The California State Personnel Board (SPB) has re-elected Richard Costigan as its representative to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) Board of Administration.
Costigan was appointed to the SPB by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2007. He is currently the Senior Director of State and Government Affairs for the national law and consulting firm of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. From 2003 to 2006, Costigan served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Affairs Secretary to Governor Schwarzenegger, where he was involved in all aspects of administration policy and legislative affairs. His responsibilities included being the liaison between the Governor, the Legislature, and the State’s many agencies and departments on policy development and implementation. Before joining the Schwarzenegger administration he was Vice President of Government Relations for the California Chamber of Commerce.
Costigan is a graduate of the University of Georgia and the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.
“We are pleased that Mr. Costigan will continue his service to the CalPERS Board,” said CalPERS Board President Rob Feckner. “His substantial public policy experience and rich historical knowledge has been valuable as we address the many challenges associated with administering retirement and health benefits for our members and employers.”
CalPERS, with assets of approximately $235 billion, is the largest public pension fund in the U.S. It administers retirement benefits for more than 1.6 million California State, local government, and public school employees, retirees, and their families on behalf of more than 3,000 public employers, and health benefits for more than 1.3 million enrollees. The average CalPERS pension benefit is $2,332 per month. The average benefit for those who retired in the most recent fiscal year that ended June 30, 2011, is $3,065 per month. More information about CalPERS is available at www.calpers.ca.gov.
