association of public pension fund auditors professional ......spring 2014 appfa professional...

Spring 2014 APPFA Professional Development Conference Las Vegas, Nevada 1

Association of Public Pension Fund Auditors Professional Development Conference

(17.5 CPE Hours)

May 4-7, 2014 Las Vegas, Nevada

Embassy Suites Convention Center Las Vegas 3600 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89169

Tel: 1-702-893-8000

Photo Credit: Las Vegas News Bureau

tel:17028938000


Sunday, May 4, 2014

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Welcome Reception

Monday, May 5, 2014

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM Registration

8:30 AM – 8:45 AM Welcome, Introduction and Logistics Greg Beck- APPFA Vice President Chief Auditor, Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System 8:45 AM – 9:15 AM Nevada PERS- Opening Remarks Tina Leiss- Executive Director Public Employees’ Retirement System of Nevada

9:15 AM – 10:15 AM Working Together – Internal Audit and Enterprise Risk Management

Marci Bush Sundbeck, Director of Risk Management Employees Retirement System of Texas

10:15 AM – 10:30 AM Break 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Public Pension Policy – A National Review Dana Bilyeu- Executive Director National Association of State Retirement Administrators

12:00 PM – 1:15 PM Lunch 1:15 PM – 3:30 PM Roll Call of the States Greg Beck- APPFA Vice President Chief Auditor, Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System

3:30 PM – 3:45 PM Break 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM Sinfulness in Sin City: Insights into Employee Fraud in Las Vegas Ralph Villanueva - IT Security and Compliance Analyst

The Las Vegas Hotel and Casino

6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Group Dinner at Bahama Breeze

Conference Agenda

Location: Chancellor I

Location: Ambassador Ballroom

Location: 375 Hughes Center Drive, Las Vegas


Tuesday, May 6, 2014


8:30 AM – 9:20 AM Markets, Emerging Issues and Concerns that All Investment and Derivative Auditors Should Be Aware Of

Barbara Davison- President and Audit Principal Investment Training and Consulting Institute, Inc.

9:20 AM – 9:30 AM Break

9:30 AM – 10:50 AM Hot Topics for Auditing Investments and Derivatives

Barbara Davison- President and Audit Principal Investment Training and Consulting Institute, Inc.

10:50 AM – 11:00 AM Break

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Keys to Public Pension Investment Success Ken Lambert- Chief Investment Officer Peavine Capital

12:00 PM – 1:15 PM Lunch

1:15 PM – 2:35 PM Best Practices Committee: Risks and Controls for Missing Retirees APPFA Best Practices Committee Moderator: Flerida Rivera-Alsing, State Board of Administration of Florida Panel Members: Dinah Arce, Texas Teachers Retirement System Bernard Glick, Arizona State Retirement System Erin Gorney, Wyoming Retirement System Jennifer Hymel, Texas County and District Retirement System Greg Slone, Ohio Public Employee Retirement System Bruce Woolley, New York State Teachers’ Retirement System

2:35 PM – 2:50 PM Break

2:50 PM – 3:50 PM The Patriot Act’s Worst Enemy: The Traditional Fund Transfer System that Evades Surveillance

Sassan Cyrus Parandeh, Treasurer ChildFund International

4:00 PM APPFA Board Member’s Business Meeting Board members only need attend

Conference Agenda



Wednesday, May 7, 2014


8:30 AM – 9:45 AM Establishing and maintaining a Quality Assurance Improvement Program (QAIP) Teresa Snedigar - Director of Internal Audit Indiana Public Retirement System

9:45 AM – 9:55 AM Break

9:55 AM – 10:45 AM Preparing for and passing a Quality Assessment Review

Teresa Snedigar - Director of Internal Audit Indiana Public Retirement System

10:45 AM – 11:30 AM Positive Impact for Nevada: Nevada PERS Public Relations Lynette Jones, Director of Member and Retiree Services Public Employees’ Retirement System of Nevada

11:30 AM Conference Adjourns

Conference Agenda



Welcome, Introduction and Logistics Greg Beck, CIA, CPA, CISA, CIDA, CFE, CGFM Chief Auditor Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System Greg is the current APPFA Vice-President. He began his career at the Missouri State Auditor’s Office in 1988 and is currently the Chief Auditor for the Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System (MOSERS). He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Central Missouri. He is a Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Information Systems Auditor, Certified Public Accountant, Certified Investments and Derivatives Auditor, Certified Fraud Examiner, and Certified Government Financial Manager.

