Rector “Choc” McCollum, a retired Dallas police sergeant and longtime advocate for public employee retirement systems, died July 16 in Plano. He was 69.

TEXPERS is proud to welcome Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman LLP (BLBG) as the official sponsor of this year’s Fiduciary Fizz Mocktail, the signature drink of the 2025 Summer Educational Forum’s Networking Welcome Reception on Sunday, Aug. 3, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Paso Del Norte Lobby of the El Paso Convention Center.

TEXPERS is proud to welcome back Dimensional Fund Advisors as the Presenting Sponsor of our 2025 Summer Educational Forum, taking place August 3–5 in El Paso, Texas.

TEXPERS has extended the deadline to reserve rooms in the official hotel block to July 18, 2025, for the 2025 Summer Educational Forum, presented by Dimensional Fund Advisors. Held Aug. 3–5 at the El Paso Convention Center in El Paso, the forum provides state-approved continuing education hours for public retirement system trustees and administrators. The official event hotel is the Hotel Paso del Norte (Autograph Collection).

The box has just arrived and is nearly overflowing with ribbons for the 2025 TEXPERS Summer Educational Forum, thanks to sponsor Pomerantz LLP, the official Lanyard Sponsor of the event.

TEXPERS is excited to announce the sponsors supporting the Pre-Forum Soccer Social taking place from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025, in El Paso, Texas, ahead of the Association’s Summer Educational Forum.

Trustees and administrators of Texas public employee pension systems carry the critical responsibility of safeguarding retirement benefits for thousands of public servants. To do the job well, staying current on industry trends, governance practices, and regulatory expectations is essential. The TEXPERS 2025 Summer Educational Forum, presented by Dimensional Fund Advisors and held Aug. 3–5, 2025, in El Paso, offers the perfect opportunity to do just that.

TEXPERS is excited to announce that WCM Investment Management and Dicello Levitt LLP are the official Room Keycard Sponsors for the upcoming 2025 Summer Educational Forum, presented by Dimensional Fund Advisors, and held Aug. 3–5 at the El Paso Convention Center in El Paso, Texas. The official event hotel is the Hotel Paso del Norte, Autograph Collection, located just steps from the venue.

This summer, TEXPERS invites you to join us in El Paso for a conference experience that blends fiduciary excellence with regional charm, exclusive networking, and practical education.

Ready to turn your summer getaway into a professional growth experience? Whether you're a trustee, administrator, or sponsor, we’ve planned our TEXPERS 2025 Summer Educational Forum Aug. 3-5, 2025, that blends education, networking, and El Paso charm. Here's your personal itinerary to help you plan the trip.

Retirement benefits for state legislators are far from uniform across the country, according to a new report released in April 2025 by the National Association of State Retirement Administrators (NASRA). The report, Understanding Retirement Benefits for State Legislators, reveals significant disparities in plan types, participation requirements, and benefit levels, offering valuable insights into how Texas compares.

Killeen Fire Capt. Marvin Taylor III died in a car crash early Sunday, May 11, after leaving an Austin hospital where his fifth child had been born. He was en route to pick up his other children when his vehicle was struck from behind at East Koenig Lane and Airport Boulevard, according to FOX 7 Austin. An Austin police officer witnessed the crash. The other driver was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter.

Americans remain largely confident in their retirement prospects, even as inflation, health care costs, and concerns about Social Security persist, according to the 2025 Retirement Confidence Survey.

As the 89th Texas Legislature enters its final stretch, the coming weeks mark a turning point in the legislative process. For public employee retirement systems, now is the time to closely track bills that could influence pension funding, governance, benefits, and administrative oversight.

This blog post outlines key deadlines in both the Texas House and Senate that trustees and administrators should be aware of, along with insights on how to stay engaged.

Managing a public employee retirement system involves handling a wide variety of files—investment reports, meeting minutes, actuarial studies, training certificates, vendor contracts, and more. Without a consistent way to organize your digital files, it’s easy to lose track of important documents or waste time digging through folders during critical moments.

As people retire, income composition shifts, as shown in a new data tool that breaks down income by age group. As people age, they are more likely to depend on Social Security (Social Security) and "Other Income," including pensions, instead of wages and assets.

Public pension trustees and administrators play a vital role in safeguarding retirement assets—and proxy voting is one of the most powerful tools they have to do it. With the 2025 proxy season underway, the National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS) is offering timely guidance to help public pension systems navigate the year’s most critical shareholder votes.

Staying ahead of economic shifts, policy changes, and market movements is crucial for public pension funds, institutional investors, and retirement professionals. This week's developments highlight a mix of market uncertainty, global policy challenges, and opportunities for professional education. Below, we break down key stories shaping the landscape, providing The Story and Why It Matters to help you navigate these changes.

On March 27, the U.S. Census Bureau will release the latest summary report and data tables from the 2024 Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll—a vital dataset for understanding employment trends across state and local governments, including the gross monthly payroll for March 2024.

The fight over control of the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System escalated this week after the Texas Senate Finance Committee advanced Senate Bill 1527, a measure from Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, that would give the City of Dallas greater authority over the pension fund's recovery plan. Just one day later, Mayor Eric Johnson moved to appoint two new board members to the pension system—Rob Walters, a retired antitrust lawyer and former pension board member, and David Kelly, a financial expert with experience chairing the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. They would replace Board Chair Nick Merrick, recently appointed ambassador to the Czech Republic, and Mark Malveaux, who resigned due to increased work commitments.