Eighth National Forum
October 28-30, 2024
Baltimore, Maryland
FINAL AGENDA
EIGHTH NATIONAL FORUM
A printable version of this agenda may be found at this link
SPEAKER BIOS MAY BE FOUND AT THIS LINK
Monday October 28, 2024
6:00pm - 8:00pm Welcome Reception Event
TopGolf, 1411 Warner Street, Baltimore MD 21230
Phone: (667) 407-2360
If you’re in town the night before the forum starts, please join fellow IBCN members to pre-game by golfing, socializing and sharing some fun food and drinks.
*There is no additional charge for this event.
Organizers: Maya Crone & Lynne Durbin
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Program and Networking
Location: Center Club, 100 Light Street, Baltimore MD
8:15am – 8:45am Continental Breakfast
8:45am – 9:00am Opening Remarks – Maya Crone, Freddie Mac
9:00am – 9:55am Election Impact on Benefits
Thought leaders from the American Benefits Council will share insights into what the future might hold in the employee benefits space from a policy and political standpoint and help us think about what that might mean for our clients and practices.
Speakers: Katy Johnson and Diann Howland, American Benefits Council
Organizer: Chris Rylands, Hub International
10:00am – 10:55am ERISA Litigation Update
It seems like ERISA is one of the most litigated federal statutes in existence and that the pace of litigation is accelerating. It’s crucial for in-house practitioners to understand current case law developments and consider litigation risk when advising clients. Our speakers will discuss some of the most important recent decisions impacting ERISA plans, including the status of cases about 401(k) plans’ use of forfeitures, pension annuitization cases (challenging the selection of Athene as the insurer), the status of litigation about the DOL investment fiduciary rule, trends in defined contribution plan fee litigation, and provide ideas on how in-house counsel can help clients understand the implications of these decisions for their companies’ plans, and offer thoughts on emerging issues in this space.
Speakers: Ben Grosz and Percy Lee, Ivins Phillips & Barker
Organizer: Suzanne Smith, Philips
10:55am - 11:10am Coffee & Networking Break
11:10am - 12:05pm Compensation & Benefit Considerations in Mergers & Acquisitions
In M&A transactions, compensation and benefit issues can impact employee integration, executive compensation and benefit plan compliance post-close. We will dive into topics involving the treatment of acquired equity awards (rolling equity), best practices for acquired plans (e.g., strategies for terminating plans pre-closing) and executive employment agreements.
Speakers: Jonathan Zimmerman; Patrick Rehfield and Austin Lilling, Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
Organizers: Frances Adkins, Colgate-Palmolive Company; Mark Burgreen, Abbvie
12:10pm -1:30pm Lunch (presentation to start after 15 minutes)
12:25pm-1:30pm Half a Century of ERISA - ERISA's 50th
Marking the 50th anniversary of ERISA, our speakers will reflect on the transformative impact of ERISA on the provision, compliance and governance of retirement and health benefit plans. Our speakers will address the history of ERISA, examine the current state of ERISA, explore how it has adapted to modern challenges and discuss what the future of ERISA looks like.
Speakers: Sherrie Boutwell, Boutwell Fay; Joanne Roskey, Miller & Chevalier; James Gelfand, The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC)
Organizers: Chris Thompson, BNSF Railway; Erin Wolters, Deloitte
1:35pm - 2:30pm Pharmacy Benefit Managers – Navigating Compliance
Plan sponsors are constantly balancing plan costs with ERISA compliance and risk mitigation. Understanding pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) practices is one of the evolving risks for plans sponsors of health plans. During this session, our speakers will discuss the risks for plan sponsors related to PBMs, including the ERISA fiduciary duties implications, contract and RFP implications, cost/price transparency, and compensation/fee disclosure compliance.
Speakers: Rujul Desai, Christen Sewell, and Jenna Wallace, Covington & Burling LLP
Organizers: Jennifer Ting, Brighthouse Financial; Mark Burgreen, Abbvie
2:30pm – 2:45pm Coffee & Networking Break
2:45pm – 3:40pm ERISA Fiduciary Best Practices
Our speakers will discuss a host of practical fiduciary committee issues and best practices, including fee disclosures, vendor monitoring and oversight, membership, meetings, minutes, and more.
Speakers: Kelly Geloneck and Malcolm Slee, Groom
Organizers: Elyse Eckart, Hewlett Packard; Cindy Ruback, Home Depot
3:45pm - 4:40pm Retirement Plan Hot Topics
A wide-ranging conversation about recent developments in the retirement plan arena, including vendor contracting issues such as plan data ownership and cybersecurity; the latest trends in the investment space, with a focus on TDFs, managed accounts, and brokerage windows; and other hot topics, such the evolution of the DB plan (will they be given a new lease on life or are more pension risk transfers ahead?).
