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n Noteworthy News

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BOARD OF TRUSTEESAntwaun Smith - Board Chair

Lori Neidel - Vice ChairLaura Davis

Representative Caleb JonesSenator Joe Keaveny

Representative Mike LearaDon Martin

Commissioner Doug NelsonSenator Wayne Wallingford

Treasurer Clint Zweifel

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORGary Findlay

MAILING ADDRESSPO Box 209

Jefferson City, MO 65102-0209

BUILDING LOCATION907 Wildwood Drive Jefferson City, MO

OFFICE HOURS7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. • Monday - Friday

PHONE(573) 632-6100 • (800) 827-1063

AUTOMATED PHONE OPTIONSCurrent State Employees. ........................1Retired Members .....................................2Investment Department ..........................3 All Other Callers .....................................4Operator .................................................0

FAX(573) 632-6103

MISSOURI RELAY7-1-1 (Voice) • (800) 735-2966 (TTY)

EMAILmosers@mosers.org

WEBSITEwww.mosers.org

Graphic Designer - Robyn Seale Writer/Editor - Jade Elwess

Noteworthy News

3 Retiree Seminars See what's brewing at MOSERS'

2014 Coffee Breaks.

3 Welcome Senator Wallingford recently

appointed to MOSERS Board.

4 Social Media/Communications

Results are in for MOSERS 5th annual communications preference survey.

Board Corner

6 Board Election Watch for your ballot for this

important election.

Life Planning

7 Coffee Break Follow-up The here and now of

Alzheimer's disease.

Retirement & You

8 Riding Into Retirement Featured retiree James Broadfoot

talks about life and his ride into retirement.

10 CEM Ratings MOSERS' performance compares

well with other retirement systems.

12 Economic Impact See how active and retired state

employees directly impact your local economy.

RetireeNews is published quarterly by the Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System. To obtain an alternative format of this publication, please contact MOSERS.

This publication is designed using stock photography. The photographs chosen are for illustrative purposes only; they do not imply any particular attitudes, behaviors, or actions on the part of any person who appears in the photographs.

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2014 Retiree SeminarsSee What's Brewing MOSERS, in association with our Retiree Connection focus group, will continue hosting post-retirement Coffee Break seminars for the calendar year 2014. The purpose of the Coffee Break seminars is to provide educational programs of interest to our retirees. The topics change every year and have been recommended by retirees. These Coffee Break seminars also allow us to reach out to our retirees, give retirees a chance to have face-to-face communication with MOSERS staff, and provide you with the opportunity to interact with other state retirees in your area. At the Coffee Break seminars, MOSERS staff provides a brief presentation on current events or information relating to the pension fund.

Senator Wayne Wallingford

WelcomeSenator Wallingford Appointed to Board Senator Tom Dempsey, President Pro Tem of the Senate, appointed Senator Wayne Wallingford to the MOSERS Board of Trustees on May 6, 2014.

Senator Wallingford, a Republican, represents Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Madison, Perry, Scott, and Wayne Counties (District 27) in the Missouri Senate. He was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2010 and the Missouri Senate in November 2012.

In addition to his legislative duties, Senator Wallingford is the Chief People Officer at McDonald’s of Southeast Missouri. He previously spent 11 years with Taco Bell Corporation as a general manager, multi-unit manager, field staffing manager, field training coach, and area coach.

Senator Wallingford is a retired Lt. Colonel with the United States Air Force. He served on active duty for 25 years, including five tours in Vietnam and six tours in Desert Storm. He received the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, 21 Air Medals, the Air Force Commendation Medal for Heroism, and several other honors.

Senator Wallingford is a 1964 graduate of Geneva Community High School. He received his B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska, Omaha in 1968 and his M.A. in Management Supervision with a specialization in Health Care Administration from Central Michigan University in 1983.

Calendar Topics

• MOSERS Update presented by MOSERS.

• Medicare 101 presented by Community Leaders Assisting the Insured of Missouri (CLAIM).

• The Affordable Care Act and MCHCP presented by the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan (MCHCP).

