About
The annual PLANSPONSOR National Conference is the ‘must-attend’ event for human resource and financial professionals who want to be the best fiduciaries possible. It is our mission to help by providing the education and information needed to keep up to date on the latest trends and developments, regulatory and legislative updates, and optimal administration and investment practices.
The conference brings together a comprehensive cross section of the retirement plan industry—plan sponsors, advisers, providers, industry group representatives and legal experts—in engaging workshops, insightful presentations and panel discussions, taking a deep dive into the retirement readiness and financial wellness of employees.
The 2026 PLANSPONSOR National Conference also offers ample opportunity to connect with peers, foster valuable networks and celebrate the achievements of plan sponsors and providers at our annual Excellence in Retirement Awards.
2026 PLANSPONSOR National Conference Begins In
Highlights Include…
Excellence in Retirement Awards
Monday, June 1, 2026
Plan sponsors and the recordkeepers, investment managers and retirement plan advisers and consultants that support them will set aside corporate goals and gather to cheer on each other’s success! The 2026 Plan Sponsor of the Year finalists will be recognized, and the winners announced. We’ll also recognize providers named DC Survey Standouts and provider staff chosen as Service Stars.
Our Advisory Board
Deanna Allison – Director of Benefits, Well-Being and Financial Programs, Bread Financial
Judy Bobilya-Feher – Chief Financial Officer, Aunt Millie’s Bakeries
Thayla Bohn – SVP, Corporate and Human Resources, American Fidelity Companies
Tim Byrd – VP Retirement Benefits and Education, NC State Employees’ Credit Union
Rachel Christman – Director, Total Rewards, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Monica DeAgostino – Director – Total Rewards & HRIS, MRIGlobal
Shaynan Garrioch – Chief Human Resources Officer, The Culinary Institute of America
Tonya Hamm – Executive Director of Plan Operations, Adventist Healthcare Retirement Plans
Brad Kadue – President, Precision Associates
Adelia Soremekun – Senior Director, Total Rewards, The Jackson Laboratory
Allison Wardlaw – Plan Development and Compliance Director, Michigan Office of Retirement Services
Brian Williamson – Director, Benefits & Retirement Programs, Avangrid
agenda
Sunday, May 31, 2026
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Welcome Reception
Day 1
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7:30 – 8:50 a.m.
Breakfast and Registration
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8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Plan Sponsor Introductions
Get to know your peers at the conference during a time of connection and networking. Share about your plan’s strengths and challenges and what you hope to gain from the conference.
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9:00 – 9:10 a.m.
Opening Remarks
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9:10 – 10:00 a.m.
Oh, What a Year It’s Been!
Representatives from the retirement plan ecosystem talk about developments across the industry, including changes under the Trump administration, what’s in flux and what the future might hold. -
10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Washington Update
Experts take a deep dive into the latest retirement plan-related legislation, regulations and litigation, offering practical lessons and insights for plan sponsors. -
11:00 – 11:15 a.m.
Break
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11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Creating Committees of Excellence
Committee setup, governing documents and training. Meeting frequency, topics and documentation. This session will detail it all. Learn how to establish committees and procedures to achieve excellent plan governance. -
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Sponsored Mainstage
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1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Lunch
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2:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Immersive Workshop 1: Retirement on the Horizon
Immersive Workshop 2: Employee Financial Wellness
(See separate workshop tab for the agenda above)
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5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Cocktail Reception
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6:30 p.m.
Excellence in Retirement Awards
Retirement on the Horizon Workshop
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2:00 – 2:10 p.m.
Opening Remarks
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2:10 – 3:00 p.m.
Retirement Income Strategies
Experts will discuss the plan design and investment options, AI and other technology that can be used to help retirement plan participants develop a withdrawal strategy. Learn how to determine what will work best for your employee base and what due diligence will fulfill your fiduciary duties. -
3:10 – 4:00 p.m.
Health Care Costs in Retirement
Panelists will discuss employees’ savings needs for health expenses in retirement, what Medicare covers and how plan sponsors can help them prepare. -
4:00 – 4:10 p.m.
Break
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4:10 – 5:00 p.m.
Transition to Take-Off
Discover how phased retirement can help employees make a smooth transition to retirement and help plan sponsors create a smooth transition of knowledge. Hear from retirees about the experience of entering their encore and the way they managed the nonfinancial aspects of doing so. -
5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Cocktail Reception
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6:30 p.m.
Excellence in Retirement Awards
Employee Financial Wellness Workshop
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2:00 – 2:10 p.m.
Opening Remarks
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2:10 – 3:00 p.m.
Pillars of Financial Wellness
Learn how to define financial wellness for your employee base and what options plan sponsors have for offering financial wellness benefits. Hear stories of successful implementation from plan sponsor peers. -
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Considering Financial Wellness in Retirement Plan Design
From features that have been available for years to new plan design options provided by legislation, hear how to optimize your plan design to best meet employees’ financial wellness needs. -
4:00 – 4:10 p.m.
Break
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4:10 – 5:00 p.m.
