April 26-27, 2004
About the Conference
This symposium focused on pension policy and changes needed to support development of pensions in the coming years as we move toward the retirement of the baby boom cohort. Participants examined recent trends in retirement patterns and drew implications for the future of retirement. This symposium marked both the 30th Anniversary of ERISA and the 50th Anniversary of the Pension Research Council.
This symposium was a Wharton Impact Conference sponsored by the Wharton School’s Pension Research Council and Boettner Center for Pensions and Retirement Research.
Co-organized by Olivia S. Mitchell and Robert Clark
Conference Agenda
APRIL 26, 2004
Session I: Introduction
- James Klein, ABC: “Looking Backward, Looking Forward: Where is Pension Policy Headed?” (paper available here)
- Pamela Perun and Eugene Steuerle, Urban Institute: “Reality Testing for Pension Reform” (paper available here)
Session II: Redefining Retirement in the 21st Century
- Patrick Purcell, CRS: “Older Workers: Employment and Retirement Trends” (paper available here)
- Katharine Abraham, Univ. of Maryland and Susan Houseman, Upjohn: “Work and Retirement Plans Among Older
Americans” (paper available here) - Discussant: Anna Rappaport, Mercer
Session III: Managing the Retirement Promise
- Janemarie Mulvey and Steven Nyce, Watson Wyatt: “Strategies to Retain Older Workers: Balancing the Retirement
Promise with a Changing Workforce” (paper available here) - David McCarthy, Imperial College: “The Employment Aspects of Pension Contracts: A Portfolio Theory Approach” (paper available here)
- Discussant: Don Elbaum, Ford
Session IV: Pension Fund Management and Transparency
- Keith Ambachtsheer, KPA Advisory: “Why Pension Fund Management Needs a Paradigm Shift” (paper available here)
- Gary Anderson, TMRS and Keith Brainard, NASRA: “Profitable Prudence: The Case for Public Employer Defined
Benefit Plans” (paper available here) - Discussants: Ronald Albahary and Joseph Miskel, Merrill Lynch Retirement
- Douglas Fore, TIAA-CREF: “Why Changes in Accounting Practices Might Matter to Pension Funds” (paper available here)
- Bill Arnone, Ernst & Young: “Educating Pension Plan Participants” (paper available here)
- Discussant: Martha Priddy Patterson, Deloitte
Reception & Dinner
Speaker: David Blitzstein, UFCWIU
APRIL 27, 2004
Session V: In Search of a New Pension Paradigm
- Annika Sunden, National Social Insurance Board of Sweden: “The Future of Retirement in Sweden” (paper available here)
- Masaharu Usuki, NLI Research Institute: “Influence of Financial Characteristics on the Choice of Pension Plan Type:
Managing A Portfolio Consisting of Pension Liabilities” (paper available here) - Silvana Pozzebon, HEC: “The Future of Pensions in Canada” (paper available here)
- Discussant: Stephen Utkus, Vanguard
Session VI: Round Table Round Table discussion: Larry Kochard, VRS; Kathleen Roin, IBM; Mark Smith, Loomis, Sayles & Co.
Floor Discussion
Closing Remarks: Olivia Mitchell