ISCEBS 18700 W. Bluemound Rd P.O. Box 209 Brookfield, WI 53008-0209 Phone: (262) 786-8771 Fax: (262) 786-8650 iscebs@iscebs.org

Sessions and Speakers

Printable version

2010 Educational Agenda

Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday

11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
General Registration

5:00 p.m.
CEBS Conferment Ceremony and Reception

Keynote speaker: To Be Announced

8:00-8:30 a.m.
President's Report

8:30-9:30 a.m.

G What Health Reform and Retirement Legislative Policy Mean to Employers: 10 Strategic Questions
Speaker: James A. Klein, President, American Benefits Council, Washington, D.C

As federal regulatory agencies begin to issue the guidance related to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the benefits community is learning what will be required to comply with the sweeping new law.   But plan sponsors and advisors have only just begun to consider what the new architecture for our nation's health care coverage system will mean for the future of employer-sponsored health benefits and for the role of benefits professionals themselves.   This session will examine a series of strategic questions that benefits leaders will want to consider as critical choices are made, and the potential implications of the changing political and legislative environment on those decisions.  In addition, while retirement policy has not grabbed the headlines as health policy has over the past year, important developments are occurring in that arena as well.  This session will review the issues that sponsors of qualified retirement plans will need to consider following the November elections.

Session Preview [Listen Now]

9:45-10:45 a.m.

An Insider's View of Upcoming Regulations in Health Care and Pension
Speaker: Phyllis Borzi, Assistant Secretary of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C.

Ms. Borzi, as agency head of EBSA, oversees the administration, regulation and enforcement of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Ms. Borzi will provide insights on the administration's policies concerning recent legislation and regulation.

C Canadian Legislative Update
Speaker: Mitch Frazer, Partner, Torys LLP, Toronto, Ontario

Attendees will gain valuable information on recent court cases, regulations and proposed legislation that will affect Canadian benefit plans.

11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

H Health Care Reform - What You Need to Do Today, Tomorrow and Beyond
Speaker: Kenneth L. Sperling, CEBS, Principal & Practice Leader, Hewitt Associates, Norwalk, CT

Health care reform is a reality. The reform will profoundly impact benefit design, cost and eligibility rules. This session will provide plan sponsors with the key elements of the reform legislation to identify what they must doÑand what they can do immediatelyÑover the next six months and the next few years.

R Working With the Plan Auditor
Speaker: Crystal Ekanayake, CEBS, Audit Partner, Gallina LLP, Sacramento, California

This session will provide information on bridging the gap between service providers and the independent auditor. Topics covered include what an audit is comprised of, how to find the right auditor for a plan, why auditors ask for so much information, and how service providers and auditors can work together.

Takeaways from this session:

• How the audit fits into the overall plan
• How to create partnerships among service providers
• How to get the right information to your auditor to reduce or eliminate later requests

G C The Intersection of Behavioral Economics and Benefits
Speaker: John Towarnicky, CEBS, Assistant Vice President, Benefits Planning, Nationwide Insurance, Columbus, Ohio

The presenter will provide an overview of behavioral economics concepts and the practical application of these concepts. Topics to be covered include how to select defaults, structuring incentives, and "before and after" results from deploying these principles.

Takeaways from this session:

• An understanding of the science behind an employee's sometimes irrational behavior in benefits decision making
• How to reduce expense by optimizing financial incentives
  
• Getting people to participate and continue on the path likely to lead to success

12:15-1:30 p.m.
Luncheon Roundtables

Consulting Practice Owners Luncheon Workshop

1:30-2:30 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

H Nuts and Bolts of Health Care Reform Workshop - Short- and Long-Term Implications for Plan Sponsors
Workshop Leader: Kenneth L. Sperling, CEBS, Principal & Practice Leader, Hewitt Associates, Norwalk, CT

This presentation is designed to delve deeply into the reform legislation, getting down to the "nuts and bolts" of practical information along with the opportunity to ask questions and share information with other session attendees.

R The State of Retirement Income: Preparation and Future Prospects
Speaker: Jack VanDerhei, Ph.D, CEBS, Research Director, Employee Benefit Research Institute, Washington, D.C.