Financial Wellness Show and Tell
Plan sponsors and others demonstrate strategies they’ve used successfully to help employees with financial wellness needs. -
5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Cocktail Reception
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6:30 p.m.
Excellence in Retirement Awards
Day 2
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7:00 – 8:15 a.m.
Breakfast
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8:15 – 8:20 a.m.
Opening Remarks
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8:20 – 9:10 a.m.
Legislation Implementation
Experts will discuss the guidance issued and guidance still needed regarding legislation such as the SECURE 2.0 Act and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. They’ll discuss what plan sponsors must do to prepare for deadlines and to implement provisions. -
9:10 – 10:00 a.m.
Sponsored Mainstage
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10:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Break
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10:30 – 11:20 a.m.
Breakouts
- Navigating Plan and Provider Changes
Maintaining accurate plan documents and participant census data is crucial for the effective administration of retirement plans. Learn optimal practices for retirement plans during mergers and acquisitions, as well as tips for maintaining accuracy when consolidating or changing providers. Attendees will gain insights on how to navigate common challenges, avoid compliance pitfalls and ensure smooth transitions that benefit both plan sponsors and participants.
- Annuities, Private Equity and Crypto, Oh My!
Regulations and legislation have opened the door for nontraditional investments in retirement plans. Learn the pros and cons for plan sponsors and participants of new investment options and how to fulfill your fiduciary responsibilities.
- DB Plan Maintenance
Learn how sponsors of DB plans can enhance plan maintenance, why pensions are attractive (especially when markets are down), and why employees and employers are increasingly considering them alongside other retirement options as part of the total retirement-planning picture. What does the goal for the plan along with political and market developments indicate for investment strategies?
- Navigating Plan and Provider Changes
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11:25 – 11:55 a.m.
Breakouts
- Communication and Engagement Workshop
With interactive exercises and polling, hear from plan sponsors and others about communication campaigns and engagement strategies that have worked for them to get employees of different demographic groups and workplace situations more involved with their retirement plans.
- QDIA Evolution
Learn about trends and changes in qualified default investment options and what to consider when making a selection for your participant base.
- Fixing Common Mistakes
Panelists will discuss the most common mistakes fiduciaries make and the details of programs and fixes that have either been prescribed by the IRS or become best practices. Experts will offer tips and strategies for having a good defense for potential regulator inquiries and litigation.
- Communication and Engagement Workshop
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12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Lunch
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1:00 – 1:30 p.m.
Retirement Plan Trivia
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1:30 – 2:20 p.m.
Sponsored Workshops
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2:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Breakouts
- TBD
- TBD
- TBD
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3:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Break
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3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Breakouts
- Practical Lessons From Plan Sponsors
Award-winning plan sponsors share ways they’ve improved their plans and challenges they’ve overcome.
- Benchmarking Investments and Fees
Experts will explain what factors to look at when benchmarking investments, as well as what benchmarks to use to ensure investments are prudent and fees are reasonable.
- Applying a Fiduciary Standard to Health Care Benefits
Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, all plan sponsors are now required to attest that their fees for health care plans, including pharmacy benefits, are fair and reasonable for services provided. Learn how to apply fiduciary processes and transparency to health care, as you have for your retirement plan.
- Practical Lessons From Plan Sponsors
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4:35 – 5:25 p.m.
Sponsored Mainstage
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5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Themed Party
Day 3
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7:30 – 8:50 a.m.
Breakfast
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8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Plan Sponsor Idea Exchanges
Meet with similar plan sponsors to share your experiences and insights and learn from others. -
9:00 – 9:10 a.m.
Opening Remarks
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9:10 – 10:10 a.m.
AI: The Future is Now
Learn how artificial intelligence is being used and will be used in the administration of retirement plans and financial wellness programs. Hear about the challenges and opportunities it will pose. -
10:10 – 10:30 a.m.
Break
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10:30 – 11:20 a.m.
To Retirement and Beyond
You’ve provided a savings vehicle, but what more does it take to get employees truly prepared for retirement? Help them with understanding the financial, physical and mental challenges it will bring. Experts will discuss phased retirement programs, helping employees prepare mentally for no longer working full-time and how to educate employees about Social Security and Medicare. -
11:20 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Your Questions Answered
Questions attendees submitted upon registration will be answered by a group of experts. -
12:00 p.m.
To-Go Lunch
registration
Registration Is Open!
Pricing
Plan Sponsors – FREE if you book your room in our conference rooming block, otherwise, there will be a $155 registration fee
Advisers – $300 *If you register before April 18, you will receive the early bird rate of $150*
sponsors
Become a sponsor.
Join a select group of industry product and service providers who are maximizing their firm’s exposure in front of this highly influential group of plan sponsors and retirement plan advisers.
Sponsorship Information: Rob Reif | 212-217-6906 | Robert.Reif@ISSMediaSolutions.com
General Information: Carol Popkins | 203-461-0985 | Carol.Popkins@ISSMediaSolutions.com
venue
Register Now!
JW Marriot Nashville
photos
2025 PLANSPONSOR National Conference | Photos by Matt Kalinowski
