MRPEA Newsletter – The Guardian, Summer 2014

The Summer 2014 edition of MRPEA’s Newsletter, The Guardian, is attached for your information and use. This is our last newsletter in this fiscal year.  We hope you will enjoy articles such as reports on recent board and annual meetings held, election of officers, and other such information.  One of our goals is to increase our membership.  In keeping with that goal, contact information for district directors is included in this publication.  They want to visit with you and your groups to share more with you about MRPEA. We hope you will find the information not only interesting but helpful! The Guardian Summer 2014

Great West – Deferred Comp Program

Dear MRPEA Members,

Most of you are aware that the administrator for the Deferred Comp program at PERS has been changed to Great-West beginning this year.  When the contract with the previous administrator (SBA/ING) expired, they were not able to renew the contract and continue providing the same services at the same cost as in the past.  Consequently, the PERS Board accepted bids for these services. Great West provided the best proposal for Deferred Comp services, and their bid was accepted – for a 5 year contract.

The services provided by Great West are essentially the same as in past years, but, obviously, there will be some differences.  Great West representative Connie Stevens recently visited with MRPEA Vice President Becky Cade & me to discuss how we might assist them in getting out information about the company and to announce a number of seminars which will be held in Mississippi to allow retirees to have access to company representatives to listen and to ask questions.  A flier provided by Great West is being attached to this correspondence. Please read the attachment and help us to get the word out to retirees who are interested in attending one of the seminars.  (Refer to attached documents:  Deferred Comp Plan – Employees or Deferred Comp Plan – Retirees.)

Seminars will cover topics ranging from retirement planning to investment options to making a budget.  Ron Nichols, the Retiree Advocate for Great-West Financial, will provide practical advice for those who will retire within 10 years.  Seminars are typically 2 hours in length.

Thank you for your service to the state of Mississippi and for being a member of MRPEA.  I hope you will let us know when we can be of service to you in any way.

Sincerely Yours,

Howell C. Garner

Personel Board Member Candidates

Dr. Howell Garner, President of MRPEA, has recently distributed a questionnaire among both those candidates running for PERS board members to represent the Municipal and state employee positions on the Board.  Please contact mrpea@bellsouth.net for results as interested.

MRPEA Spring 2014 Newsletter – The Guardian

The Spring 2014 edition of MRPEA’s Newsletter, The Guardian, is attached for your information and use.  Included, but not limited, is important information and reports about MRPEA’s members, recent board work, the status of the state retirement system, and how to become a member of MRPEA.  We hope you will find the information not only interesting but helpful!  The Guardian Spring 2014