This presentation will start with a review of EBRI's projections of retirement wealth for future retiree cohorts and then provide baseline projections of the percentage of compensation that needs to be saved every year from 2010 until retirement to have a 50%, 75% and 90% probability of "adequate" retirement income. The session will include a number of sensitivity analyses of the results to show how the prospect for future retirement income change as a result of market return assumptions, employee behavioral assumptions, and plan sponsor assumptions as well as various possible public policy modifications.

Takeaways from this session:

• What groups of today's workers are likely to face in retirement and how adequacy gaps can serve as a catalyst for various policy reforms
  
• The type of changes in worker behavior that might be expected if some current reform proposals were adopted
  
• Simulation results showing what plan sponsors are likely to face in terms of employee response as they adopt various types of defined contribution plans
  

G Long-Term (LT) Care Insurance - Employers Face a Decision
Speakers: Dennis Healy, Vice President, John Hancock Long Term Care, Boston, Massachusetts
Frank Fimmano, Senior Vice President, Aon Consulting, New York, New York

Most employers have followed the health care debate with interest. Many may not be aware that the bill contains a separate piece of legislation, the Community Living Assistance Service and Supports (CLASS) Act of 2009 which introduces a national voluntary long-term care insurance program open to active employees through their employers. This session will be of interest to those employers currently offering a long-term care insurance benefit and to those who are considering one.

Takeaways from this session:

• The opportunities, challenges and concerns associated with the CLASS Act
  
• How the act's coverage compares with private long-term care insurance
  
• How to determine whether CLASS participation is a good fit for your organization
  

C Spending Accounts: The Canadian Way
Speaker: Art Babcock, CEBS, M.B.A., Vice President, Aon Consulting, Edmonton, Alberta

Spending accounts are growing in popularity in the Canadian workplace. This session provides a valuable insight into this benefit. U.S. employers with Canadian employees may find this session helpful in keeping their welfare programs competitive in Canada.

Takeaways from this session:

• Structure of health care spending and personal spending accounts
  
• Administration and cost of these accounts
  
• How to integrate the accounts in programs and optimize their value
  
  

2:45-3:45 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

H Value-Based Pharmacy Networks
Speaker: Bryan Clayton, Manager, Deloitte Consulting, Chicago, Illinois

Much like value-based plan designs reduced excessive spend within the plan design, value-based pharmacy networks (VBPN) can be designed to eliminate excessive and redundant pharmacy spend. The presentation will cover four fundamental truths: (1) lessons learned from transparency, (2) low-cost generic programs, (3) steerage and (4) targeted contracting.

Takeaways from this session:

• Information on the fundamental shift in the pharmacy paradigm currently underway
  
• Opportunities for price arbitrage on an employer's existing retail network
  
• Blinded case studies of identified plan sponsor cost reductions
  

R Improving Retirement Readiness in America
Speaker: Zach Walley, Director and Investment Manager, SunTrust Bank, Chattanooga, Tennessee

The speaker will present solid actions that plan sponsors can take to help maximize their employees' future retirement income. Using case studies, the presentation will cover plan design changes, investment lineup enhancements and participant education strategies that have been successful in improving participant retirement readiness.

Takeaways from this session:

• Plan design changes - what has worked - what hasn't
  
• New investment lineup enhancements that resulted in improved retirement readiness
  
• Successful participant education strategies
  

G Cross-Border Health Care Options to Reduce Medical Costs
Speaker: Lisa Beichl, President and CEO, Transparent Borders LLC, Berwyn, Pennsylvania

Increasing medical costs and the evolving government role in health care suggest the growing need for innovative responses. In this session, cross-border health care options will be discussed, including low-cost accredited hospitals in the United States offering elective medical procedures for rates comparable to Singapore and Thailand (typically from 30 to 60% less than the U.S. Medicare fee schedule). The discussion will also cover global risk factors regarding "cross-border medical options."

