Not applicable.
(a) The registrant maintains a system of disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed in the registrant’s reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including the registrant’s Principal Executive Officer (“PEO”) and the Principal Financial Officer (“PFO”), as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Under the supervision and participation of the registrant’s management, including the registrant’s PEO and PFO, the registrant conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act as of December 31, 2015. Based upon management’s review, the PEO and the PFO concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2015.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
This annual report does not include an attestation report of the registrant’s independent registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting. Management’s report was not subject to attestation by the Registrant’s independent registered public accounting firm pursuant to the rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that permit the company to provide only management’s report in this annual report.
Not applicable.
PART III
ITEMS 10 AND 11. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE OF THE REGISTRANT; EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION.
The TIAA Real Estate Account has no officers or directors and no TIAA trustee or executive officer receives compensation from the Account. The Trustees and certain principal executive officers of TIAA as of March 1, 2016, their dates of birth, and their principal occupations during at least the last five years, are as follows:
Trustees
Ronald L. Thompson (Chairman),DOB: 6/17/49
Director, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Medical University of South Carolina Foundation, and Trustee, Washington University in St. Louis. Member, Plymouth Ventures Partnership II Advisory Board.
Jeffrey R. Brown,DOB: 2/16/68
Josef and Margot Lakonishok Professor of Business and Dean of the College of Business at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (since 2015). Professor of Finance and Director of the Center for Business and Public Policy, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (since 2007).
James R. Chambers, DOB: 9/19/57
Director, President and Chief Executive Officer (since 2013), Weight Watchers International, Inc. President, US Snacks and Confectionary at Kraft Foods (2010 to 2012). Director, Big Lots, Inc.
Robert C. Clark,DOB: 2/26/44
Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor and Austin Wakeman Scott Professor of Law, Harvard Law School, Harvard University (since 2003). Director of the Hodson Trust, Time Warner, Inc. and Omnicom Group, Inc.
Lisa W. Hess,DOB: 8/8/55
President and Managing Partner, SkyTop Capital (since 2010). Director of Radian Group, Inc., Covariance Capital Management, Inc. (“Covariance”), and TIAA-CREF Trust Company, FSB.
Edward M. Hundert, M.D.,DOB: 10/1/56
Harvard University Medical School, Dean for Medical Education and Daniel D. Federman, M.D. Professor in Residence of Global Health and Social Medicine and Medical Education (since 2014). Formerly, senior lecturer in Medical Ethics (2007 to 2014), and Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard Medical School (2011 to 2014). Formerly, independent consultant, Huron Consulting Group (2011 to 2014).
Lawrence H. Linden,DOB: 2/19/47
Founding Trustee of the Linden Trust for Conservation, Member of the Board of Directors of the World Wildlife Fund and Advisory Director to the Redstone Strategy Group. Strategic Advisory Board Member, New World Capital Group.
Maureen O’Hara,DOB: 6/13/53
R.W. Purcell Professor of Finance at Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University (since 1992), where she has taught since 1979. Chair of the board of Investment Technology Group, Inc. (2007 to 2016), and member of the board (2003 to 2016). Director of New Star Financial, Inc.
Donald K. Peterson,DOB: 8/13/49
Trustee emeritus of Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Director, Sanford C. Bernstein Fund Inc., Bernstein Fund Inc., and TIAA-CREF Trust Company, FSB.
Sidney A. Ribeau,DOB: 12/3/47
Professor of Communications, Howard University (since 2014). President, Howard University (2008 to 2013). Director, Worthington Industries.
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Dorothy K. Robinson,DOB: 2/18/51
Of Counsel at K&L Gates (since 2016). Former Senior Counselor to the President of Yale University (2014 to 2015). Formerly, Vice President and General Counsel, Yale University (1995 to 2014). Trustee of Yale University Press, London. Director, TIAA-CREF Trust Company, FSB.
Kim M. Sharan,DOB: 10/20/57
Former President of Financial Planning and Wealth Strategies and Chief Marketing Officer at Ameriprise Financial (2002 to 2014). Director, Girls, Inc.
