WPBCSF 2025–2026
A Year of Learning, Connection & Community
From changing retirement policy and new investment approaches to total rewards and artificial intelligence, WPBCSF brought Bay Area benefits professionals together throughout the year to learn, exchange ideas, and strengthen professional connections.
The 2025–2026 program year reflected both the breadth of our profession and the pace of change shaping it. Across four chapter educational programs, collaborative events, and social gatherings, the San Francisco Chapter created opportunities for members to stay informed while building relationships across the broader benefits community.
A Year of Timely Education
Fall 2025
Private Investments in Retirement
Our fall educational program examined the growing debate around private investments in defined contribution plans. With increased attention on the role alternatives may play in retirement savings, the session explored potential opportunities alongside questions about fees, liquidity, valuation, and fiduciary responsibility.
The goal was not to advocate for one approach, but to help plan sponsors, advisors, and service providers better understand an issue likely to remain part of the retirement conversation.
Winter 2026
Annual Legislative & Regulatory Update
Bob Holcomb, Vice President of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs at Empower, returned for one of the chapter’s most popular annual programs, offering a timely look at developments emerging from Washington.
The discussion covered potential SECURE 3.0 proposals, ongoing SECURE 2.0 implementation, enhanced auto-enrollment, proposals to lower the minimum participation age, CITs in 403(b) plans, regulatory priorities, and other developments affecting plan sponsors and retirement professionals.
Spring 2026
Total Rewards in Action: Where Equity Meets Retirement
In partnership with NASPP San Francisco, WPBCSF explored how retirement and equity compensation increasingly intersect within an organization’s total rewards strategy.
The two-part program examined total rewards convergence and the relationship between advisors, HR teams, retirement benefits, and equity compensation, followed by a hosted networking reception that brought members of both professional communities together.
WPBCSF and NASPP San Francisco members and guests at Total Rewards in Action: Where Equity Meets Retirement.
Spring 2026
Spring Summit: AI Shaping the Future of Retirement & Benefits
We closed the educational year by looking ahead.
The Spring Summit explored how artificial intelligence is beginning to influence retirement and benefits—from strategy and compliance to participant experience and the everyday work of benefits professionals.
Designed as a cross-disciplinary conversation, the Summit connected emerging technology with real-world applications and questions facing organizations today. The discussion also created a foundation for continued exploration of AI in the year ahead.
Community Beyond the Classroom
Professional education is central to WPBCSF, but some of the most valuable connections happen outside the formal program.
Celebrating the season with colleagues at our December Holiday Happy Hour with DCIIA.
Our Holiday Happy Hour with DCIIA brought colleagues together for an informal evening of conversation and connection.
During the year, we also helped connect members with WIPN Bay Area programming, creating additional opportunities to engage with the broader retirement and benefits community.
Thank You to Our Community
None of these programs happens on its own.
Thank you to our speakers for sharing their expertise; to the organizations that opened their doors to our community; to our sponsors and partners for supporting our work; and especially to our members, volunteers, committee members, and Board for investing their time and energy in WPBCSF.
Looking Ahead
Building on the Momentum in 2026–2027
The next chapter year is already taking shape, with another fall educational session, our annual legislative and regulatory update, continued collaboration with NASPP, and the return of the Spring Summit.
We’re also looking forward to continued partnerships, more opportunities to connect, and new ways for members to help shape the chapter’s programming and community.
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