Nevada PERS – Opening Remarks Nevada PERS’ Executive Officer, Tina Leiss, will give a brief overview of the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Nevada and highlight some of its unique aspects that distinguish it from some of its public pension peers.

Tina Leiss Executive Officer Nevada Public Employees’ Retirement System

Tina was appointed Executive Officer of the Public Employees' Retirement System of Nevada in September 2013. Prior to her appointment as Executive Officer, Ms. Leiss was the Operations Officer of NVPERS since 2004,

where she oversaw all aspects of benefit administration, including survivor, disability, and retirement benefit programs. Prior to her tenure at the Retirement System, Ms. Leiss was a Senior Deputy Attorney General with the Nevada Office of the Attorney General. In that capacity, she served as the System's legal counsel, representing the System in a variety of aspects from benefits litigation and contracts analysis to Board governance. Ms. Leiss also served as legal counsel for a number of state agencies including the Office of the Military, Commission on Tourism, Commission on Economic Development, and various professional licensing boards.

Prior to her public employment, Ms. Leiss was in private practice for seven years, representing clients in many areas of law including civil litigation, bankruptcy, and insurance issues. Ms. Leiss is a current member of the National Association of Public Pension Attorneys, the Government Finance Officers Association, the State Bar of Nevada, and an inactive member of the Oregon State Bar. She received her juris doctor from Willamette University College of Law and her B.A. from Oregon State University.

Working Together – Internal Audit and Enterprise Risk Management Over the last few years, there has been a shift for Internal Audit and Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) activities to work together, yet maintain their respective positions. But how do the two forge an alliance? We’ll take a look at:

• What is ERM and why is it becoming increasingly important

• The roles of Internal Audit and Enterprise Risk Management

• How Internal Audit and ERM can support each other

• The benefits of an effective ERM program to Internal Audit

Monday, May 5, 2014


Marci Bush Sundbeck Director of Enterprise Risk Management Employees Retirement System of Texas

Marci is the Director of Enterprise Risk Management at the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) after over 25 years of internal auditing experience with state agencies, including 20 years in ERS’ internal audit department as both a staff auditor and the Director of Internal Audit. Marci is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), and holds a Certification in Control Self-Assessment (CCSA) and a Certification in Risk Management Assurance (CRMA). Marci received a BBA in Accounting from Texas A&M University. She is a Director of the Austin Area Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and serves on the Board of Governors for the Institute of Internal Auditors – Austin Chapter. Marci is a Past President of the Association of Public Pension Fund Auditors as well as a member of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Young Men’s Service League, a non-profit organization that initiates and encourages young men and their mothers to pursue philanthropic involvement in their community.

Public Pension Policy- A National Review The presentation is an overview of the most recent Public Funds Survey-2013. It designed to provide general trend information for approximately 120 of the largest public pension plans in the country, including assets and

liabilities, funding, demographics, and actuarial assumptions. Further, a review of national policy issues, and recent research will be addressed. Finally federal regulatory and state legislative recent trends will be reviewed.

