About
Board of Trustees
PERA is governed by its Board of Trustees. The Board approves PERA’s operating budget, decides legislative policy and priorities, and hires the executive director. In addition, the Trustees establish the policies and procedures that govern operations at PERA, hear and rule on appeal matters of disabilitants, retirees, and members, and direct the dissemination of information to PERA’s members.
Board Trustees do not receive compensation for their service to PERA, but are reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred while serving the association.
The PERA Board of Trustees consists of eleven members. The State Auditor is a member of the Board by statute. Five trustees are appointed by the Governor to represent cities, counties, school boards, retirees and the public, respectively. The remaining five members are elected by the PERA membership at large to represent the general active membership, Police and Fire plan members and all benefit recipients. All elected and appointed Board members serve four-year terms. The State Attorney General’s office provides legal counsel to the Association.
Thomas Stanley (President)
Elected General Membership Representative
Trustee since March 2013
Current term expires January 2023
Thomas Rupp (Vice President)
Elected General Membership Representative
Trustee since February 2019
Current term expires January 2023
Julie Blaha
State Auditor
Trustee since January 2019
Current term expires January 2023
Paul Bourgeois
Elected General Membership Representative
Trustee since February 2011
Current term expires January 2023
Mary Falk
Appointed General Public Representative
Trustee since June 2015
Current term expires January 2023
Paul Ford
Elected Police and Fire Representative
Trustee since August 2017
Current term expires January 2023
Kathryn A. Green
Appointed School Board Representative
Trustee since April 2006
Current term expires January 2022
Barbara Johnson
Appointed City Representative
Trustee since January 2017
Current term expires January 2025
David Metusalem
Elected Retired, Disabled, and Survivor Representative
Trustee since April 2019
Current term expires January 2023
Scott Schulte
Appointed County Representative
Trustee since March 2021
Current term expires January 2025
Thomas Thornberg
Appointed Retired Annuitant Representative
Trustee since February 2020
Current term expires January 2024
Doug Anderson
Executive Director
Back to top
Becoming a Trustee
Board of Trustees Election Process
Five PERA members are elected to serve on the Board for four-year terms. Three of the seats are filled by active (presently working) members of the Association’s three largest defined benefit plans. The fourth seat is specifically designated to be occupied by an active member of the Police & Fire Plan. The fifth seat is designated to be filled by a former member of PERA who is either receiving a retirement annuity or disability benefit.
All five trustees will be elected at large by the retirees, benefit recipients, and active members of PERA’s General, Police & Fire Plans, and Correctional Plans. Defined Contribution Plan participants who do not also belong to one of the Association’s defined benefit plans cannot vote.
The next Board of Trustees election is in January 2023. Applications will be taken in October 2022. More information on the process and how to apply will be posted in August 2022.
Open Appointment Process
The Governor appoints five trustees to represent Minnesota cities, counties, school boards, retired annuitants, and the general public. The Trustees appointed to these positions also serve a four-year term.
There are currently no PERA Board Trustee positions open. The next opening is in January 2022 for the School Board Representative. Open positions are posted on this website with further information on the Secretary of State’s website.
Current openings for all state councils, boards, task forces, and commissions, along with application forms, and facts and questions (FAQ’s) can be found on the Secretary of State’s website under “Open Appointments.”
Back to top
News
PERA’s Board elects new officers
The Board re-elected Thomas Stanley as president of the PERA Board and Thomas Rupp as vice president.
Stanley, an elected General Membership Representative, has served as a trustee since May 2013. His term expires in January 2023. Stanley is a Senior Attorney in the Civil Division for St. Louis County Attorney’s Office.
Rupp, an elected General Membership Representative, has served as a trustee since February 2019. His term expires January 2023. Rupp is a Senior Financial Management Analyst at Hennepin County.
Representative of School Boards
PERA has an opportunity for you to serve on the Board of Trustees as the school boards representative. This position is a four-year term and is appointed by the Governor.
Interested candidates may apply for the Representative of School Boards position through the Secretary of State’s website (Click here to view online). Applications become public information once submitted.
Further information about the duties and powers of the Board, can be found under Minnesota Statutes 353.03.
911 Telecommunicator Subcommittee Meeting
Thursday, July 15 at 2:00 p.m. via GoToMeeting
The subcommittee of the Board will review the candidate statements and will select a candidate to participate in the working group. The LCPR will convene their first meeting in the last two weeks in July.
For more information, contact Gladys Rodriguez by email at Gladys.rodriguez@mnpera.org.
911 Telecommunicators working group
The PERA Board of Trustees is seeking candidates to participate in a working group to recommend to the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement (LCPR) whether the pension benefits of 911 Telecommunicators should be changed and, if so, recommend changes.
PERA will accept applications through Thursday, July 8, 2021. Interested applicants must be a member of the PERA Correctional Plan, and can apply by completing a brief biography and answering three questions concerning the position.
A subcommittee of the Board will review the candidate statements and will select a candidate to participate in the working group. The LCPR will convene their first meeting in the last two weeks in July.
