" trustee
    • What does the appointing entity hope to accomplish?
    • Other concerns and considerations

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: F12-1

    Fiduciary Responsibilities in a Defined Contribution Plan
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Timely transfer of worker contributions (wage deferrals) and employer contributions to the recordkeeper
    • Choosing and monitoring investment options
    • Understanding the various share classes and fees
    • Participant loans and hardships

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: G07-1

    Who Are Your Benefit Plan Professionals?
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: Introductory

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Current roles—Who are the players, and what do they do?
    • Setting expectations
    • Identifying and implementing performance measures
    • Request for proposal (RFP) and request for information (RFI) considerations

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: G10-1

    Participant-Level Financial Education Initiatives—Keys to Success
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Strategies for improving benefits literacy
    • Meeting the needs of a diverse workforce
    • Utilizing significant life events
    • The importance of multichannel communication
    • AI usage to modernize communications
    • Postretirement budgeting

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: G12-1

    Effective Board Meeting Strategies
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • What does an effective meeting look like?
    • Pros and cons of virtual vs. in-person meetings
    • Robert's Rules of Order
    • What technology solutions can help with board meeting effectiveness?
    • How do you deal with difficult and disputed decisions?

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: G15-1

    Fund Office Issues—Small Staff, Large Obstacles
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Finding efficiencies with limited resources
    • Navigating insourcing and outsourcing decisions
    • Best practices in payroll, regulatory compliance, information technology and more

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: P-ACCT4

    Accountants: Why Does Audit Planning Matter?

    Category: Fund Professionals - Accountants

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Audit planning meetings are designed to set the foundation for an efficient and effective audit. To ensure resources are focused on the most critical areas, this mock planning meeting will explore how to:

    • Initiate and execute a planning meeting
    • Align parties
    • Establish objectives and identify risks
    • Prepare for what could go wrong.

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: P-ATTY3

    Attorneys: Lessons Learned From Current DOL Investigations

    Category: Fund Advisors - Attorneys

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    This session will address attorney experiences, key takeaways and strategies on successful navigation from recent DOL investigations.

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: H06-1

    GLP-1 Drugs—Part II: Coverage and What the Data Is Telling Us
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    This panel discussion will provide an overview of:

    • GLP-1-related survey data at the plan and industry level
    • Compiling insights on cost
    • Coverage for diabetes and weight loss
    • Cost-control mechanisms
    • What key insights can be gleaned to help guide plan actions.

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: H08-1

    Navigating Your Pharmacy Benefit Manager Contract Language
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Dissecting the contract elements
    • Ensuring proper transparency
    • Fulfilling your fiduciary obligations
    • Fiduciary liability cases
    • Future-proofing for legislation

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: H15-1

    Health Plan Cybersecurity Update
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • New trends to be aware of
    • Identifying common threats
    • Steps for prevention
    • Post-breach action steps

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: H19-1

    Cancer in the Workforce: Best Approaches to Care
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Evaluating the workforce impact
    • Reviewing overall trend data
    • Best approaches for comprehensive care

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: H24

    Ensuring Support for Women in the Workforce

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Plan demographic overview
    • Overcoming gender-based stigma in your funds
    • Health offering considerations
      • Family-forming benefits
      • Menstrual health
      • Menopause-related benefits

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: PE4

    Decumulation Strategies for Public Employer Defined Contribution Plans

    Category: Public Plans

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Interaction with Social Security benefits
    • Review of required minimum distribution rules
    • Taxation rules
    • Communication tips for plan sponsors

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: T04

    Personal Leadership Skills for Stronger Apprenticeship Programs

    Category: Training and Education

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Making the business case to invest in nontechnical skills for apprentices
    • Essential training
      • Conflict resolution
      • Leadership development
    • Sharing successful development initiatives

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: F04-1

    Wearing the Right Hat at the Right Time—The Two-Hat Dilemma
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: Introductory

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    This session will examine real-life scenarios that demonstrate the fine line between outside interests and the interests of the participants.

    • Difficult and uncomfortable decisions
    • Understanding your co-fiduciary responsibility
    • Tools and processes for effective decision making
    • Appropriate documentation and due diligence

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: I05-1

    Stick to Your Plan: Let Your Investment Policy Statements Be Your Guide
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • How to approach asset allocation
    • How much detail should your investment policy statement (IPS) have?
    • Why is keeping your investments within the IPS guidelines so important?
    • How to reconcile actuarial assumptions with investment return projections

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: I09-1

    Private Markets—Part II: Current Market
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: Advanced

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • What's the market like today?
    • How to use the secondary market
    • Timing of commitments
    • Return on capital
    • Liquidity issues
    • Co-investments

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: I19-1

    The Future of Fixed Income
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Interest rate environment
    • Role of fixed income in a portfolio
    • Exploring different avenues of fixed income
      • Investment grade
      • Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS)
      • High-yield bonds
      • Core and core plus

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: P05-1

    Dueling Actuaries
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    In a series of short debates, learn about varying considerations and perspectives on the following:

    • Moving the discount rate
    • Discount rates for funding vs. withdrawal liability
    • Funding methods
    • Mortality rates
    • Liability matching.

