AFSCME members elected to SERS Board of Trustees

The State Employees’ Retiree System of Illinois (SERS) Board of Trustees is responsible for overseeing the operation of the pension system that provides benefits to over 140,000 active and retired state employees. The board consists of thirteen members: the Illinois Comptroller, six trustees appointed by the Governor, four active trustees elected by SERS members, and two trustees elected by SERS retirees.

This year three of the four active trustee seats were up for election and AFSCME supported strong candidates to fill these seats. No other candidates submitted nomination papers, so on February 21 all three AFSCME candidates were elected. Rob Fanti, president of AFSCME Local 472 and current SERS Member Trustee, won re-election to serve another term on the Board and Stephen Mittons, president of AFSCME Local 2081, and Jeremy “Tad” Hawk, president of AFSCME Local 1805, were elected to fill two vacant seats—one of which had been held by recently-retired long-time SERS trustee and AFSCME leader Pat Ousley. Congratulations to Rob, Stephen and Tad, who will be joining David Morris, president of AFSCME Local 805, on the board.

In addition, John Tilden, an AFSCME retiree and executive board member from Lake County, is running for the open annuitant seat on the board.  There is another candidate vying for the seat, so there will be an election. Ballots will be mailed to SERS retirees on May 2 and are due back to SERS by May 31.