On Tuesday, April 5, 2022, the Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System’s Board of Trustees voted to appoint system deputy director Allison Woods to the position of interim executive director as the search for a permanent replacement commenced. 

Current executive director Duncan Baird will depart Friday to begin work as a senior manager of benefit services at Walmart, where he will be responsible for administering Wal-Mart’s 401 (k) plan. He has been the system’s executive director for the past three years.

Woods has been the deputy director at the retirement system since November 2020 and has worked at the system for more than 17 years. She previously served as the system’s director of benefits administration.

The board also voted at the April 5 meeting to advertise the permanent executive director’s post for 10 days. Applicants may apply here: 

https://arcareers.arkansas.gov/job/Little-Rock-APERS-DIRECTOR-AR-72201/869498400/

The public employees retirement system is state government’s second-largest retirement system with more than $11 billion in assets and more than 75,000 working and retired members.