National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS)

Public pensions face growing operational, cybersecurity, and reputational risks as legacy technologies lag. But what's the key to successful modernization? https://bit.ly/3QjuGiS

According to Frank Karpinski, principal consultant for Linea Solutions and former executive director of ERSI, successful modernization is rarely the result of technology alone.

"It is the product of aligned leadership — where boards and executive directors operate as partners, asking the right oversight questions and maintaining a shared focus on mission and public trust," he writes in his latest article.

🔗 Read it here: https://bit.ly/3QjuGiS

Have insights to share with community? Take the stage and make an impact at NCPERS Public Safety Conference: https://bit.ly/4uMkbUw

Held Oct. 25–28, 2026 in Nashville, the Public Safety Conference brings together nearly 400 pension trustees, administrators, and industry stakeholders.

Sessions cover a wide range of topics, including investment management, plan design, leadership, crisis management, and issues unique to public safety personnel.

📅 Proposals are due by July 31.

🔗 Learn more about the submission process: https://bit.ly/4uMkbUw

Don't miss the chance to showcase your expertise, build relationships, and help shape strategies that address challenges faced by public sector retirement systems today.

Registration is officially open for the NCPERS Public Pension HR Summit! https://bit.ly/4tUPNpr

✈️ September 23-25, 2026 | Phoenix, AZ

Through expert-led discussions and hands-on, peer-driven collaboration, attendees will explore practical strategies for recruitment, retention, compliance, and organizational resilience.

This immersive experience goes beyond learning—it’s about connecting with peers facing similar challenges, building a trusted network of support, and gaining insights that extend well beyond the Summit itself.

Register today and join fellow public pension HR professionals as you strengthen your organization’s workforce strategies. https://bit.ly/4vf0zrB

Don't miss out on complimentary access to compensation and bonus data for 100 common positions found at ! https://bit.ly/3y1RXfJ

📅 Submit your completed Public Pension Compensation Survey by Tuesday, June 2.

Conducted in partnership with CBIZ, Inc. , this annual survey helps public retirement systems evaluate their packages to ensure key positions are filled with qualified staff.

Participating organizations will receive a complimentary copy of the report this fall, and NCPERS members can also access an interactive dashboard to filter data further for more meaningful comparisons among peer systems.

❓Questions about how to participate? Contact us at [email protected].

As trustees face shifting regulations and legal uncertainty, it is critical to remain informed and engaged to protect your plan's participants: https://bit.ly/43sM081

Here are three key recent developments for to watch:

➡️ The DOL's proposed rule lays out a process-based safe harbor specifically designed for the task of selecting the investment options that appear on a retirement plan's menu. It is the most detailed federal description to date of what a prudent investment selection process looks like, and state courts evaluating public trustee conduct will inevitably use it as a reference.

➡️ Recent developments in private credit illustrate some of the liquidity and structural considerations inherent in this asset class — considerations that are particularly relevant for public pension systems evaluating whether to offer similar strategies in plans where individual participants direct their own investments.

➡️ Fiduciaries should monitor the forthcoming decision in Anderson v. Intel, a case that will decide whether plaintiffs suing over allegedly imprudent investment decisions must identify a "meaningful benchmark" at the earliest stage of litigation. This could reshape the litigation landscape for fiduciary breach claims.

🔗 Learn more: https://bit.ly/43sM081

Navigating Regulatory Change and Alternative Investment Uncertainty As trustees face shifting regulations and legal uncertainty, it is critical to remain informed and engaged to protect your plan's participants.

As we wrap up another impactful year of the NCPERS Annual Conference & Exhibition (ACE), we want to extend a sincere thank you to the sponsors who helped make it all possible. ✨ https://bit.ly/4t2IKMl

Your partnership plays a vital role in creating a space where public pension leaders can collaborate, share ideas, and tackle the challenges shaping the future of retirement security.

From meaningful conversations to valuable learning opportunities, your support helped power an unforgettable experience for the entire public pension community. Thank you for standing with us and investing in the mission that serves millions of public employees nationwide. 👏

J.P. Morgan Asset Management
BenefitsIQ by Deloitte
Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP
DIVIDEX Management
Northern Trust
Nuveen
NEPC
NISA
William Blair
Berwyn Group
Baillie Gifford
Gallagher
Segal
Abacus Intel
APSR (Alliance for Prosperity & a Secure Retirement)
Amova Asset Management
BLB&G (Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP)
Calamos
GoldenTree Asset Management
Investment Performance Services
Long Arc Capital
Mesirow
State Street
Wolf Popper

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Sign up to be notified of upcoming opportunities: https://bit.ly/3JlMKlR

The late afternoon sessions from yesterday’s day 3 of explored how public pension systems are thinking creatively about , modernization, and long-term . https://bit.ly/3PHWP2V

Julie Koeninger (US Agriculture) and Jamie Shen (PGIM) examined the growing role of and farmland investing within institutional portfolios, highlighting how real assets can provide diversification, income opportunities, and inflation-linked returns in an evolving market environment.

Frank Karpinski (Linea Solutions) and Jessica Hurley (Majesco) focused on the future of pension administration, discussing how systems can evaluate modernization efforts, improve operational efficiency, and navigate the challenges of legacy and fragmented processes.

Jaininne Edwards (District of Columbia Retirement Board) explored what Social Security can learn from public pension systems, emphasizing how long-term funding discipline, strategy, and governance practices can help inform broader conversations around and sustainability.