Dana Bilyeu Executive Director National Association of State Retirement Administrators

Dana K. Bilyeu was appointed as executive director of NASRA in September 2013. Before joining NASRA, she served as the executive officer of the Public Employees' Retirement System of Nevada since 2003. She was responsible for all aspects of fund management including analysis of plan funding, investment oversight, operational and strategic planning, and fiduciary and governance issues. Prior to her appointment as the executive officer, Ms. Bilyeu served for eight years as the System's operations officer, overseeing benefit administration, including survivor, disability, and retirement programs. Before coming to work at the System, Mrs. Bilyeu was the System's legal counsel in the Office of the Nevada Attorney General, representing the System in benefits litigation, contracts analysis, Board governance and fiduciary issues. Ms. Bilyeu is in her second term on the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB). FRTIB administers the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) which is an independent Federal agency overseen by five presidentially appointed board members and an Executive Director.

Monday, May 5, 2014

http://www.nvpers.org/

http://www.nvpers.org/


The TSP is a retirement savings and investment plan for over 4.5 million Federal employees and members of the uniformed services, including the Ready Reserve. Ms. Bilyeu also served as a member of the Social Security Advisory Board from 2007 through September 2010. The Advisory Board is an independent, bipartisan board created by Congress and appointed by the President and the Congress to advise the President, the Congress, and the Commissioner of Social Security on matters related to Social Security and Supplemental Security Income programs. Ms. Bilyeu received her juris doctor from California Western School of Law and her B.A. from the University of Arizona. Roll Call of the States A representative from each participating organization will speak to the group about current audit areas, ongoing projects, and recent legislation affecting their pension fund. They will discuss how they get results, overcome obstacles, and prepare for issues in their audit shops. Dialogue will be facilitated by Greg Beck, APPFA Vice-President, to present possible solutions for problems and ongoing issues. The session is designed to prompt networking by identifying peers working on similar projects or facing similar challenges. Greg Beck, CIA, CPA, CISA, CIDA, CFE, CGFM Chief Auditor Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System Greg Beck is the Chief Auditor at the Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System (MOSERS), which is located in Jefferson City, Missouri. He has been in this position since February 1, 2001.

In this capacity, he is responsible for the performance of all internal audits and special reviews at MOSERS. Prior to joining MOSERS, Mr. Beck held the following positions; Manager of Financial Management and Policy for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Program Evaluator for Missouri General Assembly, and Senior Auditor for the Missouri State Auditor’s Office. Mr. Beck has an undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of Central Missouri. He is a Certified Internal Auditor, a Certified Public Accountant, a Certified Information Systems Auditor, a Certified Investments and Derivatives Auditor, a Certified Fraud Examiner, and a Certified Government Financial Manager. He is a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Missouri Society of CPAs, the Association of Public Pension Fund Auditors, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and the Information Systems Audit and Control Association. He is currently a board member for the Association of Public Pension Fund Auditors. He is a past president, vice-president, and treasurer of the Central Missouri chapter of the Institute for Internal Auditors (IIA).

Sinfulness in Sin City: Insights into Employee Fraud in Las Vegas This session aims to discuss how internal auditors can mitigate the incidence of employee fraud through analysis of real and recent cases in Las Vegas. Moreover, since fraud cuts across industries and demographic boundaries, this session will show why internal controls in gaming and entertainment are just as relevant in ensuring the viability and continuity of public pension funds.

Monday, May 5, 2014


Session Objectives

• To discuss the recent cases of employee fraud in Las Vegas

• To point out lessons which the attendees can apply in strengthening their pension fund’s internal controls

Meanwhile, have a great rest of the week and welcome to Las Vegas.

Ralph Villanueva CFE CIA CRMA IT Security and Compliance Analyst The Las Vegas Hotel and Casino

Ralph Villanueva is a Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Internal Auditor and Certified in Risk Management Assurance with over 20 years’ professional experience in accounting, auditing, financial management and fraud examination in the US, Philippines and other Asia-Pacific countries. He is currently an IT Security and Compliance Analyst at The LVH – Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, where he oversees the company's compliance with the company's IT internal controls, Nevada gaming regulations on IT and COBIT or Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies. He previously worked for several for-profit and non-profit organizations where he uncovered substantial employee fraud. Ralph is an active member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), the Information Systems and Control Association (ISACA) and the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA). Ralph is an Advanced Communicator and public speaker with the Las Vegas Toastmasters Club, and has spoken professionally in several cities in North America

such as Vancouver, British Columbia, Las Vegas, Nevada and Cambridge, Massachusetts. Group Dinner at Bahama Breeze Island Grille 375 Hughes Center Drive Las Vegas, NV 89109