Download Biographical Sketch and Questions
Return to Gladys Rodriguez by email to Gladys.rodriguez@mnpera.org
The application must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 8, 2021
June Board of Trustees Meeting Cancelled
The June PERA Board of Trustees meeting has been cancelled. The next meeting is scheduled for August 12, 2021.
Walz, Flanagan Announce Appointments
[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan today announced appointments to the Public Employees Retirement Association Board of Trustees.
Barbara Johnson – Minneapolis, MN
Representative of Minnesota Cities
Effective: March 30, 2021
Term Expires: January 31, 2025
Reappointment
Scott Schulte – Coon Rapids, MN
Representative of Minnesota Counties
Effective: March 30, 2021
Term Expires: January 31, 2025
Replacing: Leigh Lenzmeier
Schulte brings extensive experience in government and public office. He has provided 12 years of service to the Coon Rapids City Council as Mayor Pro-Tem and Councilman-at-Large and is also the current Chairman of the Anoka County Board of Commissioners.
Johnson has served on the PERA Board since 2017 as the City Representative. While serving as a Minneapolis City Council member and Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, she also served on the board of the Minneapolis Employees Retirement Fund.
Back to top
Meeting Materials and Minutes
RESOLUTION REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULE
BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Trustee of the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) that the following dates will be scheduled for Regular Board Meetings and Planning Workshop for the year 2022. The Board will meet the second Thursday of the following months beginning at 9:30 a.m. in Room 117 of the State Retirement Systems of Minnesota Building, 60 Empire Drive, St. Paul, Minnesota, unless otherwise noted.
Regular Meeting
February 10, 2022
April 14, 2022
May 12, 2022
June 9, 2022
August 11, 2022
October 13, 2022 (Meeting and Planning Workshop)
December 8, 2022
Notice: Some Trustees may be participating in meetings via conference telephone; when a Trustee is participating from a remote location, the public may monitor these meetings by telephone. Persons wishing to do so should contact gladys.rodriguez@mnpera.org
Click on the links below for agendas and minutes. Please note that meeting minutes are not posted until approved by the Board.
2022 PERA Board Meeting Agendas and Minutes
Meeting Dates | Agendas | Minutes |
February 10, 2022 (Hybrid Meeting) | Agenda | |
April 14, 2022 | ||
May 12, 2022 | ||
June 9, 2022 | ||
August 11, 2022 | ||
October 13, 2022 (Meeting and Planning Workshop) | ||
December 8, 2022 |
2021 PERA Board Meeting Agendas and Minutes
Meeting Dates | Agendas | Minutes |
February 11, 2021 (Remote Meeting) | Agenda | Minutes |
April 8, 2021 (Remote Meeting) | Agenda | Minutes |
May 13, 2021 (Remote Meeting) | Agenda | Minutes |
June 10, 2021 | Cancelled | |
August 12, 2021 (Remote Meeting) | Agenda | Minutes |
October 14, 2021 (Meeting and Planning Workshop) (Hybrid Meeting) | Agenda | Minutes |
December 9, 2021 (Hybrid Meeting) | Agenda |
2020 PERA Board Meeting Agendas and Minutes
Meeting Dates | Agendas | Minutes |
February 13, 2020 | Agenda | Minutes |
April 9, 2020 | Cancelled | |
May 14, 2020 (Remote Meeting) | Agenda | Minutes |
June 11, 2020 (Remote Meeting) | Agenda | Minutes |
August 13, 2020 (Remote Meeting) | Agenda | Minutes |
October 8, 2020 (Meeting and Planning Workshop) (Remote Meeting) | Agenda | Minutes |
December 10, 2020 (Remote Meeting) | Agenda | Minutes |
2019 PERA Board Meeting Agendas and Minutes
Meeting Dates | Agendas | Minutes |
February 21, 2019 | Agenda | Minutes |
April 25, 2019 | Agenda | Minutes |
May 9, 2019 | Canceled | Canceled |
June 13, 2019 | Agenda | Minutes |
August 8, 2019 | Agenda | Minutes |
October 10, 2019 (Meeting and Planning Workshop) | Agenda | Minutes |
December 12, 2019 | Agenda | Minutes |
2018 PERA Board Meeting Agendas and Minutes
Meeting Dates | Agendas | Minutes |
January 09, 2018 — Special Meeting | Agenda | Minutes |
February 08, 2018 | Agenda | Minutes |
April 12, 2018 | Agenda | Minutes |
May 10, 2018 | Agenda | Minutes |
June 14, 2018 | Agenda | Minutes |
August 09, 2018 | Agenda | Minutes |
October 11, 2018 — Meeting and Planning Workshop | Agenda | Minutes |
December 13, 2018 | Agenda | Minutes |
2017 PERA Board Meeting Agendas and Minutes
Meeting Dates | Agendas | Minutes |
February 09, 2017 | Agenda | Minutes |
April 13, 2017 | Agenda | Minutes |
May 11, 2017 | Agenda | Minutes |
June 08, 2017 | No Meeting | |
August 10, 2017 | Agenda | Minutes |
October 12, 2017 Meeting and Planning Workshop | Agenda | Minutes |
December 14, 2017 | Agenda | Minutes |