National Association of State Treasurers
2760 Research Park Drive
Lexington, KY 40578-1910

859-244-8175
859-244-8053 (fax)

nast@csg.org
www.nast.net

Conference Power Points and Handouts

Click on the highlighted speaker to download Power Point or documents of interest. Speakers are broken down by session tract.

Banking, Cash Management and Investments
Unclaimed Property
College Savings
Debt Management

Getting the most out of your banking services
Discuss how new systems have reduced the need for paper by facilitating electronic communications between state agencies and banks.
Presenters:
Elaine Emans, Washington State Treasury
Jacqueline Biss, Washington State Treasury
Mike Gallanis, Treasury Strategies Inc.

Check 21: The First Month
A review of issues that arose during implementation of the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act. Other topics
will include e-check and image clearing, shifting consumer collections from paper to electronic, and fraud/identity challenges.
Presenter:
John Gannon, The Bank of New York

Innovations in Treasury Management
Experts will discuss how recent developments in information technology have improved treasury operations and service. Included will be a review of efforts to centralize online transactions across state government.
Presenters:
Hon. Michael Ablowich, New Hampshire State Treasurer
Michelle Prebula, Alaska Department of Revenue
Hon. Jody Wagner, Virginia State Treasurer

Electronic Payment Solutions
States have modernized their payroll functions and eliminated paper checks for their employees. This panel will focus on the other ways in which states have utilized electronic payments for
benefit disbursements.
Presenters:
Elaine Emans, Washington State Treasury
Jacqueline Biss, Washington State Treasury
Chris Jesmer, U.S. Bank

Operational Risk in a Public Fund Environment
This session will focus on identifying operational risk and developing a management structure with the tools and
processes to effectively reduce these risks.
Presenters:
Kevin Talty, Ohio State Treasury
Edward Neeck, J.P. Morgan
Ed Blount, ASTEC Group

Investments: Short Term
A panel of financial managers will discuss money markets and other short term investment tools that states can use for
liquidity. Attendees will hear about the latest products available to states and how they can be successfully implemented.
Presenters:
Michael Markowitz, UBS Global Asset Management
James Womack, Atlanta Capital Management
Maral Nigolian, Astor Wood Financial

Unclaimed Property

Comprehensive Examination and Overview to Include Priority Rules
Survey the unclaimed property landscape,audit, compliance, legal, legislative updates and emerging issues. This session is designed for new and experienced auditors and administrators.
Presenters:
Debbie Zumoff, Keane
Suzanne Darling, ACS Unclaimed Property Clearinghouse
Darling Presentation Two

Special Issues Regarding Unique Property Types
A panel of experts will discuss unique property types and other issues such as royalties, mineral rights, payroll cards, demutualization, transfer agent duties, and electronic transactions.  The audit perspective will be included as well as what the states are doing and provide feedback. 
Presenters:
Paula Smith, ACS Unclaimed Property Clearinghouse
Smith Demutualization
Kathy Janes, Oklahoma State Treasury
Hon. Jeb Spaulding, Vermont State Treasurer

All Aspects of Successful Outreach
Session panel will explore locating owners and holders, identifying the correct target while automating the process. High points will include all facets of the relationship between the state, holders, claims processing, owners, NAUPA, and MissingMoney. The importance of frontline staff practicing consistently excellent customer service techniques will be stressed. 
Presenters:
Ron Crouch, Idaho Tax Commission
John Fisher, West Virginia Treasury
Hon. Jody Wagner, Virginia State Treasurer
Lucinda Kellison, Arizona Department of Revenue

Holder Education and Compliance Initiatives That Work
Experts will demonstrate detailed methods for successful holder education programs and effective compliance approaches. 
Presenters:
George Tamayo, Texas Office of Comptroller and Public Accounts
Elizabeth Dhillon, Oregon Department of State Lands

Applying Case Law to Compliance
Selected legal issues that impact state unclaimed property will be examined including Texas vs. New Jersey and Delaware vs. New York to include the audit perspective.
Presenters:
Robert Griffin, Audit Services U.S. LLC
Samuel Larosa, Kelmar Associates LLC

Approaches to Evaluating the Risk of Unclaimed Property Fraud
Learn how and where unclaimed property offices have discovered fraud. Examples of claims, holders and audit discovery of fraud will be reviewed in detail. Innovative techniques to increase reporting will be introduced that recognizes fraud in companies and may reduce fraud risk for a holder.  
Presenters:
Carole Huberman-Talerico, Pennsylvania State Treasury
Geraldine Long, Pennsylvania State Treasury

Compliance is Our Goal
State unclaimed property programs ensure compliance with the relevant abandoned property laws through a range of approaches to holder compliance, desk audits, self-audit guidelines, mailings and voluntary compliance programs.  Successful techniques will be outlined that can stand alone or work with audit efforts to maximize compliance. 
Presenters:
Alissa Camp, Illinois State Treasury
Daniel Corcoran, Arizona Department of Revenue
Carolyn Legg, West Virginia State Treasury
Desk audit letter (Word Document)
Analysis worksheet (Excel Spreadsheet)
Used for Training (Word Document)
Used for Training (Excel Spreadsheet)

New Concepts in Unclaimed Property Auditing
This session will review cutting-edge concepts in unclaimed property auditing including computer programs and queries that can be run against your own databases to analyze reporting histories and select viable audit candidates. Experts will discuss the New York, Iowa and Delaware models including looking at preparation for specific procedures.    
Presenters:
Mel Kurman, New York State Comptroller's Office
Stephen Larson, Iowa State Treasury

