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Minutes - 12/04/2012 - Police Pension Fund BoardVILLAGE OF OAK BROOK BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE POLICE PENSION FUND - Minutes UNOFFICIAL UNTIL APPROVED AS WRITTEN OR AS AMENDED BY BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE POLICE PENSION FUND ON January 30, 2013 1. CALL TO ORDER: The Special Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Oak Brook Police Pension Fund was called to order on December 4, 2012 by President Val Torlo at 6:53 p.m. in the Samuel E. Dean Board Room of the Butler Government Center, 1200 Oak Brook Road, Oak Brook, Illinois. 2. ROLL CALL: The roll was called with the following persons PRESENT: President Val Torlo, Vice President Alan Feldman, Secretary Edward Caspers, Trustee Hitesh Patel, Trustee Ben Kadolph ABSENT: None IN ATTENDANCE: Finance Director Sharon Dangles, Bob Thompson and Jim Hrabak of MB Financial Bank, Bill Lowery, Jeff Kowalczyk and Courtney Cervantes of Lowery Asset Consulting, Acting Pension Clerk Charlotte Pruss 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None presented. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: None presented. 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: a. Discussion regarding changes to the investment portfoloio per the discussion at the Third Quarterly Meeting on October 24, 2012 Mr. Lowery began by saying that the Fund is probably up overall close to 10% year -to -date and remarked about the natural resource funds and international funds' changes that have been made. He stated that the Fund has the ability to invest in mutual funds as potential diversification ideas and also because the Fund does not have to pay taxes on income, they could also look at high dividend options. He explained that they examined four of the best dividend funds and how they have performed and stated that these have not really been generating the best returns. Mr. Lowery referred to Section I of the handout provided and discussed Emerging Markets, specifically GMO funds described on Page 3 of Section I. He stated that the Pimco Income fund is multi- sector with a higher yield, 5 -5.5 %, and then discussed "call" and "put" defensive equity. He next referred to the Index Option Strategies on Page 7 of the handout. He remarked that pension funds are getting more involved in selling calls and puts because it lowers equity volatility and it is very strong defensive equity. He then discussed the higher yield dividend funds listed on Page 2 of Section I: Vanguard Equity Income, Federated Strategic Income, J.P. Morgan Equity Income and Columbia Dividend. He also discussed the returns of the existing managers, Ridgeworth Large Cap Value, Contravisory, FMI Large Cap and DF Dent Premier Growth, with Ridgeworth having the largest dividend of about 2.4 %. Mr. Lowery stated that if the Fund favors going toward more dividend stocks, his recommendation is to increase Ridgeworth, which is currently only about 1.3% of the portfolio. He remarked that since the Board agreed to move toward more diversification and commented that there is only 1% currently in emerging markets in the portfolio, he suggested that by putting 4% there it would raise it up by more than ten points, highest expected return, 2% yield. He then talked about pure opportunistic global bonds and non - agency backed bonds and recommended Pimco; he also recommended Kinetics. Mr. Kowalczyk pointed out that an investment cannot be made in Kinetics until February because that is when it gets its five -year track record, but that they wanted to bring it up now as something to BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE POLICE PENSION FUND Minutes — December 4, 2012 Page 1 of 3 consider. Trustee Patel inquired as to the size of Kinetics and Mr. Lowery replied that it is fairly big firm and have about $600,000,000 in their funds. Discussion ensued regarding the information provided. Mr. Lowery stated that at least two out of the three strategies presented, say Pimco and the multi- sector bond fund would be less risky than just going into equities. He affirmed that investing in emerging markets could include some Far Eastern markets. Secretary Caspers inquired regarding the fees listed by Kinetics on the table and Mr. Lowery replied that relative to other markets, Delaware's fees are below average and that emerging markets' funds are typically more expensive. He added that Pimco is below average and that Kinetics will go down over time as the assets go. Discussion ensued regarding basis points charged in allowable funds. Secretary Caspers inquired as to the time frame for looking back to see if this new strategy is working and Mr. Lowery replied that the industry standard is three to five years, but added that if six months from now any issues can be addressed, such as if the emerging markets are doing well, but the managers are not. Vice President Feldman inquired as to the time frame for making the 10% investment change and Mr. Lowery affirmed that it would be over the next three months, especially with Kinetics not five years until February and that they need five years to comply with the law. Discussion ensued regarding the defensiveness of this plan and volatility of the market. Motion by Trustee Patel, seconded by Secretary Caspers, to proceed with the three investments over the next ninety days with the conditions of: discussing the status of the first investment option at the January 301" meeting, doing the second investment option after the January 30" meeting and enrolling in the Kinetics investment option when it become eligible at the end of February. ROLL CALL: Ayes: 5 — President Torlo, Vice President Feldman, Secretary Caspers, Trustee Patel, Trustee Kadolph Nays: 0 — None Absent: 0 — None. Motion carried. Mr. Hrabak of MB Financial provided a handout regarding the Fixed Income Allocation Analysis and stated that the Fund can go up to 65% in equity. In response to an inquiry, Mr. Thompson explained the way the statute is written all fire and police pension funds under $2.5 million are only allowed to do 10% in equity allocation, and he added that the Department of Insurance came out and said it was actually 65 %, but whether that was intended by the General Assembly is unknown. Mr. Hrabak affirmed that for funds over $10 million, it is 55% which is additive to the 10 %. He stated that this provides an opportunity to diversify the bond portfolio and use mutual funds. He stated that MB's recommendation is adding high -yield fixed income and emerging market bonds, with average yields of 7% and 5 %, respectively. He expressed that it is important to lock in as much income as you can in a low interest environment, which will afford protection if interest rates rise. Mr. Hrabak referred to Tab 1 of the handout and explained that 90% of the fixed income returns come from coupons and 10% come from capital appreciation /depreciation. He discussed that by adding high yield fixed income and emerging market bonds it will boost the portfolio without upsetting the risk profile of the portfolio. He discussed having a target return of 4% and also the different grade levels of bonds and where high yield bonds are and the correlations in MB's Asset Allocation Analysis. Discussion ensued regarding this and whether it is the right time for this type of exposure. Vice President Feldman expressed concerns about adding to the risk exposure potential on the heels of the investment changes voted on earlier in the meeting. Consensus to hold off on making any fixed income changes at this time. Finance Director Dangles exited the meeting at approximately 7:52 p.m. BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE POLICE PENSION FUND Minutes — December 4, 2012 Page 2 of 3 6. ADJOURNMENT: Motion by Vice President Feldman, seconded by Trustee Patel, to adjourn the Board of Trustees of the Police Pension Fund meeting at approximately 8:02 p.m. VOICE VOTE: Motion carried. ATTEST: Edward J. Gaspers /s/ Edward J. Gaspers, Secretary Board of Trustees of the Police Pension Fund BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE POLICE PENSION FUND Minutes — December 4, 2012 Page 3 of 3