Takeaways from this session:

• Creative solutions that will increase competition (domestic and international)
  
• Questions you need to ask to minimize risk
  
• What is happening today

C Flexible Benefits: An Agent of Change
Speakers: Margaret Sim, CEBS, Principal, Mercer, Montreal, Quebec
Liam Dixon, Montreal, Quebec

Canadian businesses continue to struggle with the competing challenges of managing benefit costs while simultaneously offering a competitive program to an increasingly diverse employee population. This session will offer insights into how Canadian employers can leverage the value of employer and employee investment in their benefit plans, and develop an approach to defining a comprehensive and sustainable benefits program.

Takeaways from this session:

• Leveraging the value of employer and employee investments
  
• How to develop an approach to defining a comprehensive program
  
• How to continue a sustainable benefits program
  
  

4:00-5:00 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

For several years, like many other companies, Hy-Vee has implemented wellness initiatives from the packaged "wellness" programs sold by vendors and offered in the communities. The difference at Hy-Vee is that the initiatives are embedded into the Hy-Vee business model and made part of their culture. The presentation will describe how the employee benefit package blends healthy lifestyle programs and products with the resources, programs and promotions in their Hy-Vee stores targeted at their customers to further their mission and their business.

Takeaways from this session:

• A clear vision of business outcomes and benefits offerings
  
• How to institute a culture of health
  
• Implementation and alignment tips

R Retirement Plan Oversight: Balancing the Needs of the Sponsor, Participants and Vendors
Speakers :Debra Rosenberg, CEBS, Vice President Commercial Trust Sales, M&I Institutional Trust Service, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Mary Komornicka, CEBS, Attorney, Larkin Hoffman Daly & Lindgren, Ltd., Minneapolis, Minnesota

Today's retirement programs can be very complex. Evaluating your plan provisions, processes and vendor(s) is necessary. This presentation will cover interested parties, process and oversight team, plan issues/requirements, objectives and benchmarks to determine if a vendor change is necessary.

Takeaways from this session:

• How to establish a process and objectives
  
• Who the right people are to get involved
  
• How to establish criteria and benchmarks

G Sales Compensation in a New Era
Speaker: Elliot Dinkin, Executive Vice President, Cowden Associates, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Not every salesperson is motivated by money and rewards. In fact, a major gaffe that companies ignore is that the modern sales force is not necessarily motivated by the same things as previous generations were. Three different case studies of "before" and "after" sales compensation plans will detail the results after changes were made, considerations for changes, and which aspects of the plans were changed and why.

Takeaways from this session:

• Techniques for retaining good salespeople during difficult times
  
• How to create an incentive plan that meets salespeople and CFO objectives
  
• How to convert short-term sales compensation to meaningful long-term incentives and retention

C Pensions and Benefits Issues in a Canadian Acquisition
Speaker: Terry Wallace, Principal, Morneau Sobeco, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

This session will utilize actual M&A case studies to examine retirement and group benefits programs in Canada from the perspective of U.S.-based businesses. The case studies will reflect, in a mergers and acquisitions context, both best practices employed and mistakes experienced in taking over and managing Canadian programs.

Takeaways from this session:

• Major features of Canada's retirement and health care insurance systems, customary practices for occupational plans and current trends
  
• Ways to avoid common M&A pension and benefit pitfalls and manage risks
  
• How to approach the integration of Canadian and U.S. retirement and employee benefits programs

6:00-7:30 p.m.

8:00-9:00 a.m.

G U.S. Recent Legal Decisions
Speaker: Katherine A. Hesse, CEBS, Partner, Murphy Hesse Toomey & Lehane, Quincy, Massachusetts

Ms. Hesse will provide a comprehensive update on major court decisions in the areas of benefits, employment and labor law. Her insightful commentary is a regular feature at the Symposium.

C Canadian Recent Legal Decisions in Employee Benefits, Labour and Employment Law
Speaker: Mitch Frazer, Partner, Torys LLP, Toronto, Ontario

This session will provide an analysis of major court cases providing attendees with practical information on how plan sponsors can insulate their organization from liability.

