MiniCon Speaker Bios and Contact Information
Slide Deck – Day 1 – Recording from Day 1
Slide Deck – Day 2 – Recording from Day 2
Day 1 – Wednesday, April 10, 2024 –
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (ET)
1 PM ET – Welcome and Overview
Presenters: Karen Principe, Virginia529 and Luke Minor, WA529
Prepaid snapshot (industry data, quick primer on various types of prepaids)
1:20 PM ET – Break
1:25 PM ET – A Marriage of the Marketing Minds: Spotlight on Prepaid Marketing (PANEL DISCUSSION)
Moderator: Lael Oldmixon, Alaska 529
Panelists: Heather Barthelmes, Michigan Department of Treasury; Will Thompson, Florida Prepaid & Claire Whittington, Catalis
On her wedding day, they say a bride should be equipped with something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. A little known fact is that this also applies to marketing professionals. In this session, our panel of experts will discuss and explore various marketing initiatives to meet potential savers where they’re at in an ever-evolving world and higher education landscape. Initiatives range from continuing tried and true tactics, implementing new and innovative strategies, leveraging ideas gleaned from successes in other states, and learning when enough is enough when trying certain initiatives over and over again until their blue in the face.
2:40 PM ET – Break
2:50 PM ET – Well-funded Plans: Where Do We Go From Here?
Moderator: Andrea Feirstein, AKF Consulting
Panelists: Matt Larrabbee, Milliman; Luke Minor, WA529; Luis Sierra, Marquette Associates; Claire Whittington, Catalis
Most Prepaid Plans are in the enviable position today of being overfunded in comparison to our future participant obligations. This session will look at how we arrived in this position by reviewing the forces that led us to this overfunding. Should something in our fundamentals change (e.g. unit price, underlying actuarial assumptions, asset allocation of our investments)? Then, we have to ask what do we do with the surpluses? And finally, do we change Plan elements going forward?
4 PM ET – BONUS Session: Networking – Join us immediately following the day’s planned sessions to
catch up with your colleagues in this informal networking session.
Day 2 – Thursday, April 11, 2024
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (ET)
1 PM ET – Welcome & Recap of Day 1 – Karen Principe, Virgina529 and Luke Minor, WA529
1:15 PM ET – Let the Good Times Roll: Rolling out the new Roth IRA Rollover provisions
Moderator: Mary Anne Busse, Great Disclosure
Panelists: Carolyn Bishop, Virginia529; Linda Fernandez, Texas; John Stevens, PA529
The Roth IRA Rollover option is new to the 529 industry. This session will look at how programs have implemented this new option, and some of the specific considerations and challenges presented specific to rolling prepaid plans.
2:30 PM ET – Break
2:40 PM ET – State of the States: Prepaid Style
Facilitators: Karen Principe, Virgina529 and Luke Minor, WA529
Presenters: Y’all
We know this is what you all have been waiting for – hearing the latest and greatest ideas from your colleagues that you can shamelessly borrow and repurpose for your own state’s plan! This session will showcase each state’s latest innovations and successes with their prepaid programs.
3:50 PM ET – Close Out and Recap
2023 Mini-Con Content for Download
Check back here for MiniCon / session materials for download
Recording of Day 1 / Recording of Day 2
This MiniCon is curated for all CSPN members (states and corporate affiliates) who administer prepaid tuition plans, but we would also like to stress that the invitation is open to and may benefit all CSPN members. We look forward to seeing you and discussing topical issues impacting prepaid plans and how states are continuing to adapt to keep their plans relevant in a changing world.
There is no cost to CSPN/NAST members who want to participate in the Minicon. Simply register using the link in the graphic above and participate in the this year’s MiniCon.