• In Memory of Tony Whitworth, Council Member 2012-2015
• CPBI Saskatchewan 2016 Regional Conference: Evolution through Innovation   
  • Featured Sessions
  • Conference Sponsors  
    
• Wine and Cheese Networking & Member Appreciation 
• Dinner with Special Guest Speaker: Jessica Holmes
• Upcoming Breakfast & Luncheon Seminars
• Programs through Humber College 
  
• 2015-16 CPBI Saskatchewan Regional Council  
  
• Would you like to get involved?
• Thank-you to our 2015-16 Program Sponsors 
  

We are saddened to announce that Tony Whitworth passed away suddenly on December 14, 2015.

Tony became a CPBI member in 1994 when he first came to the University of Saskatchewan as the Vice President of Finance and Administration (1994 to 2005). Upon his retirement, Tony served as a Trustee for the City of Saskatoon General Plan from 2005 to 2015. Tony always demonstrated a commitment to continuous learning. He joined our Saskatchewan Regional Council in 2012. In addition to serving as a council member, Tony served on the Finance Committee. A dedicated volunteer, Tony also chaired the United Way campaign for the city of Saskatoon in 2001.

Tony was a beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend. CPBI Saskatchewan Regional Council will miss the wisdom that he shared with us all. We express our deepest condolences to the Whitworth family and to all of the friends and colleagues whose lives were touched by Tony. CPBI Saskatchewan Regional Council has made a donation to the United Way to recognize Tony’s contributions to CPBI and to the pension and benefits community in Saskatchewan.

We dedicate this newsletter in fond memory of Tony Whitworth.

Moving Forward by Looking Back

Dave Wild, Associate Deputy Minister of Finance, Public Employees Benefits Agency (PEBA)

Over his thirty year career in the pension industry, Dave Wild has demonstrated innovation! His accomplishments include the establishment of the Saskatchewan Pension Plan, Greystone Capital Management Inc., and the Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority; the growth of the Public Employees Pension Plan (PEPP) into the largest defined contribution plan in Canada; and public policy developments such as the Capital Accumulation Plan (CAP) Guidelines, pension alternatives to annuities, Fund Facts for mutual funds, and resolution of pension disputes at the University of Saskatchewan and City of Regina. Dave will share with us what he has learned about evolution through innovation in the pension industry. 

Treating Workplace Stress: A Doctor's Prescription

Dr. David Posen M.D., “Doc Calm”- Bestselling Stress & Wellness Authority 

As the pace of work continues to increase, the economy sputters and jobs are in short supply, organizations and the people who run them keep ramping up the stress levels on their employees. Some workers wear their stress like a badge of honour; others resign themselves to what they see as the “new normal” and accept the situation as “the way it is”. The real truth is that workplaces are making people sick. Not enough people are talking about it, and when they do, no one is listening. Join bestselling author and renowned speaker on stress, David Posen MD, for a revealing look at workplace stress - what’s causing it and what can cure it.

Discover ...

The scope and cost of workplace stress.

How the conspiracy of silence affects everyone.

The misconceptions about productivity.

The fallacy of face time and the futility of long hours.

The myth of multi-tasking.

Simple, yet enlightened strategies to fix the problem.

Cross Examination Demonstration

Reginald Watson, Partner, Miller Thomson 

Lorna Selinger, Manager, Human Resources, 3sHealth

Cheryl Pockrandt, Disability Income Adjudicator, 3sHealth

Reg Watson will take you into the courtroom and demonstrate how well you need to be prepared in the event your benefit plan gets challenged from a legal perspective. Reg, acting for the plaintiff, will cross examine two of the defense’s witnesses. The case will involve an employee whose disability benefits were discontinued at the end of the "own occupation" period. In this case, disability benefits were terminated as the plan adjudicator determined the plaintiff was not disabled from "all occupations" and the defendant did not follow the requirement under the insurance policy to fully participate in a rehabilitation plan.

The first witness is represented by the human resource professional who attempted to assist the plaintiff to return to work. The second witness represents the adjudicator (or administrator) of the plan.

An independent judge will be selected from the audience.

TOUCH: Five Factors to Growing and Leading a Human Organization

Tod Maffin, Digital Marketing and Technology Expert 

For better or worse, digital business has fundamentally changed how organizations hire staff, market their services, and connect with stakeholders. The problem is, in an effort to use technology to connect with people more effectively, we have lost the humanity — that critical person-to-person connection — which is the engine of commerce. In a world filled with complicated web forms and digital marketing services, we have lost the “human” element in how we run our organizations. In this keynote presentation, Tod Maffin identifies these problems in stark terms, then provides business leaders in all types of organizations — private to public sector, small to enterprise business — with real-world, tested solutions.

How are we Evolving? Our Approach to a Successful Human Resource Information System (HRIS) Implementation

Chris Perkins, Director, HR Shared Services, The Co-operators 

This presentation will provide a case study on the creation of a human resource (HR) corporate service team that includes the selection and implementation of a common payroll and HR capital management system. The presentation will guide attendees through the journey of the opportunity, tipping point, request for proposal, lessons learned, change management, benefits, and new hope of that change. In addition to the story of the journey, a few tools will be offered related to change management, impact assessment, and project integration.

Desjardins

Group Medical Services

Franklin Templeton Institutional

Saskatchewan Blue Cross

The Co-operators

Phillips, Hager & North

Aon

Lawson Lundell LLP

CIBC Mellon

Sun Life Financial

Shepell

Mercer

Triasima

iA Financial Group

Manulife

Benefits and Pensions Monitor

Delta Regina Hotel, Wednesday, April 13, 2016

6:00 p.m. Cocktails

6:30 p.m. Dinner

7:30 p.m. Depression, The Comedy

               Jessica Holmes, Celebrated Comedian and Bestselling Author

Are you current with the prescription drug market trends in Canada? Are your drug spending management techniques the best they can be? Join one of the experts in the field as she shares her extensive knowledge to guide you through the possible impact of high cost drugs and how to manage them.

Barbara A. Martinez is the National Practice Leader, Drug Benefits Solutions, in the Toronto Group Sales office of Great-West Life Assurance Company.

As part of the CPBI Saskatchewan Regional Council’s commitment to providing ongoing educational opportunities for our membership, a number of courses through Humber College have been offered in the past, and we will continue to look for opportunities to offer them in the future.

Recently four course offerings had to be cancelled due to insufficient participation.

Humber provides accredited benefits and pension education for employees who want to enhance their knowledge in the areas of employee benefits and pension administration. Their courses are nationally renowned, and employees receive recognized designations that provide value to your organization. In addition, the knowledge that you and your employees gain will allow your organization to keep pace with rapidly changing legislative and regulatory requirements. A recent attendee said “Although I have been involved in the administration of pensions for 26 years, this program was instrumental in bringing my knowledge up-to-date and provided important insight into the future directions of the Pension environment.”

For Employers who want cost effective training with immediate payback, Humber provides a structured learning environment with demanding educational standards lead by experts in legal, government and business organizations in the pension and benefits field. The programs are designed for pension and benefits administrators, compensation practitioners, human resource consultants, financial service representatives, and human resource generalists. Humber brings valuable education to Saskatchewan.

As future Humber courses are announced, we would encourage all members to give serious consideration to the benefits that these programs will have for their employees, and their organization. We know that organizations are carefully watching their training budgets, so taking advantage of these courses when offered locally can provide great savings.

We encourage you to participate in a Humber education opportunity soon!