HARRISBURG – Trustee Melva "Mel" S. Vogler retired Friday from the Pennsylvania Public School Employees' Retirement System Board of Trustees, following 28-years of service on the Board.
Ms. Vogler's first term began in 1994 as an elected representative for PSERS active certified members. She won re-election several times before she retired in 2013 as a mathematics teacher and department head for the Wallenpaupack Area School District, which serves students in Wayne and Pike counties.
Upon her teaching retirement, Ms. Vogler, a resident of Hawley, Wayne County, then was elected to serve as the PSERS retired member on the Board and her first term started in 2014. During her tenure, Ms. Vogler served as the Board chair from 2007 to 2019. She also held leadership positions in the Pennsylvania State Education Association and the National Council on Teacher Retirement.
During Friday's Board meeting, Ms. Vogler's fellow trustees praised her for her dedication and service, and presented her with an official PSERS Board resolution and a proclamation from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
"Mel has been a wonderful mentor and she's become a wonderful friend," said Trustee Susan Lemmo, who won the election to replace Vogler as the board's representative for retired members beginning in the New Year.
"You have been someone who has provided so much knowledge, wisdom, experience, history and perspective in this room," said Alan Flannigan, Board Designee for Trustee Richard Vague, Secretary of the Department of Banking & Securities. "You are tough as nails in many good ways."
"Thank you," Ms. Vogler said. "You've given me a nice send off. It's been a great ride."
The PSERS Board Resolution, presented by Board Chair Chris Santa Maria, read:
Whereas Melva "Mel" S. Vogler is retiring from the Board of Trustees of the Public School Employee's Retirement System (PSERS) after 28 years of service, a tenure that overlapped the terms of five Pennsylvania Governors and 14 General Assembly sessions; and
Whereas Ms. Vogler has served with distinction in many capacities, including as an elected representative for PSERS active certified members (1994-2013), the elected representative for PSERS retired members (2014-2022), and as the elected PSERS Board Chair (2007-2019); and
Whereas Ms. Vogler, relying on her skills, experience, and passion as a Wallenpaupack Area School District mathematics teacher and department chair, and as a Pennsylvania State Education Association union leader, held firm to her statutory Board duty to stand in a fiduciary relationship to the members of the system …; and
Whereas Ms. Vogler served as a strong advocate for Board independence, collegiality, and continuing education opportunities for Trustees and PSERS Staff; and
Whereas Ms. Vogler's dedication was further evidenced by her estimated 97% attendance rate at approximately 1,200 public Board and Committee meetings; and
Whereas Ms. Vogler's commitment also manifested itself in the extra time she spent at other PSERS functions, such as the annual Staff Recognition Program in Harrisburg; and
Whereas Ms. Vogler championed the financial and societal benefits of public pensions for all as a past President of the National Council on Teacher Retirement (NCTR) and a member of the NCTR Legislation Committee.
Now therefore RESOLVED, that PSERS Board of Trustees hereby thanks and expresses their deep appreciation for her dedicated service to PSERS and offers best wishes for a well-deserved retirement.
About the Board of Trustees
The 15-member Board of Trustees is an independent administrative board of the Commonwealth. The Board stands in a fiduciary relationship to the members of PSERS regarding investment decisions and disbursements of the System's funds. The Board also performs other functions outlined in the Public School Employees' Retirement Code, such as certifying contribution rates, authorizing the actuarial valuation and independent audit of the System, and publishing an annual financial statement of the condition of the Retirement Fund. In addition, the Board oversees the operational activities performed by the System's Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer.
About the Pennsylvania Public School Employees' Retirement System
PSERS, founded in 1917, began operations in 1919 to oversee a statewide defined benefit pension plan for public school employees. PSERS' role expanded upon the passage of Act 5 of 2017 to include oversight of two new benefit options consisting of defined benefit and defined contribution (DC) components and a stand-alone DC plan. As of June 30, 2022, PSERS had total net assets of $71.2 billion and a membership of about 248,000 active, 247,000 retired school employees and 27,000 vested inactive members.
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