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: P16-1

    Asset Liability Matching Investment to Manage the Risk of Unfunded Liabilities
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: Advanced

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • What is asset liability matching investment strategy?
    • How does it work in different interest rate environments?
    • How can it manage risk?
    • What impact can it have on the plan's financial health?
    • How do these strategies apply in negative cash-flow situations?
    • When is the right time to implement asset liability matching?

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: P17-1

    Entering the Green Zone and Staying There
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • What happens to your rehabilitation plan?
    • Effective management
    • Communication and managing expectations
    • Reconsidering actuarial assumptions

    7:30 AM - 8:45 AM

    Session ID: C

    KEYNOTE SESSION—Economic Update

    Category: Keynote

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: Virtual / In-Person

    Marci Rossell is a world-renowned economist and financial expert who electrifies audiences nationwide, speaking candidly on the nexus of economics, politics, culture and the media. She honed her animated style serving as the popular, lively chief economist for CNBC, where she became a household name and a must-watch source of financial news. The former co-host of the well-known "pre-market" morning news and talk show Squawk Box, Rossell is revered for taking complex economic issues, often dull in the button-down business press, and making them relevant to people's lives, families and careers.

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: A03-1

    Policies and Plan Documents
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Administration

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Attend this session for a quick review of the many policies and documents to consider for plan administration, such as:

    • Education policies
    • Delinquent and collection policies
    • AI policies (staff, trustees, etc.)
    • Fiduciary, cyber, business and other insurance policies
    • Trustee expense and reimbursement policies
    • Plan document, summary plan description, SMM, SBC.

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: F05-1

    Trustee Expenses
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Plan-related expenses vs. other expenses
    • Areas of potential concern
    • Documentation and policies
    • How good people can make poor choices
    • Training your new trustees
    • Areas drawing DOL attention

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: F06-1

    Best Practices in Selecting Fund Professionals
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Performance metrics and standards (including performance penalties)
    • Fees and reporting, including §408(b)2(B)
    • RFPs and RFIs
    • Vendor cybersecurity best practices and questionnaire responses
    • Reviewing service provider succession plans
    • Understanding the trustee's fiduciary responsibility of selecting the fund professionals

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: G01

    U.S. Legislative Update

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    This session provides an informative and comprehensive analysis of recent, pending or upcoming legislation activities that will continue to shape your plan decisions.

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: G13

    FEATURED SESSION—Advancements in Worker Well-Being

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • How funds can enhance their workplace culture
    • Identifying the seven benchmarks inherent in a results-oriented well-being program
    • Mental health initiatives
    • Inclusion considerations
    • Financial wellness

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: G19-1

    Better Communication Makes for a Better Audit
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Communication is key, and this session will highlight the best practices for:

    • Communication between the auditor and fund office
    • Why timing and completeness are important for auditor requests
    • Maintaining an open dialogue
    • Developing a timeline.

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: P-ACCT5

    Accountants: Best Practices

    Category: Fund Professionals - Accountants

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Our panel of experts discusses the top issues for both large and small plans in the following areas:

    • Contributions
    • Benefits
    • Participant data
    • Investments
    • Data sharing.

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: P-ATTY4

    Attorneys: Employee Benefits Fiduciary Litigation Update

    Category: Fund Advisors - Attorneys

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    This session will discuss the recent trends in fiduciary litigations filed against plans and fiduciaries and how the allegations in these lawsuits can shape the legal advice given to fiduciaries to mitigate the litigation risk. Additional topics will include PBM, excessive fee, pension risk transfer and forfeiture cases.

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: H13

    Health Plans 101—Terminology for New Trustees

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: Introductory

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Identifying plan structures
    • Identifying plan professionals
    • Abbreviations, acronyms, slang and more
    • Components of written policy language
    • HIPAA issues

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: H14-1

    Practical Uses for Artificial Intelligence in Health Plans
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Current and future capabilities
    • Impact on the member experience
    • Review of the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) artificial intelligence (AI) strategic plan

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: H17-1

    Health Plan Mergers Overview
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: Advanced

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Administrative, implementation and compliance issues
    • What is a "soft merger"?
    • Governance issues
    • What's working in this space?

