Stronger Together: How Collaboration Fuels Public Pension Success

_{The public pension community is rich with knowledge grounded in decades of experience. As the largest association working on behalf of public sector retirement systems, NCPERS is uniquely positioned to facilitate the sharing of information, best practices, and solutions to help address organizational and industry-wide challenges.}

By: Hank Kim, Executive Director and Counsel, NCPERS

During my more than 20-year tenure with NCPERS, I've seen public pensions overcome numerous economic and geopolitical crises. As I was heading home from NCPERS 2025 Annual Conference & Exhibition a few weeks ago, I began reflecting on the significance of this—and the many impressive accomplishments I've witnessed over the years.

We know that strong governance practices and disciplined funding strategies have greatly helped to improve public pensions' fiscal performance. But what really makes our industry so remarkably resilient?

As I thought about the conversations with just a handful of the nearly 800 public pension professionals who gathered in Denver for the conference, the answer became clear to me: It's the community.

From newly elected trustees to renowned governance experts, from experienced appointed trustees to brand-new pension CEOs, and from investment consultants to member services plan professionals — we're all united by a common goal: protecting pensions to provide a secure retirement for public servants.

And it shows.

Our industry is uniquely collaborative. There's a genuine willingness to share resources and learn from one another's experiences. This sense of community is particularly evident at NCPERS in-person educational events where we have the privilege of watching our members learn, grow, and connect with one another.

For example, during last month's Annual Conference & Exhibition, the learning extended beyond the more than 40 educational sessions. Despite the nearly 12-hour days, lively conversations around best practices and challenges started with the rising sun at breakfast and continued long after sunset during the networking receptions and dinners, and even on elevator rides in between.

During the pre-conference programs, NCPERS Accredited Fiduciary (NAF) program and Trustee Educational Seminar, trustees and plan professionals from varying backgrounds had the opportunity to engage in small classroom settings to ask questions, discuss past experiences, and even showcase their competitive side with the Asset Allocation Challenge.

Our professional summits, designed specifically for public pension staff, provide a safe space for more niche subsets of our community to connect with peers who do what they do. These summits are essential to facilitate peer-to-peer learning and drive operational efficiencies.

Up next, on June 16-18 public pension CEOs and CIOs will gather in New York City for NCPERS Chief Officers Summit. This unique event provides a vendor-free space for plan executives to engage in candid conversations with peers, discuss opportunities and challenges, and dive into key issues impacting our industry.

The agenda is entirely shaped by plan executives who serve as program directors. With general sessions, facilitated discussions, and dedicated tracks designed specifically for CEOs and CIOs, this has quickly become a must-attend event. View the agenda and register now to join fellow public pension leaders in just a few weeks.

In August, the broader public pension community will gather again in Chicago for the Public Pension Funding Forum to explore case studies, innovative solutions, and research-based roadmaps to address funding challenges.

Our newest professional summit, the Public Pension HR Summit, is slated for September 24-26 in Philadelphia. This one-of-a-kind event brings together public pension human resources professionals and administrators to learn from peers and industry experts about the current trends, innovative practices, and the latest developments in the field.

Then in October, trustees, plan professionals, service providers, and industry stakeholders will convene in Fort Lauderdale for the Financial, Actuarial, Legislative & Legal (FALL) Conference. Be sure to save the date (October 26-29) and keep an eye out for speaking opportunities that allow you to share your expertise with peers.

The public pension community is rich with knowledge grounded in decades of experience. As the largest association working on behalf of public sector retirement systems, NCPERS is uniquely positioned to facilitate the sharing of information, best practices, and solutions to help address organizational and industry-wide challenges.

Whether through NCPERS events, webinars, roundtables, or even just a phone call, I encourage you to take advantage of the many resources our community has to offer.