Where New England's Equity Community Comes Together

Tavola da Siena Restaurant  |  400 Putnam Pike, Smithfield, RI 02917

Three years ago, in the wake of the COVID pandemic, we shared our thoughts and predictions on the evolving landscape of equity compensation with the New England NASPP Summit. Little did we know how much could change in such a short time. This year, with the arrival of a new presidential administration, it’s time to reassess the equity compensation landscape. Market volatility and other macroeconomic and social factors continue to influence equity incentives. Technologies such as artificial intelligence and digital assets are advancing rapidly, though their implications for our beloved industry aren’t always clear.

In this dynamic and sometimes chaotic environment, compensation professionals have been tasked with construction of new disclosures like pay vs. performance and are now forced to prepare for disaggregation of the income statement, which will dramatically impact the way compensation is presented in the company’s financials in years to come. In this rapidly changing landscape, staying informed about court cases, SEC comment letters, rulemaking and enforcement actions is even more crucial than before.

When planning your equity plan communications and education roadmap, do you take into consideration how those communications will be received? This presentation will provide insight into using participant behavior and demographic metrics to determine the best way to capture their attention and participation.

Learning Objectives: 

• Engagement:

  • Which participants respond to invites and then actually attend sessions
  • Using surveys to understand session impact
  • Invited participants attendance vs pre-registered participants
  • Behaviors of participants on support channels and tailored education surrounding those behaviors

• Switching Strategies:

  • Different types of engagement for scheduled sessions based on audience receiving invite/registration
  • What days of the week work best to send invites, hold sessions. Time of day?
  • Multi-Channel approaches - Intranet vs communication partners
  • Experiment with content - How to catch their eye

Speakers:

• Brooke Anderson, CEP, Charles Schwab

• Jennifer Francis, CEP, Aon

• Rees Franklin lll, Affirm

1 continuing professional education credit for CPAs

Dive into sophisticated settlement techniques for executive 10b5-1 plans with our expert panel, including a quantitative trading specialist who will share valuable analytics on the market impact of trades by reporting persons. This practical session delivers actionable frameworks for implementing settlement strategies that protect shareholder value while meeting company and individual objectives. We will offer perspective on liquidity patterns and optimal windows often overlooked in traditional 10b5-1 trade execution.

Learning Objectives: 

• Learning new ways to execute on Rule 10b5-1 Plans
  
• Protecting Shareholder value

Speakers:

• Chen Chen, Candor

• Adam Crawford, Candor

1 continuing professional education credit for CPAs

Efficient administration of your organization’s equity plan is crucial if you want to foster employee engagement, comply with regulations, optimize your resource allocation, and prioritize data security. This session will address five key questions that all administrators should be asking themselves on a regular basis in order to ensure their programs are in tip-top shape, in addition to a number of strategies on how to enhance the effectiveness of your stock plan administration and optimize the efficiency of related processes.

Learning Objectives: 

• Provide audience members with actionable items to check their own plan health status
• Provide strategies for optimizing plan procedures

Speakers:

• CJ Van Ostenbridge, Infinite Equity
  

• Jennifer Tardif, CEP, Infinite Equity

1 continuing professional education credit for CPAs

Set sail with us as we explore how a fractional share approach can benefit everyone, regardless of stock price. From participants and plan sponsors to ambitious corporate goals, these small fractions can be a lighthouse guiding your way. Fractional shares can streamline tax withholding procedures, enhance your vesting process, precisely target value delivery in grants, and elevate your ESPP.

Our panelists will navigate you through the steps to implement a fractional share program for various equity awards (RSUs, ESPP, options), the necessary administrative adjustments, and changes to plan documentation to facilitate fractional share issuances. We'll also cover the rights of fractional shareholders and the resulting tax implications. Additionally, our experts will chart the impact of stock splits on share plans and discuss alternative approaches for adjusting equity programs in response to share price fluctuations.

Receive insights from issuers and administrators, along with legal and tax analysis, to help you make the most of your equity awards, no matter where your stock price sails!

