Features

Two more top officials leave nation’s largest public pension

Staff
Thursday July 11, 2002

SACRAMENTO — Two more top officials said Wednesday they are leaving the nation’s largest public pension fund, following a similar announcement in May by the fund’s chief executive officer. 

James Gomez, the deputy executive officer of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, has been named president and chief executive officer of the California Association of Health Facilities in Sacramento. 

Kayla Gillan, the system’s general counsel, has been named vice president of Independent Fiduciary Services in Washington, D.C. 

James E. Burton, who has headed CalPERS for 7 1/2 years, said in May he plans to leave this fall. He said Wednesday he expects his replacement to be named within 60 days. 

The duties performed by Gomez and Gillan will be picked up by other managers, Burton said. 

Gomez ran the system’s day-to-day operations since 1996. He has spent 32 years in state service, including stints as director and chief deputy director of the Department of Corrections. 

Gillan has been with the system 16 years, and became general counsel in 1996. 

She led the legal team that prompted former Gov. Pete Wilson to turn over $2 billion to the system and establish the principle that CalPERS members have a vested right to a fiscally secure retirement system. She also led the CalPERS team in the Cedant lawsuit that brought the largest securities fraud class action recovery in history. 

CalPERS provides retirement and health benefits to more than 1.3 million state and local employees and their families.