Candidates Announced in 2023 LASERS Board Election

Baton Rouge – Eight candidates are running in the 2023 Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System (LASERS) Board of Trustees Election. Three open seats must be filled by active LASERS members and two by LASERS retirees. A random drawing was held to determine ballot positions for the candidates.

The four candidates for the three active positions, in ballot order, are: Laura Lapeze, Undersecretary with the Department of Revenue; Judge William Kleinpeter, Judge for Port Allen City Court; Cortny Jarrell, Human Resources Analyst at the Louisiana House of Representatives; and Pam Diez, Undersecretary at the Department of Health.

The four candidates for the two retiree positions, in ballot order, are: Virginia Burton, retired from the Department of Revenue; Kevin Shannahan, retired from the Department of Health; Beverly Hodges, retired from the Department of Natural Resources; and Charles Castille, retired from the Department of Health.

The 13-member policy-making Board has fiduciary oversight over LASERS. Members include six elected active members, three elected retired members, and four ex officio members including the State Treasurer, Commissioner of Administration, Senate Retirement Committee Chair, and Member of the House Retirement Committee appointed by the Speaker, or their designees.

LASERS administers a defined benefit pension plan that covers approximately 100,000 members. The system’s total market value of assets stands at $12.8 billion. LASERS Benefits Louisiana by paying over $1 billion in annual benefits to beneficiaries, providing a strong and reliable economic stimulus for the state.

The LASERS board election schedule and candidate platforms and qualifications are available at www.lasersonline.org. For more information, contact Mallory Sharp at [email protected].