David L. Shedlarz,DOB: 4/17/48
Director, Pitney Bowes Inc., The Hershey Company, and TIAA-CREF Trust Company, FSB.
Marta Tienda,DOB: 8/10/50
Maurice P. During ’22 Professor in Demographic Studies and Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs, Princeton University (since 1999). Olivia Margaret Sage Visiting Scholar at the Russell Sage Foundation (since 2015). Trustee, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Jacobs Foundation.
Officer—Trustees
Roger W. Ferguson, Jr.,DOB: 10/28/51
President and Chief Executive Officer of TIAA and CREF (since 2008).
Other TIAA Executive Officers
Robert G. Leary,DOB: 3/20/61
Executive Vice President, Asset Management Chief Executive Officer of TIAA. Principal Executive Officer and Executive Vice President of CREF and VA-1. Principal Executive Officer and President of TIAA-CREF Funds and TIAA-CREF Life Funds. Prior to joining TIAA, Mr. Leary served as a Representative, Securities Research, Inc., President and Chief Operating Officer, U.S., ING Americas, Chief Executive Officer, ING Insurance US, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, ING Investment Management, Americas.
Virginia M. Wilson,DOB: 7/22/54
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of TIAA and Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer of CREF. Prior to joining TIAA, Ms. Wilson served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Wyndham Worldwide Corporation.
Ronald Pressman,DOB: 4/11/58
Executive Vice President, Institutional Financial Services Chief Executive Officer of TIAA, and Executive Vice President of the TIAA-CREF Fund Complex. Prior to joining TIAA, Mr. Pressman served as President and Chief Executive Officer of General Electric Capital Real Estate.
Edward D. Van Dolsen,DOB: 4/21/58
Executive Vice President, Individual Financial Services Chief Executive Officer of TIAA, and Executive Vice President of the TIAA-CREF Fund Complex.
Portfolio Management Team
Gerald Casimir,DOB: 10/16/59
Managing Director and Portfolio Manager, TIAA Real Estate Account. (Since 2015) Head of U.S. Real Estate Asset Management, TIAA (2011-2015). Head of Real Estate Asset Management, U.S. Northeastern Region, TIAA (2009-2011).
Gordon (Chris) McGibbon,DOB: 11/25/72
Managing Director, Head of Americas, Global Real Estate, TIAA. (Since 2016)
Heather Davis,DOB: 12/18/60
Senior Managing Director, Chief Investment Officer, Global Real Assets, TIAA. (Since 2016)
Audit Committee Financial Expert
On February 10, 2016, the Board of Trustees of TIAA determined that Lisa W. Hess and Donald K. Peterson qualify as Audit Committee Financial Experts. Each such Trustee is independent (as that term is used in
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Item 7(d)(3)(iv) of Schedule 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) and has not accepted, directly or indirectly, any consulting, advisory or other compensatory fee from TIAA, other than in his or her capacity as Trustee.
Code of Ethics
The Board of Trustees of TIAA has adopted a code of ethics for senior financial officers, including its principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer, or controller, and persons performing similar functions, in conformity with rules promulgated under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
The code of ethics is filed as an exhibit to this annual report.
During the reporting period, there were no implicit or explicit waivers granted by the Registrant from any provision of the code of ethics.
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS.
Not applicable.
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE.
The TIAA general account plays a significant role in operating the Real Estate Account, including providing a liquidity guarantee, and investment advisory, administrative, and other services. In addition, Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of TIAA, provides distribution services for the Account.
Liquidity Guarantee. If the Account’s liquid assets and its cash flow from operating activities and participant transactions are insufficient to fund redemption requests, the TIAA general account has agreed to purchase liquidity units. TIAA thereby guarantees that a participant can redeem accumulation units at their net asset value next determined. For the year ended December 31, 2015, the Account expensed $31.7 million for this liquidity guarantee from TIAA through a daily deduction from the net assets of the Account. During 2012 and through the date of this annual report, the TIAA general account has not purchased any liquidity units. During the months of June, September, December 2012, and March 2013, the Account redeemed all outstanding liquidity units representing a total of $940.3 million and $325.4 million redeemed during 2012 and 2013, respectively.