Administrative Issues in Unclaimed Property
Experts from state programs and private consultants will provide tips and techniques by using technology more effectively to assist productivity, motivate employees and make offices run more efficiently.
Presenters:
Ron Schubin, New York State Comptroller's Office
Ken Wagers, ACS Wagers Unclaimed Property Solutions
Patti Wilson, Washington Department of Revenue
Kathleen Lobell, Louisiana State Treasury
Michael Ryan, Mellon Financial Corporation

College Savings

Section 529 Plan Operations
An in-depth discussion of processing deposits and withdrawals, paper vs. paperless processing, rollovers, payroll deduction. 
Presenters:
Jim Fadule, Upromise Investments, Inc.
Amy Gregory, Hartford World Advantage
John Heywood, The Vanguard Group

Securities 101
Continuing investigations into the financial services industry has created a greater need for states to understand securities law.  This session will provide an overview of the securities that are typically used to create investment options in 529 plans.  The discussion will also focus on federal securities law, and the authority and roles of the SEC and MSRB.
Presenters:
Mary Anne Busse O'Donnell, Office of the Maryland Attorney General
Mary Simpkins, United States Securities and Exchange Commission  

Managing the Public/Private Partnership
Examine the state’s responsibilities under IRC 529. Review the
program models states have developed to meet these
requirements and discuss how to monitor program manager
performance. 
Presenters:
Andrea Feirstein, AFK Consulting LLC
Chris Lynch, TIAA-CREF
Kathleen McGrath, Pennsylvania Tuition Account Program

Rising Tuition Rates and Prepaid Tuition Programs
Examine trends in college tuition increases and the impact on prepaid tuition programs. The session will include discussion of strategies that are used to price prepaid tuition programs across the country and the development of sound investment policies to meet program goals.
Presenter:
Alan Perry, Milliman USA

Restructuring Your 529 Plan
As savings plans “mature” and market activities provide
opportunities to enhance the plans, states are making changes to
increase participant options. State administrators will share their
experiences about the challenges to improve their programs.
Presenters:
Marty Olle, EdVest College Savings Program
Charles Bockway, West Virginia State Treasury

Marketing and Managing the Prepaid Program
A forum for prepaid program administrator to discuss issues that
are currently impacting the plans. Topics will include, how to position prepaid plans with other college saving vehicles, joint marketing of 529 prepaid and savings plans, working with the legislature to insure the viability of the program and re-opening a prepaid program after suspended enrollment.
Presenters:
Lara Belfranin, InTuition Solutions Inc.
Larry Lee, Guaranteed Education Tuition
Nancy Stephens, College Illinois!

The Fundamentals of Good Disclosure for a 529 Plan
An update of the CSPN Disclosure Principles and issues surrounding the standardization of disclosure.
Presenters:
Elizabeth Bordowitz, Finance Authority of Maine
Kenneth Roberts, Delafield & Wood

Increasing Participation in Your 529 Plan
This session will examine strategies designed to reach special
populations, attract low and moderate income families, the
successes of marketing on the Internet, and generating non-paid
program publicity.  
Presenters:
Margaret Clancy, Washington University
Shannon Ferguson, Georgia Higher Education Savings Plan
Carrie Douglas Fong, ScholarShare Investment Board

Legislative and Regulatory Update
Members of the CSPN Federal Initiatives Task Force will update the conference on Department of Treasury proposals, securities regulation issues, financial aid treatment and public relations to promote college savings.
Presenters:
Dan Ebersole, Georgia State Treasurer
Brian Krolicki, Nevada State Treasurer
Michael Ablowich, New Hampshire State Treasurer
Jackie Williams, Ohio Tuition Trust Authority

Debt Management

Hot Issues in Debt Management
Panelists will examine current issues relating to auction rate debt, electronic disclosure, tax treatment of lease transactions, and federal rules relating to bond counsel opinions.
Presenters:
Dan Black, Municipal Advisory Council of Texas
John Cross, Hawkins, Delafield & Wood
Frank D'Ercole, Robinson & Cole LLP

Measurement of Debt Capacity
This session will explore how the rating agencies measure overall state debt capacity, exploring basic debt rating methods, and how the agencies look at the diversification of debt, fixed-versus variable-rate debt, and short-term debt.
Presenters:
Claire Cohen, Fitch Ratings
Robin Prunty, Standard and Poor's
Dora Fazzini, Virginia State Treasury

The Latest in Sales Practices and Policies
This session includes discussions and presentations on negotiated versus competitive sales, pricing bonds at a premium, and sales to retail customers.
Presenters:
Monika Conley, Public Resources Advisory Group
Don O'Brien, Morgan Stanley

Transportation Funding Issues
This session will include a discussion of the way states are funding highways, contributions to mass transit, GARVEES, and other transportation funding transactions.
Presenters:
David Rush, Bear Stearns
Jim Smith, Merrill Lynch
Richard Raphael, Fitch Ratings

Swaps and Other Derivatives
Learn how swaps and derivatives work, when they should be used, why they should be used and the management thereof after the swap including accounting, risk management and unwinding.
Presenters:
Eden Perry, Standard & Poor's
Gary Heinz, Sachs & Co.
Michael Marz, First Southwest Company
Jere McGuffee, Morgan Keegan
Milton Brown, UBS Financial Services
Nat Stinger, Bear, Stearns and Co. Inc.

Arbitrage Issues
The arbitrage rebate requirements create a complicated landscape of regulatory tax compliance requirements for bond issuers. Panelists will discuss current developments in arbitrage, including arbitrage management.
Presenter:
Terence Burke, Ernst & Young 

Sarbanes-Oxley for the States
This session will review the Sarbanes-Oxley Act financial reporting rules, governance and board structure requirements and auditing rules to see how these concepts may be followed to may be followed to enhance the efficiency and transparency of public sector financial functions.
Presenter:
Nancy Valley, KPMG