PSPRS administrator hiring process updates
Updated October 30, 2025
Necessitated by the pending November 2025 retirement of Administrator Michael Townsend, the PSPRS Board of Trustees started the process to select the next system administrator. The candidate recruitment and hiring process is expected to take several months. A final candidate will be approved by the PSPRS Board of Trustees.
PSPRS will continue to post pertinent updates at this location.
July 15 – PSPRS Board of Trustees vote to create a subcommittee to lead the administrator recruitment process. Subcommittee members include trustees Brian Moore, Randie Stein and Daren Wunderle. The subcommittee’s first task is to hire an appropriate executive recruitment firm to assist in the search for qualified potential candidates.
August 21 – After subcommittee review of several executive candidate recruitment firms, PSPRS hires CBIZ Talent & Compensation Solutions under the direction of the subcommittee. The firm will use its extensive experience with public pension plans to assist the PSPRS Board in the design and implementation of a recruitment strategy to attract highly qualified candidates with the necessary experience to lead PSPRS. This will include sourcing and screening candidates and advising the board through the interview process.
August 27 – PSPRS Board of Trustees votes to appoint Trustee Stein to chair the subcommittee, which the board also tasked with management of the administrator search process and recommending one or more administrator candidate finalists to the board for review. The board is tasked with determining finalists to be interviewed and reaching an employment agreement with a selected candidate.
September 22 – The position specification is posted by the subcommittee and CBIZ Talent & Compensation Solutions. In addition to posting on the PSPRS website, the position is posted nationally with numerous websites and industry related organizations and publications. The administrator position will remain open until it is filled, with initial review of applicants on October 15. The position specification and application directions can be viewed here.
October 29 – PSPRS Board of Trustees votes to appoint an interim leadership team to guide the agency following the November 7 retirement of Administrator Mike Townsend. The team will be led by the agency’s general counsel and assistant administrator, Bret Parke, who will serve as interim administrator. Assistant Administrator Erin Higbee will act as deputy administrator and Senior Financial Consultant Clark Partridge will serve as assistant administrator. The interim leadership team will remain in place through the administrator search process.