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Contact the PERS Board
Administration
The Oregon Legislature has delegated authority to the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) Board of Trustees to
administer the PERS system. The board is composed of five trustees who administer retirement (service and
disability), death, and retiree health insurance benefits. PERS also administers the Oregon Savings Growth Plan, a
deferred compensation program for state and local government employees.
Director and consultants
The board retains consultants and appoints an executive director. The director serves at the discretion of the board
and is responsible for the PERS administrative staff. Consultants include legal counsel, a medical advisor, an
actuary, and insurance consultant.
PERS board members
As trustee of the Public Employees Retirement Fund, the PERS Board has a responsibility to manage and administer the
system as set forth by law. The board also monitors the plan for compliance with federal laws.
Statute specifies board membership must consist of three people with experience in business management, pension
management, or investing who are not members of the PERS system; one person who is either an employee of the state in
a management position or a person who holds an elective office in the governing body of a participating public
employer other than the state; and one person representing public employees and retirees.
The three board members representing business management, pension management, or investing are Jardon Jaramillo
(Board Chair), Bob Hestand, and Kristen Connor. John Scanlan was appointed to represent public employees and
retirees; Suzanne Linneen was appointed to represent public employers. Terms for each member are staggered.
Jardon Jaramillo (Board Chair)
Jardon Jaramillo serves as Controller and Assistant Treasurer at Portland General Electric, communicating and
managing financial results. He previously worked as Director of Compensation and Benefits from 2013 to 2016. As
director, he was responsible for managing the company’s defined benefit pension plan, as well as overseeing
health care programs for all of PGE’s employees. Before joining PGE, Mr. Jaramillo was a manager with Deloitte
in the M&A Transactions Services consulting group. He spent his early career at Deloitte in the audit and
assurance space. Mr. Jaramillo enjoys contributing to solutions to equity issues in the community and serves as
Vice Chair of the board of Metropolitan Family Services.
Mr. Jaramillo received an MBA from the Anderson School at the University of California Los Angeles, a BA in
economics from Northwest Nazarene University, and is a CPA licensed in Oregon.
Mr. Jaramillo’s appointment by Gov. Kate Brown was confirmed by the Senate on September 16, 2019. His current
term ends September 30, 2025.
John Scanlan
John Scanlan was a teacher for 29 years and retired in 2021. He taught English language arts to students in
grades 6 to 12 in three districts; was an adjunct professor at Eastern Oregon University (EOU); co-directed the
Oregon Writing Project at EOU; and coordinated the Pendleton School District Outdoor School, the longest
continuously operating outdoor school program east of the Cascades. Mr. Scanlan also served as president of the
Oregon Council of Teachers of English, frequently presented at council conferences, and has been published in
the council’s peer-reviewed Oregon English Journal. He has been active in the Oregon Education Association,
including serving as a local building representative, treasurer, negotiation team leader, president, and board
member. He also currently serves on the board of the National Education Association.
Mr. Scanlan’s appointment by Gov. Kate Brown was confirmed by the Senate on May 13, 2021. His current term
ends May 13, 2027.
Suzanne Linneen
Suzanne Linneen has served as the city of Hillsboro’s Finance Director since 2009. She started working for the
city in finance in 1995 and participated in a lot of change and growth in the city during that time. Originally
from the Los Angeles area, Ms. Linneen attended the University of California, Santa Barbara; earned a
bachelor’s degree in business economics; and worked as an auditor for Deloitte and Touche in Century City,
California, before moving to Oregon. She is a certified public accountant and brings vast experience in
accounting, budgeting, financial planning, and management to her role with the PERS Board.
Ms. Linneen’s appointment by Gov. Tina Kotek was confirmed by the Senate in April 2023. Her current term ends
April 25, 2026.
Bob Hestand
Bob Hestand is the Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President of Shared Services at Relay Resources, a
Portland-based nonprofit. He leverages his extensive experience to advance technology and workplace innovation
by
focusing on creating inclusive and accessible environments for people with disabilities. With a career spanning
over two decades, Mr. Hestand is an established leader in the technology and nonprofit sectors. He enjoys
mentoring emerging leaders through the Society for Information Management and is an active contributor to
various
advisory boards, including Midsize Enterprise Services and the Cybersecurity Festival. Mr. Hestand holds a
Master
of Business Administration from the University of Oregon and a bachelor's degree from Indiana University.
Mr. Hestand’s appointment by Gov. Tina Kotek was confirmed by the Senate in September 2024. His current term
ends
October 6, 2027.
Kristen Connor
Kristen Connor is the Senior Vice President, Community Impact Officer at Heritage Bank. She works with nonprofit
organizations, the legal community, and some of the region’s leading organizations focused on a broad range of
sustainability and social justice issues. Under Ms. Connor’s leadership, Heritage Bank launched a formalized
community investment and giving program that includes an annual employee volunteer day, a corporate giving
initiative that raises $1.5 million annually, and other sustainability efforts and certifications. Ms. Connor is
the Treasurer of the Oregon Law Foundation and has served on several other boards including Age+, Better Portland,
and Sunstone Montessori. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Economics with a minor in business
administration from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Ms. Connor’s appointment by Gov. Tina Kotek was confirmed by the Senate in September 2024. Her current term ends
October 6, 2027.