Bahama Breeze is a unique combination of Caribbean-inspired food, handcrafted tropical drinks, vibrant atmosphere, and people happy to be of service. Bahama Breeze is the restaurant that brings you the feeling of a Caribbean escape.

• Transportation will be provided to take attendees to the restaurant.

• The bus leaves at 5:30. • After dinner, APPFA attendees will have

the option to go to the Las Vegas Strip with the same transportation service.

Monday, May 5, 2014

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Session One: Markets, Emerging Issues and Concerns that All Investment and Derivative Auditors Should be Aware Of If understanding Investments and Derivatives were easy and the markets were predictable, we would not be reading in the paper about the million dollar bonuses that get paid to traders, portfolio managers and Chief Investment Officers every year ….or would we? Something to think ponder on awhile but rest assured, investments and derivatives can be tricky at times and the markets are far from predictable. In this session, let’s discuss what SHOULD be keeping your Chief Investment Officer pacing the floor at night; other than what the big pay-outs will be. Market volatility, risk with no return, new securities, rising interest rates, manipulation in the key indices….and let us not forget our favorite subject, Dodd Frank Regulation. Session Two: Hot Topics for Auditing Investment and Derivatives Everyone today seems to have their “top ten” list for something ….. ever since David Letterman made the concept famous. This session is going to follow the tradition. We will start off the session discussing the top 10 areas that every Pension Fund Auditor should look for in their investment and derivative audit programs and why. Then we will discuss the ten most common audit findings that seem to hit the audit reports of an Investment and Derivative Audit. Now, you are a smart group thinking…why wouldn’t those be linked. Keeping you in suspense is part of the fun! And if you are wondering.. “Top Ten according to who?”….Do you ask David Letterman that question when you see his on television? Seriously!! See you in May.

Barbara Davison CIA, CIDA, CISA, FLMI President and Audit Principal Investment Training and Consulting Institute, Inc.

Barbara Davison is currently President and Audit Principal of the Investment Training and Consulting Institute, Inc. (ITCI), located in Auburn, Kansas. ITCI provides training and audit consulting in the areas of Investments, Derivatives, and Risk Management to Board of Directors, Management, Operations and Auditors. ITCI is dedicated to training and assisting auditors in conducting their investments and derivatives audits through a very popular and successful co-sourcing arrangement with internal audit. Over the last 17 years, ITCI has been globally recognized as the company that has developed the niche expertise in this highly complicated area and has consulted or trained for over a 1,000 companies in various industries. In 2001, ITCI began sponsoring the highly specialized certification program, the Certified Investments and Derivatives Auditor, for investment auditors, which is now recognized in 36 different countries. Barbara is a distinguished faculty leader for the International Institute of Internal Auditors, where she has served for more than 25 years. She is a Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Information System Auditor, Certified Investments and Derivatives Auditor, a Fellow of the Life Management Organization and the author of five books on investment and derivative auditing: Auditing Investment Activities, Auditing Derivatives Strategies, Auditing Merger and Acquisitions Strategies,



Understanding and Auditing Investments and Derivatives, and The CIDA Study Guide, Second Edition. Previously, Barb obtained her Series 7 and Series 65 from the National Association of Security Dealers (NASD) which has since been named to FINRA. Prior to forming ITCI, Barbara was vice president of a financial institution where she directed investment operations for the general account and mutual funds. Her responsibilities also included portfolio management of two mutual funds, which were part of a $7 billion portfolio. Prior to her seven years in investments, Barbara was AVP and Manager of Internal Audit for six years, where she was responsible for the management of corporate audit activities, computer security, information systems audits and assisted in new business strategies.