9:30-10:30 a.m.
Concurrent Sessions

H Common Pricing Strategies and Pitfalls to Avoid in PBM Procurements
Speaker: Mark Morse, Director, Humana, Louisville, Kentucky

In today's pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) procurement process, there are many different pricing strategies employed by PBMs. These differing approaches make it hard to understand the value of PBMs' financial offers, and even harder to compare them. In this session, different pricing approaches, and strategies within each approach, will be discussed and illustrated.

Takeaways from this session:

• The different approaches PBMs take in pricing their services
  
• The financial impact these differences can make
  
• Questions to ask to standardize PBM quotes
  

R Retirement Plan Benchmarking
Speaker: Ryan S. Alfred, President, BrightScope, Inc., San Diego, California

With retirement plans receiving increased regulatory and legislative scrutiny, and increased interest from the plaintiff's bar, it has never been more important for plan sponsors to integrate benchmarking into their process for managing their retirement plans. This session will address best practices for benchmarking and the practical issues in creating a benchmarking process that is effective and satisfies your ERISA fiduciary duties.

Takeaways from this session:

• How to select a benchmarking vendor
  
• What should be benchmarked, how often and against whom
  
• Integrating results into participant communications

G Contingent Workers and Benefit Concerns - A Case Study
Speaker: Stephen Eubank, CEBS, Senior Counsel, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, The Woodlands, Texas

The use of contingent workers is prevalent and is expected to grow. This presentation will identify the legal concerns and issues underlying the retention of these workers and the legal issues associated with contingent workers. The presenter will also provide best practices to follow.

Takeaways from this session:

• Understand legal concerns
  
• Best practices and solutions
  
• Major areas of concern

C Ontario Bill 102 Impact on the Pharmaceutical Landscape
Speakers: Irina Long, Manager, Economic Research - Pharmaceuticals, Brogan Inc, Ottawa, Ontario

Many of you are aware of the recent legislative changes in drug programs across Canada. The most recent in Ontario has been viewed by many as the most aggressive reform yet. This presentation will provide an overview of the legislative reforms currently underway in Ontario which will lead to the elimination of "professional allowances" to pharmacies paid by generic-drug manufacturers and a phased-in reduction in lower generic-drug pricing. This Ontario-based legislation will have impact across the country.

Takeaways from this session:

• How this legislation will be implemented
  
• Details on possible changes or amendments to the legislation
  
• Private sector implications
  

10:45-11:45 a.m.
Concurrent Sessions

H Total Health Approach
Speakers: Gary Gustafson, CEBS, Senior Associate Consultant, Fidelity Investments, Merrimack, New Hampshire
Adam Stavisky, Senior Vice President, Consulting Services, Fidelity Investments, Merrimack, New Hampshire

Employers often fail to consider that wellness includes not only physical lifestyle, but emotional and financial lifestyles as well. This presentation will discuss an incentive design that integrates vendors in a way that provides participant-centric support and tools to help employees set, achieve and measure meaningful goals related to health and wealth.

Takeaways from this session:

• Why measuring population risk change is a more accurate measure of program success than return on investment (ROI)
  
• Why wellness incentives for compliance are more powerful than participation incentives
  
• Why the total health of an employee should be a key consideration

R The Latest on Retirement Plan Regulations
Speaker: Mary Komornicka, CEBS, Attorney, Larkin, Hoffman, Daly & Lindgren, Minneapolis, Minnesota

This year promises to be a major year for retirement plan regulations. The Department of Labor has announced its extensive regulatory agenda. This session will review the regulations, highlighting the most significant and/or troublesome; examine the possible problems and difficulties that plan sponsors may have with the regulations; and provide guidance on actions that need to be taken by the plan sponsor.

Takeaways from this session:

• Thorough understanding of new regulations
  
• Awareness of potential difficulties presented by the regulations
  
• Specific actions that plan sponsors can take relative to these regulations

G From Governance to Engagement: Maximizing Return Through Compensation and Communication Strategies
Speakers: James Sillery, Principal, Compensation Practice, Buck Consultants, Chicago, Illinois
Michelle Keefe, Communication Practice Leader, Buck Consultants, Chicago, Illinois

The bar has been raised for both compensation and communications. Governance is demanding that companies step up as global "good citizens." Shareholders want to be informed and have a voice. It is no longer enough to be right; decisions must be perceived to be right. This presentation shows how organizations can effectively integrate communications with compensation to build commitment and engagement on the part of all constituencies.

