Program at a Glance
Thursday, July 22, 2021
8:30 am
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
Continental Breakfast
9:00 am
WELCOME
The Honorable Jeanne-Marie Napolitano
Mayor, City of Newport
9:15 am
WHAT JUST HAPPENED AND WHERE ARE WE GOING?
Panelists will discuss the impact of the pandemic on regulatory changes and federal funding of infrastructure
Ian Rogow* - Moderator
Director, Co-Head Municipal Bond Research
BofA Securities
Michael Rowan
Managing Director, Global Public, Project and Infrastructure Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service
Eden Perry
Head of U.S. Public Finance
S&P Global Ratings
Arlene Bohner
Head of U.S. Public Finance
Fitch Ratings
Douglas Kilcommons
Managing Director
Kroll Bond Ratings
10:30 am
COFFEE NETWORKING BREAK
11:00 am
ESG INVESTING
Whether it is referred to as sustainable investing, socially responsible investing, or impact investing, ESG has become more than a niche sector. Investors are committed to sustainability, but questions remain: How to incorporate ESG into muni bond portfolios? Are bonds designated as Green really Green? What parameters should be used when evaluating Green bonds?
Zachary Solomon
Executive Director
Morgan Stanley
Samphas "Sammi" Chhea
Senior Vice President
Jefferies LLC
Leonard Jones
Managing Director
Moody's Investors Service
Chris Fornal*
Managing Director
BlackRock (Invited)
11:30 am
MUNI MARKET STRATGIES
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a Golden Era for Sellside Municipal Strategists. Panelists will provide an outlook on market volume for 2021, new tax policies and how states will spend federal dollars. As the use of Artificial Intelligence becomes more prevalent we will hear about how it gets incorporated into the investment process and what that means for the role of analysts.
Mikhail Foux
Managing Director
Barclays Investment Bank
Tom Kozlik
Head of Municipal Strategy and Credit
HilltopSecurities Inc.
Michael Zezas, CFA
Managing Director
Morgan Stanley
12:00 pm
LUNCHEON
Keynote Speaker:
Maria Lehman, P.E., ENV SP, F.ASCE — U.S. Infrastructure Lead, GHD
President-Elect, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
1:30 pm
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS — HERE'S SOME STIMULUS, NOW WHAT?
Expectations of widespread and long-lasting economic stresses and credit deterioration have not come to be. But just because the economy is forecast to have a historic second half surge and Federal stimulus dollars are flowing; state and local issuers are still facing challenges. How will the federal funds beyond COVID reimbursables be spent? Local businesses have closed and office usage uncertain – how will economic development play a role? Pension and OPEB pressures remain. Join us to hear from a banker, rating analyst and city official outline what to look for in the coming months.
Geoffrey Buswick
Managing Director & Sector Lead
S&P Global Ratings
Bill Fazioli
Director of Planning & Economic Development
City of East Providence, Rhode Island
Kristen Stephens
Managing Director
Head of Credit Strategies
UBS
2:15 pm
MUNICIPALIZATION OF UTILITIES
The energy industry is transforming. Panelists will discuss some of the new approaches to create a grid that is reliable, affordable, and contributes to slowing climate change.
Dan Aschenbach - Moderator
President
AGVP LLC
The Honorable Henry Beck, Esq.
Maine State Treasurer
Tom Falcone
Chief Executive Officer
Long Island Power Authority (LIPA)
Michael Mace
Managing Director
PFM Financial Advisors LLC
3:00 pm
BUYERS PANEL
Bill Black, CFA
Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Manager
City National Rochdale
Patricia Healy
Senior VP Research & Portfolio Manager
Cumberland Advisors
Additional Panelists to be Announced
4:00 pm
DAY ONE ADJOURNS
5:30 pm
MUNI BONDS ON THE HALF SHELL - COCKTAIL RECEPTION
(Sponsorship Opportunity)
Friday, July 23, 2021
7:30 am
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
Continental Breakfast
8:30 am
INVESTMENT BANKING PANEL
What are the strategies for a rising rate environment? Taxable versus tax-exempt — does it make a difference? How to leverage Federal funds for infrastructure? Will the recover increase deal flow? Panelists will tackle these topics and more.
Bob Spangler
Managing Director & Head of Municipal Finance
RBC Capital Markets
Randall (Randy) Gerardes
Managing Director, Public Finance Marketing
Assured Guaranty
Additional Panelists to be Announced
9:15 am
THE NEXT PANDEMIC COULD BE ELECTRONIC - CYBER RISKS IN MUNILAND
First, they came for your water (Oldsmar). Then they came for your energy (Colonial Pipeline). Then they came for your food (JBS). Are just standing by and watching or are you preparing? Issuers throughout public finance are not immune and in many cases as targeted by cyber-criminals. Join us to hear from a former CIA officer about who is attacking and how; a local official who has long been warning about electronic fraud; and a rating analyst trying to gauge credit impacts. We’ll all attempt to answer, “What can be done?” and “Will this get worse before it gets better?”
Hans Holmer
CISO, Smith Information Services LLC and former CIA Case Officer
Geoffrey Buswick
Managing Director & Sector Lead
S&P Global Ratings
Ernie Almonte
Chief of Staff
Rhode Island Lt. Governor Sabina Matos
10:00 am
COFFEE NETWORKING BREAK
10:30 am
ALTERNATIVE FINANCING APPROACHES FOR TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
Michael Ross (Moderator)
Senior Correspondent
Smith's Research & Gradings
Damian Georgino
Senior Counsel
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Peter Stettler
Municipal Credit Analyst, Director
Piper Sandler
Additional Panelists to be Announced
11:15 am
HEALTHCARE AFTER COVID
Understanding how hospitals coped with COVID-19 and implications for credit analysis.
John Mitchell
Senior Vice President and Municipal Bond Credit Analyst
Bessemer Trust
Sandy Pae Goldstein
Managing Director
Foundation Credit
Additional Panelists to be Announced
12:00 pm
CONFERENCE ADJOURNS
*Pending approval