Keys to Public Pension Investment Success This session will review current public pension investment industry trends, but also discuss key investment principles that have proven successful over time for institutional investors. An organization’s investment culture, along with consistency, patience and cost management play a much more important role in generating investment returns than the newest investment product. We will explore some of these factors that contribute to long term success for institutional investors

Ken Lambert CFA, CAIA Chief Investment Officer Peavine Capital

Ken Lambert CFA, CAIA is Chief Investment Officer of Peavine Capital. He formerly served as Chief Investment Officer of the $31 billion Public Employees’ Retirement System of Nevada (PERS), where he spent 17 years overseeing investment strategy and administration and currently serves as the fund’s Investment Strategist. During his tenure as Chief Investment Officer, Nevada PERS ranked among the top 25% of large public pension funds in the country for both return and risk adjusted return. He graduated from the University of Nevada with a degree in Finance and Economics. He holds the designations of Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) and is a member of the CFA Institute and the CAIA Association. Ken is past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Association of State Investment Officers and is currently Chairman of the Board of the Pension Fund Data Exchange.

Best Practices Committee: Risks and Controls for Missing Retirees Do you know where your retirees are? Are they still alive? Why do you need to know where they are and alive? A panel will discuss some of the issues we all face and struggle to address: how to locate missing retirees, what if they are living abroad, how to make sure they are still alive, what is the acceptable amount of time and effort needed to find them, what does ERISA require, are there best practices for address searching, people searching, etc. APPFA Best Practices Committee Moderator: Flerida Rivera-Alsing, State Board of Administration of Florida



Panel Members: Dinah Arce, Texas Teachers Retirement System Bernard Glick, Arizona State Retirement System Erin Gorney, Wyoming Retirement System Jennifer Hymel, Texas County and District Retirement System Greg Slone, Ohio Public Employee Retirement System Bruce Woolley, New York State Teachers’ Retirement System Flerida Rivera-Alsing Flerida Rivera-Alsing is the Chief Audit Executive of the State Board of Administration of Florida (SBA). Among the over $167 billion in assets under management are those of the Florida Retirement System (FRS) Trust Fund. The FRS is the fifth largest public pension fund in the United States. As the chief audit executive of the SBA, Flerida bears primary responsibility for directing a comprehensive audit program providing assurance and consulting services, overseeing all external auditors, financial statement audits of 64 wholly-owned entities, joint ventures, funds, and special purpose entities. Flerida also oversees the agreed upon procedures and tax compliance of 56 wholly-owned entities and joint ventures. Flerida works independently with extensive latitude for initiative and independent judgment within limits of accepted auditing standards and established policy. Prior to joining the SBA, Flerida was Vice President – Treasury Services at HSBC and previously was Audit Manager at Ernst & Young. Flerida received her MBA degree from the University of Florida. She currently holds seven certifications – Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Investments and Derivatives Auditor, Licensed International Financial Analyst, Certified Information Systems Auditor,

and Certification in Risk Management Assessment. Flerida also received The Institute of Internal Auditors’ (The IIA) Internal Assessor/Validator Qualification Certificate. Flerida is the current President of The IIA Tallahassee Chapter. She also serves as the Chair of the Best Practices Committee of the Association of Public Pension Fund Auditors. She is a regular speaker/moderator at national/local conferences, provided training on a number of topics, and participated in Roundtable Discussions at the invitation of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB). Her name is included in The IIA’s database of excellent-rated speakers. Dinah Arce Dinah Arce is a Senior Auditor at the Teacher Retirement System of Texas where she has performed audits in benefits, general accounting, investments, health care, and staff facilities for the past 10 years. She has also worked with TRS management and staff for a number of years developing process maps of business activities and identifying risks and controls. Dinah also developed the “Surprise Inspection” project currently being incorporated in TRS’ Internal Audit Annual Audit Plan. With over 25 years of audit experience, Dinah has worked as an auditor at the State Auditor’s Office and as a Regulatory Accountant at the Public Utilities Commission. Before moving to Austin, Texas, she was Director of Internal Audits at the Hidalgo County Auditor’s Office in Edinburg, Texas. Dinah began her audit career working for several CPA firms in Edinburg and McAllen, Texas. Dinah is active in the Austin Chapters of the Institute of Internal Auditors and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. She has made a number of presentations for both and is currently the chair of the Public Relations