Investment Advisory and Administration Services/Mortality and Expense Risks Borne by TIAA. Deductions are made each valuation day from the net assets of the Account for various services required to manage investments, administer the Account and distribute the contracts. These services are performed at cost by TIAA and Services. Deductions are also made each valuation day to cover mortality and expense risks borne by TIAA.
For the year ended December 31, 2015, the Account expensed $69.3 million for investment advisory services and $1.1 million for mortality and expense risks provided/borne by TIAA. For the same period, the Account expensed $80.8 million for administrative and distribution services provided by TIAA and Services.
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PwC”) performs independent audits of the registrant’s consolidated financial statements. To maintain auditor independence and avoid even the appearance of conflicts of interest, the registrant, as a policy, does not engage PwC for management advisory or consulting services.
Audit Fees. PwC’s fees for professional services rendered for the audits of the registrant’s annual consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 and review of consolidated financial statements included in the registrant’s quarterly reports were $1,130,000 and $1,169,000 respectively.
Audit-Related Fees. The registrant had no audit-related services for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014.
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Tax Fees. PwC had no tax fees with respect to registrant for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014.
All Other Fees. Other than as set forth above, there were no additional fees with respect to registrant.
Preapproval Policy. In June of 2003, the audit committee of TIAA’s Board of Trustees (“Audit Committee”) adopted a Preapproval Policy for External Audit Firm Services (the “Policy”), which applies to the registrant. The Policy describes the types of services that may be provided by the independent auditor to the registrant without impairing the auditor’s independence. Under the Policy, the Audit Committee is required to preapprove services to be performed by the registrant’s independent auditor in order to ensure that such services do not impair the auditor’s independence.
The Policy requires the Audit Committee to: (i) appoint the independent auditor to perform the financial statement audit for the registrant and certain of its affiliates, including approving the terms of the engagement and (ii) preapprove the audit, audit-related and tax services to be provided by the independent auditor and the fees to be charged for provision of such services from year to year.
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PART IV
ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.
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(1) | | (A) | | Distribution Agreement for the Contracts Funded by the TIAA Real Estate Account, dated as of January 1, 2008, by and among Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America, for itself and on behalf of the Account, and TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC.4 |
(3) | | (A) | | Restated Charter of TIAA (as amended).5 |
| | (B) | | Amended Bylaws of TIAA.6 |
(4) | | (A) | | Forms of RA, GRA, GSRA, SRA, IRA Real Estate Account Endorsements2, Keogh Contract,3 Retirement Select and Retirement Select Plus Contracts and Endorsements1 and Retirement Choice and Retirement Choice Plus Contracts.3 |
| | (B) | | Forms of Income-Paying Contracts2 |
| | (C) | | Form of Contract Endorsement for Internal Transfer Limitation7 |
(10) | | (A) | | Amended and Restated Independent Fiduciary Letter Agreement, dated as of February 2, 2015, between TIAA, on behalf of the Registrant, and RERC, LLC8 |
| | (B) | | Custodian Agreement, dated as of March 3, 2008, by and between TIAA, on behalf of the Registrant, and State Street Bank and Trust Company, N.A.9 |
*(14) | | | | Code of Ethics of TIAA |
*(31) | | | | Rule 13(a)-15(e)/ Rule 13a-15(e)/15d-15(e) Certifications |
*(32) | | | | Section 1350 Certifications |
**(101) | | | | The following financial information from the annual report on Form 10-K for the periods ended December 31, 2015, formatted in XBRL (Extensible Business Reporting Language): (i) the Statements of Assets and Liabilities, (ii) the Statements of Operations, (iii) the Statements of Changes in Net Assets, (iv) the Statements of Cash Flows, and (v) the Notes to the Financial Statements. Any other required schedule has been omitted because the schedule is not applicable to the registrant. |
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| * | | Filed herewith. |
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| ** | | Furnished electronically herewith. |
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| (1) | | Previously filed and incorporated herein by reference to the Account’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed April 29, 2004 (File No. 333-113602). |
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| (2) | | Previously filed and incorporated herein by reference to the Account’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed April 30, 1996 (File No. 33-92990). |
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| (3) | | Previously filed and incorporated herein by reference to the Account’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed May 2, 2005 (File No. 333-121493). |
