HR0054LRB103 27436 ECR 53808 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate Executive Director
4Richard White on the occasion of successfully overseeing the
5transition of the Illinois Police Officers' Pension Investment
6Fund (IPOPIF); and
 
7    WHEREAS, Richard White has spent over 40 years in public
8service as a sworn law enforcement officer, serving and
9protecting citizens, businesses, and property with dignity and
10honor; and
 
11    WHEREAS, During his career, Richard White also served as a
12trustee for the Orange County Employees Retirement System
13(OCERS) in California for nine years, where he managed an
14administrative budget of 11 million dollars and a pension fund
15of 10 billion dollars; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Richard White then served as the president of the
17State Association of County Retirement Systems (SACRS),
18representing over half a million participants and
19beneficiaries throughout the State of California with the
20combined assets of 110 billion dollars; and
 
21    WHEREAS, After retiring from law enforcement, Richard

 

 

HR0054- 2 -LRB103 27436 ECR 53808 r

1White served as the administrator for the Mendocino County
2Employees Retirement Association (MCERA) in California, where
3he managed a pension fund with a budget of $800,000 and $440
4million in assets; he retired from public service in
5California in 2014; and
 
6    WHEREAS, In June of 2020, Richard White returned to public
7service and was hired as the executive director of the
8Illinois Police Officers' Pension Investment Fund (IPOPIF) to
9oversee the development of the newly created consolidation of
10357 different pension funds; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Richard White prepared a strategic plan to bring
12the consolidated funds together, writing policies and
13procedures and developing requests for proposal (RFPs) for all
14facets of the pension fund, including investments, legal
15requirements, and administrative positions that would be
16needed; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Richard White spoke with various service
18providers and sought expertise to develop a team to bring the
19assets under management; he educated the IPOPIF Board of
20Directors on hiring staff and the development of the systems
21needed for this undertaking; he also located and created an
22office space for the future of the fund; and
 

 

 

HR0054- 3 -LRB103 27436 ECR 53808 r

1    WHEREAS, Richard White worked with other government
2entities, speaking with legislators, union officials, and
3pension boards across the State in an effort to garner trust,
4faith, and the cooperation of all parties; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Richard White traveled across Illinois to meet
6with pension trustees, beneficiaries, and participants to give
7them full confidence in his abilities to oversee and manage
8this process, always taking the time to speak at union and
9pension conferences and to meet with leaders and local boards
10without hesitation while simultaneously creating this newly
11consolidated fund; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Richard White led the IPOPIF Board and his team
13through issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic and
14litigation, ensuring things would be completed and done
15correctly in the best interest of all parties; his dedication
16required working many late nights, weekends, and on holidays
17to meet the legislative deadline; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Richard White spearheaded the largest pension
19consolidation in the nation, working with 357 different
20pension funds and a net value of 9 billion dollars, an
21undertaking that had never been done to this size and scale;
22and
 

 

 

HR0054- 4 -LRB103 27436 ECR 53808 r

1    WHEREAS, Because of his experience, education, and
2leadership, Richard White was able to lead this endeavor
3through the most challenging times while maintaining his
4patience and professionalism and never losing focus of the
5goals and objectives of the IPOPIF; therefore, be it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
7HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
8we congratulate Executive Director Richard White on
9successfully overseeing the transition of the Illinois Police
10Officers' Pension Investment Fund (IPOPIF), and we thank him
11for his hard work and dedication to this endeavor; and be it
12further
 
13    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
14presented to Richard White as a symbol of our esteem and
15respect.