Plenary Sessions

Legislative Plenary Luncheon

Generating Economic Development During Times of Extreme Fiscal Stress
M. Ray Perryman, Ph.D., President, The Perryman Group, Texas
In a fiscal environment where states face an increasing number of enormous challenges alongside dwindling sources of revenue, this presentation will focus on how state policymakers can effectively and efficiently harness scarce resources to generate sound economic development.

Economic Turbulence and State Investment Strategies
Janet Cowell, State Treasurer, North Carolina
During a period of tremendous economic and market volatility, state policymakers face substantial hurdles in ensuring the viability of the state’s pension fund investments, short-term cash investments and supplemental retirement funds. This presentation will provide insights on some of the strategies devised by North Carolina’s principal fiscal advisor.

Opening Plenary
HARRY MARKOPOLOS: From Madoff to Medicare

The repercussions from the Madoff scandal are felt throughout the financial and nonprofit world—even by organizations that had no direct involvement with his massive Ponzi scheme. Of even greater concern is the fact that Medicare fraud has the potential to dwarf financial fraud.

Profiled on 60 Minutes and in The Wall Street Journal, Markopolos candidly explains his long fight to “gift wrap and deliver the biggest Ponzi scheme to the SEC ever” and reveals a captivating cloak-and-dagger story of one man and his tightly knit, highly-trained team of trusted allies that never gave up

As a Certified Fraud Examiner, Markopolos continues to attack what he calls “medical terrorism” or the huge amount of Medicare fraud, going to where he can make the best case against the biggest offender that will become an overall nationwide deterrent. He will educate and inform about how to identify Medicare fraud and what do to prevent it from ever happening to you in the future.

Closing Plenary

Clyde Edgerton
North Carolina Clyde Edgerton has delighted readers with his nine novels and a memoir that are at once comic and touching.  Deeply connected to his Southern roots, Edgerton has become an exemplar of the Southern literary tradition that underscores the region’s storytelling and good humor.  In addition to his literary work, Edgerton is a professor at the University of North Carolina Wilimington and an accomplished musician.