Complimentary refreshments will be provided. Seating is limited, so reservations are necessary.

Enroll TodayYou must login to the secure member website to enroll in a Coffee Break. After logging in, hover over the Seminar Enrollment menu item and click on the Coffee Break link from the drop-down. The enrollment program will walk you through the rest of the process. If you cannot enroll online or have questions about your Coffee Break enrollment, call (800) 827-1063, extension 6193 or email loril@mosers.org. We hope to see you soon!

For the current schedule, please call MOSERS or check the Coffee Break page on MOSERS' website.www.mosers.org/Retirees/coffee-break.aspx

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Social Media/Communications Survey Results Are InIn April, we conducted our fifth annual MOSERS social media/communication preferences survey. If we have your email address on file, you may have been randomly chosen to take part.

Social media includes various online technology tools that enable people to communicate easily via the Internet to share general information and resources. Tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and blogs, have become increasingly popular.

The MOSERS website remains one of the most popular forms of communication that we use and we are continually striving to improve its look, security features, and functionality. We endeavor to provide you with accurate, timely information. Your feedback will help guide us in our future communications efforts and help us achieve our mission of advancing the financial security of members. Thank you to those who participated.

Facebook

Rumor Central

Online Videos

Staff Interaction

MOSERS Website

Email Notifications

Newsletters 89%

82%

60%

56%

53%

34%

15%

Communication Tools (Rated Useful or Somewhat Useful)

Newsletters

98%

99%

94%

86%

88%

Relavent & Timely

Accurate & Credible

Clear & Easy to Understand

I Can Find the Information I Am Seeking

I Can Quickly & Easily Peform Tasks

MOSERS’ Website (Rated Agree/Strongly Agree)

ResultsWhen we asked how familiar members were with our various communications tools, 83% were aware of our newsletters, and 89% of the website. Within the 56-65 age group, 10% were aware of our Facebook page. Overall, respondents prefer to receive information from MOSERS via individual email first. The website and newsletters rounded out the top three.

Newsletters - Excluding those who were not familiar with them, here’s how members rated our newsletters.

TIP: If you are not receiving your newsletter in the way that you prefer, you may change your preference on our website. Log in to the secure Member Homepage and look under Personal Information in the top menu. Click on Email Options. Make sure the box is checked to receive email communications from MOSERS. Uncheck the box to receive paper newsletters and notices. If you are signed up for email notifications but aren’t receiving newsletters from MOSERS,

Newsletters(Rated Agree/Strongly Agree)

Timely & Relevant

Accurate & Credible

Clear & Easy to Understand

Timely & Relevant

Accurate & Credible

Clear & Easy to Understand

97%

98%

93%

98%

99%

96%

PensionsPlus

RetireeNews

check your spam folder and make sure our emails aren’t ending up there by accident. If you need to change your email address, go to Update Personal Information in the same menu.

Website (www.mosers.org)Excluding those who were not familiar with it, here’s how members rated our website.

Your Social Media StatusJoin our community of more than 610 Facebook friends and 300 Twitter followers, and follow our Rumor Central blog to help you stay in the know! The social network that all respondents use the most is Facebook (52%). YouTube was second overall (19%) and among the 36-45 age group (23%). Pinterest rated second among the 26-35 age group.

• 37% of 26-35 year olds and 29% of 36-45 year olds access social media on their smartphones/tablets several times a day, and 18% of all respondents use it daily.

• 40% use social media to keep in touch or socialize with family and friends.

• 30% of active state employees aren’t allowed to participate in social media at work and 10% can with restrictions.

Facebook - facebook.com/MOSERSRetirementThis year, we asked if respondents were familiar with our Facebook comment policy, and most weren’t. Many members are concerned about security and privacy of their information when social media is used. We will not answer personal benefit related questions on this page. If you have a question

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related to your specific situation, we encourage you to contact a benefit counselor between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at (573) 632-6100 or (800) 827-1063 or use the chat function at www.mosers.org.

