November 22, 2019 – The Pension Boards-United Church of Christ (PBUCC) has been selected to receive a $1,000,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to expand the scope and reach of the Ministers’ Financial Vitality Initiative (MFVI), a financial wellness program for authorized ministers in the United Church of Christ (UCC).
Interview by Ashley Kuzmech*
The Pension Boards interviews the Rev. Richard Walters, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), to discuss PBUCC’s top priorities with regard to climate change, human rights, and supply chain management.
Recently, Lan Cai, Deputy Chief Investment Officer for the Pension Boards-United Church of Christ (PBUCC), was a panelist at Pensions & Investments’ inaugural Emerging Markets conference in New York City. The featured discussion highlighted investment opportunities and strategies in growth markets such as China. As a follow-up to that conversation, the Pension Boards sat with Lan to highlight PBUCC’s long-term investing approach to emerging markets on behalf of its members’ portfolios in the Annuity Plan.
Annuitants receiving monthly annuity payments can now view the exact amount of their annuity payments through our bank, Northern Trust.
New York, October 4, 2019 – Brian R. Bodager, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Pension Boards-United Church of Christ, Inc. (PBUCC), today announced that the Rev. James Moos, Ph.D. will join the Pension Boards team on October 15 in the new role of Executive Director of PBUCC’s Faith and Finance Ministries. In this position, which reports to the President and CEO, Moos will oversee the organization’s Ministerial Assistance, Philanthropy, Communications and Church Relations, and Corporate Social Responsibility functions.
In the summer of 2019, I was given the opportunity to be a part of the Pension Boards’ first 2019 Summer Internship Program. I accepted this offer with great joy since I would get to expand my knowledge in areas pertaining to my skillset and future aspirations, while also helping an organization committed to improving the lives of their members through responsible investing practices.
When I first started working for the Pension Boards’ Finance department, I expected to perform typical tasks that revolve around finance and some basic budget analytics. But instead, we worked on analyzing data across a wide range of issues, including my favorite, actuarial analysis. For example, I had an opportunity to work on an annuity calculator with various retirement options by incorporating multiple variables stemming from mortality tables, salaries, employer and employee contributions. This work really helped shape my outlook on my field of interest since I am currently an actuarial science student at Baruch College. I am grateful to the Pension Boards for giving me a platform where I could grow my skills in this field. I have to say the experience went beyond my expectations.
With that being said, PBUCC is a good place to grow in a variety of industries, especially if you are someone that is intrigued by the world of finance and investments, and you want to grow the wealth of your future clients in a more ethical and responsible way. Aside from the hands-on learning experience, we were also paired up with a PBUCC mentor for the summer. They were extremely willing to help us at all times. In addition to the mentors, we were exposed to weekly presentations by department heads where we were able learn about their career journey through the sharing of personal stories. 
Lastly, we engaged in a lot of fun team activities throughout the internship such as bowling, an all-staff BBQ, a scavenger hunt, and serving the elderly at the Amsterdam Nursing Home.
In conclusion, this internship program checks-off every box available: educative, friendly working environment, an organization with a great purpose, and fun. It was definitely one of the best summer internship programs I’ve been a part of and certainly one that I would recommend to others.
*Reinaldo Cuni is a second-degree student at Baruch College in New York City studying Actuarial Science
This summer, my fellow interns and I were afforded the opportunity to be a part of the Pension Boards’ 2019 Inaugural Summer Internship Program (June 10-August 9, 2019). What initially drew me to the Pension Boards was their commitment to corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and social justice initiatives. I was excited to be working for an organization whose values corresponded with my own; however, I could not imagine what was to come.
From the second I arrived at the Pension Boards, every person I met was not only intelligent and pragmatic, but also kind and good hearted. Throughout the internship program, we were tasked with challenging organizational norms as a team and as individuals, but to also have fun! I found this internship to be educational in a multitude of ways: I learned a lot about the different areas of the Pension Boards’ work, and gained a new skill set in the process; I learned more about myself and my career interests; and most importantly, I learned about the importance of transparency and collaboration within an organization.
Leadership Roundtables
As part of the internship program, we had a weekly opportunity to sit down with a departmental leader or representative and hear their story, which included their accomplishments, life obstacles, and lessons they learned along their work/life journey. I gained more information from my mentors than any position could offer. The value of the wisdom shared with us during these sessions is incalculable and lasting.
Team Building Events
In addition to the education we received, my fellow int
erns and I participated in a lot of fun events such as a New York City scavenger hunt, an all-staff barbeque that was filled with games and activities, and a fun night of bowling! All of these events were intended to foster team building and empower our working relationships.
Overall, I have had a great experience at the Pension Boards and have grown to love the family-oriented environment it offers. I am grateful for all that I have learned, the experiences I have had, and the people I have met. If I could go back in time and do the program over again, I would.
*Ashley Kuzmech is a senior at Baruch College in New York City studying Human Resource Management and Sociology.
The Pension Boards interviews the Rev. Richard Walters, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), to explore PBUCC’s history of shareholder activism, and why this work is important for our world.
The Pension Boards interviews the Rev. Richard Walters, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), to explore some of the social justice issues that are being addressed through the Pension Boards’ engagement and leadership in the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR).