Costs of Aon Corporation Conflicts to NFL Player Retirement Plan?
Guys: The Pat Ryan that President Bush is thanking for raising money couldn’t be our Retirement Plan’s actuary Aon Corporation/Chicago Bears owner Patrick Ryan could it? Not the Patrick Ryan many of us, retired NFL players believe has cost the retired NFL players millions perhaps hundreds of millions in cooked actuarial analysis and other conflicts of interest? Check out the 9th paragraph below. Bernie
( PRELIMINARY RESEARCH FOLLOWS BELOW THAT DETAILS ABOUT THE AON-Chicago Bears Retirement PLAN CONFLICT OF INTEREST)
NO NEED TO READ EVERY WORD: THE QUICKEST WAY TO REVIEW THIS EMAIL IS TO 1) GO TO PARAGRAPH #9 BELOW, 2) THEN SKIM THE BIOS OF MCKENNA AND RYAN, 3) THEN TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THE Aon MATERIAL YOU HAVE PROBABLY SEEN BEFORE, 4) THEN SKIM OVER THE FORM 5500 SCHEDULE C, 5) THEN READ THE SUMMARY AND THE “FOLLOW THE MONEY” SECTION:
For Immediate Release October 12, 2006
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH
AT ROSKAM FOR CONGRESS,
DAVID MCSWEENEY FOR CONGRESS 2006,
AND ILLINOIS CONGRESSIONAL VICTORY COMMITTEE 2006 RECEPTION
Hilton Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
5:25 P.M. CDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thanks for coming. I'm proud you're here. Before I liberate the Speaker, so he doesn't have to stand up here for this long speech -- (laughter) -- I want to say this to you: I am proud to be standing with the current Speaker of the House who is going to be the future Speaker. (Applause.)
Speaker Denny Hastert has a long record of accomplishment. You know, he's not one of these Washington politicians who spews a lot of hot air. He just gets the job done. (Applause.) I have worked with him up close. I know what's it like to work with a Speaker who is determined to protect the United States of America, and a Speaker who wants to make sure that everybody who wants a job in America can find one. He has delivered results for the people; this country is better off with Denny Hastert as the Speaker, and it will be better off when he's the Speaker in the next legislative session. (Applause.)
The Speaker has heard me give a lot of talks, so he wants to make sure if there's a chair nearby -- (laughter) -- but I want to thank you all for coming. Your support means a lot.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We will win.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, sir. (Applause.) I am also proud to be with two fine candidates, Peter Roskam -- (applause) -- David McSweeney. (Applause.) And I want to thank you for helping them. I have a sense of what it's like to run for office. (Laughter.) I've done it before, and I know how important it is for two candidates who are out day in and day out campaigning to be able to look at an audience this size and realize they're getting fine support. Your support means a lot not only the their campaigns, in the sense that you're helping to fill the hat, but it means a lot to their spirits to realize there's a lot of people pulling for them.
And there's nobody better to pull for a candidate than his family -- in this case, Peter's family, Elizabeth and his children, and in David's case, his wife Margaret. And it's been my honor to be able to see both those families, and I want to thank the families for supporting these good men for running for office, as well. (Applause.)
Speaking about wives -- (laughter) -- I was -- I happened to have my picture taken a while ago with a group of citizens that came through, and one fellow -- I guess I would define him as blunt, said, "You know, I was hoping to have my picture taken with Laura." (Laughter.) I said, "It's not hurting my feelings, man, you got good taste." (Laughter.) She sends her best to the Speaker and to the candidates; she sends her best to you all. I am a lucky man to have Laura Bush as my wife. (Applause.) And our country -- in my non-objective opinion -- is lucky to have her as the First Lady. (Applause.)
I wish Kevin White all the very best in his run for the 5th Congressional Delegation. (Applause.) Thanks for coming, Kevin. Give Geraldine a hug for me.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Right in front of you, right here. (Laughter.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: I'll do it for you.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Laughter.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Give her a hug for me. (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: That's your responsibility. (Laughter.)
I am proud to be here with Congressman Don Manzullo from the great state of Illinois. (Applause.) My thanks to state Representative Tom Cross, who is the minority leader of the Illinois House. I want to thank all the state and local officials who've joined us. But most of all, thank you all for being here.
#9 I thank my friend Pat Ryan. It's not easy to raise this much money, and I know how much organization it takes, and therefore it takes a strong leader up top, and that's exactly what Pat Ryan is. He's a strong leader and a great American, and I'm proud to be with you, Pat.
I want to thank my friend Andy McKenna, who is the chairman of the Illinois Republican Party. The reason I mention grassroots activists is that you win campaigns by having candidates who can carry a strong message, and we have those candidates. You win a campaign because people are generous with their hard-earned money, and you have been so tonight. And you win campaigns when people get out, and put up the signs, and make the phone calls, go to the community centers and houses of worship and say, support these candidates. So I want to thank you for what you have done, and I encourage you to continue to work to turn out the vote come this November. (Applause.)
