The holiday season is here, and so is the annual question: What do you get for the people who safeguard retirement security for millions of public employees? Trustees, administrators, investment professionals, actuaries, and financial partners spend their days navigating market volatility, fulfilling governance responsibilities, and planning for the long term. A thoughtful gift can show appreciation for the vital work they do.

Public employee pension systems are beginning to explore how artificial intelligence can enhance their ability to communicate more effectively with the people they serve. While many AI tools were initially developed for marketing or customer service, the same concepts can also help retirement systems explain complex benefits in clearer and more timely ways.

Investing Without a Map: How Global Pension Funds Are Adopting Dynamic Asset Allocation

Texas public employee retirement systems are operating in one of the most uncertain investment environments in decades, according to a new global survey from the Amundi Investment Institute and CREATE-Research. The report, "Dynamic Asset Allocation on the Rise as Pension Plans Face an Era of Controlled Disorder," released in December 2025, describes today's market landscape as an era of controlled disorder, shaped by heightened volatility, shifting U.S. policy, and structural inflation pressures.

Texas public pension systems are reviewing new federal rules that establish accessibility requirements for websites and mobile apps used by state and local governments. The U.S. Department of Justice finalized the rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure digital services are accessible to people with disabilities.

Public pension funds hold some of the most sensitive information in local government. This includes Social Security numbers, banking details, beneficiary records, and extensive financial histories for active and retired public servants. As geopolitical tensions rise, cyber risks evolve, and regulations shift, organizations across every sector are reassessing the extent of control they truly have over their technology and data environments.

The U.S. Department of Education has agreed to resume long-delayed student debt relief under income-driven repayment and Public Service Loan Forgiveness programs as part of a legal settlement announced Oct. 17, 2025, in American Federation of Teachers v. U.S. Department of Education, according to the American Federation of Teachers.

Key insights from the Oh, Behave! report and The Deep Dive Podcast by TEXPERS.

Each year, TEXPERS brings together the trustees, administrators, and service providers who guide more than $32.7 billion in public pension assets for Texas’ municipal, police, and firefighter employees. For sponsors, the Annual Conference isn’t just an event—it’s an opportunity to align your brand with fiduciary leadership, investment excellence, and long-term public service.

A looming federal government shutdown could cause headaches for Texas public retirement system trustees and administrators who frequently travel for board meetings, training, and conferences, even though commercial flights are expected to continue operating.

The Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act Educational Foundation will host its annual Educational Conference Oct. 5–7, 2025, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown Convention Center, 500 Cypress St., Abilene, Texas. The three-day event will bring together trustees, administrators, investment professionals, and service providers to focus on governance, education, and the future of firefighter pension systems.

On Sept. 27, people across the country will roll up their sleeves for National Public Lands Day (NPLD), the largest single-day volunteer effort for public lands. From planting trees to cleaning trails, it is a day when communities come together to give back. Entry to all national parks is free, making it a celebration of both service and access.

The Texas Pension Review Board meets Sept. 25 in Austin, and what happens there matters to every trustee and administrator managing a public employee retirement system in Texas. The agenda covers funding policies, compliance, and investment oversight — the very issues that shape how our systems operate and plan for the future.

The terrorist attacks of Sept.  11, 2001, caused significant loss of life and lasting trauma for our nation. The events of that day, the emergency response, and the acts of selflessness—from individuals sworn to duty and everyday people alike—remain powerful reminders of the value of public service. Today, on Patriot Day and the National Day of Service and Remembrance, we honor the victims and the heroes of 9/11. We also reflect on the millions of public employees who serve our communities every day—teachers, police officers, firefighters, city workers, and countless others who form the backbone of civic life in Texas and across the country.

The National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) released a new study, Debunking the Job-Hopping Myth: A Data-Driven Look at Tenure and Turnover Among Younger Workers (Sept. 2025), challenging the belief that Millennials and Gen Z workers change jobs more often than previous generations.

The 2025 Summer Educational Forum, presented by Dimensional Fund Advisors, may be over, but your learning and networking don’t have to be. The Whova mobile and web app remain open, so you can swap templates, line up quick peer chats, and grab sponsor resources tailored to public plans.

From Aug. 3–5, 2025, 274 trustees, administrators, and industry professionals convened in El Paso, Texas, for the TEXPERS Summer Educational Forum—offering three days packed with professional development, pension fund governance insights, and networking built on a foundation of retirement security for public employees.

Rector “Choc” McCollum, a retired Dallas police sergeant and longtime advocate for public employee retirement systems, died July 16 in Plano. He was 69.

TEXPERS is proud to welcome Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman LLP (BLBG) as the official sponsor of this year’s Fiduciary Fizz Mocktail, the signature drink of the 2025 Summer Educational Forum’s Networking Welcome Reception on Sunday, Aug. 3, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Paso Del Norte Lobby of the El Paso Convention Center.

TEXPERS is proud to welcome back Dimensional Fund Advisors as the Presenting Sponsor of our 2025 Summer Educational Forum, taking place August 3–5 in El Paso, Texas.