Pre-Conference Meetings Descriptions

Information Technology Topical Interest Group Pre-Conference Meeting

The purpose of the IT Group is to leverage our business and technology experience and knowledge to better support the missions of our organizations. This session is a forum for sharing ideas and information pertaining to current initiatives, discussing and evaluating technological trends and innovations that can add value, and soliciting outside experience to further augment our knowledge in new and emerging technologies relevant to our operations. This session is open to everyone that wishes to attend.

Retirement Benefits Topical Interest Group Pre-Conference Meeting

The primary topics will be benchmarking (How do we know if we're doing a good job?) and the 2006 pension legislation (What will it mean for church retirement plans?). Panelists will share insights on these topics. Other topics may include pensions for low-salaried clergy and lay workers, retirement planning software, financial coaching, and financial reporting.

 Health Benefits Topical Interest Group Pre-Conference Meeting

The pre-conference meeting of the Health Benefits Committee serves as our main annual meeting. Updates on current projects will be given, including coalition activities, the benchmarking project and the United Methodist clergy health survey. In addition, we will be planning for 2007 and beyond.

Communications Topical Interest Group Pre-Conference Meeting
ALL ARE WELCOME to attend the pre-conference!!! (You are also invited to become a committee member.)

Today's communicator promotes the organization's mission. This requires effective strategic planning, best-practices implementation, and up-to-date content and compliance knowledge. The Communications Pre-Conference meeting begins with Suzanne Cuccurullo, who will address the importance of strategic communications planning. Uniquely qualified to assist us in this crucial area, Suzanne is VP Plan Sponsor and Participant Strategy with Fidelity Investments Tax-Exempt Services Company. Next, Curt Sharp, Executive Officer, Denominational & Public Relations, Guidestone Financial Resources, and a long-time committee member, will describe a specific example of long-range strategic planning. Finally, Bryan Martinez, VP Product Management with Fidelity Investments, will bring us up to speed on technical and compliance issues affecting communicators.