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: H18

    Retiree Health Coverage—Options for Your Participants

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Setting the table—Current landscape
    • Impact of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
    • Coverage for pre-Medicare retirees
    • Trends for 2025 and beyond

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: PE5

    Navigating a Challenging Public Sector Environment

    Category: Public Plans

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Complying with nonbenefit laws
      • Open meeting laws
      • Public procurement law
      • Public records requests
    • Return-to-work rules
    • Tips for effective public relations

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: T05

    Engaging Apprentices in Their Benefits

    Category: Training and Education

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Communicating to apprentices the value of benefits
    • Educating on the benefits currently provided
    • Long-term financial impacts of hardship distributions and loans
    • Responding to apprentices' needs
    • Using benefits as a recruitment tool

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: I07-1

    Total Plan and Investment Manager Benchmarking
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • DOL audit perspective
    • Proper benchmarking used by investment managers
    • Total plan benchmarks
    • Defined benefit plans
    • Defined contribution plans
    • Health and welfare

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: I10-1

    Real Estate in Your Investment Portfolio
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • State of the asset class
    • What is the role in the portfolio?
    • When do you reconsider real estate?
    • Is REIT foretelling the future of real estate?
    • Where are the opportunities?
    • Sector funds are emerging

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: I16

    Custom Target-Date Funds

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: Advanced

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Why consider a custom approach?
      • Plan demographics
      • Glide paths
      • Different investment options
        • Private markets
        • Comingled investment trust funds
    • Fee mitigation
    • Legal risks

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: P06-1

    Investment Consultant and Actuary Tango
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Which comes first: The actuarial assumption or the investment allocation?
    • What are your plan risks?
    • Measuring your risks—Current and future
    • Implications for assumptions and investment allocation

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: P09-1

    Defined Contribution Plan Risk—Options to Minimize and Mitigate
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    How to provide choice and manage risk, including:
    • Annual expense review
    • Target-date fund review
    • Overall expenses compared to a peer universe.

    9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

    Session ID: P12-1

    Understanding Alternative Plan Designs
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: Introductory

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • New trends in plan design
    • Risk and return
    • Options that are attractive to employers and participants
    • Pros and cons of variable benefit plans

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: F07-1

    Important Tools for Monitoring Compliance
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Big data and data analytics
    • What your vendors bring to the table
    • Audits—Dependents, death, cyber and compliance
    • Policies and procedures
    • Contract language

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: G02-2

    The Impact of Changing Workforce Demographics on Benefits
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Impact of demographic trends: Worker tenure, birth rates, mortality tables and more
    • Impact on defined benefit pension funding and cash flows
    • Postretirement employment considerations
    • Recruiting and retaining the next generation

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: G07-2

    Who Are Your Benefit Plan Professionals?
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: Introductory

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Current roles—Who are the players, and what do they do?
    • Setting expectations
    • Identifying and implementing performance measures
    • Request for proposal (RFP) and request for information (RFI) considerations

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: G14-1

    Improving Workplace Awareness
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Preventing workplace violence
    • First aid, CPR, AED, naloxone/Narcan, mental health first aid and more
    • Importance of active shooter training
    • Crisis intervention strategies

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: G16-1

    Beyond the Payroll Audit—Impact on Financial Statements
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Explore payroll auditing's impact on financial statements and the importance of all the players.

    • Understanding the fund office's perspective
    • Understanding audit perspective
    • Evaluating the quality of the payroll auditor and audit process
    • Examples of sufficient documentation
    • Workpaper and report examples

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: G20

    Fiduciary Education, International Foundation Member Benefits and Getting Involved

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Join this session to learn more about the importance of fiduciary education for trustees and administrators of employee benefit plans and how International Foundation programs and resources can support your educational path.

    • Fiduciary education: Who needs it and why?
    • Educational paths
    • International Foundation member benefits

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: P-ACCT3

    Accountants: Building the Audit Team

    Category: Fund Professionals - Accountants

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    In an ever-changing environment, keeping abreast of the forces at play that impact the profession is crucial. A panel of professionals will lead a discussion addressing:

    • What an audit team looks like
      • Aligning skillsets
      • Other skills needed on the team
    • How and where to find talent
    • Role of technology in creating efficiencies.

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: H09-2

    Utilizing a Peer Support Model—Best Practices
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • What is a peer support model?
    • Overview of roles and models
    • Cost, benefits and the value proposition for mental health and addiction resources
    • Case study examples

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: H16-1

    Telehealth Engagement in a Postpandemic World
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Industry update—Where are we now?
    • Potential benefits and pitfalls: Cost, access, satisfaction and more
    • Best practices for continual engagement
    • Understand what is being covered by providers

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: H20-1

    Addressing Chronic Conditions in Your Plan Population
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Targeting your plan's most common conditions: Diabetes, hypertension, obesity, depression and more
    • The impact of preventive care
    • New strategies for success
    • Case study examples

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: H22

    Stop-Loss Coverage Considerations

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Defining stop-loss coverage
    • Selecting appropriate coverage levels
    • How to utilize stop-loss effectively
    • Understanding coverage lasers

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: PE6

    Public Sector Funding Policies—What You Need to Know

    Category: Public Plans

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Unique funding challenges facing public retirement plans
    • The importance of a funding policy

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: T06

    Fiduciary Responsibility in Your Apprenticeship Programs

    Category: Training and Education

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Keeping up with the latest legal and regulatory updates
    • Prohibited transactions
    • Functional fiduciaries
    • Governance oversight: The role of the trustee

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: F04-2

    Wearing the Right Hat at the Right Time—The Two-Hat Dilemma
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: Introductory

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    This session will examine real-life scenarios that demonstrate the fine line between outside interests and the interests of the participants.

