Press Release

September 1, 2009

Office of Public Affairs
(916) 795-3991
Brad Pacheco, Assistant Chief
Contact: Tacey Derenzy, Information Officer
pressroom@calpers.ca.gov

CalPERS Board Election this Fall - Voting period begins September 4, 2009

SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) is conducting an election this fall to fill two Member-At-Large seats for representatives on the CalPERS Board of Administration (Board).

The CalPERS Board sets policy and oversees the administration of retirement and health benefits as well as oversight and investment of Fund assets. Ballots will be mailed to eligible active and retired CalPERS members beginning September 4, 2009. Voted ballots must be returned to CalPERS or postmarked by October 2, and results will be tabulated beginning October 5.

The terms of office for the current At-Large representatives, Charles P. Valdes and Kurato Shimada, will expire January 15, 2010. The successful candidates will serve a four-year term beginning January 16, 2010, through January 15, 2014, representing active and retired members. Valdes is not running for re-election; Shimada is seeking re-election.

Seven candidates are competing for the two seats:

Position A:

• Dennis Yates, Traffic Officer, California Highway Patrol, Active
   
• Muriel Strand, Air Resources Engineer, California Air Resources Board, Retired
   
• Dan T. Villella, Certified Public Accountant, City of Huntington Beach, Retired
   
• Joseph (J.J.) Jelincic, Investment Officer, California Public Employees’ Retirement System, Active
   
• Cathy Hackett, Budget Analyst, California Department of Transportation, Active

Position B:

• Kurato Shimada, Incumbent, Oak Grove School District, Retired
   
• Inderjit Singh Kallirai, Information Systems Analyst, California Department Fish & Game, Active

If no candidate receives a majority vote in the Position A election, a runoff election will be held in November between the two Position A candidates who received the highest number of votes.

More information about the election, including an overview of board member responsibilities and a detailed schedule, can be found at www.calpers.ca.gov.

CalPERS is the nation’s largest public pension fund with approximately $191 billion in market assets. The pension fund provides retirement benefits to more than 1.6 million State, school and local public agency employees, retirees and their families, and health benefits to nearly 1.3 million members.

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Dated: 09-01-2009