Committee Reports compiled by Sarah Olson of Thrivent.
Communications Committee
The Communications Committee is responsible for communications among the College’s members and for communications between the College and the investment community at large. The Committee is responsible for preparing and publishing the College’s monthly newsletter, Private Notes. Among other items of interest to the College’s members, the monthly Private Notes includes summaries of recent judicial decisions, information about job openings, CLE announcements, original content articles and recaps of the Spring Conference and the Annual Fall Meeting.
The co-chairs of the Communications Committee are Keith Atkinson (Nuveen), Lisa Conmy (Foley & Lardner), and Danielle Maksimow (Norton Rose Fulbright Canada). The co-editors of the College’s monthly newsletter are Stephanie Holding (Holland & Knight), Sarah Olson (Thrivent), and Josephine Vashi (AIG Investments).
Development Committee
The Development Committee is tasked with engaging the membership, assessing and addressing membership needs and interests, and planning some of the interactive events at the April Conferences and October Meetings. In connection with the upcoming April Conference, the Development Committee is assisting the Co-chairs in making the new hybrid conference an engaging and interactive event and celebrating the return to Chicago! The Development Committee has also planned virtual events for the membership, including trivia nights and book club discussions.
Any questions can be directed to Co-Chairs Tina Smith, Renée Dailey (Akin Gump), or Maureen Cronin (New York Life).
Education Committee
The Education Committee supports the ACIC’s efforts to provide its members with high quality CLE opportunities. In a typical calendar year, such CLE opportunities include a spring and fall conference, each over the course of two days, including ethics, diversity and inclusion credits in addition to a robust array of other relevant topics for members. The committee also plans and presents up to four 1-hour webinars during the year. So far in 2022, we have assisted the spring conference co-chairs with program planning and we presented a webinar on March 10 covering a variety of NAIC updates. We are excited to return to an in-person conference format in April and we are grateful that the College is also able to offer a virtual option for those who cannot attend in person so that we can maximize the educational value of the programming.
For all College members, the Education Committee is always grateful for topic suggestions as well as potential moderators and panelists willing to serve our CLE mission.
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee is responsible for considering applications for ACIC membership and recommending those applicants meeting the membership criteria of the College to the Board of Trustees for approval. The committee considers the totality of a candidate’s responses in his/her application, with particular emphasis given to (i) the portion of the applicant’s practice which is devoted to representing institutional investors, (ii) indicative transactions or other legal representations on behalf of institutional investors demonstrating the applicant’s representation of institutional investors, (iii) participation by the applicant in the activities of the College (e.g. forums and educational meetings), and (iv) other factors which the Board of Trustees has determined to be relevant to the College. The committee also reviews, and refers to the Board, applications for Emeritus status from long-time members who are retiring but want to remain plugged in to the College. Finally, the committee seeks to implement various initiatives to improve the onboarding experience of new members in the College and to encourage active engagement in the College among the membership generally.
Please reach out to the Co-Chairs, Patti Boss (Voya), Catherine Hood (Bracewell LLP), or Kirk M. Orr (AIG Investments) with any questions!
Transaction Process Management Committee
The Transaction Process Management Committee (TPMC) is responsible for the continued development of the Model Form Note Purchase Agreements and other documents. Over the last few years the TPMC has been responsible for (i) updating both the domestic and cross-border Model Form Note Purchase Agreements, (ii) updating the Model Form Make-Whole and Swap Indemnity Language for Swapped Notes as well as the Model Form Swap Indemnity Letter, (iii) providing for a maintenance of rating covenant (pertaining to private letter ratings) incorporating the necessary requirements of the TPMC in order for a private placement issuance to qualify for Filing Exempt with the SVO, (iv) the development of a Model Form Guaranty Agreement, and (v) drafting, getting industry input and posting language to the ACIC website pertaining to requirements for a ratings rational report to satisfy requirements of the NAIC effective 1/1/22.
The current projects that the TPMC are undertaking include (a) addressing ongoing market comments to the Model Forms, (b) providing for a standard LIBOR sunset provision for floating rate Notes in the PP market and considering the Best Practices for Completing the Transition from LIBOR as prepared by the Alternative Reference Rates Committee (ARRC) of which the NAIC is a member, (c) instituting procedures in an effort to mitigate fraud in the funding process, (d) considering “global” Model Form NPAs taking into account the growing global investor base beyond just US insurance companies, which would affect (among others) the economic sanctions and tax withholding provisions, and (e) continuing to explore the current work-from-home environment and its effect on transaction execution including use of financial technology, electronic signatures, elimination of physical note certificates and increased use of Zoom, Webex, Teams and other virtual meeting platforms.
Website and Social Media Committee
The Website and Social Committee is responsible for creating and maintaining the College’s website and social media accounts. Please be sure to look us up and “follow” us on LinkedIn. We create and maintain content, as well as provide a forum for the sharing of information and resources relating to our business. As a reminder, the recently redesigned website features a “Covid-19 Resources” tab on the home page to directly bring you content related to the unique challenges our businesses face in these interesting times.
If anyone has any content to post or suggestions for the website, or would like to join the Website Committee, please do not hesitate to reach out to a committee member or to one of the committee co-chairs: Melody Cross (Prudential), Michael Fierro (Prudential) and David Lawton (Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP).