    • Difficult and uncomfortable decisions
    • Understanding your co-fiduciary responsibility
    • Tools and processes for effective decision making
    • Appropriate documentation and due diligence

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: I02-2

    Investments: A Fiduciary Primer
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: Introductory

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • DOL guidance for making investment decisions
    • Consultant vs. manager roles
    • Understanding your investment policy statements (IPS)
    • When is a consultant or manager a fiduciary?
    • Can I give up my fiduciary responsibility for investment decisions?

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: I11

    Understanding Real Assets in Your Portfolio

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • How they benefit your portfolio
    • Market volatility and liquidity issues
    • Inflation perspective
    • Review of real asset types
      • Private real estate
      • Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
      • Infrastructure
      • Timber and farmland
      • Mining

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: I17-2

    How Artificial Intelligence Is Disrupting Markets and Reshaping the Investment Industry
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on markets
    • Where is AI being used in investments today?
    • Investing in AI-driven companies and technologies

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: I18-1

    Applying Asset Liability Matching Strategies to Your Investments
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: Advanced

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Understanding liability-aware investing
      • Special Financial Assistance (SFA) roots
      • Applying SFA strategies to any fund
    • Asset liability matching investing strategies and negative cash flow strategies
    • Implementation
      • Short- vs. long-term strategies
      • Public and private market investments

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: P02-2

    Understanding Withdrawal Liability
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: Introductory

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Overview of withdrawal liability
    • Using separate assumptions for funding and withdrawal liability calculations
    • Where and when does it apply? Are there exceptions?
    • Approaches to managing withdrawal liability

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: P05-2

    Dueling Actuaries
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    In a series of short debates, learn about varying considerations and perspectives on the following:

    • Moving the discount rate
    • Discount rates for funding vs. withdrawal liability
    • Funding methods
    • Mortality rates
    • Liability matching.

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: P10-2

    My Pension Plan Is Well-funded—Now What? Part I: Understanding Pension Plan Risk
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Congratulations—Your plan is well-funded. But don't get too comfortable. A solid funded ratio today doesn't guarantee long-term success.

    • What does it mean to be "well-funded"?
    • What are the key risk factors to consider?
    • How do assumption choices influence risk profile and stability?
    • What is the impact of plan maturity?

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: P14

    Defined Contribution Plan Forfeiture Issues

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Understanding forfeiture rules
    • Setting up your plan for compliance
    • When can you reabsorb?
    • What can funds be used for?
    • Identifying areas of potential litigation
    • Martha Mohs
      Martha Mohs

      Attorney
      Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c.

    10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

    Session ID: G17

    Mastering Project Management: Essential Skills for Success

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    This session is designed to explore the core project management principles, including:

    • Project scope
    • Timeline
    • Resources
    • Communication
    • Deliverables
    • Differentiation between job management and project management.

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: A02-2

    Work-Life Balance—Keeping Grounded in Times of Uncertainty
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Administration

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

  • Setting boundaries
  • Prioritizing tasks and delegating
  • Time management
  • Utilizing flexible work options
  • Managing stress and self-care practices

    • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: F02-2

    Best Practices in Trustee Processes and Oversight
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Evolving fiduciary responsibilities
    • Disclosures, conflicts of interest and parties in interest
    • Areas vulnerable to breaches in fiduciary responsibility
    • Oversight of professionals, investments and fees

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: F08-2

    Understanding and Monitoring Your Financial Statements
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: Introductory

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • How to read the plan's financial statements and tax returns
    • Ratios and reserves
    • Creating and following a budget for the plan/trust
    • Internal financial statements vs. external statements

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: G03-2

    Suspension of Benefits—Part I: Retirement Plan Rules and Workforce Needs
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Employers are facing workforce challenges and need seasoned employees to remain in or return to covered employment, even on a part-time basis. But participants need to collect their pension benefits, which often violates the plan's suspension of benefits rules.

    • Can the pension plan's suspension of benefits rules help solve this problem?
    • Regulatory options
    • Industry and other considerations

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: G05-2

    Benefit Plan Audits
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Review the types of audits and key areas involved in benefit plan auditing, including:

    • Auditing standards and SOC-1
    • Remittance reporting
    • DOL, IRS, payroll and internal audits
    • Specialty audits.

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: G06-2

    FEATURED SESSION—The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Benefits
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    This session aims to address the opportunities and challenges that artificial intelligence may bring to benefit fund administration, including how it is currently utilized and its potential impact on the workforce.

