2025 Annual Conference

Grand Registration

Grand Ballroom East

Sean McGarvey
President, North America’s Building Trades Unions
Chairman, NCCMP Board of Directors

Michael Scott
Executive Director, NCCMP

With the change in Administration and the shift to Republican control of both Houses of Congress, the political landscape of Washington, DC has changed dramatically. This session will discuss the changing majority, the impact on the relevant committees, as well as the current status of activity on the Hill and Agencies.

Kendra Isaacson
Principal, Mindset

Becca Alcorn
Senior Director, Mindset

Grand Ballroom East

The session will connect the dots on NABTU efforts in identifying infrastructure deal flow and its work with asset owners/investors to drive infrastructure investments, investment opportunities for our pension funds, and work for union members.

MODERATOR
Dan Pedrotty
Director of Capital Strategies, NABTU

PANELISTS
Sonia Axter
Managing Director & Head of Asset Management, Infrastructure, Ullico

Gerrard Bushell
Partner and Chair, The Carlyle Airport Group

Michael Cairns
Partner, NEPC

Jorge Ramirez
Managing Director Labor & Government Strategies, GCM Grosvenor

Adam Waltz
Managing Director, Global Infrastructure Partners (BlackRock)

• Presentation: Connecting the Dots on Infrastructure

If there is one thing that is certain, it is that the future will never play out exactly as we expect. Investment returns lower than expected, fewer contribution hours, unexpected employer bankruptcies or withdrawals or so much more can throw a monkey wrench into the works of the best funded plans. This session will consider the various risks that plans are exposed to, as well as practical ways that plans have mitigated those risks through investment allocation, annuity purchase, plan design and other strategies.

Robert Projansky
Partner, Proskauer

Jason Russell
Senior Vice President & Actuary, East Region Retirement Practice Leader, Segal

Annie Taylor
Managing Director, Senior Consultant, Sector Lead, Verus

• Presentation: Securing the Future - Strategies for Managing Pension Risk

Boxed lunch available in the Grand Foyer.

As always, one of the most important parts of this conference is the knowledge that YOU bring
to the table on the issues you are facing every day. This session offers you the opportunity to
take advantage of the attendees’ depth of knowledge to discuss your most pressing issues

Paul Green
Senior Counsel, Mooney, Green, Saindon, Murphy, and Welch

Eunice Washington
Executive Director and Counsel, SEIU Benefit Funds

As multiemployer plan funding continues to improve year over year, trustees, employers, and plan participants naturally start to wonder “What’s next?”—Should contributions be reduced? Can benefits be improved? Geared towards new trustees and those who would like to deepen their understanding of plan funding, this session will look at how plan trustees can begin to answer those questions as well as pitfalls they should keep in mind as they do so.

Ben Ablin
Senior Consulting Actuary, Horizon Actuarial

David Pazamickas
Senior Consulting Actuary, Horizon Actuarial

• Presentation: Your Plan is Well Funded - Now What

Many public pension plans and large asset owners have responsible contractor policies (RCP’s) that seek to ensure that investments in real estate and infrastructure are being monitored to ensure that those hired for construction and maintenance of properties are being treated and paid fairly. However, no such standards exist for assets in private equity. Until now.

This session will provide participants with model language that their Funds can adopt and use, some examples of large asset managers that have already adopted model language and a discussion on why funds should be concerned about responsible investment in private equity.

MODERATOR
Jennifer O’Dell
Assistant Director, Corporate Affairs, LIUNA

PANELISTS
John DeMairo
President & CEO, Segal Marco Advisors

Sonia Axter
Managing Director & Head of Asset Management, Infrastructure, Ullico

Jorge Ramirez
Managing Director, GCM Grosvenor

Steve Sleigh
Senior Advisor, Blue Wolf Capital

• Presentation: Responsible Investing - DeMairo

• Presentation: Responsible Investing - Axter

Some unexpected provisions of SECURE 2.0 are creating heartburn for current and future multiemployer 401(k) plans. This session will discuss the new requirement for catchup contributions to be made on a Roth basis for high-earners as well as the autoenrollment/ auto-escalation provisions of SECURE 2.0 and the challenges they create for both current multiemployer plans as well as defined contribution plans that add a 401(k) feature in the future and newly established multiemployer 401(k) plans. Speakers will also review proposed IRS regulations that provide some relief and efforts to secure further relief down the road.

