READING, PA, September 26, 2014 – Charles F. Harenza, Chair of Stevens & Lee’s Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Group, and Edward C. Renenger, Shareholder of Stevens & Lee, presented as part of the Pennsylvania Association of Community Bankers “Last Wednesday Lunch & Learn Series.”
In the webinar “Retirement Plan Regulatory Enforcement: What the IRS and DOL Are Up To,” Messrs. Harenza and Renenger explored current trends in enforcement regarding company-sponsored retirement plans by the IRS and the U.S. Department of Labor, both of which have broad investigative authority and the power to impose significant sanctions. The speakers provided information to help banks successfully manage risk, and also gave a high-level overview of pre-enforcement correction procedures.
Mr. Harenza has more than 25 years of experience as an employee benefits attorney with emphasis on the design, implementation and ongoing ERISA and tax compliance, including administration, of both single and multi-employer defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plans, as well as welfare benefit plans. He also works with executive non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements and equity-based plans for private and publicly traded corporations.
Mr. Harenza has extensive experience with the employee benefits aspects of mergers and acquisitions, from the due diligence process through post-closing benefits integration. He regularly advises cities, boroughs, townships and other government instrumentalities on all aspects of pension compliance with both state and federal law. He often provides guidance to the firm’s labor lawyers with respect to the pension and benefit implications in the collective bargaining process.
Mr. Renenger is an employee benefits attorney who concentrates his practice on ERISA and qualified retirement plans. He provides particular expertise on the feasibility, design, implementation and administration of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) for both Subchapter S Corporations as well as Subchapter C Corporations. Mr. Renenger’s ESOP practice focuses on the entire range of ESOP-owned companies, from companies that are wholly owned by the ESOP Trust to publicly traded companies in which the ESOP Trust has a minority interest.
Mr. Renenger also advises clients on the structure and administration of defined benefit pension plans and defined contribution plans, including 401(k) plans. In addition, he guides clients through the retirement plan correction programs and, in this capacity, regularly acts as legal counsel before the IRS and Department of Labor.