We take the security of our members’ information very seriously and wouldn’t communicate any individual information in an unsecured manner. Our Facebook page is:

“… an opportunity for sharing information about MOSERS’ programs and activities. Here you will find the most recent news stories, features, photos and videos, as well as important benefit related information distributed by the MOSERS communications team.”

You can read the rest by going to our MOSERS Facebook page and clicking on the Notes section.

Rumor Central - mosersrc.blogspot.comOverall, 33% found the Rumor Central blog somewhat or very useful. Among retirees, 38% believe it is very or somewhat useful. If you don’t know where to find it, the address is http://mosersrc.blogspot.com/, but it can also be accessed via MOSERS’ website with the other social media links at the top of any MOSERS web page. You can also sign up for email notifications that will let you know when new Rumor Central questions have been posted. As a retiree, you may still subscribe to Rumor Central—just make sure MOSERS has your current email address.

Overall, 62% said that MOSERS does a good job of communicating with members. 34% said we do a good job, but that there is room for improvement.

Thank you for your input! We read your comments and appreciate the feedback we receive through this survey. As always, we are here for your benefit.

Survey Results Continued from page 4

When I've called to speak to a

benefit counselor, I've found them to be very knowledgeable

and polite.

I have been very impressed with the

MOSERS website. I think it is very user friendly

and the information is presented in a way to make it easy

to find documents or other pertinent information. The website is always my

first stop when I have questions or need information.

I believe MOSERS has some of the best people!!

From investment team, to trainers/speakers,

benefit specialists, support staff, etc. Everyone responds quickly

and completely. I always feel like any question

I may have has been answered fully. GOOD JOB!

Love the Rumor Central

blog!

My retirement was fast, easy and anxiety-free

because of their client-centered

approach.

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n Board Corner

August 14 Election ballots mailed to eligible retired members of the MSEP & MSEP 2000

August 29 Deadline for submitting an election ballot

September 18 Election results announced at board of trustees meeting

YOUR VOTE COUNTSIN THIS

IMPORTANT ELECTION!

MOSERS brings you continued coverage on the 2014 board election. Soon it will be time to vote. We have provided information about the qualifications and the

nomination process in previous newsletters. One retired member will be elected this August to serve four-year terms on MOSERS’ board. As a member of MOSERS, you have the right and responsibility to help select the active member representatives for the board through your vote.

Board Members...

• Make decisions affecting YOUR retirement, life insurance, and long-term disability benefits.

• Represent approximately 100,000 members and have oversight responsibility for more than $9 billion in assets.

• Oversee administration of benefit plans.

• Make decisions about the appropriate asset allocation and risk management models to be employed.

• Preserve the long-term corpus of the fund, maximize total return within prudent risk parameters, and act in the exclusive interest of the members.

• Understand and accept the fiduciary obligations that are outlined in state law.

• Demonstrate strategic leadership. • Work collegially as part of a group

with a common purpose.

Board ElectionMake Your Vote Count!

The Nomination Process Nominating petitions and other required material received will be reviewed for eligibility and submitted to the third-party election administrator. The administrator will create and mail the election ballots, and then count and certify the results.

At the time of this writing, we do not know how many nominations will be received by the June 30 deadline. In the event that only one candidate completes the nomination process, it will not be necessary to hold a formal election as that candidate would automatically be the winner under the board’s election procedures. Please keep an eye on our website for updated information.

Candidate Biographies The election ballot contains a brief biography of each candidate. Please read these bios so you can make an informed decision. MOSERS will also post the nomination information on our website.

Watch for Your Ballot Election ballots will be mailed to all eligible members (who are not receiving retirement benefits) of the Missouri State Employees’ Plan (MSEP) and the Missouri State Employees’ Plan 2000 (MSEP 2000) by August 14. Eligible members will have two weeks to vote through the mail. The election period ends on August 29.

Determining the Outcome The election administrator will count the votes and the outcome will be announced at MOSERS’ board meeting on September 18, 2014.

After the Election The new retired member representative begins serving a four-year term in January 2015.

