Webinars

Webinars

Our webinars dig into key operational areas, explore hot topics and evaluate trends. Offered in real time and on demand, webinars are a ready resource on a variety of important pooling topics.

Recent Webinars


Investment Allocation Strategies in a Hard Market

Tuesday, Sept, 12 at 2 p.m. ET

Public entity pools are facing a hard reinsurance market, escalating claims costs and inflation-driven expense increases. On top of that, increasing interest rates since 2021 have stressed the net position of many pools through unrealized losses in bond portfolios, and unrealized losses may limit flexibility to trade. 

Attend this session to learn about questions and considerations for your pool's portfolio, including:

  • What is the one question pools should be asking about their portfolio right now? 
  • What options do pools have to meet their cash flow needs? 
  • After cash flow needs are addressed, what sector of the market is attractive?
  • Are significant changes in portfolio strategy warranted?


Presenters
Dan Byrnes, CFA, is a Principal, Vice President, and Senior Portfolio Manager at AAM with over 20 years of investment experience. Dan’s primary focus is working with risk pools around the country to design appropriate portfolio strategies and manage investments. Dan has worked with risk pools for sixteen years and he speaks at various industry events. Prior to joining AAM, Dan worked as an accountant at CNA Insurance. Dan is CFA Charterholder and a member of the CFA Society of Chicago. Dan earned a BS in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago. 

 

View the presentations slides. 


Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement

June 13 at 2 p.m. ET

Public scrutiny of law enforcement agencies remains in the spotlight. Stories in the news, often accompanied by video footage, create many emotions and news stories that will be written throughout the coming months. At no time more than now is it important to find practical solutions to avoid mistakes and prevent misconduct.

This session will provide insight into the background, model and applicability of the Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE®) Project that teaches law enforcement officer practical skills and tactics to intervene in another officer’s conduct to prevent harm — and seeks to drive cultural change in the process. Attendees will learn about Utah Local Governments Trust's recent partnership with ABLE. This innovative program was launched in 2020 by Georgetown University Law Center and Sheppard Mullin, working closely with law enforcement and community stakeholders.

Resources

View the presentation slides.

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Past Conference Presentations

Public Entity Pooling Update

This recurring presentation provides a timely look at loss trends, reinsurance availability and pricing, and current pool operational issues — all of which in turn have an impact on pool coverages and services to members.

This presentation is appropriate for republishing by AGRiP members. Play the presentation at a meeting of your governing body or staff, or share it in other forums such as an annual membership meeting.

Information is presented by Executive Director Ann Gergen. Updates are posted here. Presentation slides also are available.

On-Demand Webinars

Governing Bodies

(Re)Educating Governing Body Members to Understand Their Role in Investment

[Jun. 14, 2022] ]This webinar will dive into a case study to review how a pool educated (and sometimes re-educated) current and new governing body members about the pool's investment process and their fiduciary responsibilities. You'll learn:

  • The governing body's role within a pool's investment operations
  • Common decision-making errors made by governing body members
  • How staff can help their governing body members become comfortable with the depth of their investment responsibilities

Speaker: Dan Smereck is Managing Director of Strategic Asset Alliance, an independent investment consulting firm that works exclusively with public entity pools and insurance companies.



View the presentation slides.

(Re)setting the Table for Generative Thinking

[Nov. 11, 2021] Management consultant Sara Peterson will explore how all the components of your governing body meetings (the information packets you produce, where people sit, etc.) help or hinder deep discussion and reflection on complex issues. You’ll learn about principles of decision-making, tips for revising agendas and materials, technology usage, room sets, and more.

View Presentation Slides

Challenging the Notion of “Efficient” Meetings

[Sept. 17, 2021] Management consultant Sara Peterson will explore why an “efficient” meeting isn’t always effective, help you identify the needs of your governing body, and share ways to “flip the script” on topics that require deep conversation, time and reflection.

View presentation slides

Demystifying Generative Governance

[Aug. 2, 2021] Management consultant Sara Peterson will define “generative thinking,” break misconceptions about types of governance thinking, and look at examples of what generative governance is and isn’t.

View presentation handouts

Executive Succession Planning Tips for Pool Governing Bodies

[June 6, 2021] AGRiP Succession Planning Resident Steve Trautman overviews key concepts and ideas pool governing body members can consider when preparing for or conducting succession planning.