Andrew J. McKenna is Chairman of McDonald’s Corporation, the world’s leading food service retailer, and also of Schwarz, an international distributor of paper packaging and allied products. He is a director of Aon Corporation, Chicago Bears Football Club, Inc., Click Commerce and Skyline Corporation. Previously, Mr. McKenna has served as the Chairman of the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Cubs, as well as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Notre Dame. His past directorships include First Chicago NBD, Dean Foods and The Tribune Company. Mr. McKenna has also served on numerous civic, community and philanthropic boards including the Museum of Science and Industry, the Economic Club of Chicago, Children’s Memorial Hospital of Chicago and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and DePaul University Law School.
Patrick J. Ryan is Chairman and CEO of Aon Corporation. Aon Corporation is involved in risk management, insurance brokerage, reinsurance, and human capital consulting services. Ryan is also part owner of the Chicago Bears. Ryan is active in civic affairs in the Chicago region and serves as Chairman of the Northwestern University Board of Trustees. He was an important fundraiser for George W. Bush's 2000 presidential campaign and has also supported Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. Patrick J. Ryan and the Patrick J. Ryan Holding Company are career patrons of former Attorney General and unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate Jim Ryan (R), former House Republican Leader Lee Daniels (R), and former Senate President James "Pate" Philip (R). As of June 30, 2002, they had contributed $137,000 to Jim Ryan's campaign fund; of this amount, $82,000 was contributed by the Patrick J. Ryan Holding Company, and $55,000 was contributed by Patrick J. Ryan. From 1993 to 2002, Patrick J. Ryan and the Patrick J. Ryan Holding Company contributed $810,000 to candidates for Illinois statewide constitutional and legislative office, 96% of which was given to Republicans.
Last revised June, 2006.
Aon Settles Corruption Probe with 3 States for $190 Million
Complaint Cites Involvement of Top Execs
The Insurance Journal
New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and Acting New York State Insurance Superintendent Howard Mills, together with Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Illinois Acting Director of Insurance Deirdre Manna, today announced an agreement with the nation’s second largest insurance brokerage to resolve allegations of fraud and anti-competitive practices.
Under the agreement, the Chicago-based Aon Corporation is providing $190 million over a 30-month period for restitution to policyholders and is adopting a new business model designed to avoid conflicts of interest. In addition, Aon’s Chairman and CEO, Patrick G. Ryan, will issue a public statement apologizing for Aon’s improper conduct according to the statement issued by Spitzer’s office.
“The underlying complaint in this case shows that improper conduct was pervasive at Aon,” Spitzer said. “To its credit, however, the company has acknowledged the problems, has agreed to compensate policyholders and has adopted reforms that will provide greater accountability in the future.”...
The agreement with Aon was modeled after an earlier agreement reached January 31 with the nation’s largest insurance broker, Marsh & McLennan Companies, for $850 million.
The Aon complaint cites the involvement of Ryan in efforts to increase placements with an insurance company in exchange for that company’s use of an Aon subsidiary (Aon Re) for reinsurance brokering.
The complaint also alleges that Michael O’Halleran, Ryan’s second-in-command, personally negotiated “clawback” arrangements in which Aon Re would provide insurers with discounts or rebates on its reinsurance commissions on the condition that Aon could recover or “claw back” these discounts through retail placements made with the same insurers....
The civil complaint filed today in State Supreme Court in Manhattan and the citation issued by the New York Insurance Department allege that for years Aon received special payments from insurance companies that were above and beyond normal sales commissions. These payments – known as “contingent commissions” – were characterized as compensation for “services to underwriters” but were, in fact, rewards for the business that Aon steered and allocated to the insurance companies.
Spitzer’s office and the Insurance Department have said they have uncovered evidence showing that the “practice distorts and corrupts the insurance marketplace and cheats insurance customers.”...
Spitzer’s complaint against the company cites internal communications in which top executives openly discussed these efforts to maximize Aon’s revenue and insurance companies’ revenues - without regard to Aon’s clients’ interests....
Spitzer’s office and the New York State Department of Insurance said they are continuing a broad investigation of the insurance industry. To date, 10 executives from four companies have pleaded guilty to criminal charges stemming from the probe.
$ $ $
October 26, 2004
Aon Mired in Marsh
By Rich Duprey, The Motley Fool
As Marsh & McLennan (NYSE: MMC) struggles to stay afloat in a quagmire of alleged bid-rigging and price-fixing, another industry giant, Aon Corp. (NYSE: AOC), has suddenly found itself flailing about for buoyancy as well.
New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has allegedly found proof that the world's second-largest insurance broker was steering business to insurers that paid incentives to the company, a possible violation of the state's fraud and antitrust laws, as well as evidence of the practice of "tying," whereby the broker threatens to stop recommending an insurer's policies unless it agrees to use the broker to place its own reinsurance policies.
The alleged sins of Marsh & McLennan are overt criminal acts; the practices of Aon are more nebulous. The impact on the industry is far-reaching.
