National PAC Conference
February 27 - March 1, 2012 - Loews Portofino Bay Hotel - Orlando, FL
AGENDA
Monday, February 27
3:30 p.m.
Downloadable PAC Gallery
Jumpstart the conference by reviewing PAC marketing materials on display at our PAC gallery. Glance through sample solicitation letters, videos, newsletters, brochures and more. All are available for download.
3:30 p.m.
Level One PAC Compliance
This pre-conference session will bring you up to speed on campaign finance laws for corporate and association PACs. Learn important limits, rules and filing requirements, how to define your eligible class and basic communication rules.
Breanna Olson
Senior Manager, Political Involvement Practice
Public Affairs Council
4:45 p.m.
A Guide to the National PAC Conference/Meet Your Mentor
This quick overview of conference highlights and learning tracks will help you match sessions to your needs. If you requested a mentor, this is your chance to connect.
Ashley Mancheni
Senior Program Associate
Public Affairs Council
Breanna Olson
Senior Manager, Political Involvement Practice
Public Affairs Council
5:00 p.m.
Conference Kick-Off Networking Reception
Meet new colleagues and reconnect with friends before exploring Universal Studios and Orlando.
Generously Sponsored by: SevenTwenty Strategies
Tuesday, February 28
Conference Internet Access
Generously Sponsored by: PAC Services
7:30 a.m.
Registration/Networking Breakfast
Generously Sponsored by: State and Federal Communications, Inc.
8:00 a.m.
Opening General Session: On the Front Lines With the FEC
Generously Sponsored by: CQ Roll Call
Since the landmark Citizens United ruling, Super PACs and coordinated communication became just a few of the many key issues for the FEC and political programs. Join a timely address on major regulatory issues affecting the 2012 election.
Greg J. Scott
Assistant Staff Director, FEC Information Division
Federal Election Commission
9:15 a.m.
Break
9:30 a.m
Concurrent Workshops A
A1: Top 10 Starter Tips: Building a PAC Program
What management and operation goals should top your list when building a well-functioning PAC? Panelists will share their 10 best tips to get buy-in, increase spending budgets, track progress and build a communications plan.
Caitlin Donahue
Director, PAC
National Restaurant Association
Tom Robins
Manager, Political Action Committee
Chesapeake Energy Corporation
A2: Redefining R&R: Updating Your Rewards and Recognition Program
Are your eligibles unimpressed with your benefits structure? The right gifts, exclusive events and insider information can breathe life into your PAC. Get high-value, low-cost ideas from directors who gave their recognition programs a makeover, and learn how to take advantage of PAC match and election-year opportunities.
Kate Fry
Associate Director, Political Affairs
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
Jill Rowlison
Director, Political Affairs
The Dow Chemical Company
Betsy Tower
Manager, GEPAC
General Electric Company
A3: PAC Board Perspective: What Makes Me Give? (new)
Current PAC board members join the conference to share executive perspectives on what resonates with them. Hear what it takes to get senior management buy-in and how to explain PAC value in their terms. You will discuss key issues for engaging board members and setting clear and attainable expectations.
Scott Latimer
Market President, Central Florida Senior Segment
Humana Inc.
Steven J. Mund
Chair AANA CRNA - PAC
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
Jim Wilds
Senior Vice President
Frankenmuth Mutual Insurance Company
10:45 a.m.
Break
11:00 a.m.
Concurrent Workshops B
B1: Campaign Finance and Legal Issues: Corporate PACs
The biggest risks often come from not knowing the rules. Distinguished compliance attorney Ken Gross leads this comprehensive training session on the latest corporate PAC compliance issues. He will examine election-year filing and disclosure requirements, nuances in PAC communication and address specific concerns for your program.
Kenneth A. Gross
Partner
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
B2: Campaign Finance and Legal Issues: Association PACs
The biggest risks often come from not knowing the rules. Distinguished compliance attorney Michael Toner leads this comprehensive training session on the latest association PAC compliance issues. He will examine election-year filing and disclosure requirements, nuances in PAC communication and address specific concerns for your program.
Michael E. Toner
Partner
Wiley Rein LLP
B3: Red White and You: Making the Most of 2012 (new)
Election-year excitement is building, and so are the political stakes. Are you prepared to use this year’s calendar to your advantage? Nominating conventions, GOTV efforts and the presidential Inauguration are great ways to engage your PAC. Complete your election-year strategy by discussing high-impact opportunities ahead.
Maurie Dugger
Director, Political Affairs
Edison Electric Institute
Christopher McGowen
Director, Government Affairs
Novo Nordisk Inc.
12:15 p.m.
