Experience

Maryland State Retirement and Pension System

• Government Administration
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Executive Director

  • May 2021 - Present



State Universities Retirement System

• State of Illinois

• Executive Director

  • Nov 2016 - Feb 2021

  Served as the CEO of SURS, managing a $30M operating budget, serving 230K members, overseeing a staff of 174, and administering a $22B defined benefit plan and a $3B defined contribution plan. Directly supervised the Chief Investment Officer, Chief Legal Counsel, Chief Benefits Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Internal Auditor and Chief Human Resources Officer. Key initiatives included: • Built a Strong Executive Leadership Team. Assembled a strong leadership team, hiring and developing two internal and three external candidates, following the resignation of the Chief Operating Officer and the planned retirements of five executive team members. • Addressed Legacy Issues. Boosted the morale and productivity of the staff and board through improved governance practices, creating a climate of respect, trust, and candor. Developed a strategic plan. Expanded physical space to address challenges related to understaffing. Initiated the modernization of our technology infrastructure. Addressed outstanding personnel issues. • Enhanced Member Education. Obtained customer satisfaction ratings exceeding 95% with limited staff. Hired and trained 20 additional member services representatives. Earned first place Pensions & Investments’ Eddy Award for member communications. • Improved Retirement Outcomes. Redesigned the defined contribution plan, incorporating industry best practices, including the establishment of an income-focused default and a limited number of low-cost and high-quality investment options. Launched an income-focused 457(b) plan. Created a microsite to help members make better choices among three core retirement plan options. • Created Relationships. Established and deepened relationships with legislators, stakeholders, and constituency groups. Provided advice and thought leadership. Led the Association of Illinois Public Retirement Systems. Show less



TIAA

• United States
• Financial Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Director, Government Markets

  • 2015 - 2016

  I delivered TIAA’s retirement approach to state and local governments nationwide with a focus on best practices for public sector pension reform and state sponsored retirement plans for private sector workers.• Provided guidance to public officials regarding public sector pension reforms based on the experience of TIAA providing defined contribution retirement plans to both public and private sector employees to create new business opportunities for the company.• Engaged in policy discussions related to the creation of state sponsored retirement plans for public sector employees without access to workplace retirement plans to differentiate TIAA from competitors in the marketplace while exploring the potential business opportunity. Show less

• Regional Vice President & Associate General Counsel

  • 2007 - 2015

  Led the ten member team responsible for the government relations activities in the ten state Midwest region. Served as a nationwide expert and thought leader on retirement plan design and 529 college savings plans. Successfully advocated for improvements to defined contribution plans including optional core retirement plans, hybrid plans and supplemental plans. Key accomplishments included:• Promoted best practices in public pension by reform by educating officials crafting pension reform proposals in Illinois and Michigan of the importance of proper plan design and income goals.• Played a key role in the redesign of the Ohio Alternative Retirement Plan, reducing the number of vendors from 13 to 4 in an effort to lower costs and improve participant outcomes.• Supported the passage of a statewide 403(b) plan in Iowa and led multiple successful efforts to defend the plan. Initiated legislation to create statewide 403(b) plans in Illinois and Ohio. Passed legislation in Ohio to provide the institutions of higher education with the authority to select 403(b) vendors. Passed legislation in Michigan to provide public employers with the authority to automatically enroll employees in 403(b) plans and other supplemental savings plans. • Cultivated relationships with key officials through work in the states and active involvement with the NGA, DGA, RGA, DLCC, RLCC, NAST, NAIC and NCSL. Attended four national political conventions. Show less



Office of the Illinois State Treasurer

• United States
• Financial Services
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Deputy Treasurer

  • 1993 - 2007

  Held positions of increasing responsibility for 14 years under Treasurers Giannoulias, Topinka and Quinn, serving as the Deputy Treasurer under Giannoulias and Topinka. Managed a $20M operating budget, a $15B investment portfolio and an office of more than 200 employees. Key accomplishments include: • Served on the Illinois State Board of Investments, which invests pension assets of $11B and oversees the investment of a $3B 457(b) plan for state employees. Chaired the Treasurer’s Investment Policy Committee, directing $9B in short-term investments for the state portfolio and $6B for the local government investment pool. Chaired the Treasurer’s Loan Committee, approving $1B in linked-deposit loans. Created and oversaw the $2B state 529 plans and a $75M private equity fund. • Directed Government Relations. Passed dozens of bills, including a bill authorizing the Treasurer to create 529 plans, a bill to create an alternative investment program and a bill transferring administration of unclaimed property to the Treasurer’s office. Testified on hundreds of bills and amendments in Illinois and participated on a United State Senate subcommittee panel on 529 plans. Participated in regular meetings with constitutional officers and legislative leaders. • Oversaw the procurement process, drafting and reviewing requests for proposal and negotiating multi-million dollar contracts for services related to banking, investments, 529 plans and unclaimed property. • Handled financial press issues, granting hundreds of interviews and assisting the Treasurer at press conferences and editorial board meetings. Made presentations to NAST, the Bond Buyer, the Illinois Banking Association and the Illinois Venture Capital Association. Show less