Donna Lum, Assistant Executive Officer of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System’s (CalPERS) Member & Benefit Services Branch, announced today the appointment of Mary Lynn Fisher as the pension fund’s new Benefit Services Division Chief.
Fisher will oversee a staff of more than 250 and be responsible for the day-to-day operations of providing benefits and information to CalPERS retirees, beneficiaries, and survivors, including the eligibility and calculation of service and disability retirements, pre- and post-retirement death benefits, refunds, and adjustments. She joins a management team that includes Ron Kraft, Customer Service and Education Division Chief, and Darryl Watson, the Division Chief of Member Services.
“Mary Lynn has strong management skills and demonstrated leadership abilities that will be an asset to the Benefit Services Division and our entire organization,” said Lum. “I’m confident that she will help raise the level of service that we provide our members.”
Prior to her appointment, Fisher served as Assistant Chief of Operations for the Benefit Services Division – a position she had held since 1997. Among her first duties as Division Chief will be to begin recruiting her successor.
Fisher first joined CalPERS Benefit Services Division in 1981 in the Death Benefits Section. In 1990, she was promoted to Section Manager overseeing Pre-Retirement Death Benefits, the Telephone Information Center, Community Property, Estimates, and Refunds. She has directed Warrant and Roll Administration as well as Disability Retirement, and currently oversees the service retirement, refunds, and death benefits functions.
Fisher holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Education from Portland State University, and is a graduate of the UC Davis Executive Leadership Program.
CalPERS has assets totaling more than $181 billion. The System provides retirement and health benefits to more than 1.6 million State and local public employees and their families. For more on CalPERS, visit www.calpers.ca.gov.
