GAPPT News and Updates

The GAPPT quarterly newsletter, "News and Reports", is emailed to all Association members. Current and past editions of the newsletter may be accessed through the Member Area of the website. 


News in 2023:

September 18-20, 2023: The Ninth Annual Trustee School was held at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia. This year's Trustee School was the association's largest to date with 248 total registrants, a 32% increase in Plan Sponsor attendees, forty-one (41) plans represented, twenty-one (21) affiliate firms who generously supported the organization through sponsorships and seventeen (17) new CRPF™ designees. In addition, over eighty (80) Affiliate members attended the event as class instructors or for networking purposes. 

May 23, 2023: The Third Annual GAPPT Night with the Atlanta Braves was held at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. Ninety-seven (97) members and guests registered for this summer networking event.

March 20-23, 2023: The Fourteenth Annual GAPPT Conference was held at the Lanier Islands Legacy Lodge in Buford, Georgia. This year's conference had three hundred thirty-nine (339) registrants and had the highest number of Plan Sponsor attendees to date.

March 2023: Congratulations to the following GAPPT members elected to the Board of Directors: 

  • Vice President - Ramona Bivins, (Clayton County Public Schools)
  • Secretary - Frederick Bailey(City of Savannah)
  • Director at Large (Position 3) - Keisha Register, (City of Marietta)

In other Board news, AJ Baltozer (DWS), was elected as the Affiliate Committee Vice Chair. AJ will serve for one year under the current chair, Grant Duncan, before assuming his Board position


News in 2022:

December 2022: The Board of Directors appointed Keisha Register (City of Marietta), to fulfill the vacated Director at Large (Position 3) position.

September 19-21, 2022: The Eighth Annual Trustee School was held at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia. This year's Trustee School was the association's largest to date with forty (40) Basic Course registrants, twenty-four (24) Advanced Course registrants, and fifty-fifty (55) Continuing Education Course registrants. In addition, eighty-five (85) Affiliate members attended the event as class instructors or for networking purposes. 

August 2022: The Board of Directors appointed GAPPT Secretary, Ramona Bivins (Douglas County Board of Commissioners), to fulfill the vacated Vice President term. GAPPT Director at Large, Frederick Bailey (City of Savannah) was appointed to the vacated Secretary position, and Matt Hamby (City of Flowery Branch), was appointed as Director at Large (Position 1).

June 21, 2022: GAPPT Night with the Atlanta Braves was held at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. Ninety-five (95) members and guests registered for this second annual summer networking event.

March 21-24, 2022: The Thirteenth Annual GAPPT Conference was held in Jekyll Island, Georgia. This year's conference was the largest to date with three hundred and fifty-five (355) registrants.

March 2022: Congratulations to the following GAPPT members elected to the Board of Directors: 

  • President - Tim Milligan, (Georgia Firefighters' Pension Fund)
  • Treasurer - David Harris, (Gwinnett County Public Schools)
  • Director at Large (Position 2) - David Ward(MARTA ATU Local 732 Employees Retirement Plan)

In other Board news, Grant Duncan (Brandes Investment Partners), has assumed the role of Affiliate Committee Chair after serving one year as the Committee's Vice Chair.

February 1, 2022:  The International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) awarded the Georgia Association of Public Pension Trustees the prestigious Accredited Provider accreditation. Internationally recognized as offering the highest quality continuing education and training programs, IACET Accredited Providers are the only organizations approved to offer IACET Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Learn more here.


News in 2021:

September 19-22, 2021: The Twelfth Annual GAPPT Conference was held at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia. This year's conference was a successful return to in-person educational events with two hundred and eighty-four (284) registrants.

July 20, 2021: GAPPT Night with the Atlanta Braves was held at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. Eighty-five (85) members registered for this first-ever networking event.

March 2021: Congratulations to the following GAPPT members elected to the Board of Directors: 

  • Vice President Kevin Hurley, (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority - DB Pension Committee)
  • Secretary - Karen Rojas, (City of Gainesville)
  • Director at Large (Position 1) - Frederick Bailey, (City of Savannah)

In other Board news, Grant Duncan (Brandes Investment Partners), was elected as the Affiliate Committee Vice Chair. Grant will serve for one year under the current chair, Amed Avila, before assuming his Board position. Davy Godfrey (City of Marietta) was appointed by the Board of Directors to fulfill the vacated Director at Large (Position 3) term.

March 2021: The Twelfth Annual Conference was postponed until September 19-22, 2021 due to continued concerns regarding COVID-19. The CRPF™ curriculum courses, as well as the usual continuing education sessions, will be offered during the 2021 conference.

January 2021: David Harris (Gwinnett County Public Schools) was appointed by the Board of Directors to fulfill the vacated Treasurer term.


News in 2020:

September 21, 2020:  Due to continued COVID-19 concerns, the Seventh Annual Trustee School was held virtually. This year's Trustee School had eighty-five (85) Basic Course registrants, thirty-one (31) Advanced Course registrants, and one hundred and twenty-one (121) Continuing Education Course registrants.

April 2020:  The Trustee School program was updated to comprehensively address the six educational areas listed in the new Georgia Code. With new Basic and Advanced Course sessions specifically designed to meet the educational needs of Georgia's public retirement system fiduciaries, the program name was officially changed to Certified Retirement Plan Fiduciary™ or CRPF™.

March 23-26, 2020: Due to COVID-19, the Eleventh Annual GAPPT Conference in St. Simons, Georgia was canceled. The GAPPT was appreciative of everyone's patience and understanding as we dealt with this unprecedented circumstance.

