Meredith Despins, Nareit’s senior vice president for investment affairs and investor education, delivered a presentation titled “Investing in a 21st Century Real Estate Portfolio” during the 17th annual Pennsylvania Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems’ (PAPERS) Spring Forum held virtually this week. The presentation was part of the certification program PAPERS offers to public pension trustees, pension administrators and staff, and industry professionals. Nareit’s presentation, delivered as part of the required “foundations” portion of the certification program, was designed to introduce new pension trustees to the real estate asset class; and to how REITs can play a central role within pension investment portfolios by delivering performance, diversification, and portfolio risk management benefits efficiently and cost effectively.
This year’s virtual Forum is being attended by over 150 of PAPERS’ members including representatives from public pension plans, public agencies, authorities, boards, and commissions that have responsibility for public pension funds in Pennsylvania.
Nareit is a member of the PAPERS Corporate Advisory Committee, and Despins serves as a member and former Chair of the association’s Education Committee, which is charged with setting the curriculum for PAPERS’ Trustee Certification program and its two annual Trustee Educational Forums.