Takeaways from this session:

• How to communicate desired actions/outcomes to multiple stakeholders
  
• How to successfully communicate business imperatives
  
• How to proactively communicate to stakeholders

C What Can Be Learned From U.S. 401(k) Plan Autoenrollments?
Speaker: Robert Tangney, CEBS, Director, Compensation, Pensions and Benefits, The Woodbridge Group, Mississauga, Ontario

Due to the lack of regulatory guidance on CAPs, plan sponsors have been reluctant to consider features such as autoenrollment and autoincrease of contributions. Could plan members improve their returns without the need for certain investment decisions? This session will provide an overview of the pros and cons of U.S. 401(k) plan autoenrollment. Canadian plan sponsors will carry away lessons learned from a U.S. plan sponsor perspective in implementing autofeatures.

Takeaways from this session:

• Advantages of autoenrollment
  
• Issues to be aware of
  
• Whether it has produced more employee involvement

11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Fellowship Luncheon

.
1:15-2:15 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

H Benchmark Your Health Plan's Administration
Speaker: John Phelan, Technology and Management Consultant, Milliman, Westlake Village, California

The national health care reform debate has paid much attention to health plan administrative costs. In fact, health plans have a wide range of administrative costs. This presentation will assess the best strategies and investments for a benefit plan's own administrative spending. Attendees will be able to compare their own cost experience to Milliman's benchmark database.

Takeaways from this session:

• Benchmark your benefit plan administrative costs
  
• The right types of benchmark measures
  
• Better negotiations with vendors by understanding their costs

R Helping Employees Navigate Retirement: The State-of-the-Art in Retirement Income Solutions
Speaker: Lori Lucas, Executive Vice President Defined Contribution Practice Leader, Callan Associates, Chicago, Illinois

There has been considerable focus on helping employees accumulate assets for retirement. This session will provide insight into ways that defined contribution plan sponsors can provide retirement support to employees. The speaker will examine forces driving interest in retirement income products, the current regulatory/legislative landscape, and the scope of products available.

Takeaways from this session:

• Available retirement income solutions
  
• Pros and cons of retirement income solutions
  
• Understanding of the legislative/regulatory environment surrounding defined contribution retirement income solutions
  

G Department of Labor Update
Speaker: Ian Dingwall, CPA, Chief Accountant, Office of the Chief Accountant, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, DC

Get current, up-to-date information on recent DOL initiatives directly from an expert Department of Labor representative.

C The Strength of CAPs in Canada's Retirement Market
Speaker: William Kyle, Senior Vice President, Group Retirement Services, The Great-West Life Assurance Company, London, Ontario

Canada has one of the leading retirement savings systems in the world. There is room for improvement, however; and, with retirement savings reform on the political agenda, a unique opportunity exists to have governments recognize the strength of Canada's employer-sponsored capital accumulation plan (CAP) market. This presentation will discuss the issues of workplace plan access and retirement income adequacy for Canadians, as well as implementation and improvements to both access coverage and retirement income adequacy.

Takeaways from this session:

• Understand the three main solutions being discussed in Canada's pension reform debate
  
• Learn the issues and benefits associated with these proposed solutions
  
• Why Canada's retirement savings system is one of the world's strongest

2:30-3:30 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

H Stop-Loss Coverage - Getting Even More Important
Speaker: Eric Jacobson, CEBS, Senior Vice President, Willis, New York, New York

Stop-loss coverage is taking on more importance because it is increasing in cost faster than underlying medical trends. Large claims are generating higher dollar amounts surpassing plan maximum and health care reform is calling for removing plan limits. What is an employer to do? The presentation will review the underlying method for setting stop-loss levels and provide simple tools for establishing the proper level for each employer.