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: G08-2

    Communicating With Plan Participants—Case Study Examples of Success
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Tailoring messaging to specific generations
    • Bridging language barriers
    • Driving utilization of existing offerings
    • Being creative while fulfilling legal obligations
    • Case study examples

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: P-ATTY5

    Attorneys: Benefit Plan Mergers

    Category: Fund Advisors - Attorneys

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Attorneys will discuss their role at every phase of the plan merger process, including finding merger partners, due diligence, plan documentation and plan communication.

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: H02-2

    Health Care Legal and Legislative Update
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Attend this session to learn about updates in the legislative and regulatory environment for health and welfare plans.

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: H05-2

    GLP-1 Drugs—Part I: Where Are We Now?
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Industry update
    • Current state of coverage for diabetes and weight-loss care
    • The role of prescription drug therapies as a part of a total health approach
    • Utilization management
    • Case study examples

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: H10-2

    Mental Health Provider Update
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Provider landscape overview
    • Best practices in evaluating providers
    • Utilizing free and low-cost services
    • Avoiding common coverage pitfalls

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: H12-2

    Health Hacks—Best Practices in Participant Health Literacy
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • CDC's definitions and emphasis
    • Communicating the "language of health care" to plan participants
    • Initiatives for leadership, staff and plan participants
    • Utilizing multiple communication channels
    • Case study examples

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: PE7

    Mental Health Parity—Audits of Public Sector Plans

    Category: Public Plans

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    This session addresses the Department of Health & Human Services' implementation of the non-quantitative treatment limitation comparative analysis requirements under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) for nonfederal governmental plans under the final rules.

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: T07

    Instructor Quality for Your Apprenticeship Program

    Category: Training and Education

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • The makings of great instructors
    • Finding the next generation of instructors
      • Mentoring and internships
      • Training and developing instructors
    • Best practices in technical training
      • Honing your teaching skills
      • Continuing professional education

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: I04-2

    Working With Your Investment Professionals
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Understanding investment consultants and managers and their roles
    • Understanding fee arrangements and negotiations
    • Ensuring that strategies align with your fund's goals
    • Reading the reports from your consultant and fund managers
    • Maximizing your advisory obligation while maintaining a strong relationship

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: I06-2

    Basics of Defined Contribution Plan Investments
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: Introductory

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Participant vs. trustee directed
    • What is a QDIA?
    • Fees: Custody, recordkeeping, investment
    • Trustee responsibilities and risks

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: I08-2

    Private Markets—Part I: The Basics
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • How do they fit into your portfolios?
    • Different underlying types
    • How to invest
    • Secondary market
    • Fee structures
    • Reporting

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: I13-2

    Asset Allocation for Today’s Markets
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Reviewing interest rate trends
    • Removing risk from your portfolio
    • Active vs. passive
    • Investment deregulation

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: P04-2

    Actuarial Basics for the Nonactuary
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: Introductory

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Understanding the valuation report
    • Key assumptions and how they impact valuation and costs
    • How changes in benefits affect long-term costs
    • Understanding zone status
    • What are present values, and how are they calculated?

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: P11-2

    My Pension Plan Is Well-Funded—Now What? Part II: Considering Your Options
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Once you've assessed your plan's risk, it's time to consider the options. From investment strategies to benefit design to funding policies, a well-funded position opens the door to important—and sometimes difficult—decisions.

    • Investment strategies tailored to plan maturity and cash flow needs
    • Plan design features for long-term sustainability
    • Considerations around benefit improvements
    • The importance of stress testing and stochastic modeling

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: P13-2

    SECURE 2.0 Act Update—2025 and Beyond
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Catch-up contributions
    • Increase in annual catch-up contribution limit
    • Emergency savings and withdrawals
    • Automatic enrollment
    • Required minimum distributions
    • Long-term and part-term employee eligibility
    • Life income

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: P15-2

    Retirement Plan Merger Overview
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Administrative, implementation and compliance issues
    • Defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) concerns
    • Zone status issues
    • Governance issues
    • What's working in this space?

    1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

    Session ID: P16-2

    Asset Liability Matching Investment to Manage the Risk of Unfunded Liabilities
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: Advanced

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • What is asset liability matching investment strategy?
    • How does it work in different interest rate environments?
    • How can it manage risk?
    • What impact can it have on the plan's financial health?
    • How do these strategies apply in negative cash-flow situations?
    • When is the right time to implement asset liability matching?

