For Immediate Release

March 1, 2024

Contact: Janelle Gurnsey, Director of Public Relations

Ph: 217-652-6435

trs_communications@trsil.org

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Teachers’ Retirement System Board of Trustees certified a $6.2 billion state government contribution for the System in fiscal year 2025 during its December Board meeting. The state contribution is a 2.7% increase over the state’s $6.04 billion contribution for the current fiscal year.

SPRINGFIELD, IL – For the third straight year, the long-term funded ratio of Teachers’ Retirement System has improved, reaching 44.8% at the end of fiscal year 2023. That is a positive increase of 1% over the previous year’s funded status of 43.8%.

The TRS Board of Trustees gave preliminary approval to a $6.20 billion state government contribution for the System in fiscal year 2025. That is a 2.7% increase over the state’s $6.04 billion contribution for the current fiscal year.

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) has named Ghiané Jones as its deputy chief investment officer effective October 10.

The role is an important new addition to the TRS investment leadership team. Jones, who lives in Chicago, will be based in and manage TRS’s newly established Chicago office.

SPRINGFIELD, IL – TRS is seeking one or more active investment managers to manage international regional and country specific equity strategies for a portion of the System’s approximately $22 billion public equity portfolio.

Information on the regional and country strategies being considered is posted on the TRS website at: www.trsil.org/investments/active-searches

The Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois is requesting proposals from qualified consulting firms to provide deferred compensation consulting services to the Teachers' Retirement System.

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Teachers’ Retirement System Board of Trustees made $275 million in investment commitments from mid-May to mid-July 2023.

The System committed $175 million to three private equity opportunities and $100 million to an opportunity in the Diversifying Strategies Portfolio. The following specific investment actions were presented to the trustees during its regularly scheduled August meeting:

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Teachers’ Retirement System has retained RVK, Inc. of Portland, Oregon, as the System’s general investment consultant to help TRS make prudent money management decisions for the system’s $64.8 billion portfolio.

Following a competitive selection process, RVK was awarded a five-year consultant contract, the maximum under state law. RVK has been the System’s general consultant since 2006.

2023 TRS Board of Trustees Election Voting Unnecessary; Four Re-elected

Member balloting this spring to elect three “active” members and one “annuitant” member to four-year terms on the Teachers’ Retirement System Board of Trustees was canceled in February because the voting portion of the election process was

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Teachers’ Retirement System’s Supplemental Savings Plan continued to see steady growth as it passed its one-year anniversary in January, according to statistics reviewed by the TRS Board of Trustees.

Throughout 2022, more than 1,000 active TRS members elected to participate in the SSP, which is an optional 457(b) deferred compensation savings program that is designed to help retirees supplement their TRS pensions. The SSP was launched on January 1, 2022.

Altogether, payroll deductions for the SSP totaled $2.9 million.