In April, the thoughts of UWRA members turn to pensions because that is when we hear an annual report on last year’s performance and the future prospects of the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS).
Our speakers are the leaders of the State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB), which manages the investment portfolio of the WRS, and the Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF), which administers retirement, insurance, and other benefit programs for around 650,000 active and retired state employees. This detailed annual report gives us insight into the policies and practices that govern the management of WRS and, importantly, income projections that are helpful in planning our personal finances.
Edwin Denson joined SWIB in 2018 as managing director, asset and risk allocation. He was appointed executive director/chief investment officer in April 2021. Before joining SWIB, Edwin was managing director, strategic tilting, at Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). Prior to joining CPPIB in 2013, Edwin spent 13 years in asset allocation, currency, and risk management as a portfolio manager at William Blair & Co., managing member at Singer Partners LLC, and managing director and head of asset allocation at UBS Global Asset Management. Earlier in his career, he was an economist at Lehman Brothers, Primark Decision Economics, and Putnam Investments, and he also briefly managed a commodity trading adviser and a quantitative equity strategy. Edwin holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Cornell University and a PhD in economics from Northwestern University.
Rochelle Klaskin, Deputy Executive Director and Chief Administrative Officer, joined SWIB in 2015 as its chief legal counsel before becoming deputy executive director/chief administrative officer. Throughout her more than 20-year career, she has led and advised organizations on board governance and legal matters, daily operations, and strategic transitions and planning. Prior to joining SWIB, she was a shareholder in the corporate practice group at the law firm Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., and she served as the managing partner of the firm’s Madison office. She earned her law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law and a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
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Todd Mattina, Head Economist, Asset & Risk Allocation CIO, joined SWIB in early 2023 and is responsible for taking a broad view of economic conditions in developing, recommending and implementing SWIB’s asset allocation and other policies for allocating the investments of the fully funded Wisconsin Retirement System. Monitoring capital market conditions and maintaining valuation models, he will support the agency’s investment divisions and determine how best to leverage economic policy to address opportunities, risks and challenges.
The Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF) is the state agency administering retirement, insurance, and other benefit programs for active state and local employees and for retirees participating in the WRS.
John Voelker, ETF Secretary, will provide projections for future Core and Variable fund annuity adjustments, and highlights of the design elements that keep the WRS strong and fully funded. He was appointed Deputy Secretary of the Dept. of Employee Trust Funds in July 2014. Immediately prior to his appointment the served 11 years as the Wisconsin Director of State Courts. During his 22 years with the court system, he also served as the Assistant to the Chief Justice and as a Senior Policy Analyst. A native of Menasha, Wisconsin, he holds a Bachelor’s degree from UW-Oshkosh.
This presentation will be recorded.
If you have preliminary questions for the speakers, please send to Program Coordinators Tom Eggert at tleggert@wisc.edu and Sandi Haase at sandi.haase@wisc.edu by Thursday, April 10.
Food Pantry Contributions:
Checks payable to UW-Foundation, with "Open Seat" on the memo line may be mailed to UWRA at the address below.
Registration Deadline: Friday, April 11.
Registration:
Advance registration is required. You are encouraged to register online. To register by phone or email, call the Association office. If you or your guest registered for this seminar but cannot attend, please cancel your registration online, or email/call the UWRA office.
UW-Madison Retirement Association
21 N Park St, Room 7205
Madison WI 53715-1218
608-262-0641
retireassn@mailplus.wisc.edu