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: A01-2

    Talent Wars: Where Do We Find Our Next Administrator?
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Administration

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Recruiting and onboarding
    • Growing talent—Retention efforts
      • Career and professional development
      • Compensation and benefits
    • Managing attrition

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: F01-2

    Fiduciary Responsibility Basics
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: Introductory

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Understanding your obligations regarding:
      • Financial oversight and benefit payments
      • Collections of contributions and withdrawal liability
      • Securing data and privacy
    • Trust fund business vs. union business
    • Familiarity with fund policies and procedures
    • Duties/activities that can be delegated

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: F10-2

    Cybersecurity—It’s Okay to Spend Money to Protect Member Data
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Funds need independent review of:
      • Email policies and usage (staff, trustees, employers)
      • Security (hardware, software, etc.)
      • Connections to other data sources (e.g., recordkeepers)
    • How to review vendors for security audits and services
    • No fund is too small for security improvements

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: F12-2

    Fiduciary Responsibilities in a Defined Contribution Plan
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Timely transfer of worker contributions (wage deferrals) and employer contributions to the recordkeeper
    • Choosing and monitoring investment options
    • Understanding the various share classes and fees
    • Participant loans and hardships

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: G04-2

    Suspension of Benefits—Part II: Health Plan Rules and Workforce Needs
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Employers are facing workforce challenges and need seasoned employees to remain in or return to covered employment, even on a part-time basis. Although related, the practical and legal considerations for health and welfare plans when retirees transition between active and retiree status are in many respects different from those of retirement plans and require independent consideration by plan fiduciaries.

    • Alignment with the pension plan's suspension rules
    • The impact of Medicare Secondary Payer rules
    • What happens to the contributions for working retirees?
    • Interaction with Medicare Advantage Plans and claims risk
    • Administrative considerations as participants move between active and retiree status

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: G09-2

    Cybersecurity Benefits Update
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • The importance of investing in cybersecurity
    • Utilizing DOL and HHS guidance
    • Best practices—What are your first steps after a breach?

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: G10-2

    Participant-Level Financial Education Initiatives—Keys to Success
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Strategies for improving benefits literacy
    • Meeting the needs of a diverse workforce
    • Utilizing significant life events
    • The importance of multichannel communication
    • AI usage to modernize communications
    • Postretirement budgeting

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: G12-2

    Effective Board Meeting Strategies
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • What does an effective meeting look like?
    • Pros and cons of virtual vs. in-person meetings
    • Robert's Rules of Order
    • What technology solutions can help with board meeting effectiveness?
    • How do you deal with difficult and disputed decisions?

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: P-ACCT6

    Accountants: Town Hall

    Category: Fund Professionals - Accountants

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    A panel of professionals will lead a discussion around emerging issues and best practices.

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: P-ATTY6

    Attorneys: Your Role in the Plan Investment Process

    Category: Fund Advisors - Attorneys

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Attorneys will analyze legal considerations involved in the plan investment process, from the RFP process to the negotiation and drafting of investment management agreements, limited partnership agreements, side letters and more.

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: H03-2

    Navigating Mental Health Parity Requirements
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) overview
    • Recent audit trends
    • Self-compliance efforts

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: H04-2

    Prescription Drug Pipeline Update
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • What's coming down the pipeline?
    • Specialty drug update
    • Biosimilars, formularies, utilization management and other cost-containment strategies
    • Gene therapy/genetic testing update
    • The role of advocacy groups
    • Legal and legislative implications

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: H06-2

    GLP-1 Drugs—Part II: Coverage and What the Data Is Telling Us
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    This panel discussion will provide an overview of:

    • GLP-1-related survey data at the plan and industry level
    • Compiling insights on cost
    • Coverage for diabetes and weight loss
    • Cost-control mechanisms
    • What key insights can be gleaned to help guide plan actions.

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: H11-2

    New Horizons in Mental Health Treatment—Psychedelics
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • High-level industry check-in
    • Coverage, funding, legal considerations
    • Defining the market: Ketamine, LSD, MDMA, psilocybin and more
    • Common pitfalls and best practices

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: PE8

    Public Employee Retirement Strategy

    Category: Public Plans

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Public pension history
    • Overview of public pension systems
    • Social Security facts and next steps

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: I05-2

    Stick to Your Plan: Let Your Investment Policy Statements Be Your Guide
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • How to approach asset allocation
    • How much detail should your investment policy statement (IPS) have?
    • Why is keeping your investments within the IPS guidelines so important?
    • How to reconcile actuarial assumptions with investment return projections

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: I09-2

    Private Markets—Part II: Current Market
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: Advanced

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • What's the market like today?
    • How to use the secondary market
    • Timing of commitments
    • Return on capital
    • Liquidity issues
    • Co-investments

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: I14-2

    Interpreting Interest Rates
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • What drives interest rates?
    • What the Fed news really means
    • Understanding the charts

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: I15-1

    Investment Consultant Panel
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    This facilitated panel discussion will offer an opportunity for investment consultants to discuss hot topics in the investment landscape.

