Each year, the TEXPERS Annual Conference begins with a familiar moment: the singing of the National Anthem. This year, it will be performed as a trio by James Perry, Stephanie Grossman, and Doug Borths during the Opening Ceremony, beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday, April 27.
Before the sessions begin, before the discussions turn to funding policy, investment strategy, or legislative outlook, the room pauses. People stand. Conversations fade. And for a moment, the work that brings everyone together is distilled into something more personal.
The National Anthem does that.
For Perry, that moment carries a memory that stretches back decades.
Long before he stood before TEXPERS attendees, Perry was a child singing in small church congregations led by his grandfather, a Baptist minister. Sometimes the audience was a Sunday congregation. Other times, it was a group of inmates in a county jail, where hymns were sung a cappella, without accompaniment, just voice and presence.
“I began singing at a very early age,” Perry said, describing a path that continued through school choirs, musical theater roles, and solo competitions.
That early foundation carried into his military service. While in the Navy, Perry joined the Naval Air Training Command Choir, performing at airshows, national events, and the 1987 Miss USA Pageant. He sang as both a soloist and as part of smaller ensembles, learning a discipline that still shapes how he approaches music today.
Perry said he has been singing the National Anthem at TEXPERS for more than 10 years.
“Singing with any group aways includes the challenge of listening to and blending with the other voices of the group while trying to stay on your part,” he said.
He also noted the difference between solo and group performance.
“In some ways singing solo is easier but there is no one to lean on and nowhere to hide if things are off,” Perry said.
This year, he returns alongside Grossman and Borths, helping shape a new version of a familiar tradition.
Perry is head of institutional investor solutions at Maples Group, a Silver Sponsor of this year’s Annual Conference.
For Perry, the anthem is also personal.
“Singing the National Anthem makes me reflect on my military service and helps me feel connected to TEXPERS and its members and the group’s focus on service to country, state, and our local communities,” he said.
For Grossman, the path to that stage began more recently.
Grossman, who was born in El Paso and raised in Ciudad Juárez, built her musical background through both formal training and professional performance. After graduating from the University of Texas at El Paso, she began singing professionally at local venues and through digital platforms while also building a career in financial services.
She is an investment advisor representative for Cetera Wealth Services LLC, focusing on retirement planning services for first responders and their families.
Grossman said she first joined the TEXPERS anthem group in 2021.
“After 3 of the 4 traditional members retired,” Grossman said. “With the encouragement of my husband, I reached out to James Perry to offer my assistance in singing the National Anthem. James was more than welcoming, and our partnership then began!”
Her connection to TEXPERS also runs through her family. Her husband, Tyler Grossman, serves as executive director and chief investment officer of the El Paso Firemen and Policemen’s Pension Fund and is a member of the TEXPERS Board of Directors.
Grossman offered a different view on the song itself, pushing back on the idea that the anthem lacks excitement.
“I disagree, I think it is a very powerful song and exciting to sing as a proud American!” she said. “I’m filled with pride every time I sing it onstage.”
She also described what keeps her returning to the role.
“I absolutely enjoy singing the National Anthem for TEXPERS every year because it allows me the opportunity to sing in front of all Texpers family and it’s my way of giving back to all the people who organize and participate in it!” Grossman said.
Borths brings yet another perspective.
This year marks his first time singing the National Anthem at TEXPERS and his first time performing with this trio, Borths said. The opportunity grew out of a performance at the TLFFRA conference in 2025, where he was invited to join the group after being heard on stage.
Borths is director of institutional client services and marketing for Wolf Popper LLP, an Associate Member of TEXPERS and an Annual Sponsor of this year’s conference. He is also a classically trained singer who has spent years working in environments closely aligned with the audience he will now sing for.
But when he speaks about the anthem, his focus is not on performance.
“Coming from a family with strong military services ties, I always find it to be an honor to sing this great song,” Borths said. “To me it gives me goose bumps each time I sing it and hear it performed as it brings a sense of pride and honor for my country, family members who served, and all members of our armed services, both active and retired, for there dedication to protecting our freedom.”
If Perry represents continuity and Grossman reflects connection to the TEXPERS community, Borths brings the perspective of first experience.
Together, the trio represents both continuity and change.
This year, the anthem will be carried by three voices working in close balance, each relying on the others to hold the moment together.
That responsibility depends on more than individual ability. It requires listening, timing, and trust.
For a few minutes at the start of the conference, the focus shifts. Titles and roles fall away, replaced by a shared recognition of service and purpose.
Then the final note fades, and the conference begins.
Need to register for the conference? Visit https://bit.ly/texpers2026. Special room block rates end Friday, April 10.
About the Author: Allen Jones serves as TEXPERS' Director of Communications and Event Marketing. He brings more than two decades of experience in journalism and publication management and now guides the Association's strategic communications. [email protected]