Spitzer forced Marsh to press the ouster of its CEO by refusing to negotiate with the company and threatening to indict it criminally, an action the company would have been hard-pressed to survive. With little choice, Marsh CEO Jeffrey Greenberg resigned and was replaced by Michael Cherkasky, the former CEO of Kroll Inc., a company Marsh acquired only this year.
Coincidentally -- or not -- Cherkasky was once Spitzer's boss in the district attorney's
SCHEDULE C (Form 5500)Department of the TreasuryInternal Revenue ServiceDepartment of LaborPension and Welfare Benefits AdministrationPension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Service Provider InformationThis schedule is required to be filed under section 104 of theEmployee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. File as an attachment to Form 5500. Official Use OnlyOMB No. 1210 - 01102004
This Form is Open toPublic Inspection For the calendar plan year 2004 or fiscal plan year beginning April 01, 2004 and ending March 31, 2005
A Name of plan BERT BELL/PETE ROZELLE NFL PLAYER RETIREMENT PLAN
B Three digitplan number 001
C Plan sponsor's name as shown on line 2a of Form 5500 RETIREMENT BOARD OF BERT BELL/PETE ROZELLE NFL PLAYER RETIREMENT PLAN
D Employer Identification Number13-6043636 Part I Service Provider Information (see instructions) 1 Enter the total dollar amount of compensation paid by the plan to all persons, other than those listed below, who received compensation during the plan year: 1 $1,376,210
(a) Name..................................................................... Aon Consulting
(b) Employer identification number (see instructions) 22-3339704
(c) Official plan position .......................................... ACTUARY
(d) Relationship to employer, employee organization, or person known to be a party-in-interest .................................... NONE
(e) Gross salary or allowances paid by plan..............NA
(f) Fees and commissions paid by plan..................... $492,951
(g) Nature of service code(s) (see instructions) .......11
SUMMARY: In form IRS Labor Dept form 5500 Schedule C (d) above it asks “Relationship to employer, employee organization, or person known to be a party-in-interest” the Plan Administrator’s answer NONE is at best inaccurate at worst a lie, either way it violates the IRS reporting laws. This is not a one time error it is consistent on all form 5500’s filed by the Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Player Retirement Plan reports.
FOLLOW THE MONEY: when our Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Player Retirement Plan pays Aon Corporation $395,323 in 2004, and $492,951 in 2005 (approx $440,000 a year) for actuarial/consultant services and Aon Corporation pays Chicago Bears owner Patrick Ryan $5,000,000 in 2005 as an executive officer of the same Aon Corporation one could legitimately conclude the payments are related. Ryan owns 22 million shares of Aon Corporation. Any prudent person would call Patrick Ryan a “Relationship to employer,…or person known to be a party-in-interest.”
Our NFL Player Retirement Plan documents say under Article 11.3 Use of Assets. “…under no circumstances will any amounts contributed to the Trust, or any assets of the Trust, ever revert to, or be used or enjoyed by, an Employer or the League,…” This would seem to be a slam dunk of a violation of the Retirement Plan terms and a clear conflict of interest since the Chicago Bears Club is “…an Employer…” as referred to above.
$395,323 in 2004, plus $492,951 in 2005 = $888,274 for 2 years (an average of $440,000) goes into Aon Corporation’s bank account from the Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Player Retirement Plan bank account and Aon Corporation pays Patrick Ryan $5,000,000 in compensation for 2005.
The money goes from the Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Player Retirement Plan bank accounts to Aon Corporation’s bank accounts then to Patrick Ryan’s an NFL owner/Employer.
Clearly our NFL Player Retirement Plan documents say under Article 11.1 Use of Assets. “…under no circumstances will any amounts contributed to the Trust, or any assets of the Trust, ever revert to, or be used or enjoyed by, an Employer or the League,…” This would seem to be a slam duck of a violation of the Retirement Plan terms and a clear conflict of interest since the Chicago Bears NFL Club is “…an Employer…” as referred to herein.
The Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Player Retirement Plan Board of trustees have personal fiduciary responsibility for improprieties in the course of their operating the Plan. Aon’s conflict of interest has been brought to the Plan Administrator and Plan lawyers the Groom Law Group attention numerous times over the past six months and nothing has been done to rectify the situation.
The $64 or $64 million or $640 million question is has Aon been cooking the actuarial analysis used to determine the employer contributions to the Plan? The employer contributions are out of sync with MLB’s and with the $6 billion gross NFL income and the fact that more NFL participants are covered 9,560 vs. MLB’s 7,360.
Lousy collective bargaining by the NFLPA, incompetent leadership, collusion with the owners, are all possibilities when one consider’s Upshaw’s pride in his “close partnership” with the NFL Commissioner, and his preoccupation with personal greed. Overpaid now, Upshaw is still angleing and schemeing for a hurried raise and a 5 year extension in the face of Congressional investigation of his questionable operation of the NFLPA. Upshaw expressed an “I’m making too much money. I can’t rock the boat.” attitude when he bought out and NFL health insurance failure from Rasheed Kenyon.
posted by They Call It A Game by Bernie Parrish at 6:58 AM