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: P01-2

    Legal and Legislative Update for Retirement Plans
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • New legislative and regulatory developments
    • State initiatives that may affect the plan sponsor
    • Defined contribution litigation

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: P03-2

    Advanced Withdrawal Liability Topics
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: Advanced

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Using separate assumptions for funding and withdrawal liability calculations
    • Complete or partial withdrawal liability
    • PBGC regulations—What's new?
    • Legal and other issues

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: P08-2

    Effectively Communicating Your Pension/Retirement Plans
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • How do you talk about your plan to stakeholders?
    • Building a model of education
      • Goals of the retirement plan
      • Planning for the future
      • Delivery methods
    • Appropriate messages for participants, employers, trustees and administrators

    2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

    Session ID: P19-2

    Things You’re Dying to Know About Mortality
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Understanding demographic actuarial assumptions
      • Impact of longevity
      • Generations in the workforce
    • How actuaries evaluate plan experience to develop new actuarial assumptions
    • Trustees' role in how assumptions are determined for the plan

    7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

    Session ID: A06

    Administrator-Only Roundtables: Building Community

    Category: Administration

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    This session is for administrators to have open discussions on hot topics and trends in benefits administration. These will include best practices, solutions and innovations, roadblocks and solutions as discussed by each table. Please arrive early to secure your spot in the session.

    7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

    Session ID: F05-2

    Trustee Expenses
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Plan-related expenses vs. other expenses
    • Areas of potential concern
    • Documentation and policies
    • How good people can make poor choices
    • Training your new trustees
    • Areas drawing DOL attention

    7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

    Session ID: F06-2

    Best Practices in Selecting Fund Professionals
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Performance metrics and standards (including performance penalties)
    • Fees and reporting, including §408(b)2(B)
    • RFPs and RFIs
    • Vendor cybersecurity best practices and questionnaire responses
    • Reviewing service provider succession plans
    • Understanding the trustee's fiduciary responsibility of selecting the fund professionals

    7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

    Session ID: G14-2

    Improving Workplace Awareness
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Preventing workplace violence
    • First aid, CPR, AED, naloxone/Narcan, mental health first aid and more
    • Importance of active shooter training
    • Crisis intervention strategies

    7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

    Session ID: G19-2

    Better Communication Makes for a Better Audit
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Communication is key, and this session will highlight the best practices for:

    • Communication between the auditor and fund office
    • Why timing and completeness are important for auditor requests
    • Maintaining an open dialogue
    • Developing a timeline.

    7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

    Session ID: H14-2

    Practical Uses for Artificial Intelligence in Health Plans
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Current and future capabilities
    • Impact on the member experience
    • Review of the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) artificial intelligence (AI) strategic plan

    7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

    Session ID: H15-2

    Health Plan Cybersecurity Update
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • New trends to be aware of
    • Identifying common threats
    • Steps for prevention
    • Post-breach action steps

    7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

    Session ID: H17-2

    Health Plan Mergers Overview
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: Advanced

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Administrative, implementation and compliance issues
    • What is a "soft merger"?
    • Governance issues
    • What's working in this space?

    7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

    Session ID: H20-2

    Addressing Chronic Conditions in Your Plan Population
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Targeting your plan's most common conditions: Diabetes, hypertension, obesity, depression and more
    • The impact of preventive care
    • New strategies for success
    • Case study examples

    7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

    Session ID: PE9

    Public Employee–Only Roundtables: Building Community

    Category: Public Plans

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    This session is for public employee fiduciaries and staff to have open discussions on hot topics and trends in the public sector.

    7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

    Session ID: I07-2

    Total Plan and Investment Manager Benchmarking
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • DOL audit perspective
    • Proper benchmarking used by investment managers
    • Total plan benchmarks
    • Defined benefit plans
    • Defined contribution plans
    • Health and welfare

    7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

    Session ID: I10-2

    Real Estate in Your Investment Portfolio
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • State of the asset class
    • What is the role in the portfolio?
    • When do you reconsider real estate?
    • Is REIT foretelling the future of real estate?
    • Where are the opportunities?
    • Sector funds are emerging

    7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

    Session ID: I15-2

    Investment Consultant Panel
    This session is repeated on November 12, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    This facilitated panel discussion will offer an opportunity for investment consultants to discuss hot topics in the investment landscape.

    7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

    Session ID: P09-2

    Defined Contribution Plan Risk—Options to Minimize and Mitigate
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    How to provide choice and manage risk, including:
    • Annual expense review
    • Target-date fund review
    • Overall expenses compared to a peer universe.

    7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

    Session ID: P12-2

    Understanding Alternative Plan Designs
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: Introductory

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • New trends in plan design
    • Risk and return
    • Options that are attractive to employers and participants
    • Pros and cons of variable benefit plans

    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

    Session ID: A03-2

    Policies and Plan Documents
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Administration

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Attend this session for a quick review of the many policies and documents to consider for plan administration, such as:

    • Education policies
    • Delinquent and collection policies
    • AI policies (staff, trustees, etc.)
    • Fiduciary, cyber, business and other insurance policies
    • Trustee expense and reimbursement policies
    • Plan document, summary plan description, SMM, SBC.

