Pension Trust Leadership Updates: New Executive Director!

Farewell from Carl Nelson

After 14 years with the San Luis Obispo County Pension Trust, I will be retiring at the end of December 2023.  I love my job, but I think retirement will do just fine!

I will miss working with the Pension Trust staff – they are an extremely capable, knowledgeable and professional team.  They truly believe in taking care of “our people” and their pensions.  Apart from how I do as a pension administrator, I apparently do a really good job of hiring great people – and this is the team that I leave behind. 

What you can look forward to.

As dedicated County employees who work hard to tend to the Public’s business you can look forward to a lifetime income from your Defined Benefit pension plan.  This is an expensive employee benefit that you are earning and paying into.  Your pension is likely to be far better than the half-heartededly funded 401(k)s that most of your private sector peers will use for income in their retirement. 

I encourage you to continue your good work for the County and build up your stock of Pension Trust Service Credits for a healthy lifelong pension.  I also encourage you to save more in the Deferred Compensation Plan to supplement your pension. 

Who will be the new Executive Director of the Pension Trust?

The Board of Trustees govern the Pension Trust and the Executive Director reports to them.  The Executive Director is responsible for administering the retirement plan and the staff that make the system work. 

For the sake of fiduciary prudence, the Board did a nationwide internal & external search for my successor.  The Board selected Katie Girardi from Oklahoma to be the new Executive Director.  Katie brings strong experience in a similar size of public sector defined benefit pension system.  I have high expectations for her - I should - it will soon be her signature on my pension check (figuratively speaking – we all  do direct deposit nowadays).

Greetings from Katie Girardi

Hey there! I’m Katie Girardi, and I’m thrilled to dive into my role as the new Executive Director of the SLOCPT. Originally an Okie, I spent the past stretch over at the Oklahoma Municipal Retirement Fund (OkMRF), starting in 2016 as their Retirement Plan Administrator. My gig wasn’t just about numbers; I orchestrated investment portfolios, built solid client relationships, got down and dirty with actuarial studies, and made sure participants were in the know about their retirement game.

But let me tell you, life’s taken a turn – I’ve traded the plains for the Pacific, moving to San Luis Obispo with my partner Greg and our Corgidor, Birdie. Navigating from Oklahoma to California has been an adventure, but hey, who can resist the sunshine in California? I’ll learn to swap my love for a cold beer with an appreciation for Central Coast wine. When I’m not focused on helping public servants reach retirement goals, you’ll find me outdoors – whether it’s swinging clubs on the golf course or casting a line while fishing. 

Here’s to a new chapter, where I sincerely look forward to serving and earning the trust of the San Luis Obispo County retirement plan Members and Retirees.  Cheers! 

As always – contact SLOCPT at 805/781-5465 or email at slocpt@co.slo.ca.us for questions about the SLO County pension that is a core part of your employee benefits.