Committee of the IIA Austin Chapter. She has also served as Secretary, a Board of Governor, and participated on several committees of the IIA Austin Chapter. Dinah graduated from Pan American University (now the University of Texas Pan American at Edinburg, Texas) with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M University in Kingsville, Texas). She holds certifications as a CIA, CPA, CFE, and CIDA. Bernard Glick Bernard Glick is the Chief Auditor for the Arizona State Retirement System. He joined the ASRS in 1998 and became a member of APPFA in the same year. Bernard has over thirty years of experience in the auditing profession. Focused and highly defined capabilities in all facets of public, private, and governmental auditing Bernard is a graduate of Wayne State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor, and Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM). Erin Gorney Erin Gorney has served the Wyoming Retirement System (WRS) as its Employer Compliance Auditor since 2009. WRS administers nine separate defined benefit pension plans comprised of over $7.5 billion and over 700 participating employers and 65,000 members/retirees. Erin’s principal focus for WRS is ensuring that the fund is operated fairly and equitably for employers and members. Erin earned a B.S. in Finance and a Master of Business Administration from the University of

Wyoming. She is a Certified Internal Auditor and holds a Certificate in Risk Management Assurance. She has also passed the Series 6 and Series 63 examinations through FINRA. Jennifer Hymel Jennifer Hymel is the Director of Compliance Assurance at the Texas County and District Retirement System. As such, her duties include internal audit and administrative performance benchmarking. Prior to the creation of this role in 2006, she served as the Director of Member Services, Director of Planning and Development, and as a project manager. She received Bachelor and Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. Greg Slone Greg Slone is the Manager of Internal Audit. He is responsible for conducting and managing internal audit engagements at Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS). He joined the organization in January 2005. OPERS manages over $80 billion in retirement assets and it is among the top ten largest statewide public retirement systems in the country. The system serves over 340,000 members working in Ohio’s state and local governments and over 190,000 retirees. OPERS provides comprehensive retirement benefits including pension, survivor, disability and health insurance protection. Greg is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Greg is also a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Information Systems Auditor and Certified Fraud Examiner.



Bruce Woolley Bruce Woolley is the Assistant Manager of Internal Audit of the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System. He is responsible for audit and consulting engagements for member related services and information technology. Bruce has a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Accounting from Siena College in Loudonville, NY, and a Masters in Business Administration from the College of St. Rose in Albany, NY. Bruce is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Information Systems Auditor, Certified Fraud Examiner, and holds Certifications in Control Self-Assessment and Risk Management Assurance.

The Patriot Act’s Worst Enemy: The Traditional Fund Transfer System that Evades Surveillance This is a fascinating presentation that talks about how easily people can launder money into and out of the United States using traditional practices that are outside of the American banking system. It shows how even the strongest anti-terrorist laws (such as the Patriot Act) fail and how terrorist organizations still can fund operatives anywhere in the world as they please. This presentation has won many awards and Mr. Parandeh has been invited to present it over and over again at the US Department of the Treasury, Association of Financial Professionals, law enforcement agencies, banks (JP Morgan Chase, BB&T, Bank of America), Association of NGO Treasurers, BAI, and Inside-NGO.