    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

    Session ID: F03-2

    Understanding the Fiduciary Duty of Appointing a Multiemployer Trustee
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • How are trustees appointed, and who has the authority to appoint?
    • Understanding your fiduciary responsibility and duty to monitor as a trustee
    • Strategies for recruiting trustees
    • Institutional knowledge and continuity
    • Succession planning
    • Professional trustees

    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

    Session ID: F07-2

    Important Tools for Monitoring Compliance
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Big data and data analytics
    • What your vendors bring to the table
    • Audits—Dependents, death, cyber and compliance
    • Policies and procedures
    • Contract language

    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

    Session ID: F09-2

    Insurance for Plans and Trustees
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Fiduciary Responsibility

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Overview of fiduciary liability and other insurance, including cyber
    • Do you have enough coverage?
    • Understanding the timing for claims
    • Benefit overpayment protection
    • What other benefits does your policy offer?

    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

    Session ID: G15-2

    Fund Office Issues—Small Staff, Large Obstacles
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Finding efficiencies with limited resources
    • Navigating insourcing and outsourcing decisions
    • Best practices in payroll, regulatory compliance, information technology and more

    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

    Session ID: G16-2

    Beyond the Payroll Audit—Impact on Financial Statements
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Explore payroll auditing's impact on financial statements and the importance of all the players.

    • Understanding the fund office's perspective
    • Understanding audit perspective
    • Evaluating the quality of the payroll auditor and audit process
    • Examples of sufficient documentation
    • Workpaper and report examples

    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

    Session ID: G21

    You Attended the U.S. Annual Conference—Now What?

    Category: General Topics

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Communicating key takeaways and actions at your next meeting
    • Tips for implementing new initiatives
    • Making the case for ongoing education

    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

    Session ID: H08-2

    Navigating Your Pharmacy Benefit Manager Contract Language
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Dissecting the contract elements
    • Ensuring proper transparency
    • Fulfilling your fiduciary obligations
    • Fiduciary liability cases
    • Future-proofing for legislation

    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

    Session ID: H16-2

    Telehealth Engagement in a Postpandemic World
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Industry update—Where are we now?
    • Potential benefits and pitfalls: Cost, access, satisfaction and more
    • Best practices for continual engagement
    • Understand what is being covered by providers

    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

    Session ID: H19-2

    Cancer in the Workforce: Best Approaches to Care
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Health and Welfare

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Evaluating the workforce impact
    • Reviewing overall trend data
    • Best approaches for comprehensive care

    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

    Session ID: I03-2

    Investing for Health and Welfare and Apprenticeship Plans
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Investing through the lens of a plan type
    • Investment horizon
    • Risk tolerance
    • Reserves and cash flows
    • John Teramana

      Senior Consultant
      Verus Investments

    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

    Session ID: I18-2

    Applying Asset Liability Matching Strategies to Your Investments
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: Advanced

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Understanding liability-aware investing
      • Special Financial Assistance (SFA) roots
      • Applying SFA strategies to any fund
    • Asset liability matching investing strategies and negative cash flow strategies
    • Implementation
      • Short- vs. long-term strategies
      • Public and private market investments

    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

    Session ID: I19-2

    The Future of Fixed Income
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Investments

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Interest rate environment
    • Role of fixed income in a portfolio
    • Exploring different avenues of fixed income
      • Investment grade
      • Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS)
      • High-yield bonds
      • Core and core plus

    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

    Session ID: P06-2

    Investment Consultant and Actuary Tango
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • Which comes first: The actuarial assumption or the investment allocation?
    • What are your plan risks?
    • Measuring your risks—Current and future
    • Implications for assumptions and investment allocation

    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

    Session ID: P07-2

    Department of Labor (DOL) Retirement Plan Audit Trends
    This session is repeated on November 10, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    Attend this session to learn about the Department of Labor's trends in retirement plan audits and investigations. Everything from current trends to future initiatives will be covered, as well as details on how to navigate an investigation successfully.

    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

    Session ID: P17-2

    Entering the Green Zone and Staying There
    This session is repeated on November 11, 2025

    Category: Pension

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: In-Person

    • What happens to your rehabilitation plan?
    • Effective management
    • Communication and managing expectations
    • Reconsidering actuarial assumptions

    10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

    Session ID: D

    FINALE SESSION—Red Shoes Living, Igniting Human Potential

    Category: Keynote

    Difficulty Level: All

    Location:

    Session Type: Virtual / In-Person

    Red Shoes Living—standing out for embracing the positive at work and in your life—is the most relevant and life-changing business message for our time. As an internationally recognized speaker, Lonnie Mayne shares the simple framework of Red Shoes Living with audiences around the world. The foundation of his success is the Red Shoes Living concept that centers on getting the best version out of employees by focusing on five key Red Shoes pillars. These pillars encourage employees to stand out in the work they do and in the life they live. Whether it’s business or personal Red Shoes Living is a way of life. In a world that is increasingly noisy and negative, the Red Shoes philosophy has become a symbol for making a positive impact in the world of business.

    Pricing

    Through September 29, 2025

    US$1,850.00

    Member

    Members Only

    Nonmember

    After September 29, 2025

    US$2,150.00

    Member

    Members Only

    Nonmember

    Register Now