Board of Trustees Voting Timeline

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Life Planning n

The statistics are overwhelming, but the reality of Alzheimer’s disease is even scarier. Today, more than 5 million Americans are living with the disease.

Whether it’s a family member, friend, or a neighbor, chances are you know someone with the disease. If you do, we encourage you to maintain contact with them. Share your feelings before the disease robs them of the ability to comprehend and participate in the conversation. Find activities you can do together.

It’s important that you put aside your negative perceptions and learn a new way to communicate. Because Alzheimer’s disease affects the part of the brain where memory is stored, the person may be unable to find the correct word to use and they may have difficulty answering your questions.

Patience is the key to good communication. Since short-term memory loss is one of the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, you might have to repeat an answer several times. Or, you may have to learn how to change the subject or find a creative way to refocus the person’s attention.

It’s also important to maintain contact with friends who have become caregivers of someone with dementia. You may not understand their new situation, but your continued friendship

In fiscal year 2013, our Coffee Break seminars included a presentation from the Alzheimer’s Association called “Know the Ten Signs: Early Detection Matters.” Since this topic was so well-received by attendees, we asked the association to provide some additional information for our retirees.

Coffee Break Follow-UpAlzheimer’s Disease…Here and Now By Janie Elson, Director of Communication • Alzheimer’s Association Greater Missouri Chapter

-50-40-30-20-10

0102030405060708090

100+68%

Alzheimer's Disease

-42%HIV

-23%Stroke

-16%Heart

Disease

-8%ProstateCancer

-2%BreastCancer

Perc

enta

geFacts and Figures Say it AllAlzheimer's disease is becoming a more common cause of death. As you can see, deaths attributed to Alzheimer's disease increased 68 percent, while those attributed to the other five major causes of death decreased.

To read the 2014 Alzheimer's Association Facts & Figures report, visit alz.org/facts.

is important to them. Stop by for coffee or offer to sit with their loved one while they take a break. Sometimes they just need a warm hug and loving heart.

If you are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia, then it’s imperative that you ask for help. This is a journey you should not make alone. The Greater Missouri Chapter offers programs and services, such as a 24-hour Helpline (1.800.272.3900),

care consultations, support groups, educational workshops, and respite reimbursement.

We serve 58 counties in northeast, central and southwest Missouri with offices in Columbia (573.443.8665) and Springfield (417.886.2199). Our services are free. We encourage you to call or visit alz.org/greatermissouri for more information, or share this with a friend who needs our help.

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n Retirement & You

In preparation for his retirement, Mr.

James Broadfoot sent these pieces

to MOSERS from November 2013

to January 2014. For more stories,

please see our Rumor Central blog.

Biography (January 2014)My name is James L. Broadfoot and I am a native of the Current River Valley, in the Lower Ozarks, near Eminence, in southern Missouri. I will retire from Missouri Department of Natural Resources and MOSERS on March 1, 2014. In a rush to go back to my true home, the Current River Valley, I ended up moving forward my projected MOSERS retirement date at least 3 times in the past 6 months.

So, to sort of apologize to MOSERS, I wrote a little emailed note, just for fun, (see next page). A few days later, MOSERS telephoned me to tell me they wanted to publish my emailed note, which was about horses, of course.

Out of blue clear sky, I gave permission, instantly becoming the accidental writer. Maybe MOSERS retirees can appreciate the humor in my emailed note.

For certain, I really am going back home to the Current River Valley, in the Lower Ozarks of southern Missouri, where horses still run wild and free, finally protected by Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR). The ONSR has always truly been horse country and still is, thanks to the ONSR and private businesses such as the Cross Country Trail Rides and the Cold Water Ranch based on private property along the Jack’s Fork River, near Eminence.

The ONSR is open always, never closed. Horseback riders are welcome, year around, with trails always open to both private and personal horseback uses or organized vacation packages, as offered by the Cross Country Trail Rides and Cold Water Ranch.