Patrick Messmer (Tampa Fire and Police Fund) closed the session block with a discussion on trustee oversight in today’s changing landscape, highlighting the growing importance of , transparency, and consistency in disability-related decision-making.

From portfolio diversification to operational strategy and retirement policy, the conversations throughout day 3 continued to reflect the broad range of challenges and opportunities shaping the future of public pensions.

Stay tuned as we wrap up the 2026 Annual Conference & Exhibition. https://bit.ly/3PHWP2V

✨ Day 3 conversations around member engagement wrapped up with Steph Robinson and Joshua Merck (BenefitsIQ Deloitte), who discussed how modern tools and personalized engagement strategies can help strengthen retirement readiness and support better member decision-making. https://bit.ly/3PHWP2V

ACE afternoon sessions then shifted focus to how infrastructure, policy, energy, and technology are reshaping long-term investment strategy.

Sarah O’Malley (Nuveen) and Jason McGaugh (Sustainability Partners) examined essential infrastructure as a source of fixed-income-like stability, outlining how contract-backed cash flows and disciplined underwriting can support long-duration pension liabilities while funding the modernization of critical systems like energy and water.

Darren Robbins (Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP) explored the implications of shifting U.S. market regulation, highlighting how evolving enforcement dynamics are changing the balance of power between issuers and investors—and reinforcing the importance of active governance and shareholder oversight.

Saad Qais (Schroders Greencoat) focused on the rapidly evolving U.S. power market, driven by surging demand from AI, data centers, and infrastructure growth, and the resulting implications for energy policy, supply constraints, and long-term investment opportunity.

Anthony Woodside (L&G Asset Management America) closed the block with a look at how AI is moving into fixed income markets, reshaping issuance, credit conditions, and portfolio construction as technology-driven financing demand begins to influence rates and capital flows.

A powerful set of discussions that tied together infrastructure, energy, governance, and technology—highlighting just how interconnected today’s investment landscape has become. https://bit.ly/3PHWP2V

🎉 Congratulations to the winners of NCPERS 2026 Champions Award and Pension Partners of the Year Award! https://bit.ly/4ugRuyw

As public pension systems operate in an increasingly complex environment, NCPERS leaders continue to emphasize the growing importance of sustained professional development and peer engagement across the industry.

This year’s recognition is especially meaningful as NCPERS marks 85 years of serving the public pension community—a legacy rooted in bringing people together to share knowledge, strengthen governance, and secure the retirement futures of millions of public servants.

🏆 2026 NCPERS Champions Award Winners:
- < $1B AUM: West Palm Beach General Employees’ Pension Fund
- $1B - $50B AUM: Orange County Employees Retirement System (myOCERS)
- > $50B AUM: Colorado PERA

Thank you to these public pension funds for demonstrating a strong commitment to ongoing education and leadership development.

🏅 2026 NCPERS Pension Partners of the Year Award Winners:
- Ice Miller LLP
- J.P. Morgan Asset Management
- Segal

Thank you to our service provider members for your continued contributions to advancing education and supporting best practices across the public pension community.

“Our industry benefits when professionals share knowledge and learn from one another,” Hank Kim said. “These award recipients demonstrate how ongoing engagement and collaboration can translate into stronger, more resilient pension systems.”

Swipe through for photos from the awards luncheon!

🎯 Day 3 of Annual Conference & Exhibition opened with conversations centered on evolving market dynamics, portfolio positioning, and the future of investment decision-making across public pension systems. https://bit.ly/3PHWP2V

Steve Hagenbuckle and Nicholas Vician (TerraCap Management LLC), Deborah LaFranchi (American South Capital Partners), and Michael Chiao (PIMCO) examined the changing U.S. housing landscape, discussing how affordability pressures, supply constraints, and shifting consumer trends are influencing opportunities across real estate and residential credit markets.

The discussion then turned to portfolio strategy and institutional leadership during a CIO panel moderated by Steve Meier (Neuberger Berman). John Skjervem (Utah Retirement Systems) and Stephen Gilmore (CalPERS) shared perspectives on navigating market uncertainty, balancing and risk, and integrating public and private markets within long-term portfolio frameworks.

Perry Giovannelli (Mariner) moderated a discussion with Chris Schiavone (400 Capital), Scott Couto (Star Mountain Capital), and Colin Caneff (ABS Global Investments) on how pension systems are looking beyond traditional allocations through and alternative investment approaches.

Rick Ratkowski (NISA) challenged traditional thinking around what defines true investment skill, encouraging attendees to look beyond market forecasting and focus on , allocation, and long-term decision-making discipline.

Eric Atwater (Aon) focused on the importance of strong pension plan hygiene, highlighting how governance, administration, , and fraud prevention all play a role in long-term sustainability.

Kwesi Quaye and Michele Chow-Tai (Fairview Capital) explored the growing role of venture capital within institutional portfolios and how plans are evaluating innovation-focused investments within broader strategies.

Steph Robinson and Joshua Merck (BenefitsIQ Deloitte) discussed how modern tools and personalized engagement strategies can help strengthen retirement readiness and support better member decision-making.

A strong start to the day with many more conversations still unfolding across day 3—each adding new perspective to how the industry is thinking about the road ahead. https://bit.ly/3PHWP2V