Takeaways from this session:

• Tools for setting proper stop-loss levels
  
• Formula for evaluating additional risk vs. premium savings
  
• Ways for identifying issues that create gaps in coverage

R Target Retirement Funds - Everything You Ever Wanted to Know
Speakers: Sheree Yoder, Director of Institutional Portfolio Management, M&I Institutional Trust, Kansas City, Missouri
Stephanie Napier, Vice President and Senior Trust Counsel, M&I Institutional Trust, Kansas City, Missouri

This session will explain the differences in how target retirement funds are managed. Glide paths, asset inclusion, asset allocation perspectives, behavioral finance conclusions and other variations of methodologies will be discussed. Industry trends related to target retirement funds will also be covered.

Takeaways from this session:

• How target retirement fund methodologies differ
  
• Identifying a philosophical approach when choosing a target retirement series
  
• The importance of education for retirement plan sponsor clients
  

G C Benefit Communication Is so 1980s: Market Your Benefits and Thrive
Speaker: John Moses, Communication Health Strategy Leader, Hewitt Associates, Bridgewater, New Jersey

The stakes are too high these days to approach your benefits communication like it's the 1980s. Communication needs to drive behaviors and drive value in this new world. This session will share several exciting tactics and examples to help you better market your benefits to today's employees.

Takeaways from this session:

• How to use data-based insights to segment and target your employee population
  
• Understand what motivates the different elements of today's diverse audience
  
• How to harness social, mobile and other new technologies to engage today's employees and their families

3:45-4:45 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

H Understanding Fiduciary Liability for ERISA Health and Welfare Plans
Speaker: Liliana Salazar, Esq., Director of Compliance, Wells Fargo Insurance Services, Torrance, California

This session will discuss how the MetLife Vs. Glenn and Unum decisions impact the new reporting and disclosure requirements, and the risks and obligations that plan fiduciaries must adhere to in their role.

Takeaways from this session:

• Identify when an employer acts in the capacity of an employer or plan sponsor vs. a plan fiduciary
  
• When a third party can act as a fiduciary
  
• Duties of a plan fiduciary and how to remain in compliance

R What Women Want (and Need) in Retirement - Retirement Living From A To Z
Speaker: Jan Cullinane, Retirement Living from A to Z, Palm Coast, Florida

The average American spends more than 90,000 hours working toward retirement but fewer than ten hours planning for it. The presenter will share the unique aspects affecting women (single and married) during this transition including the nonfinancial aspects of retirement.

Takeaways from this session:

• The seven secrets for a successful retirement
  
• What three questions a woman should ask herself before retiring
  
• How communication with personalized information drives women toward achieving greater success
  

G Do You Know Where Your Workers Are? Update on Worker Documentation
Speaker: Robert Jones, J.D., CPA, CEBS, CSCP, Chief Executive Officer, Innovative Compensation and Benefits Concepts LLC, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

This presentation will cover several areas: an FLSA update, what happens to noncompliant employers, FLSA requirements listed by category, what these categories mean, exceptions to the rules, and best practices should you come under audit.

Takeaways from this session:

• What should employers be doing?
  
• Steps employers can take to minimize their risk
  
• Steps to take if you come under audit

C Target vs. Asset Allocation Default Option - Balancing Choice
Speaker: Kevin Shand, F.S.A., F.C.I.A., Consulting Actuary, Benchmark Decisions Ltd, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Plan sponsors face the challenge of assisting plan members who may not want to take the time to manage their own investments. Asset allocation funds provide investment options that can assist these employees in achieving their retirement and savings goals. This presentation will provide an analysis of target vs. asset allocation options.

Takeaways from this session:

• Pros and cons of target and asset allocation options
  
• How to effectively communicate with plan members
  

8:00-9:00 a.m.

G Where Is the Economy Today and Where Is It Headed Tomorrow?
Speaker: Brett Hammond, Ph.D., Managing Director, Chief Investment Strategist, TIAA-CREF, New York, New York

The financial markets, labor markets, housing prices, the credit crunch, possible inflation - the economy continues to be "center stage." Dr. Hammond will provide attendees with information on the current economic state of affairs as well as projections for the remainder of 2010 and into 2011.

