Pensions in doubt?

By Matthew Biddle

NEW YORK — As investors and retirees brace themselves for the impact of a low-return environment, pension fund experts will share their insights in a panel discussion hosted by the University at Buffalo School of Management in New York City.

“Pensions in Doubt: Retirement fund managers discuss challenges of a low-return environment” will be held from 8-10 a.m. Oct. 26 at SUNY Global Center, 116 East 55th St., New York.

The panel will examine the challenges of generating high returns, strategies that pension fund managers and individual investors can use to operate effectively today, and the implications this environment will have for policy issues and workers who are approaching retirement.

Ray Joseph, BS ’94, will moderate the discussion. Joseph brings to the panel 20 years of experience in institutional investment management, asset allocation, internal and external equity and fixed income portfolio management, and private market transactions. Joseph has served as chief investment officer for the U.S. Department of Interior, the State of New Jersey’s Division of Investment and Verizon’s Yellow Pages.

As the second event in the UB School of Management’s Business and Society series, the discussion will also feature the following experts:

• Scott C. Evans, deputy comptroller for asset management and chief investment officer, Office of New York City Comptroller: In his role, Evans is an investment advisor to the New York City Retirement Systems, the nation’s fourth-largest public pension fund, which has more than $165 billion in assets and provides benefits to more than 700,000 members, retirees and beneficiaries.
• Gregg S. Fisher, BS ’92, founder, head of quantitative research and portfolio strategy, Gerstein Fisher: Fisher founded Gerstein Fisher in 1993 to offer a quantitative investment management approach grounded in sound economic theory and efficient implementation through technology. Today, he leads the firm’s quantitative research and investment strategy efforts and serves as head of quantitative research and portfolio strategy for the $8 billion investment management organization at People’s United Bank.
• David P. Richardson, PhD, managing director of research, TIAA Institute: Richardson researches public pensions, employer retirement benefit plans and household financial security. Prior to joining the TIAA Institute, he served as senior economist for public finance at the White House Council of Economic Advisers and as a financial economist in the Office of Tax Policy at the U.S. Treasury.
• Cristian Tiu, PhD, associate professor and chair, Finance Department, UB School of Management: An expert on investments and risk management, Tiu has presented and published research in top finance journals on hedge funds, university endowments and asset pricing. His research also has been featured in major media, including Bloomberg, CNBC, Vanity Fair and Fast Company.

The event will begin at 8 a.m. with a continental breakfast, followed by remarks from Paul Tesluk, professor and dean of the UB School of Management, and the panel discussion from 8:30-10 a.m. Register by Oct. 23 at ub-connect.com/pensionsindoubt. For more information, contact School of Management’s Alumni Engagement and External Relations Office at mgt-alumnievents@buffalo.edu or 716-645-3224.