Over the past decade, as businesses have undertaken digital transformation initiatives to improve efficiencies and outcomes, cyberattacks have continued to increase in both frequency and complexity. These cyberattacks are increasingly committed by well-funded criminal and state-sanctioned groups seeking to exploit vulnerabilities and disrupt operations for financial gain or to steal intellectual property and other sensitive data for competitive gains or national intelligence purposes. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses of all sizes have responded to new, unexpected customer and employee needs by accelerating their investments in digital technologies. These investments have not only driven positive business outcomes but have also created new areas of vulnerability for companies across their entire technology supply chain and infrastructure. The increase in the number of endpoints resulting from the exponential growth of mobile computing and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, as well as the larger technology infrastructure surface areas supporting cloud-computing needs, has provided cyber attackers with more areas to potentially exploit and gain unauthorized access. These cyberattacks contribute to a wide variety of adverse outcomes—lost revenue from network downtime, increased costs from ransom payments, fines and/or mitigation spending, lost data integrity, impact to the business from increased reputational risk and, in certain cases, national security risks. As businesses continue to invest in digital transformation to accelerate growth initiatives, the increased threat from cyber criminals will also require larger and more targeted investments in next-generation cybersecurity defense technology to protect digital assets and networks while minimizing the operational and financial costs of a cyberattack.

Investors have priced in a negative, forward-looking view of listed real estate. Slowing growth and higher inflation have created a stagflationary backdrop that has been especially challenging for REITs. The result is that there has been a dramatic performance difference between listed and private real estate in 2022. While REITs, as measured by the FTSE Nareit All Equity REITs Index, are down -27.9% through September and down -21% through November, the NCREIF ODCE index, a measure of private real estate that is calculated quarterly, is up 13% through September on a total return basis. Based on history, we believe that gap in performance will not persist. Indeed, private real estate returns are just beginning to slow as expected. Private real estate typically lags listed real estate due to its slower-moving price discovery and transactions.

In May 2023, Americans are invited to join in celebrating Older Americans Month – a time dedicated to recognizing the contributions of older Americans to our nation’s culture and society. U.S. population statistics show that the number of Americans age 65 and older is expected to double over the next 25 years – making it more important than ever for TEXPERS members to appreciate and value the contributions of this segment of our population. Join us as we explore why celebrating Older Americans Month is so important for all of us!

The author of a new brief from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College finds that state and local pension plans should focus on stabilizing their pension debt as a share of the economy rather than full funding. The alternative of fully prefunding state and local pensions to maintain fiscal sustainability will mean big contribution hikes. 

House Committee on Pensions, Investment, and Financial Services members met on March 1 to discuss the Employee Retirement System and the Teacher Retirement System, among other topics.

The 88th Texas Legislative Session is in full swing, with lawmakers proposing and debating bills that could significantly impact public employee pension plans.

TEXPERS is holding Basic and Advanced training on Saturday, April 1, 2023, at the Austin Marriott Downtown, 304 E. Cesar Chavez St.

As conference attendees, finding a convenient and comfortable place to stay can be difficult. Staying at the on-site hotel of a conference venue is more convenient than staying off-site. 

For public pension fund trustees, administrators and investment firm managers, business success relies heavily on networking and connecting with the right people. Participating in a golf tournament is an ideal way to achieve both goals while having fun.

State and local government public pensions weren't among Gov. Greg Abbot's State of the State address on Feb. 16; however, he did discuss the importance of the public education system in Texas, touted previous increases to teacher pay, and said the current legislative session could do even more for the educational system and teachers. 

The Pension Review Board recently launched a new Minimum Educational Training website, according to a memo the state agency distributed to Texas public pension trustees and administrators on Jan. 9. 

UPDATE 1/10/23 - Texas' 88th legislative session adjourned on Jan. 10 after completing opening ceremonies during which Gov. Greg Abbott congratulated newly elected and re-elected members of the House and Senate as well as Rep. Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, who was reelected today as House Speaker for the session.

People 65 and older experienced an increase in poverty in 2021, according to the official poverty measure from the U.S. Census Bureau. The Bureau recently highlighted data from its Poverty in the United States: 2021 report originally released in September 2022 as the nation prepares to observe Poverty Awareness Month in the United States this January 2023.

Legislation that includes retirement provisions affecting public safety employees and state and local government retirement plans is nearing passage on Capitol Hill as part of an end-of-year omnibus spending bill. 

At 10 a.m. CST on Thursday, Dec. 8, the Texas Pension Review Board will meet to review the actuarial soundness and compliance of state and local government public retirement systems. Those interested in managing public employee pension systems may attend in person or via videoconference. 

Pension administrators and trustees having the ability to access and engage with the government and its data is a necessity. The U.S. Census Bureau is allowing you to do just that. 

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board has formed a task force to assist with a project to address disclosure issues related to going concerns, uncertainties, and severe financial stress plan sponsors may be facing.

The Texas Pension Review Board meets at 10 a.m. CT on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022, in Austin at the Capitol Extension, Room E2.028, located at 1100 Congress Avenue. 

In striving to seek and secure the best investments and services for their membership, public retirement system administrators and staff often look for demographic and economic data to highlight in various reports.