Luncheon
PAC Conference Idol: Perfecting Your Pitch (new)
Do you wish you could sit on the other side of leading PAC pitches to determine what messaging works best? If your pitch is falling on deaf ears, you may need to change your approach. This luncheon program features contestants (leading PAC professionals) who will pitch you (their eligibles) with reasons for joining the PAC. The audience votes for its favorite pitch, and you win by gaining new ideas and techniques for your own solicitations.
Generously Sponsored by: DDC Advocacy
1:00 p.m.
Public Affairs Resource Marketplace Opens
1:45 p.m.
Concurrent Workshops C
C1: Unleash the Power of Peers (new)
Identifying, cultivating and training peer solicitors takes time, yet peer fundraising remains one of the most effective approaches you can use. In this session, PAC directors with some of the most effective peer-to-peer programs will show you how to equip your solicitors with the tools they need to remain compliant, confident and productive.
Courtney Barr
PAC Manager
Humana Inc.
Anne Devlin
Senior Manager, PAC and Grassroots
Abbott Laboratories
Gregory Knopp
Executive Director, Political Affairs
American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)
C2: Clearing the Hurdles: Association PAC Challenges and Solutions
Raising money for an association PAC often feels like an Olympic hurdles race. Whether you need new ideas for lackluster direct mail campaigns, want to boost your presence at annual meetings or need to design effective prior approval plans, this session will help you clear the hurdles association PACs face when fundraising.
Rachel Sullivan Kelley
Manager, Political Affairs
International Council of Shopping Centers
Angela Song
PAC Administrator
American Nurses Association
Moderator:
Lisa D. T. Rice
Senior Director, Political Affairs
National Retail Federation
C3: Compliance Confessions: I Have This Friend Who … (new)
This senior-level compliance session skips the basics and dives into muddled legal issues. Our moderator will present a series of complicated and pertinent compliance questions to a panel of legal experts for top-level counsel. Participants will then submit anonymous compliance missteps for panel and peer commentary to hear what proper corrective action is required.
Elizabeth Bartz
President & CEO
State and Federal Communications, Inc.
Kenneth A. Gross
Partner
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
Amol Naik
Ethics & Compliance Counsel
Google, Inc.
Michael E. Toner
Partner
Wiley Rein LLP
2:45 p.m.
Break
Generously Sponsored by: Dunn Associates
3:15 p.m.
Concurrent Workshops D
Discussion Groups by Eligible-Class Size
Your engagement strategy looks very different when you have 500 eligible contacts than when you have 20,000. Choose a discussion group based on your organization type and the size of your solicitable class to hear how PACs your size reach their fundraising goals.
D1: Corporate PACs: Under 7,500; 7,501-15,000; Over 15,000
D2: Association PACs: Under 7,500; 7,501-15,000; Over 15,000
D3: Public Affairs Pulse on Business & Government (new)
We published the first thorough national study on public attitudes toward business and government. Understand how the public perceives you, what motivates them and how you can build or restore trust in your organization and your political efforts.
Doug Pinkham
President
Public Affairs Council
4:15 p.m.
Break
4:30 p.m.
The Lawyer Is In: Free Legal Help (new)
Our panel of compliance experts is on hand to take on your unanswered legal questions. Bring your organization’s toughest issues.
4:30 p.m
Concurrent Workshops E
E1: www.GetYourPACOnline.com (Part I) (new)
What does it take to establish a PAC website? The first part of this two-part session will cover timelines for launching a site, tips for getting help from other departments and an overview of what can be done online with varying budgets.
Jessica Strieter Elting
Account Director
DDC Advocacy
E2: Become a Master Networker (new)
How can you maximize your networking time, be remembered and develop valuable contacts online and face to face? Invest the time to develop your personal brand. Get tips for expanding your network, building your reputation as a leader and joining the right networks.
Jim Wylde
Associate
Contacts Count
E3: Sophisticated Political Giving
How do you handle hundreds of fundraiser invitations? How do you say "no" while maintaining important relationships? How can you stretch each dollar for maximum impact? Senior-level PAC directors will lead a discussion on smart political giving strategies that include soft-dollar, PAC and individual contributions.
Kate Abel
Political Director
Aetna Inc.
Grant Anderson
NATCA National Legislative Committee
National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Ted Burnes
Director, RADPAC & Political Education
American College of Radiology
5:30 p.m.
Resource Marketplace and Networking Reception
Spend valuable time with leading providers of technology and PAC management services. Their latest advances will boost your R.O.I. and make you — and your PAC — more efficient.
Participating Exhibitors Include:
Aristotle International
Coalescent
Comerica Inc.
CQ Roll Call
DDC Advocacy
Moore & Van Allen
PAC Services
Public Affairs Support Services
SevenTwenty Strategies
Smart Media Group
State and Federal Communications
Vocus
Voice Broadcasting
Wednesday, February 29
8:00 a.m.