Speakers: Kendra Roberson and Sarah Bassler Millar, Faegre Drinker
Organizers: Anne Sherman, SAS; Cynthia Christie, Mass Mutual
4:45pm -5:00pm Day’s Wrap Up Remarks--Mary Jones, Microsoft Corporation
Immediately Following the Wrap-Up Remarks
Members Cocktail & Dinner Event (sponsor firms and all speakers invited)
Location: Kona Grill, 1 East Pratt Street, Baltimore MD (across street from conference location) Phone: (410) 244-8994
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
8:30am - 9:25am Continental Breakfast
Health & Welfare Plan Hot Topics
Our speakers will discuss recent developments in the health and welfare plan area, including mental health parity, voluntary benefits, infertility benefits and surprise billing.
Speakers: Ashley Gillihan, Alston & Bird
Organizer: Misty Leon, Texas Instruments
9:30am - 10:25am Litigation Panel Post-Chevron Impact
Following the decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, overturning 40 years of precedent, the regulatory deference practitioners have relied upon has been upended. Our speakers will discuss the possible impact of this major change.
Speakers: Stephen Tackney, KPMG; Joy M. Napier-Joyce, Jackson Lewis P.C.
Organizer: Andrea Gehman, The John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
10:25am - 10:40am Coffee/Networking Break
10:40am - 11:35am Health & Welfare Service Provider Contract Issues
Contracting with vendors to provide services for employee benefit plans has become more complicated over the last decade, from both a substantive standpoint and from the standpoint of the number of internal constituents that participate in the process. Our speakers will discuss some practical ways to organize your approach to benefit plan vendor contracting, such as data warehousing, transparency, and compensation models.
Speakers: Lisa Tavares and Juliana Reno, Venable
Organizer: Jennifer Kobayashi, Aon
11:40am - 12:35pm SECURE 2.0 – Ready for Implementation?
This session will cover the provisions of SECURE 2.0 that plan sponsors are most concerned with, including Roth matching contributions, Roth catch-up contributions, RMD changes and part-time employees. Our speakers will discuss challenges employers and recordkeepers are facing to implement these provisions.
Speakers: Brittany Edwards-Franklin and Adam Cohen, Eversheds
Organizers: Kenna Conley, Fahreen Kotecha and Erin Wolters, Deloitte
12:35pm – 1:45pm Lunch (presentation to start after 10 minutes)
12:45pm – 1:40pm Global Benefits
This session will cover retirement plan considerations and trends in Puerto Rico, including the adoption of safe harbor 410(k) plans and ESPPs, and cybersecurity compliance reviews of local service providers. In addition, the speakers will address compliance and best practices involving international transfers and global equity compliance, with a focus on United Kingdom, Canada and Germany.
Speakers: Carlos Gonzalez, BenefitsPuertoRico.com; Stephen Tackney, KPMG
Organizers: Frances Adkins, Colgate-Palmolive Company; Mary Jones, Microsoft Corporation
1:45pm - 2:40pm AI and Employee Benefits – New Frontier
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and in particular generative AI are increasingly impacting many aspects of our personal and professional lives. This includes the impact of AI on company benefits and employee benefits law. And we are only at the beginning of this new AI world. The panel will discuss a variety of AI issues employee benefit attorneys are facing related to their own use of AI or the implications of AI in employee benefits, including: an overview of AI and generative AI; ethical rules that are implicated using AI; issues of privilege/work product; and the use of AI in company benefits programs.
Speakers: Mark Bodron, Lumen Technologies; Maureen Dry-Wasson, Allegis Group; Andrew Oringer, The Wagner Law Group; and Vanessa Scott, Albertsons
Organizers: Mark Bodron, Lumen Technologies; Maureen Dry-Wasson, Allegis Group; and Misty Leon, Texas Instruments
2:45pm-3:00pm Closing Remarks – Mary Jones, Microsoft Corporation
General Information
This year's forum will again take place in Baltimore, Maryland at The Center Club, 100 Light Street, in the heart of downtown Baltimore, across from the Inner Harbor and its many attractions.
Conference attendees are responsible for making their own travel arrangements and hotel accommodations. Please note that there are many great hotel options at all price points near the meeting venue. Our conference venue, The Center Club, provides a discount at the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court. Located one and a half blocks from the Club, room are available at 20% off their best rate. Some blackout dates apply. Call the hotel directly at 410-234-0550 and ask for the Center Club rate.
Other hotels within several blocks are the Hyatt Regency, Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel by Marriott, Marriott Residence Inn, Baltimore Hilton Convention Center.
Plan to book your hotel early as the Baltimore Orioles have a chance at the World Series and, if they are in, that will impact hotel availability.
Registration
Register Today -- Don't miss this opportunity to join your colleagues for two days of education, inspiration and networking! In addition to an excellent program, your registration fee includes a continental breakfast, lunch and coffee breaks on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Monday evening pre-conference welcome reception at Topgolf, and the sponsor reception on Tuesday evening.
Conference Fee = $100
Registration is limited to IBCN members in good standing in 2024.
You may register by clicking this link.
Cancellation Policy
All fees are fully refundable until October 11. Between October 12 and 18, requests for refunds will be granted a 50% credit, which can be applied to next year's membership. After October 18, no refunds will be available.
Questions? ldurbin@inlinellc.net