In this session, you’ll learn:

  • How a governing body can prepare its pool for the transfer of work (rather than the transition of a person or title)
  • Why governing body members should think about talent risk management through a continuity lens

  • Five key succession planning questions every governing body should explore with its pool leadership

For more succession planning resources, visit our residency page.

The Role of Strategic Foresight in Governance

[Apr. 14, 2021] VRSA Managing Director Steve Craig presents an introduction to strategic foresight and how his pool used a strategic foresight project to energize and engage stakeholders as well as choose a desired future for 2030. Steve also reveals how VRSA has embedded strategic foresight into its governance, strategic planning and operations processes.

Watch this webinar to:

  • Understand the critical role of strategic foresight in governing
  • Learn how futuring is different than strategic planning
  • Get practical takeaways and resources for your pool

View presentation slides.

Read The Value of Foresight in a VUCA World.

Public Entity Pooling Update

[Feb. 4, 2022] Learn how public entity pools are being shaped by underlying loss trends in primary lines of coverage and other issues.  This webinar, appropriate for governing body members to watch individually or as a group, is presented by AGRiP Executive Director Ann Gergen. 

Watch this webinar to:

  • Gain insight into forces shaping primary lines of coverage including property, liability, workers’ compensation and employee benefits
  • Learn about timely pooling issues such as:
    • "New normal" property trends of wildfire, wind and water
    • Cyber, law enforcement and corrections, SAM, employment, election risk and pandemic liability
    • Pool and market responses to property, liability and workers' compensation challenges
    • Employee benefits trends
    View presentation slides.

    Conversations Every Pool Board Should Have

    [Aug. 28, 2019] Join public entity pool leadership staff and governing body members for a look at conversations that are critical to the success of every governing body.  Understand the roles the board members and the pool administrator play in the organization and how they collaborate to address member needs. Delve into the important questions that governing body members should be asking and how the answers affect the success of the pool. Learn the benefits to be achieved when the governing body focuses on the pool’s – and the board’s – future. Pool executives will increase their awareness of their role in facilitating these key conversations, and the importance of raising these issues long before conflicts arise.  

    Speakers are:

    • James deSpelder, Administrator/CEO of County Road Association Self-Insurance Fund (CRASIF)
    • Mary Sholander, Board Member, County Road Association Self-Insurance Fund (CRASIF)
    • Jonathan Shull, CEO, California Joint Powers Insurance Authority
    • Craig Stephenson, Board Member, Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group
    ​

    Elevating Board Performance Webinar Series

    Understanding Inclusivity
    [Apr. 21, 2019] This first of two sessions on building inclusive governance strategies will ground attendees in the definitions and science-based benefits of a governing body comprised of diverse viewpoints in this webinar presented by 2019 AGRiP Inclusion Resident Robin Stacia.

    Participants will identify ways to evaluate their governing body’s inclusivity needs and elevate its effectiveness through cognitive and demographic inclusion best practices. Stacia will also provide insight on how pools can start to set and achieve inclusivity goals.


    Implementing Inclusivity
    Pool leaders are uniquely poised to leverage cognitive and demographic diversity to enhance a pool’s governance performance. In this second webinar by 2019 AGRiP Inclusion Resident Robin Stacia, participants will learn five key actions every pool board can take to advance inclusivity while strengthening governance processes. The presentation will also identify values and opportunities for elevated cognitive and demographic inclusion, and consider methods to successfully implement inclusion practices.

    This is the second in a series of webinars designed to help attendees understand and apply inclusive governance practices. The first session will anchor attendees to the definitions and science.

    Implementing Inclusivity
    Pool leaders are uniquely poised to leverage cognitive and demographic diversity to enhance a pool’s governance performance. In this second webinar by 2019 AGRiP Inclusion Resident Robin Stacia, participants will learn five key actions every pool board can take to advance inclusivity while strengthening governance processes. The presentation will also identify values and opportunities for elevated cognitive and demographic inclusion, and consider methods to successfully implement inclusion practices.

    This is the second in a series of webinars designed to help attendees understand and apply inclusive governance practices. The first session will anchor attendees to the definitions and science.

    Risk Management

    Law Enforcement Mental Health

    [Feb. 14, 2023] Learn why and how a pool built a mental health program to support law enforcement officers filing increasing numbers of PTSD claims. You’ll get a look at how the pool used internal and external data to identify common member issues, understand why the pool created a toolkit of practical education for officers and local elected leaders, peer support groups and more. You’ll learn about early outcomes and what is on the horizon, as well as understand how such a program can support your first responders.


