Council interviews two retirement‑plan trustee candidates who emphasize fiduciary duty and ESG rigor

Montgomery County Council conducted interviews with two candidates to fill council representative seats on the boards that oversee employee pension and retiree health trusts.

Joshua Birge, a director of investments at AARP, described 18 years at AARP managing private investments (private equity, real assets, private credit) and said his role involves asset allocation, manager selection and aligning portfolios with spending-rate and beneficiary needs. Birge described governance practices, questionnaires and policy books AARP uses to align investments with organizational policy and to manage "headline risk."

Michael Sanaway, director of investments at Penn State, described 20+ years in institutional asset management and emphasized fiduciary duty, liquidity planning for private investments, and integrating ESG factors when financially material. Sanaway said he would apply governance rigor similar to his current work with investment committees.

Both candidates said they had no conflicts of interest related to their current employment. Council members asked follow-up questions about board dynamics, governance changes, and the candidates' ability to commit time to quarterly meetings; both confirmed availability and described people‑skills and listening approaches for joining existing boards.

The interviews were framed around fiduciary responsibility, governance, and how ESG considerations fit within long‑term financial goals. Council members thanked the applicants and said clerk follow‑up would occur.