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01/29/2010 - Special Worksession TRUSTEE TRAINING SESSION ASSET ALLOCATION AND ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS CITY OF CLEARWATER EMPLOYEES PENSION FUND January 29, 2010 Present: Frank Hibbard Pension Trustee Board Member/City Mayor Paul Gibson Pension Trustee Board Member/Vice Mayor Carlen Petersen Pension Trustee Board Member/Councilmember John Doran Pension Trustee Board Member/Councilmember George Cretekos Pension Trustee Board Member/Councilmember Bill Horne City Manager Jill Silverboard Assistant City Manager Rod Irwin Assistant City Manager Margie Simmons Committee Member-Finance Dept. / Finance Director Jay Ravins Committee Member-Finance Dept. /Finance Asst. Director Steve Moskun Committee Member-Finance Dept. /Cash & Investment Manager Stephen Sarnoff Committee Member-CWA Union President Herb McLachlan Committee Member-Clearwater Citizen Also Present: Eric W. Bailey Cap Trust/ Consultant John J. Griffith Cap Trust/ Consultant Darren Spencer Dorchester Capital Advisors, LLC/Guest Speaker John Willoughby Charles D. Hyman & Company/Consultant Clem Vericker Finance Dept. /Debt Specialized Accounting Manager Joyce Hunt Finance Dept. /Accountant Carol Barden Finance Dept. /Sr. Staff Assistant Call to Order: Steve Moskun called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. at the City Hall Conference Rom 222 ITEM #1 – Economic Overview and Market Commentary: Eric Bailey, CFA and John Griffith with Cap Trust distributed copies of the handout for the City of Clearwater Employees Pension Fund/Trustee Training Session for Asset Allocation and Alternative Investments dated January 29, 2010. Eric started the training session with an economic overview of the 2009 Capital Market Expectations for Equities, Fixed Income and Other asset classes. The “10 – Year Geometric” represented long-term, compound return expectations. Most capital market expectations represent passive exposure to broad asset classes (beta only) and are net- of-fees. He stated that the focus should not only be on long term but on long and short term and that’s where Asset Allocation comes in. Alternatives investments that aren’t in stocks or bonds that diversify the portfolio takes out the volatility. Eric covered the graph that showed relationships between asset class assumptions are important and this is the key to constructing efficient portfolios. Stocks and Bonds when combined have very low correlation and cut volatility considerably. Alternatives also have very low correlation and they are less liquid and less complex while embracing value. ITEM #2 – Current Asset Allocation: Eric gave an overview of the funds asset allocations as of September 30, 2009. The Actual Asset Allocation for Domestic Equity, Domestic Fixed Income, International Equity and Real Estate is right on target with the Target Asset Allocation. Allocate some of the stock money to alternative classes less correlated to stock to bring in diversification. ITEM #3 – Proposed Asset Allocation: Eric discussed the portfolio component by asset class. He covered the target percentage, target at 9/30/09, proposed target percentage and the range. He stated that 8% to Hedge funds is a broad category in comparison, Mutual funds-conservative or aggressive both are investment vehicles. Mayor Hibbard asked if they have looked at any Fixed Income outside of the U.S., something that can be pursued over time. ITEM #4 – Why Alternative Investments: John Griffith discussed why alternatives are being looked at. Alternatives give positive higher risk-adjusted returns. Value won’t move as quickly and rapidly. This has to do with how they are valued. They offer a much broader exposure. Alternatives reduce actuarial uncertainty on a three to five year time frame. What can be expected from stock and bonds in the next decade? ITEM #5 – Special Risks Associated with Alternatives: John explained that alternative investment provide opportunity to add value, investors need to be aware that they have a higher risk of permanent loss of capital than traditional market investments. The opportunity in alternatives offers diversity but does not eliminate risk and it creates a layer of expense. Buy collective comingled funds where multiple exposures to hedging strategies reduces risk. Liquidity is important when evaluating allocation to alternative investments. Only commit 5-10% exposure in the portfolio. ITEM #6 – Alternatives Approved for Investment : John stated that the Trustees approved Private Real Estate (Bricks & Mortar), Hedge Funds and Timber. He gave an over view of the three classes. ? Private Real Estate: Four strategy types: Core, Value Added, Opportunistic and Specialty. Only interested in Core, buying quality major construction with 80% leased proven cash flow in areas of diversified economy with 40% leverage. Value added is the resort or rehab type investments. Opportunistic requires higher level of leverage. Specialty is like Senior Centers. Bricks and Mortar are multiple properties that already have tenants and cash flow. Current exposure is in REIT’s where the asset is from the stock market. Actual value in the building is not reflected in REIT’s and is not doing the job of