Benefits Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
IPERS Board Room
7401 Register Drive, Des Moines, Iowa
March 30, 2026
The following people attended the IPERS Benefits Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting held on Monday, March 30, 2026.
Members of the Benefits Advisory Committee - Present
Matt Carver, Chair
Melissa Peterson, Vice Chair
Sue Cave
Len Cockman
Todd Copley
Lowell Dauenbaugh
John Hieronymus
Connie Kuennen
Tamara Marcus
Brian McDonough
Ty Wheeler
Members of the Benefits Advisory Committee - Absent
Andrew Hennesy
Steve Hoffman
Nathan Reckman
IPERS Administration and Staff
Greg Samorajski, Chief Operating Officer
Steve Herbert, Chief Benefits Officer
Melinda McElroy, Executive Assistant
Sriram Lakshminarayanan, CIO
Elizabeth Hennessey, General Counsel
Shawna Lode, Chief Strategy Officer
Megan Schlesky, Legislative Liaison
Call to Order
Chairperson Matt Carver called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m.
Approval of Meeting Minutes
Len Cockman moved to approve the minutes from the February 23, 2026, BAC meeting, and Lowell Dauenbaugh seconded the motion. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote.
CEO Report - Greg Samorajski
Greg Samorajski reported that the Member Service Division is under significant strain as more members are calling than IPERS can accommodate. Weekly call volumes are near 2,500 with a 60–70% answer rate, and counseling appointments are booked into late May or June. Amazon Connect and temporary staff help with routine tasks, but temps cannot handle complex calls. To improve service quality, IPERS plans to request additional, full-time Retirement Benefit Officers during next year’s budget cycle and is currently looking to add positions within this year’s budget.
BAC Public Member Representative Update - Greg Samorajski
Greg Samorajski shared that the working group searching for a public member to serve on the BAC met and developed an initial list of potential candidates. An application has been posted on IPERS’ website. BAC members were encouraged to share the application with any individuals they believe are good candidates.
2026 Legislative Session - Megan Schlesky
Megan Schlesky provided an update on IPERS’ modernization bill, which was amended to remove language requiring digital signatures and added language allowing IPERS to provide a member’s last known city address to the Great Iowa Treasurer Hunt. House File 1023, which would align Protection Occupation members’ benefits with those of Sheriff/Deputy Sheriff members, is not expected to advance until later in the legislative session when property tax policy is discussed.
Administrative Rules - Elizabeth Hennessey
Elizabeth Hennessey reviewed the next set of proposed administrative rule changes, presenting Chapters 8, 13-16, 20-21 and 32. Len Cockman moved to support the rules package as presented, and Lowell Dauenbaugh seconded the motion. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote.
Staff Reports
Member Operations Division Update
Steve Herbert reviewed the member demand measures report through February 2026, and the number of digital retirement applications received through mid-March 2026.
Investment Update
Sriram Lakshminarayanan reported that the IPERS Trust Fund balance is $48.452 billion and provided a general update on the investment market.
Appeals Report
Elizabeth Hennessey reviewed the Appeal Status report as of March 2026.
Strategy Division Update
Shawna Lode shared several updates, beginning with My Account usage, noting that 42% of IPERS members have logged in. Annual benefit statements for 2025 are now available online, members who have requested paper copies will receive them in late May. She also highlighted recent education efforts, including two March virtual sessions for educators with 885 total attendees. The upcoming IPERS on the Road event in Council Bluffs on April 24-25 will include counseling sessions, an evening presentation and employer education. She concluded by noting that IPERS is moving away from full-day retirement programs and shifting to one-hour sessions.
Other Business
None
Public Comments
None
Future Meeting Dates
The next scheduled BAC meeting is Monday, April 27, 2026. With no additional business to come before the committee, Lowell Dauenbaugh moved to adjourn the meeting, and Melissa Peterson seconded the motion. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 1:45 p.m.