Learning Objectives:

• Steps to implement a fractional share program for various equity awards
• Review the administrative adjustments and changes to plan documentation required to facilitate fractional share issuances
• Outline the rights of fractional shareholders and the resulting tax implications
• Analyze the impact of stock splits on share plans and alternative approaches for adjusting equity programs in response to share price fluctuations

Speakers:

• Katherine Donohue, ADP
• Joe Magner, Fidelity Investments

• Lindsay Minnis, Baker McKenzie

1 continuing professional education credit for CPAs

In an increasingly global workforce, effective mobility tracking is critical for ensuring compliance, optimizing tax and equity reporting for mobile employees. This session will explore best practices for tracking mobility data and the essential role it plays in administering employee share plans. With a focus on global mobility, we’ll differentiate between expats and business travelers, addressing unique challenges and implications for each group. This session is designed for HR and mobility professionals who manage global talent and equity plans.

Learning Objectives:

• Best practices for tracking mobility data
• Breaking down the difference between expat and business travelers

Speaker:

• Charles Russo, Computershare

1.2 continuing professional education credit for CPAs

Employers everywhere are challenged with unengaged and disengaged employees. Employee ownership through equity compensation can be a key differentiator in driving engagement for your workforce. This session explores different strategies companies have taken with their equity programs to deliver the power of employee ownership. First, we’ll explore the growing interest in equity-for-all and equity-for-more programs, and discuss considerations for companies who are considering driving their equity programs deeper into their population. Next, we’ll dig into equity choice and compensation choice, and discuss how this new twist on employer rewards can help improve engagement and outcomes for participants. And finally, we’ll review employee stock purchase plan trends, why ESPPs are on the rise, and outline next steps and considerations for companies who are considering adding or improving an ESPP.

Learning Objectives:

• Create a plan to engage your disengaged employees
• Communicate measurable tactics to increase employee ownership

Speakers:

• Megan Anatole, Toast

• Jeremy Boraks, Fidelity Investments

• Nooné Janjigian, Thermo Fisher Scientific

1.2 continuing professional education credit for CPAs

Getting the right long-term incentive program in place can be crucial for companies to motivate, retain and attract employees; knowing how your company stacks up against regional and industry peers is critical to this process. This informative session will compare trends in stock plan design for east-coast companies to national data for technology and life science companies vs. other sectors. We'll compare everything from the types of equity awards granted and award eligibility to vesting and termination provisions.

Learning Objectives:

• What are the most common equity granting practices by region and industry and which regions and sectors are most likely to offer broad-based equity awards?
• What types of vesting schedules are used for new-hire, ongoing, and retention awards and how do vesting schedules differ by region and industry?

Speakers:

• Barbara Baksa, CEP, NASPP

• Gregory Kopp, Deloitte Tax LLP

Ready for a fresh take on the ever-evolving world of global stock plan administration? Join us for an interactive session that blends valuable learning with fast-paced fun and a little friendly competition. This is your chance to explore the latest updates and trends in global equity—while putting your knowledge to the test in a lively trivia challenge against fellow equity professionals.

Throughout the session, you'll tackle real-world scenarios, answer thought-provoking questions, and gain deeper insights into topics ranging from global mobility strategies and ESPP secrets to 10b5-1 planning, Section 16 & Rule 144 filings, tax withholding, payroll optimization, 409A valuations, and financial reporting best practices. It's an engaging, game-based format designed to sharpen your skills and boost your confidence in handling complex global equity topics.

Whether you're here to stay ahead of industry changes, fine-tune your strategy, or just show off your expertise, you'll leave more informed—and maybe even with a prize in hand. And, of course, there are bragging rights for the trivia champs. Don't miss this chance to learn, compete, and connect with your peers in a high-energy, supportive environment. Let the games begin!

Learning Objectives:

• Stay Current: Explore new global equity trends, regulatory updates, and industry best practices.
• Strengthen Technical Know-How: Deepen your understanding of advanced compliance and administration topics.
• Put Knowledge into Practice: Apply what you've learned in a fast-paced, interactive trivia competition that reinforces real-time learning.

Speakers:

• John Hammond, CEP, Aon

• Dave Lanka, CEP, Bank of America