FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 21, 2019 SEC Commission Guidance on Proxy Voting is Encouraging The Institute for Pension Fund Integrity commends the SEC for moving towards greater clarity on the proxy voting requirements and fiduciary responsibility for institutional investors. However, more is needed. Arlington, VA – The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been reviewing […]
IPFI Issue Brief: Reforming The Proxy Advisory Firm Duopoly: An Analysis of Recent SEC Guidance and Its Implications for Public Pension Retirees
Since 2018, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been evaluating the role that proxy advisory firms have regarding shareholder engagement. This has resulted in recent Commission-level guidance to clarify the relationship between proxy advisory firms and institutional investors. At the end of the day, public pension retirees rely on their pension systems and […]
COMMENTARY: Safeguarding the pensions of public employees; With proxy reforms the SEC takes a first step in improving the health of U.S. pension funds
This op-ed originally appeared in The Washington Times on October 8th, 2019. Nearly a year after it held a roundtable on the topic, the Securities and Exchange Commission on Aug. 21 issued “an interpretation that proxy voting advice provided by proxy advisory firms generally constitutes a ‘solicitation’ under the federal proxy rules.” This is a […]
PRESS RELEASE: IPFI Applauds SEC’s Actions Fixing the Proxy Advisory Process
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 14, 2019 IPFI Applauds SEC’s Actions Fixing the Proxy Advisory Process The Institute for Pension Fund Integrity welcomes the SEC’s latest proposed rules, which seek to restore trust and accountability to the shareholder voting process by addressing a range of negative practices rampant in proxy advisory services. Arlington, VA – Last […]
CalSTRS Need to Focus More on Investment Performance, Less on Proxy Advisory Firms
The issue of proxy advisory reform is at the center of debate now with the SEC entering into a formal rulemaking process to roll back some of these firm’s unchecked powers. These firms have been known to make recommendations misconstruing or misinterpreting data, they have been allowed to operate and make recommendations with clear conflicts […]
COMMENTARY: Senate Banking Hearing with SEC Chairman Must Address Proxy Advisory Firms
This article originally appeared in Morning Consult on December 10th, 2019. On Dec. 10, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs will hold an oversight hearing on the Securities and Exchange Commission. Among all of the SEC’s priorities, the Senate Banking Committee should raise the topic of proxy advisory reform. With the public […]
The SEC Is Right To Force More Transparency Into Proxy Voting
This article originally appeared in Forbes on January 31, 2020. The Securities and Exchange Commission is about to take an important first step in bringing accountability and transparency to the proxy voting world. For far too long pension funds have off-loaded their fiduciary duty to their beneficiaries to proxy advisory firms by outsourcing to them, the review […]
What the SEC’s Proposed Rule Means for Investors
This article originally appeared on Morning Consult on March 5, 2020. In the new year, we often make many promises. This time, we must resolve to protect the interests of retail and institutional investors from the meddling of proxy advisory firms. I have always argued for clear and navigable investment voting processes, and this moment […]
Commentary: The SEC’s New Rules For Proxy Advisory Firms Are A Key Step Toward Accountability
This article originally appeared in Forbes on April 30, 2020. In a recent Op-Ed in Barron’s , four current state treasurers argue that the SEC’s proposed rules for proxy advisory firms are a harmful overstep by the agency tasked with protecting investors and promoting the creation of wealth in this country. As the former State Treasurer of Connecticut, I […]