Actually, I have not owned horses or cattle for over 30 years. However, I may soon buy a couple of gentle gaited saddle horses. My wife, Brenda Smith Broadfoot (also raised on a cattle farm) still likes horses, too. We look forward to sharing our old cow paths now called trails, inside the ONSR.

My family shared the open livestock range for decades with the Smith family and several other farmers in this valley. We all branded our cattle and earmarked our hogs, to run wild and free, that is, until it was roundup time, in the late fall months, each year.

Growing up along Current River, my wonderful parents Darrel Broadfoot and Hazel Chilton Broadfoot, in the 1950s and 1960s, provided the very best childhood upbringing of the Great American Dream. Our Current River farm (owned from 1937 to 1969, by Lewis, Darrel and Donald Broadfoot) and all of our neighboring farmers, including the Powell family and the Smith family, would welcome any stranger or friend to come to supper, no reservations needed. Horses were family, too. This part of the Ozarks was and still is, too rugged to build easy farm-to-market roads up and down the Current River Valley…meaning that horses were a part of everyday life for farmers and residents of all kinds. Modern transportation bypassed this rough area of Current River Valley.

Finally, and on behalf of all natives (past and present) in the Lower Ozarks of southern Missouri, I extend a friendly welcome to everybody to visit the

Back HomeRiding Into RetirementExcerpt from Rumor Central Blog Written by MOSERS Retiree James L. Broadfoot

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Retirement & You n

missouri

ONSR, and especially my old home farm, now called the Broadfoot Tract, along Current River, one mile upstream from Two River’s Junction, where the Jack’s Fork River joins the Current River. Back before the ONSR arrived, at our farmhouse, you would have been invited in for supper by my parents.

As the wooden sign reads on the front steps of the Shannon County Courthouse, in Eminence… “Welcome, stay a day or a lifetime.”

December 2013

A little sidebar about getting in a

hurry to hit my retirement.

I was raised on a true working farm and my father always kept gaited saddle horses, for several purposes. Our Current River farm, near Eminence also had the benefit of open livestock range/free pasture for our cattle, that is, until I graduated from high school in 1967. The National Park Service took our land by the power of eminent domain, to become part of the Ozark National

Scenic Riverways. We often rode our horses to cross Current River, to check on our cattle in an isolated 2,000 acre abandoned farm valley. It is no big deal to ride a horse across the river in cold weather. On the backs of our saddles, we packed salt and sweet feed to call our cattle, to look them over in the backcountry open range. Forget all that cowboy movie stuff…making cattle run is a bad idea.

I had my own horse from a young boy on, and I was around our horses every day, in some way. We constantly watched our horses and they were beautiful animals and added so much character to our land.

Horses sort of have the personality and mentality of a 13 year old boy…they like to be near one another, they are afraid to be alone, etc. This position is also true if only one horse is on the farm. There is no place good as home, even to a bachelor horse.

One interesting feature about a horse is that when forced to be caught and saddled, then rode off from the rest of the farm horse herd, they worry about when they are going back home.

My horse and all horses, most likely, are reluctant to leave their friends and family. Constant prodding and encouragement is necessary when riding away from home.

However, on the return trip…the attitude changes drastically. My horse barely could be reined back to a normal pace, the nearer back home we got. Lord help if my horse heard his family or friends calling out, before we rode back in sight.

My retirement is likened to being ridden back within whinnying range of my home farm. I can’t ride fast enough to hit March 1, 2014. My bridle reins have been jerked loose and are flying in the wind. I ain’t stopping for nothing until I hit my home farm pasture.

There is nothing better than being back home, saddle and bridle pulled off, with some molasses sweet feed to mark the occasion…back home.

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n Retirement & You

CEM RatingMeasuring Our PerformanceEach year, we receive a "report card" from a public pension plan benchmarking service, Cost Effectiveness Measurement Benchmarking, Inc. (CEM), which establishes performance measurements and rates us on seven core pension administration functions. They then rank our scores compared to 56 other pension plans in the U.S., Canada, and around the world. The seven functions are total cost; activity costs; staff costs and productivity; transaction volumes; service levels; plan complexity; and IT and major projects. We report our scores to our members so you can see how we are performing in relation to our peer group of 10 other systems comparable in total membership size.