March 2020: Congratulations to the following GAPPT members elected to the Board of Directors: 

  • Treasurer - Patina Brown, (City of Marietta)
  • Director at Large (Position 3) - Kevin Hurley(Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority - DB Pension Committee)

News in 2019:

September 16-19, 2019: The Tenth Annual GAPPT Conference was held at the Lanier Islands Legacy Lodge in Buford, Georgia. This year's conference was the largest to date with two hundred and ninety-five (295) registrants.

September 2018: Congratulations to the following GAPPT members elected to the Board of Directors: 

  • President Tim Milligan, (Georgia Firefighters' Pension Fund)
  • Secretary Karen Rojas, (City of Gainesville)
  • Director at Large (Position 2) - Morgan Wurst(Georgia Firefighters' Pension Fund)

June 2019: Karen Rojas (City of Gainesville) was appointed by the Board of Directors to fulfill the vacated Secretary term.

April 2019: Kevin Hurley (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority - DC Pension Committee) was appointed by the Board of Directors to fulfill the vacated Director at Large (Position 3) term.

March 18-20, 2019: The Sixth Annual Trustee School was held at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia. This year's Trustee School was the association's largest to date with thirty (30) Basic Course registrants, thirty-one (31) Advanced Course registrants, and fifty-one (51) Continuing Education Course registrants. In addition, seventy-nine (79) Affiliate members attended the event as class instructors or for networking purposes. 

March 2019: Congratulations to Amed Avila, (Fiduciary Trust Company International), on his election as Affiliate Vice Chair. Amed will serve for one year under the current Affiliate Chair, Peggy Taylor, before assuming her Board position.


News in 2018: 

September 17-20, 2018:  The Ninth Annual GAPPT Conference was held at the Hyatt Regency in Savannah, Georgia. This year's conference was the largest to date with over two hundred and sixty (260) event registrants.

September 2018:  Congratulations to the following GAPPT members elected to the Board of Directors: 

  • Vice President Tracy Wells-Ransom, (Georgia Firefighters' Pension Fund)
  • Treasurer Patina Brown, (City of Marietta)
  • Director at Large (Position 1) - Michaela Thompson(Georgia Ports Authority) 

March 19-21, 2018:  The Fifth Annual Trustee School was held at the Marriott Macon City Center in Macon, Georgia. Thirty-six (36) participants registered for the Basic Course, twenty-four (24) for the Advanced Course, and thirty-two (32) for the Continuing Education sessions. Seventy-three (73) Affiliates also attended the event as instructors or for networking purposes. This was the second year in a row the Association has seen a 20% increase in attendance at the Trustee School.


News in 2017:

November 2017: Read about the City of East Point and its pension milestone in this press release. Information about the city's pension plan was highlighted in an Atlanta Journal and Constitution article.

September 11-14, 2017:  Due to Hurricane Irma, the Eighth Annual GAPPT Conference in St. Simons, Georgia was canceled. While the cancellation was disappointing to all involved, the Association was grateful our attendees were not placed in harm's way. The GAPPT appreciated everyone's patience and understanding as we dealt with this unforeseen circumstance. 

March 2017:  Congratulations to the following GAPPT members elected to the Board of Directors: 

  • President Tim Milligan, (Georgia Firefighters' Pension Fund)
  • Secretary - Ersula May, (Fulton County Schools Employees' Pension Fund)
  • Director at Large (Position 3) - Matt Hamby, (City of Gainesville) 

March 20-22, 2017:  The Fourth Annual Trustee School was held at the Marriott Macon City Center in Macon, Georgia. Thirty-four (34) participants registered to attend the Basic Course, nineteen (19) for the Advanced Course, and twenty-seven (27) registered for the expanded Continuing Education Course. In addition, fifty-two (52) Affiliate members attended the event as class instructors or for networking purposes. 


News in 2016:

September 19-22, 2016:  The Seventh Annual Conference was held at the Legacy Lodge at Lake Lanier in Buford, Georgia. Eighty-eight (88) Plan Sponsors participated, representing twenty-eight (28) plans throughout the state of Georgia. Also in attendance were one hundred and one (101) Affiliate members representing eighty-three (83) companies.

March 2016:  Congratulations to the following GAPPT members elected to the Board of Directors:

  • Vice President - Tim Milligan, (City of Marietta/Georgia Firefighters' Pension Fund)
  • Treasurer - Harold Grindle, (Emeritus Member/Retired CFO)
  • Director at Large (Position 2) - Morgan Wurst, (Georgia Firefighters' Pension Fund)

March 21-23, 2016:  The GAPPT held its Third Annual Trustee School at the Marriott Macon City Center in Macon, Georgia. After successfully completing the Advanced Course, eighteen (18) Plan Sponsor members received their CPPT designations. In addition to the twenty-six (26) Basic Course participants, sixteen (16) GAPPT members also attended the newly established Continuing Education Course.


News in 2015:

September 21-24, 2015:  The Sixth Annual Conference was held at the Hyatt Regency located in historic downtown Savannah, Georgia. In attendance were ninety-six (96) Plan Sponsor participants representing twenty-six (26) different plans, as well as one hundred and twenty-one (121) Affiliate participants from eighty-eight (88) firms.

  At the GAPPT's Second Annual Trustee School, twenty-one (21) Trustees and Administrators graduated from the Advanced Course Curriculum and another twenty-three (23) successfully completed our Basic Course Curriculum.


News in 2014:

September 23-25, 2014:  The GAPPT held its Fifth Annual Conference at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia. There were eighty-six (86) Plan Sponsor participants representing twenty-five (25) plans throughout the state, and eighty-nine (89) Affiliate participants representing seventy-two (72) different firms from around the country.

March 24-26, 2014:  The GAPPT's Inaugural Trustee School was held in Macon, Georgia. With thirty-five (35) trustees registered and thirty (30) participating Affiliate members, the first Trustee School was considered a major success.