Annual Board Retreat Archive

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2015 Board Retreat

On Thursday, February 19, 2015, the Department held its Seventh Annual Board of Fire and Police Pension Commissioners Offsite Educational Meeting at the California Endowment Center. This Educational Meeting for the Board and our stakeholders was designed to educate Board members and stakeholders on various issues and topics that are relevant to the administration of pension benefits and investments. Educational sessions included an update on Healthcare Marketplace and UFLAC’s Health Plans, Asset/Liability Studies 101, Capital Market Assumptions Education, Fixed Income, and Smart Beta.

The Educational Meeting was attended by several representatives from our member associations, including the Los Angeles Retired Fire and Police Association, Los Angeles Firemen’s Relief Association, Los Angeles Police Relief Association, Los Angeles Police Protective League, United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, and the Los Angeles Port Police Command Officers Association. The Board and staff thank you for your interest and support!

2015 Board Retreat Agenda

2014 Board Retreat

On Thursday, March 6, 2014, the Department held its Sixth Annual Board of Fire and Police Pension Commissioners Offsite Educational Meeting at the California Endowment Center. This Educational Meeting for the Board and our stakeholders was designed to educate Board members and all of our stakeholders on various issues and topics that are relevant to the administration of pension benefits and investments. Educational sessions included an Overview on Private Equity, Healthcare Reform, Healthcare Reform Panel discussion, GASB 67 and 68 Implementation, Asset Allocation Primer and Experience Studies 101.

The Educational Meeting was attended by several representatives from our member associations, including the Los Angeles Retired Fire and Police Association, Los Angeles Firemen’s Relief Association, Los Angeles Police Relief Association, Los Angeles Police Protective League, United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, Los Angeles Police Command Officers Association and the Los Angeles Port Police Command Officers Association. The Board and staff thank you for your interest and support!

Board Retreat Agenda 2014

2013 Board Retreat

The 2013 Board Retreat set out to accomplish the following objectives:

  1. To provide the Board with investment and actuarial education relevant to the issues they will be addressing as Trustees during the year;
  2. To provide the Board with the necessary background to help frame future discussions and policy decisions; and
  3. To assist the Board in understanding the correlation of these factors and decisions, their impact on the Fund, the Members, the City and other stakeholders.  

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Session 

Passive vs. Active Management To provide relative context to how we compare to other Systems, and to provide additional information to the Board on the relative advantages/disadvantages of each investment approach within the various Asset Classes.  

Speaker

​Jim Voytko, CFA – President, COO, Director of Research, Senior Consultant, RV Kuhns
Tom Lopez, Chief Investment Officer, LAFPP

Session 

Performance Measurement To review the various methodologies used by the investment community to evaluate managers and consultants.

Speaker

​Jim Voytko, CFA – President, COO, Director of Research, Senior Consultant, RV Kuhns
Tom Lopez, Chief Investment Officer, LAFPP

Session

Actuary 101 Training provide an introduction for some and a refresher for others on actuarial methodologies and concepts.

Speaker

Paul Angelo, FSA, MAAA, FCA, EA – Senior Vice President and Actuary, The Segal Company

Session

Fund of Emerging Managers Panel Presentation To provide the Board an opportunity to hear how the Funds of Emerging Managers identify and select Emerging Managers for their stable of managers.  To provide a forum to hear how these managers add value to the stock Portfolio, and to provide the Board with analytical tools that can be used in assessing decisions.

Speaker

Tina Byles Williams, CIO, CEO – Portfolio Manager, Global Equities, FIS Group
Les Bond, Jr., Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Attucks Asset Management

2012 Board Retreat

The 2012 Board Retreat set out to accomplish the following objectives:

  1. To help clarify the City’s ethics rules and to provide the Board with investment education relevant to the issues they will be addressing as Trustees during the year;
  2. To provide the Board with the necessary background to help frame future discussions and policy decisions; and
  3. To assist the Board in understanding the correlation of these factors and decisions, their impact on the Fund, the Members, the City and other stakeholders.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2012

Session

Ethics Education - Fiduciary Responsiblity

Speaker

Harvey L. Leiderman, Partner, Reed Smith, LLP
Alan Manning, Assistant City Attorney, Office of the City Attorney – Retirement Benefits Division

Session

Investment Education - Manager Retention and Watch List Policy Review

Speaker

Michael Ford, Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Senior Consultant, RV Kuhns

Session

Investment Education - Commodities Portfolio Structure

Speaker

Rebecca A. Gratsinger, CFA – CEO, Senior Consultant, RV Kuhns

Session

Investment Education - European Market Uncertainties - How Do We Respond As Investors

Speaker

Rebecca A. Gratsinger, CFA – CEO, Senior Consultant, RV Kuhns
Michael Ford, CFA, Senior Consultant, RV Kuhns

2011 Board Retreat

The 2011 Board Retreat set out to accomplish the following objectives:

  1. To provide the Board with an overview of the economic, political and legislative trends currently influencing defined benefit plans and an understanding of how they may impact LAFPP;
  2. To provide the Board with an overview of the actions that staff has taken to prepare for the impact that these economic, political and legislative trends may have on LAFPP; and
  3. To assist the Board in identifying a strategic path to further prepare the system to most effectively and efficiently mitigate potential threats and maximize opportunities over the coming year.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2011

Session

Investment Education – A Closer Look at Private Equity 
An overview of what private equity investing is, how private equity investments are made, the factors that drive the costs, expected risk and return, and how this asset class fits into our overall portfolio.

Speaker

Brian P. Murphy, Portfolio Advisors, LLC

Portfolio Advisors, LLC: Presentation to LAFPP Educational Retreat

Session

Ethical Decision Making  
Recent changes to Los Angeles ethics laws and rules with a focus on gifts, lobbying and direct communication with those seeking business with the Fund, followed by a discussion of various real life scenarios.  

Speaker

Renee Stadel, Office of the City Attorney, Integrity Division
Alan Manning, Office of the City Attorney, Retirement Benefits Division

Ethical Decision Making

Session

Joint Efficiencies and Their Impact on LAFPP
Summary of what we have done and are doing to reduce administrative costs and fees.

 
Speaker

Tom Lopez, Chief Investment Officer, LAFPP
Laura Guglielmo, Assistant General Manager, LAFPP
Joint Efficiencies and Their Impact on LAFPP

Session

Observations from China 
Discussion of his recent trip to China and share his observations and insights.

Speaker

Jim Voytko, R.V. Kuhns

Session

Pension Reform – What Does It Mean for LAFPP?
Summary of pension related Charter changes under consideration and recent legislative changes impacting Defined Benefit plans generally, the impact these changes may have on our current or future members and on staff who must administer the benefits, and what we are doing to prepare.

Speaker

Bill Raggio, Assistant General Manager, LAFPP
Robyn Wilder, Communications and Special Projects Manager, LAFPP 

Pension Reform - What Does It Mean for LAFPP?

Session

Health Care Reform
An overview of recent federal legislation regarding health care, what is still undecided, how pension funds, and LAFPP in particular, may be impacted, and what actions we have taken to prepare. 

Speaker

Thomas M. Morrison, Jr., The Segal Company
Robert Mitchell, The Segal Company
Greg Mack, Medical and Dental Benefits Manager, LAFPP 

Health Care Reform