IRPS Committee interviews three candidates for DeKalb County pension board seats

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners's IRPS (Employee Relations and Public Safety) Committee interviewed three candidates for two pension board seats on June 3. Committee Chair Commissioner Ladina Bolton and members Commissioner Shakira Johnson, Commissioner Marita Davis Johnson and Commissioner Ted Terry asked candidates about their financial experience, fiduciary responsibilities and potential strategies to improve the county pension fund.

The candidates were Robert (Bob) Atkins, Doug Straken and Jeff Raider. None of the interviews produced a formal appointment; committee members said they would review notes and notify applicants later.

Bob Atkins, identified himself as DeKalb County treasurer and said he has about 45 years of finance experience, including roles as a stock trader, M&A specialist, controller and treasurer. "It's a very high fiduciary responsibility. I mean, we're managing billions of dollars for our employees," Atkins told the committee. Atkins said he has served as treasurer for 11 years and has previously been involved in the county's debt and investment strategy. He said he has attended pension board meetings and is completing the final portion of the CFA program in portfolio management.

Doug Straken described 34 years of public-sector experience with the City of Atlanta and said he served eight years as a trustee on the Atlanta General Employees Pension Fund, four of those as chair. Straken emphasized a mix of stabilizing the fund and pursuing low-cost, community-benefitting investments. "There's an art to establish the cost and the reward," he said, arguing the county could pursue real-estate and private-equity investments structured to provide predictable, nonvolatile returns and local benefits such as affordable housing or infrastructure loans.

Jeff Raider, introduced as a former DeKalb County commissioner and long-time chair of the IRPS committee, said the pension board's primary responsibility is to the fund and framed the trustees' role as oversight of professional managers rather than making individual investments. Raider highlighted the value of cost control and a mix of actively and passively managed sleeves, noting that previous steps to add passively managed index sleeves reduced fees.

Committee members asked follow-up questions about conflicts of interest, volunteer commitments and how each candidate would address the pension fund's funding level and volatility. Raider noted the county previously adopted an amortization policy to help close the unfunded liability; Straken and Atkins both described ways trustees and staff might reduce volatility and fees or pursue alternative, locally focused investments. No formal motions or votes were taken on the appointments at the meeting.

The committee said it will review notes from the interviews and follow up with candidates when it reaches decisions.