Funding concerns and declining returns have led many pension plans to seek a balance between risk and reward in order to meet pension obligations. Furthermore, the role of investment and its returns are essential to the concern of meeting obligations to pension members. How investment managers, across various strategies, can aid public pension plans in ensuring a safe future for its members will be key in the conversations at the event. The exchange of ideas both in and out of the session halls is key in educating and identifying viable alternatives that will address these concerns. Beyond the investment sphere, we also address legal issues facing pension plans, ethics regulations and the importance of on-going education for plan sponsors and their fiduciaries. We will also discuss the importance of politics and public perception of pension plans and the role that trustees and pension officers have in creating a positive image for their plans.