Sassan Cyrus Parandeh Treasurer ChildFund International

Sassan Cyrus Parandeh is the Treasurer of ChildFund International, an international child development non-government organization. Mr. Parandeh is a Certified Treasury Professional with 23 years of global finance experience from Dole Food Company, Litton Industries, Inc, City of Long Beach in California, as well as NGOs and private equity sectors. He is a doctoral candidate at Georgetown University with an MBA from Loyola Marymount University, a master of public administration degree (MPA) and bachelor’s degree in economics from California State University, Long Beach. Mr. Parandeh is a regular contributor to the AFP Exchange Magazine, the Journal of Corporate Treasury Management and the Journal of Business Continuity and Emergency Planning.




Session One – Establishing and maintaining a Quality Assurance Improvement Program (QAIP) -What is involved in the program -New guidance provided as part of the updated Quality Assessment Manual from the IIA -Discussion of what your peers are doing for their QAIP Session Two-Preparing for and passing a Quality Assessment Review -Options available for the External Assessment required by IIA (Full External Assessment or Self Assessment Independent Validation) -What your team needs to do to get ready for external review -Peer Reviews who is doing them and how are they arranged -Sharing of best practices

Teresa Snedigar Director of Internal Audit Indiana Public Retirement System

Teresa Snedigar is the Director of Internal Audit for the Indiana Public Retirement Systems (INPRS). This state agency handles retirement funds for the majority of public service employees throughout the state of Indiana including education professionals, firefighters, police officers, legislature, state and municipal employees. The fund manages over $28 billion in assets. She has over 20 years in the Internal Audit profession and has implemented new departments for two organizations.

Prior to joining INPRS, Ms. Snedigar worked for Finish Line Inc, The Titus Group consulting company, Great Lakes Chemical, SAFECO Insurance, Lincoln National Group, Hillenbrand Industries, and Accordia Insurance.

Ms. Snedigar has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Indiana University. She also holds the following professional designations; Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Information Systems Auditor, and Certified in Control Self- Assessment

She is a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors, Information Systems Audit Association, and the Certified Fraud Examiners. She instructs and speaks nationally on a variety of Internal Audit topics.

Positive Impact for Nevada: Nevada PERS Public Relations This program will provide the attendees with a leading practice that may be useful when communicating to stakeholders or evaluating the organization’s communications with stakeholders. The presentation will discuss NVPERS efforts to educate retired and active members about the System and their benefit structure. The NVPERS communication program is designed to be a higher-level educational session for members and retirees who are interested in learning about our mission, the investment program, and the structure and funding of the system. The program highlights the value of NVPERS to our members, retirees, public employers and the state of Nevada as a whole.

Lynette Jones Director of Member and Retiree Services

Wednesday, May 7, 2014


Public Employees’ Retirement System of Nevada Lynette Jones has been an employee of NVPERS since May 1984. In her current position as the Director of Member and Retiree Services, she is responsible for one-on-one and group retirement counseling, the development of educational programs for members and retirees, and the management and coordination of agency’s call center.



The Association of Public Pension Fund Auditors (APPFA) Professional Development Conference is a group-live conference designed to further enhance participants’ auditing skills and provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and concepts. Attendees should have a basic knowledge of accounting and auditing procedures, practices, and theory. There is no experience requirement and no advance preparation is needed. Attendees will receive an attendance certificate following the completion of this conference. Auditing and accounting professionals may qualify for a total of 17.5 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits by attending this conference, which is designed to comply with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Statement on CPE Standards.

APPFA is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors; state boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be addressed to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors, 150 Fourth Avenue North, Suite 700, Nashville, TN 37219-2417; Website: www.nasba.org

About Your Sponsor

http://www.nasba.org/


Registration, Hotel, Airport Transportation and Other Information

Registration Information The conference registration form and fee of $325.00 should be received by Friday, April 4, 2014 to reserve your place at the conference. Click on the link below for the conference packet, including the online registration form. http://www.appfa.org/2013/05/las-vegas-nv-may-4-7-2014 The registration fee includes materials, Sunday night reception, lunches, breaks and the group dinner on Monday, May, 5, 2014. Refund Policy Refunds are available if a written cancellation notice is received 10 business days before the conference. Refunds will not be issued after that date. For more information regarding administrative policies, please visit our website at www.appfa.org. Complaint Policy Complaints regarding conference or other matters must be written and sent to APPFA, PO Box 16064, Columbus, OH 43216-6064. Complaints will be forwarded to the President who will decide how to address the complaint. The complaint must contain the name, address, phone number and e-mail address of the person submitting the complaint. All complaints submitted will receive a written response.