9:15-10:15 a.m.
Concurrent Sessions

H Transparent Benefit Cost Reductionin a Free-Falling Economy
Speaker: Michele Talka, CEBS, Director, Compensation and Benefits, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida

It was the perfect storm for a health care organizationÑexperiencing reduced revenues, increased charity care and a need to substantially reduce costs. The organization continued to struggle to find and keep high-quality health care employees. Creative thinking resulted in savings to the organization of millions of dollars with very little employee disruption. The presenter will cover the key elements to review, what external benchmarking is important, how to determine what changes have to be communicated and examples of the cost savings that can be realized.

Takeaways from this session:

• Key elements to review for savings
  
• How to benchmark plans to your labor market
  
• How to communicate the changes

R Is Your Retirement Plan Successful? How Do You Know?
Speaker: Mary Hollingsworth, Senior Vice President, Director of Client Communication, Product and Business Support, Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement and Trust, Charlotte, North Carolina

Defined contribution plans are now the primary retirement savings vehicle for employees. Companies invest significant time and money into their retirement plans, yet how do they know if they are getting the maximum benefit from the plan? This session will discuss measurements that can help sponsors select and implement programs to drive greater success for the plan and its participants. (The discussion will also include a case study example.)

Takeaways from this session:

• How to define and measure the success of your DC plan
  
• Changes you can make to improve its overall "health"
  
• How personalized communications help to achieve greater retirement success
  

G C Supporting Talent Management Through Benefits
Speakers: Eileen Hayden, CEBS, Assistant Vice President Health and Benefits, Aon Consulting, Austin, Texas
Veronica Harvey, Senior Vice President, Aon Consulting, Houston, Texas

Predictors indicate a talent shortage looming on the horizon, with significant implications for attracting and retaining key talent. The presenters will address what makes key talent stay or leave from the standpoint of psychological, career-based and competitive factors.

Takeaways from this session:

• How to address with leadership
  
• How to partner with human resources (HR) to align recruitment goals
  
• Surefire wins

10:30-11:30 a.m.
Concurrent Sessions

H Could Your Organization Be Healthier?
Speaker: Larry Luter,M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Meritain Health, Lutz, Florida

The workforce isn't getting any younger. One priority that shouldn't be overlooked is managing the increasing cost of health benefits for an aging workforce. This session will focus on the key drivers of health care costs; and it will provide attendees with information on how to improve employee health through workplace wellness programs and, in the process, manage short-term and long-term health care
costs.

Takeaways from this session:

• The key preventable drivers of employee health care costs
  
• Whether a wellness program is the right vehicle for managing health care costs
  
• What elements should be included in a program for managing costs

R The Trend in Participant Fee Disclosure for Retirement Plans
Speakers: Rob VandeVrede, CEBS, Founder, Definebenefits Inc., Charlotte, North Carolina
David J. Witz, Managing Director, Fiduciary Risk Assessment LLC (FRA) and PlanTools LLC, Charlotte, North Carolina

Although the basics of participant fee disclosure have not changed, what is currently new for plan sponsors and what should get their attention? How about a revised Form 5500, Schedule C, another 408(b) (2) disclosure regulation coming soon, and the beginning of a new industry of fee benchmarking service providers. This session will review these trends to help plan sponsors be more informed about fee disclosure requirements, how to compare tools that are currently available, and evaluate the merits of the available fee disclosure data.

Takeaways from this session:

• Identify and collect fees paid, services provided and revenue source for each service provider
  
• Review of companies collecting retirement plan fee and service benchmark data
  
• Evaluate merits of relying on independent firms
  

G C Centralizing Global Benefit Programs - A Case Study
Speaker: Paul Van Dyne, CEBS, Director, Global Compensation and Benefits, ACI Worldwide, Omaha, Nebraska

Consolidating global benefits for centralized administration and control can be a complex process, yet one that can yield administrative simplification and cost savings. The session will utilize a case study of how a midsized company (2,200 employees in 34 countries) has approached the consolidation of global benefits to achieve administrative and cost savings.

Takeaways from this session:

• Road map for global benefits consolidation
  
• Cost analysis methodology for consolidated benefits
  
• Practical suggestions for easing the pain in local areas