The Story of How Employers Became Retirement Plan Sponsors
Most retirement benefits for American workers are built up through workplace savings plans where employers play a pivotal administrative and legal role as the plan sponsor. The Accidental Plan Sponsor®, hosted by Josh Cohen, Head of Client Solutions for PGIM DC Solutions explores the origins, evolution and trends within the employer-based retirement system.
Joined by leading DC experts from around the world, including plan sponsors, consultants, regulators, lawyers and academia, Cohen looks at the challenges, as well as the benefits, of delivering retirement solutions through the workplace. The Accidental Plan Sponsor® will also examine other ways, both domestically and globally, that benefits can be delivered.
SEASON 2
Episode 8
We discuss alternative approaches to our employer-based retirement system with guests Teresa Ghilarducci and Rick Jones.
Episode 7
Millions of Americans don’t have access to workplace savings plans. Learn about state-level implementation efforts from Katie Selenski and Angela Antonelli.
Episode 6
Many states are trying to close gaps in the US current retirement system. Hear from Hank Kim and Daniel Biss as they share their experiences.
Episode 5
This odd couple’s auto IRA proposal
Hear from David John and Mark Iwry who together proposed Auto-IRAs, one of the most influential proposals to address the coverage gap in the US retirement system.
Episode 4
Learn about government-run, comprehensive retirement system from Central Provident Fund’s Desmond Chew and how to evaluate a system from Joe Cherian.
Episode 3
Helen Dean, CEO of the National Employees Savings Trust (NEST), discusses her role in developing and implementing a new retirement approach in the UK.
Episode 2
Australia’s Retirement System: It’s big, government-mandated, privately-run, and really sophisticated. Learn from two experts, Nick Sherry and Ian Silk.
Episode 1
The Chicago Boys and the Chilean Model
Hear about Chile’s unique retirement challenges from Martin Costabal and Cristian Rodriguez who played meaningful roles in shaping their retirement system.
Bonus
Perspectives from Josh’s global colleagues
Josh gets on the ground insights from three colleagues in PGIM’s Institutional Relationship Group: Ben Price, Howard Nowell, and Philip Hsin.
Bonus
Michael Miller, a long-time industry veteran and Head of PGIM DC Solutions, joins Josh to share how he got into the retirement space and some insightful perspectives on DC trends and pressing issues.
Bonus
Josh’s key takeaways: non-US retirement systems
In the first half of season 2, Josh traveled the globe to hear from local experts about how their countries tackled the challenge of building a retirement system. Listen to Josh’s reflections on lessons learned and common themes.
Bonus
Global episodes recap with John Mitchem
John Mitchem, global financial consultant and retirement expert, joins Josh to discuss episodes from the first half of season 2 while weaving in his experiences and expertise.
Bonus
Episodes recap with Michael Kreps
In the second half of season two, Josh and co-host Michael Kreps explored different ideas to reshape our country’s retirement system. Listen to their recap and reflections on the various approaches and proposals.
Season 1
Episode 8
Hear from two individuals who reached the highest perch of retirement investing consultancy as they discuss the evolution of the DC consulting industry.
Episode 7
Lawyering up - the impact of class action lawsuits on the retirement system
Hear from Jerry Schlichter and Jamie Fleckner, two lawyers whose legal battles shaped how the defined contribution retirement space thinks about innovation.
Episode 6
Carrots & sticks - the impact of regulations on the retirement system
Hear from two former Department of Labor EBSA directors about the challenges and opportunities in regulating the employee benefits space.
Episode 5
How target date funds and behavioral economics shaped retirement plans
The future of defined contribution retirement savings will be marked by two key concepts: putting individual investors first and constantly innovating.
Episode 4
Hear from two plan sponsors who embraced innovation in the defined contribution space, the challenges they faced, and how they view the future of retirement.
Episode 3
Grading America's retirement system
For all its successes, the retirement system is far from perfect. Hear from respected industry leaders and help grade the system on four crucial factors.
Episode 2
It sings, but will it sail? The birth of the 401(k)
An in-depth look at the 401(k), with Ted Benna, father of the 401(k), and Richard Stanger, author of the insert to the US tax code that changed retirement.
Episode 1.2
The long road to pension reform
Hear an incredible account of policy reform, a journey that has spanned presidents, Watergate, and finally, a signing that led to the modern retirement system.
Episode 1.1
Unions, corruption, and the Studebaker collapse
Learn about one of the key events in the history of retirement savings and the story behind how employers became responsible for workers’ retirement plans.
Bonus
Season in review with Mike Barry
Mike Barry, Josh’s long-time friend and retirement policy expert, returns to discuss episodes from the 2nd half of season 1 while weaving in related experiences and expertise.
Bonus
Hear outtakes from Don Ezra (guest from Ep. 8), who shares tales about the opportunity that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union, his collaboration with Nobel Prize winner Bill Sharpe and his present-day activities.
Bonus
Meet PGIM's new DC Solutions team
Josh invites colleagues David Blanchett and Mikaylee O'Connor of the recently established PGIM DC Solutions team to discuss their background, DC plan innovation, and the role of employers in the retirement space.
Bonus
Brigitte Madrian, The early days and now
In this bonus episode, Brigitte Madrian (guest from Ep. 5) shares stories about her early work, her current research into rainy day savings accounts, and how she earned her current role as Dean of the Brigham Young University Marriott School of Business.
BONUS
Episodes recap with Mike Barry
Josh reviews the first four full-length episodes of the podcast with long-time friend Mike Barry, President of O3 Plan Advisory Services LLC, who offers his thoughts while also sharing some personal experiences from 40+ years’ in the benefits field.
BONUS
Josh engages in an energetic discussion with two colleagues and long-time Defined Contribution (DC) experts David Skinner and Sara Shean from PGIM Real Estate. The discussion covers the evolving DC environment, the challenges facing plan sponsors, and the role of real estate in DC.
BONUS
Ted reminisces about the early days of DC
In this bonus episode, Ted Benna, who is often dubbed the father of the 401(k) and who was a guest from episode 2, reminisces about the early days of DC plans. Stories he shares includes a memorable exchange with a future vice presidential nominee about retirement savings, how plans were built and communicated in those days, and blowback he received from some in the industry.