smoothing. Actuarial 30% REIT’s and 70% Bricks & Mortar. John covered the advantages and disadvantages of this class. Smoothing of returns is critical. ? Absolute Return (Hedge Funds): Invest 2% of assets. Reliant on skill set of manager. Focus on that person, what they know and how they operate. They are not subjected to normal regulations. Advantage of pricing and quick decisions. The benefits are skilled based, alpha-oriented strategies, without benchmark orientation, typically operating within a lightly regulated legal structure. The key point is to think big returns. Most fall between stock and bonds in return with substantially reduced volatility. Manager-specific risks to be aware of are: operational risks, fraud, business risks, and liquidity risks. Cap Trust recommends Hedge funds of funds where there is a manager. There should be a level of due diligence on the employee history, company process and ideas as well as the non-operational values of the company such as looking at the cash process, trade process, the back office of the manager and being comfortable in their process. ? Timber: Timber has the features of private equity, is similar in nature to real estate and can be construed as a sub- asset class to real estate. Risks are price volatility, supply & demand, liquidity, purchase price, fire/natural disaster, pests and environmental regulations. Advantages are their low correlation to traditional asset classes. Low volatility and their four sources of return. Harvesting is flexible, land appreciates, timber pricing due to international demand or timber scarcity and sources of return (by-products, land leasing). ITEM #7 – Hedge Fund of Funds: Guest Speaker- Darren Spencer, Dorchester Capital Advisors, LLC John Griffith with Cap Trust stated that Cap Trust does not have a client relationship with Dorchester Capital. It was important to John to bring in someone with no business relationship. Darren distributed copies of his presentation Hedge Funds in Review dated January 29, 2010. Alfred Winslow started the first hedge fund in 1949, introducing the concepts of shorting, leverage, performance fees, and investing firm capital alongside partners. It was relative obscure until the 1990’s, when the popular press picked up the uncorrelated returns achieved by hedge fund managers. The industry is still vibrant with an estimated $1.5 trillion in assets under management. The size of the industry is 13% of total proportions vs. Mutual Funds. Currently there is 16.7% of Public Funds investing in this strategy. Hedge fund strategies work the same as the traditional long-only managers. The difference is they do so in a less-constrained fashion. Strategy Name Markets ? Convertible Arbitrage (same) Convertible bonds, stocks, options ? Emerging Markets (same) Stocks in developing countries ? Global Macro (same) Fixed income, equity indexes, commodities futures, options on these markets ? Equity Market Neutral (same) Stocks, sometimes options ? Long/Short Equity (same) Stocks, sometimes options ? Event Driven, Risk Arbitrage (some overlap) Stocks, corporate bonds, bank loans, convertible bonds, options ? Distressed Securities (some overlap) Corporate bonds, bank loans, sometimes trade or litigation claims ? Managed Futures (different) Commodities, bond futures and options, stock future and options ? Multi-Strategy (different) Any or all of the above ? Dedicated Short Bias (different) Short-selling stocks. The three benefits to Hedge funds are flexible benefits, incentive structure and diversification. Hedge Fund drawbacks are transparency, manager risk, and liquidity. Hedge Fund rate of returns is net of fees. Darren discussed the differing liquidity and leveraging of Hedge Funds. It is the Fund to Fund manager’s responsibility to manage the funds going into Hedge Funds. The manager selects securities. There are many different styles in the Fund to Fund basket of Hedge Funds. Due diligence is also on the manager to provide fiduciary comfort. The balance and prospect of a company is where value is added. Hedge Funds are a single vehicle with diversity of strategies. The key to successful implementation is that recognition of low volatility does not equate with low risk, but entails liquidity and pricing risks. Focus on strategies that do not rely on leverage to generate returns, preference to managers that embody the “Original Hedge Fund Value Proposition”. Focus on transparency; asset classes, managers, geography, exposures, leverage & concentration and liquidity. Set expectations appropriately. Eric Bailey did a wrap up of the presentation stating the overview of the presentation gave reasons to consider adding Hedge Funds to the portfolio. Been through difficult times and no one knows what is going to happen. This another new asset class not embraced in the past to consider now to smooth out portfolio. The City Manager requested to think about what kind of preparation is needed in advance and to focus on the trustees understanding of the Hedge Fund process and pursuing alternative strategies. He requested that the material get to the trustees in plenty of time to prepare for the meetings. Schedule one on one meetings with the trustees if necessary. Adjourn: Meeting adjourned at 11:45 a.m.