Governor appoints Robert Ries to fill seat on Pension Review Board
By ALLEN JONES, TEXPERS Communications Manager
A state employee whose grandmother retired from public education is now a member of the Texas Pension Review Board, the agency mandated to oversee state and local public retirement systems for their actuarial soundness.
Robert Ries, the deputy executive commissioner for compliance and quality control for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, was appointed to the Pension Review Board on Dec. 1 by Gov. Greg Abbott.
In an email to TEXPERS, Ries says his service to the board means a lot to him. However, he adds that a public retirement system directly or indirectly impacts nearly every Texan. The cultural and economic impact of secure benefits on communities is "very real," he says.
"I'm a state employee. My wife was a classroom teacher before pursuing her Ph.D. My grandmother was a classroom teacher and is a [Teachers Retirement System] beneficiary. So, [the appointment to the PRB] is personal," he says. "And if you look at the history of public pensions, initially targeted at those willing to make the ultimate sacrifice (military, police, fire, first responders) and subsequently educators and civil servants, it's fundamental to humanity's continued success that we're able to recruit and retain top-notch talent into those fields. That said, we need to be rational and pragmatic when assessing the requirements and expectations of these systems, and we must ensure we are able to keep our promises."
Ries is replacing Shari Shivers on the Pension Review Board for a term set to expire on Jan. 31, 2023, according to a news release announcing his appointment.
A resident of Austin, Ries has been in and around Texas state government for nearly a dozen years. As an employee of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, he is a member of the state's Employees Retirement System. Ries says he has taken the time to learn about his benefits. And as a senior manager of the state agency with an appointed board, Ries says he is used to the staff-board dynamic he will encounter through his service on the Pension Review Board.
Before his current role, Ries served as a senior advisor to the chief policy and regulatory officer for the health commission. The experience he's gained working for the largest agency in the state, he says, has strengthened his public administration capabilities.
His biography on the Pension Review Board's website also cites prior work as the budget and finance director for the Texas Facilities Commission.
Ries also spent two years on the Senate Finance staff for the lieutenant governor's office, leading up to and through the 83rd Legislative Session and subsequent interim. That, he says, has made him aware of public pension policy issues and public finance.
Ries studied economics as an undergraduate at The University of Texas at Austin and later took evening classes to earn a master's degree in business administration from Texas State University. Ries says he looks forward to applying the technical skills and problem-solving approaches he gained to public pensions.
"I'm not shy about my passion for economics and finance, so I think this opportunity to serve provided a great avenue to pursue that passion," he says.
Ries appreciates that Gov. Abbott has allowed him to serve on the Pension Review Board.
"Public retirement systems are a critical component of society, and I'm honored to play a role in their continued improvement and success," he says. "In general, I'm excited to support the board, support the staff, and support the retirement systems we oversee."
His goal, Ries says, is to support public retirement systems in being effective, "not that that isn't happening now."
"But, I'm a strong believer in continuous improvement, and I'll take that approach when addressing the issues the board faces," he says. "As I become more familiar with the subject matter and the specific issues, my goals should become more precise."
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