Hotel Information The conference will be held at the Embassy Suites (Convention Center Las Vegas). Additional information about the hotel is below: Address: 3600 Paradise Road, Las Vegas NV Phone Number: (702)893-8000 APPFA hotel room rate: $99/night based on single/double occupancy (Room rates do not include applicable state and local taxes. The group rate is available three days before and three days after the event dates.) Concessions:

• Free cooked-to-order breakfast • Complimentary self-parking • Complimentary Internet in your suite

and the public space throughout the hotel

• Complimentary Shuttle to the Las Vegas Strip at Fashion Show Mall

Reservation: Please make your room reservation on or before Friday, April 4, 2014 either by:

a. Using the link below that will take you to APPFA’s personalized group website: http://embassysuites.hilton.com/en/es/groups/personalized/L/LASCCES-XPU-20140501/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG

or

b. Calling (702)947-7166 or (888) 243-9146 and letting them know you are with APPFA .

http://www.appfa.org/2013/05/las-vegas-nv-may-4-7-2014

http://www.appfa.org/2013/05/las-vegas-nv-may-4-7-2014

http://www.appfa.org/

http://embassysuites.hilton.com/en/es/groups/personalized/L/LASCCES-XPU-20140501/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG




Registration, Hotel, Airport Transportation and Other Information

Transportation: To/From Airport: The McCarran International Airport is located approximately 3.5 miles from the hotel and is accessible by car or public transportation. The ground transportation system at the airport is an extensive network of taxi, shuttle, and limousine services. Taxis – Taxis are available on both Terminal 1 (on the east side of baggage claim, outside door exits 1 – 4) and Terminal 3 (outside on Level Zero). More than ten taxi companies provide service to and from the airport and locations throughout Las Vegas. . Taxi fares from the airport to the Embassy Suites Convention Center Las Vegas are between $15 and $20. Checker/Yellow/Star (702) 873-2000 Desert Cab Company (702) 386-9102 Lucky Cab Company (702) 477-7555 Western Cab Company (702) 736-8000 Shuttle Services – Shuttle vans are available on Terminal 1, outside door exits 7-13 and Terminal 3, on the Level Zero. Shuttle fares from the airport to the Embassy Suites Convention Center Las Vegas are between $7.00 and $8.00 one-way. Super Shuttle 1-800-258-3826 Bell Trans 1-800-274-7433 Airline Shuttle Corp 1-702-444-1234 Showtime Tours 1-702-895-9976 Driving Directions to the Hotel: From McCarran International Airport:

• Go north on Swenson • Stay in left lane to Harmon Ave.

• Turn right (north) onto Paradise Road for 1.5 miles

• You will find us three blocks past Flamingo Road on the right hand side of the road

From Las Vegas Strip:

• Take Sands Avenue and head east • Turn left on Paradise Road • Our hotel will be on the right, one

block north of Sands Avenue From 1-15:

• Take the Flamingo Exit and head east • Turn left on Paradise Road • We will be on the right just beyond

Twain Avenue Other Information: Attire: Business casual attire is appropriate. The temperature in the meeting room may be cool so a jacket or sweater is recommended. Guests for the Monday Night Group Dinner: Your guests may join us at the group dinner at an additional cost of $70. Guests for the lunch meals: Your guests may join us at the Monday and Tuesday lunch meals at an additional cost of $37 each meal.


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