Networking Breakfast
Generously Sponsored by: Aristotle International
8:30 a.m
General Session: Forecasting a High Stakes Election
Political pundit Charlie Cook discusses his predictions for this high-stakes election. How will the economy, shifting political winds and gridlock factor into 2012 outcomes? What can PAC professionals do now to prepare for what’s likely to be a watershed year?
Charlie Cook
Editor and Publisher
The Cook Political Report
Generously Sponsored by: Public Affairs Support Services, Inc.
9:45 a.m.
Break
10:00 a.m.
Concurrent Workshops F
What’s Your Average Contribution?
Choose a discussion group based on your organization type and average contribution amount, and hear how similarly funded PACs are finding ways to increase their average contributions and overall PAC size.
F1: Corporate PACs: Under $500; $501-$1,000; Over $1,000
F2: Association PACs: Under $500; $501-$1,000; Over $1,000
F3: SEC Pay-to-Play Redesigns PACs (new)
The SEC’s pay-to-play law had serious implications for companies in the financial services, investment and banking industries, and these types of laws are become more prevalent. Hear what it takes to create new systems for keeping up with the changing rules, and get tips for conducting company-wide education around pay-to-play issues.
Sarah E. Ransbottom
Manager, Public Affairs
The Hartford Financial Services Group
Shannon Wilks
PAC and Campaign Finance Administrator
Nationwide Insurance
11:00 a.m.
Break
11:30 a.m.
Concurrent Workshops G
G1: www.GetPeopleToYourWebsite.com (Part II) (repeats) (new)
How are you driving traffic to your PAC website? Just because you built it, don’t assume they’ll come. Learn from PAC directors who not only designed impressive sites but also used smart and creative strategies to get eligibles online and contributing.
Holly Borgmann
Senior Manager, External Relations
Kraft Foods
Shari Dexter
Director, Political Action
American Hospital Association
G2: Soliciting for $5,000 vs. $20 Contributions (new)
Senior executives give more and respond differently to your solicitation than those giving in $20 increments. Do you know how to tailor your solicitation approach? Hear how leading PACs target their solicitations to these two very different groups.
Sarah E. Donnelly
Political Affairs Manager
UBS
Kristine Miller Kilbride
PAC and Grassroots Leader
Genworth Financial
G3: Time for a Tune-Up: PAC Audits and Assessments
Advanced PACs rely on metrics and tools to identify opportunities and fix shortcomings. Learn how they routinely audit their compliance and management systems and how ongoing assessments can increase PAC efficiency and create higher standards.
Dominick Ciaraldi
Director, Political Affairs
Comcast
Meghan E. Everngam
Assistant Vice President
National Association of Home Builders
Kimberly Snow
Director, Compliance & Political Programs
TIAA-CREF
12:30 p.m.
Boxed Lunch/Mentor Meetup
5:30 p.m.
Networking Reception
Reconvene with your colleagues during this evening reception before enjoying a free night in Orlando.
Generously Sponsored by: Vocus
Thursday, March 1
8:30 a.m.
Breakfast
9:00 a.m.
General Session: PACs’ Vital Role in a Decisive Year
The cost of running for office is growing – and so are candidates’ fundraising needs. As we embark on the most expensive elections in history, learn what it takes to run for office, from someone who’s been there, and hear how valuable PACs are in the process. You’ll also get insights into the shifting mood of the electorate and how partisanship and public opinion will factor in beyond the 2012 cycle.
Vic Fazio
Former Congressman
Senior Advisor at Akin Gump
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld
10:00 a.m.
Break
10:15 a.m.
Concurrent Workshops H
H1: www.GetPeopleToYourWebsite.com (Part II) (repeat) (new)
How are you driving traffic to your PAC website? Just because you built it, don’t assume they’ll come. Learn from PAC directors who not only designed impressive sites but also used smart and creative strategies to get eligibles online and contributing.
Holly Borgmann
Senior Manager, External Relations
Kraft Foods
Shari Dexter
Director, Political Action
American Hospital Association
H2: Long-Term Political Engagement (new)
Loyalty is hard-won and often fleeting. How do you position your political programs so your members become long-time supporters? Learn strategies to integrate your grassroots and PAC networks, establish yourself as a trusted source for public policy information, embrmcxace transparency and open dialogue and prove that participation matters.
Aliza Sinkinson
Political Program Manager
McKesson Corporation
Nathan Smith
Associate Director of Government Relations
American Traffic Safety Services Association
11:15 a.m.
Closing Session
Investing in You
Take time to invest in your own career development. What are the most sought-after skills you should focus on throughout the year? When you return to your office, how can you more effectively demonstrate your value to your organization and your peer groups.
Lisa Ryan
Senior Vice President & Managing Director
Heyman Associates
12:30 p.m.
Adjournment