Service*MOSERS' total service score was 90 out of 100%, this was above the peer median of 78. Our service score has been 90 for the past four years. Factored into these high scores are enhancements to member statements, our website, and member presentations. Once again, we ranked highest in our peer group and one of the highest in the entire CEM universe.

Service includes:

• Paying pensions accurately and on time (Score: 100 – 5 years in a row)

• Member communications: – Newsletters (Score: 100 – 5 years in a row) – Active, retired,

and terminated-vested members receive separate newsletters with members deciding whether they receive it in paper or electronic form.

– Website (Score: 91) – This includes: » Retirement calculator tied to individual member data on secure site

» Document Express to view correspondence in a secure mailbox

» User friendly password registration generates or resets passwords immediately

» Online transactions and electronic forms

– Retirement Estimates (Score: 100 – 4 years in a row) Turnaround for written estimates is less than one day (peer average: 20 days).

CostPension Administration Cost (PAC) helps us analyze our costs related to economies of scale; transaction volume; productivity per full-time employee; salaries; information technology; third party and front office cost; and back office cost.

MOSERS’ total pension administration cost was $76 per active member and annuitant. This is $50 below the peer average of $125 and equal to the peer median. While this is a modest increase over last year’s PAC of $71, it is important to note that MOSERS’ costs trends have remained fairly consistent between 2010 and 2014. Additionally, MOSERS does not enjoy the economies of scale available to larger systems in the CEM study.

* CEM defines service as “anything a member would like, before considering costs,” so a high level of customer service tends to increase a system’s costs. Our goal is to maintain and increase our service ratings without significantly increasing our total cost.

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Retirement & You n

CEM Rating Continued

This year’s cost-per-member increase is due to two primary reasons: 1) we saw an increase in expenditures on utilities, equipment maintenance, and our technology infrastructure; and 2) the MOSERS Board of Trustees approved the hire of a new staff person. Generally speaking, over the past five years, MOSERS has experienced a nearly 30% increase in the volume of benefit recipients. In acknowledgement of this increase in workload, and with the anticipation of this trend continuing as Baby Boomers retire, the board has approved two more new staff for the 2015 fiscal year.

Information aids us in developing ways we can continue to improve our cost-effectiveness each year. Our retiree population is growing each year, causing our member transactions and communications to increase.

Why We Participate CEM gathers the data for their report through an extensive survey process. Why do we do it?

• To improve our understanding of our business: Knowing how and why we are different from our peers helps us better understand our business.

• To establish service standards: The CEM measures have helped us develop new service standards to maintain and improve our service to members.

• To demonstrate our performance in the absence of competition: Good benchmarking allows us to compare our costs and performance to that of our peers.

• To communicate performance: The results of the CEM analysis are presented to our staff and board members.

• What gets measured gets managed: Without measures, it is difficult to assess where improvements or cost-effective strategies can be applied.

• To identify best practices: By observing how other systems conduct business, we are able to identify best practices or other alternatives to enhance the operation of our organization.

PO Box 209Jefferson City MO 65102-0209

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage

PAIDJefferson City, MO

Permit No. 327

RetireeNews Newsletter

n Retirement & You

Economic ImpactHave you ever wondered about the impact of active and retired state employees on your our local community? Nearly 90% of our retirement and survivor benefits remain in Missouri. Our Legislative Maps are located online in the About MOSERS section of our website. Click on Congressional, House or Senate maps and click on your district to view the number of active and retired members and the economic impact our members have in your area.

For example, in Senate District #6 (which includes Jefferson City):

Active Members Count: 8,975 Payroll*: $361,337,095.00

Retirees & Survivors Count: 6,237 Benefits*: $120,965,202.36

Totals Count: 15,212 Payroll + Benefits*: $482,302,297.36

Information based on Calendar Year 2013 data.

*Annualized amount