    View the presentation slides.

    View the Public Safety Mental Health Action Guide

      

      

    U.S. Supreme Court Update

    [Sept. 13, 2022] This fast-paced, energetic webinar provides insight into the impacts of actions of the U.S. Supreme Court on local entities and public entity pools.

    Watch the webinar, below, in which Lisa Soronen, Executive Director of State and Local Legal Center, we talk about cases that impact to first amendment/free speech, second amendment/gun control and law enforcement.




    View the presentation slides.

    Creating Inclusive Medical Plans

    [April 11, 2023] Learn about ways your pool can prioritize diverse, equitable and inclusive care in the medical plans your members offer. The session will help identify gaps in medical plan data by comparing claims data and social determinants of health among plan participants, share tactical design changes that improve access for all, and offer steps pools can take to differentiate their offerings. 

    Attend this webinar to learn:

    • How to identify gaps in your medical plan data by comparing claims data and social determinants of health in your pool’s plan participants

    • Tactical medical plan design changes that improves access to quality care for all

    • Steps to differentiate your benefit offerings helping your members retain and recruit top talent

     



    View the presentation slides.

    Reducing Medication Related Errors Through DNA Testing

    [Apr. 12, 2022] Take a look at how a health pool developed a program to help people understand how their DNA affects their bodies’ responses to medications and the potential for health issues. Learn:

    • What pharmacogenomics is and how it can be used to support employee groups
    • Examples of information provided by this emerging technology
    • Hurdles faced such as health data privacy and limitations in medical records
    • How the pool is funding the new program
    • How the pool's governing body has been instrumental in the development of this program

    Speakers: Wendy Parker is Executive Director of HealthTrust, a pool based in New Hampshire that provides medical, dental and other health benefits to employees of the state's schools, towns, cities, counties and other public entities. Scott Megill is President and CEO of Coriell Life Sciences.


    View the presentation slides.

     

    Emergency Succession Planning

    [Jan. 8, 2020] AGRiP Succession Planning Resident Steve Trautman shares a practical framework for managing the unexpected departure of key leaders within your pool. The tools presented will help you:

    - Define the qualities, tasks and relationships unique to your pool’s leadership roles

    - Prepare for and conduct emergency knowledge transfer in a limited period of time

    - Reduce the risk of losing key skills by transferring them to multiple successors

    - Measure whether knowledge and skills were transferred successfully

    Presentation Slides

    ​

    [Dec. 8, 2020] In this webinar, Dan Smereck of VP-level QEI Patron Strategic Asset Alliance explained how pools of different types are dealing with the uncertain investment environment and how today’s economy indicates where markets might be headed. Dan utilized a blind peer analysis of pooling client portfolios to help explain how investments are being impacted by current events. Attendees also gained initial insight into the practice of environmental, social and governance investing (i.e., ESG investing).


    ​

    Public Entity Cybersecurity: Risks, Mitigation & Breach Response

    [Jan. 8, 2020] Identify more than a dozen areas of cybersecurity interest to pools, using real-world examples as well as steps pools can take to reduce risk and respond to a cyber attack. Presentation Slides »

    ​

    Preventing Employment Claims: Lessons from CIS' Hire to Retire Program

    [Aug. 7, 2018] Discusses how Citycounty Insurance Services (CIS) in Oregon started to experience a rapid increase in employment claims and the development of their Hire to Retire (H2R) program, a targeted risk management program designed to help CIS members find and address the root cause of employment claims by supporting the entire employment lifecycle. Presentation Slides »

    Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)

    [Jan. 8, 2020] The accelerating unmanned aircraft industry, utilization and implications for pools and public entities. Presentation Slides »

    Leadership

    What Good Leadership Looks Like


    What Good Leadership Looks Like

    Originally aired Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 2 p.m. ET

    Public entity pools are seeing an increasing number of new top executives. Some of these executives have taken the helm of their pool from inside the pool, others from another pool and some are joining pooling from private industry. 

    This webinar is a chance to:

    • Think through what leadership is for a pool executive
    • Identify a list of what "good" looks like




    View the presentation slides. 

    View the worksheet. 

    [Jan. 8, 2020] The accelerating unmanned aircraft industry, utilization and implications for pools and public entities. Presentation Slides »