Anthony Cacace
Partner, Proskauer

Terry Nelson
Vice President of Labor Relations and Business Development, Primacy

John Donohue
Principal and Relationship Manager Taft-Hartley Practice, Milliman

• Presentation: Pain Relief? IRS Guidance on SECURE 2.0

Grand Ballroom East–Please join your colleagues and peers for a brief networking reception before you begin your evening.

Grand Registration

Grand Ballroom East

The healthcare debate in Washington is raging far and wide. Whether it is pharmacy benefits reform, mental health benefits access and availability, or changing the tax status of healthcare benefits entirely, the impact of legislation and regulations under consideration in the coming year would be enormous. This session will discuss the latest from the Hill and the Agencies and what you need to know to stay ahead of the debate.

Kathryn Bakich
Senior Vice President, Health Compliance, Segal

Tara Bradshaw
Executive Director, Washington Council Ernst & Young

• Presentation: Healthcare Congressional Update

Mental health and mental health benefits are of utmost importance to trustees, members, and their families. This session will discuss DOL’s final mental health guidance, plans’ experience with enforcement, and how plans are continuing to provide quality benefits while complying with the challenging final rules, as well as the outlook for mental health parity under the new Congress and Administration.

MODERATOR
Merrilee Logue
Executive Director, BCBS National Labor Office

PANELISTS
Elena Lynett
Senior Vice President, Segal

Lisa Campbell
Principal, Health Services Co-Chair, Groom Law Group

Ben Conley
Partner, Seyfarth

• Presentation: Navigating Mental Health Parity

Grand Ballroom East

From the states to Congress to the FTC––pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) and PBM reform have been in the spotlight. Speakers will discuss recent efforts to enact pharmacy benefits manager reform at all levels of government, engagement outreach to and from multiemployer plans, and ERISA preemption challenges plans face with the ever more complicated state landscape.

MODERATOR
Eric Schrumpf
Executive Vice President, BeneCard PBF

PANELISTS
Tom Leibfried
Legislative Representative, AFL-CIO

Vanessa Flynn
Vice President, Senior Consultant, Segal

Michael Powers
Partner, O’Donogue & O’Donogue

Edward M. Smith was a tremendous friend to the NCCMP and a passionate advocate and supporter of the multiemployer community. From his earliest days with LIUNA in southern Illinois to Chairman and CEO of Ullico, Ed will always be remembered for his wisdom, passion, kindness, leadership, and the values that he lived and shared with all of us every day. America, LIUNA and the multiemployer community are better for having Ed Smith in our lives.

REMARKS:
Sean McGarvey
President, North America’s Building Trades Unions
Chairman, NCCMP Board of Directors

Michael Scott
Executive Director, NCCMP

Brian Hale
President and CEO, Ullico

Terry O’Sullivan
General President Emeritus of LIUNA
Chairman of Ullico

This session will explore a variety of benefits plan trustees have used to support their members’ ability to care for family through all phases of life, including maternity benefits, paid leave options, and the caregivers’ credit. Join our speakers for a discussion of what is possible, and leave with new ideas for ways your funds can assist members in caring for loved ones.

Dennis Kearney
Senior Vice President, Segal

Aruna Vohra
Senior Consultant, Horizon Actuarial

• Presentation: Supporting Members through Family Benefits

This session will address compliance issues of interest to retirement and health plan sponsors, and is intended to provide an informal forum for trustees and plan professionals to address a range of current issues relevant to plan administration.

Lori Waichman
Associate, Mooney, Green, Saindon, Murphy, and Welch

Ivelisse Berio LeBeau
Vice President and General Counsel, NEBA

• Presentation: 2025 Contemporary Compliance Issues

Even with the strong wages and benefits negotiated in the multiemployer system, members can struggle with the high cost of housing. This session will explore options for plan trustees to provide housing assistance benefits through multiemployer health and welfare funds, including examples from plans with existing programs.

John Harney
Adjunct Professor, UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law

• Presentation: A New (Old) Direction in Housing Benefits

A perennial favorite, this workshop provides an opportunity for you to participate in an open dialogue with representatives of the various regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over our plans regarding the most important topics you are facing.

You bring the issues. They bring the answers.

MODERATOR
Mariah Becker
Director of Research and Education, NCCMP

PANELISTS
Invited government speakers

Grand Registration

Grand Ballroom East

Former Assistant Secretary for the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), Lisa Gomez, will reflect on her time at the Department of Labor and lessons learned for the multiemployer community in the coming Administration.

MODERATOR
Mariah Becker
Director of Research and Education, NCCMP

Invited government speakers from PBGC and the Department of Labor

MODERATOR
Mariah Becker
Director of Research and Education, NCCMP

Michael Scott
Executive Director, NCCMP