2009 Fiduciary Awareness Seminar Series

The 2009 Fiduciary Awareness Seminar Series is getting under way--to help small and medium business owners and executives better understand their roles and responsibilities as fiduciaries charged with the adoption, administration and management of company-sponsored 401(k) retirement savings plans.

In the current economic environment, many workers and employers are looking more closely at their 401(k) plans. But based on recent national surveys by Grant Thornton and Towers Perrin, many businesses are not adequately addressing their responsibilities under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), which may create burdensome liabilities and regulatory action. According to these surveys:

• 59% of employers provide little or no training for fiduciaries
• 71% of employers do have a clear chain of authority for their plan’s governance
• 73% of employers do not use an independent party to analyze plan fees

The Fiduciary Awareness Seminar Series is designed to provide a progressive sequence of educational sessions to help retirement plan fiduciaries better understand and address their responsibilities.

“A decade ago we offered a similar education program and saw large interest,” says Mark Gutrich, Chief Marketing Officer of Denver-based ePlan Services. “Today, with 401(k) plans being affected by market conditions as they are, we’re seeing business owners and executives take notice and start to feel the need for support.”

FA Associates is convening a panel of fiduciary experts for the seminar series from the fields of:

• 401(k) Record-keeping & Administration
• Employee Benefit Law
• Investment Management
• Retirement Plan Accounting

We'll address specific topics in these key areas of expertise. Noted ERISA experts from the legal and accounting professions will lead the seminar series, including:

• Anton, Collins, Mitchell
• Ehrhardt Keefe Steiner & Hottman PC (EKS&H)
• GreenbergTraurig
• Sherman & Howard

Financial advisors and plan administrators will also contribute panel expertise in the series, including:

• ePlan Services
• Sharkey, Howes and Javer

“We find again and again that it is difficult for our clients keep up-to-date on the complex and rapidly changing Department of Labor and IRS rules and requirements,” says Sandy Shoemaker, Principal at EKS&H. “Bringing together the disciplines of 401(k) Plan Administration, Employment Law, Retirement Plan Auditing and Investment Management is going to be uniquely beneficial to Colorado companies.”

“It’s by being proactive with ERISA education that business owners and executives can mitigate risk,” says Renee O’Rourke of Greenberg Traurig. “We hope to deliver a clear message of fiduciary awareness through participation in this educational seminar series.”

“As 401(k) plans have lost their luster as an effective recruitment or retention tool, Plan sponsors and HR managers we hear from are now rethinking their plan’s investment choices and design. They want to know what steps are needed to get their plan back on track. And as knowledge is power, they also want to be prepared for the myriad of 401(k) legislation Congress has introduced in the past few weeks that affects them and their advisors,” says Scott Brookes, Director at Sharkey, Howes and Javer. “This seminar offers to give independent, practical advice to those concerned about their plan, its performance or reducing the costs and liabilities associated with sponsoring them.”

The first of the 2009 Fiduciary Awareness Seminar Series will be held in Boulder and Denver, Colorado, beginning on May 13th in Denver. May 14th will be the first webinar of the series. For details please visit www.fiduciaryawareness.com.