The 18th annual event will return as an in-person conference at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on June 3-4.
As the only event merging a breadth of educational topics with discussions on the political and regulatory landscape, the Made in America 2021: Taft Hartley Benefit Summit will convene Taft-Hartley, multi-union, and public sector plans from both the labor and management sides, as well as investment and employee benefits communities.
The two-day event will feature more than 20 industry specialists who will discuss a variety of time sensitive topics, including potential political and regulatory changes and the future impact on trade unions, the impact of COVID-19 on investment and liabilities and how to build a cost-effective post pandemic health care member benefit strategy, and strategies to protect and preserve a pension plan in uncertain times.
Featured speakers include:
- Russell D. Kamp, managing director, Ryan ALM Inc.
- Bruce L. Perlin, assistant general counsel, Office of General Counsel, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)
- Michael D. Underhill, chief investment officer, Capital Innovations, LLC
- Andy Johnson, fund administrator, Teamster Center Services Fund
- Richard Dahab, CFA, chairman, CEO, Dahab and Associates
- Jim Maloney, director, IPPFA
Session highlights
Both days will open with general sessions, which will include:
A post-election discussion to explore the potential political and regulatory changes in the coming year and the future impact on trade unions, the investment implications, challenges, and opportunities of the election results and the potential impact on the pension reform, and how organizations are working toward improving a culture of inclusion and diversity.
A panel discussion on the future of apprenticeship programs to evaluate the impacts of the pandemic and how to be intentional about keeping the integrity of unions, recruitment strategies to target the next generation post pandemic and beyond, and the shared responsibility of incorporating diversity and inclusion programs.
A look at a new analytic strategy to surface excess health care costs to better understand what’s really driving trends, the three levers available to tackle increasing costs, how data can be used to identify excess costs with an impartial perspective. Presenters will also explore how one Taft Hartley plan used their data to identify high-cost areas and take actions.
Investments and liabilities and the impact of COVID-19 and future implications on Taft-Hartley plans to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on multiple-employer plans, the liquidity crisis and ramifications of underfunded pension funds and what plans can do to earn actuarial assumption, and action steps for plans to address escalating contribution expenses in a post pandemic world.
Following the general sessions, attendees will be able to choose between two track sessions: pension and investing and health care.
The pension and investing session topics include:
- Pension survival in uncertain times
- PBGC multiemployer plan update on the latest information on financials, reports, partitions, and guidance
- Strategize for conscious capital and turbulent times
- Opportunities and considerations of infrastructure investing to ensure success
- An American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) deep dive
- Re-align retirement contribution strategies for success
- Navigating real estate investment in a post pandemic world
The health care track sessions include:
- Build a cost-effective post pandemic health care benefit strategy
- Health funds in a post pandemic world and beyond
- Creating a game plan for cybersecurity
- Strategies to determine and challenge overbilling
- Effectively address the behavioral health crisis
- Innovative approaches to engage and retain members post pandemic
- Utilize new payment models for RX benefits to ensure member satisfaction and rein in costs
Click here to learn more about the Made in America: Taft-Hartley Benefits Summit, including the full agenda, registration information, and venue details.