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| (4) | | Previously filed and incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(A) the Account’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed with the Commission on March 15, 2013 (File No. 333-187309). |
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| (5) | | Previously filed and incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3(A) to the Account’s Registration Statement On Form S-1, filed with the Commission on April 22, 2015 (File No. 333-202583). |
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| (6) | | Previously filed and incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3(B) to the Account’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed with the Commission on April 22, 2015 (File No. 333-202583). |
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| (7) | | Previously filed and incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4(C) to the Account’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2010 and filed with the Commission on November 12, 2010 (File No. 33-92990). |
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| (8) | | Previously filed and incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Account’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on February 6, 2015 (File No. 33-92990). |
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| (9) | | Previously filed and incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.(b) to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Account for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012 and filed with the Commission on March 14, 2013 (File No. 33-92990). |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant, TIAA Real Estate Account, has duly caused this annual report on Form 10-K to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in New York, New York, on the 10th day of March, 2016.
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| | TIAA REAL ESTATE ACCOUNT |
| | | | |
| | By: | | TEACHERS INSURANCE AND ANNUITY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA |
| | | | |
March 10, 2016 | | | | /s/ Robert G. Leary |
| | |
| | | | Robert G. Leary |
| | | | Executive Vice President, Asset Management Chief |
| | | | Executive Officer of Teachers Insurance and |
| | | | Annuity Association of America |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, this Report has been signed by the following trustees and officers of Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America, in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature | | Title | | Date |
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/s/ ROGER W. FERGUSON, JR. | | President and Chief Executive Officer of Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America and Trustee | | March 10, 2016 |
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/s/ ROBERT G. LEARY | | Executive Vice President, Asset Management Chief Executive Officer of Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (Principal Executive Officer) | | March 10, 2016 |
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/s/ VIRGINIA M. WILSON | | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | | March 10, 2016 |
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/s/ RONALD L. THOMPSON | | Chairman of the Board of Trustees | | March 10, 2016 |
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/s/ JEFFREY R. BROWN | | Trustee | | March 10, 2016 |
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/s/ JAMES R. CHAMBERS | | Trustee | | March 10, 2016 |
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/s/ ROBERT C. CLARK | | Trustee | | March 10, 2016 |
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/s/ LISA W. HESS | | Trustee | | March 10, 2016 |
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/s/ EDWARD M. HUNDERT, M.D. | | Trustee | | March 10, 2016 |
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/s/ LAWRENCE H. LINDEN | | Trustee | | March 10, 2016 |
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/s/ MAUREEN O’HARA | | Trustee | | March 10, 2016 |
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/s/ DONALD K. PETERSON | | Trustee | | March 10, 2016 |
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/s/ SIDNEY A. RIBEAU | | Trustee | | March 10, 2016 |
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/s/ DOROTHY K. ROBINSON | | Trustee | | March 10, 2016 |
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/s/ KIM M. SHARAN | | Trustee | | March 10, 2016 |
/s/ DAVID L. SHEDLARZ | | Trustee | | March 10, 2016 |
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/s/ MARTA TIENDA | | Trustee | | March 10, 2016 |
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SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION TO BE FURNISHED WITH REPORTS FILED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 15(D) OF THE ACT BY REGISTRANTS WHICH HAVE NOT REGISTERED
SECURITIES PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE ACT
Because the Registrant has no voting securities, nor its own management or board of directors, no annual report or proxy materials will be sent to contract owners holding interests in the Account.
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