National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS)
The National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS) is the largest trade association for public sector pension funds, representing more than 500 funds throughout the United States and Canada. It is a unique non-profit network of trustees, administrators, public officials and investment professionals who collectively manage approximately $3.7 trillion in pension assets held in trust for approximately 21 million public employees and retirees — including firefighters, law enforcement officers, teachers, and other public servants.
Founded in 1941, NCPERS is the principal trade association working to promote and protect pensions by focusing on Advocacy, Research and Education for the benefit of public sector pension stakeholders.
What CommCore did for client:
In 2005, NCPERS hired CommCore to develop talking points and messaging to help defeat a California ballot initiative that would have closed CalPERS, the largest defined benefit pensions in the nation. Subsequently, NCPERS employed CommCore periodically to conduct media training, make presentations at its educational conferences, and provide communications support.
Since 2010, NCPERS has retained CommCore as its full-time communications consultant. In 2010 many politicians were flogging public sector pension funds, with some states trying to replace employee Defined Benefit (DB) pension plans with Defined Contribution (DC) plans. CommCore worked with NCPERS to conceive, plan and help implement an awareness campaign positioning DB pensions as a solution to a national retirement crisis, and NCPERS as the go-to resource for reporters.
CommCore provided message and media toolkit development, spokesperson training, and ongoing media and communications counsel and implementation. As a result, the viability of public sector pensions and NCPERS’ Secure Choice Pension model for a public-private partnership to help solve the nation’s retirement security crisis are now part of the ongoing retirement security policy conversation in several states and in the news media.
CommCore Client for 11 years.
For the past 11 years, CommCore has been a trusted advisor and friend to NCPERS. Much of our media presence can be attributed to their public relations efforts on our behalf. But what I value most of our relationship is the availability of CommCore. They are always a phone call, email, or text away. And in many instances, Nick and his team reach out to me first. Congratulations on the first 30 years. I’m looking forward to working with you for the next 30!
Hank Kim, Executive Vice President and Counsel
NCPERS