In January, Nareit participated in the Innovation Forum & Membership Meeting of the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA) in Manalapan, Florida. DCIIA seeks to incorporate best practices into the $8.4 trillion DC retirement market. Since it was established in January 2010, DCIIA has steadily built an impressive membership roster that includes a vast majority of the most visible thought leaders in the DC industry. The organization was formed with 42 founding members, including Nareit, and has since grown to 168 members.
In addition to Nareit, founding members of DCIIA include some of the largest investment consultants and investment managers in the U.S. Plan sponsors of the largest and most influential DC plans also participate. Outside of DCIIA, Nareit maintains an ongoing dialogue with most of these member organizations through its direct meetings program. As a board member, Nareit serves on the organization’s Public Policy Committee, Investment Policy & Design Committee and Editorial Review Board. Importantly, a seat on the Editorial Review Board enhances Nareit’s ability to ensure that the REIT industry’s interests are properly represented in all publications, communications and presentation materials distributed to the DC market by the council.
Promoting the automation of key aspects of DC plan participation is particularly important to Nareit, as is promoting the inclusion of all major asset classes and investment product formats within DC plans, including REIT-based real estate investment.
(Contact: Kurt Walten at kwalten@nareit.com)