Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider, today announced that Robert Podgorny, 59, most recently president of the National Conference of Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS), will join as manager, fiduciary relations on 2 June 2008.
In this newly created role, Podgorny will serve as Dow Jones Indexes ambassador to the pension fund community. He will educate plan sponsors on the importance of effective benchmark adoption and illustrate the advantages of and encourage use of the Dow Jones Wilshire indexes.
“Bobs impressive background in the public sector, as well as his leadership of NCPERS, will be valuable to helping Dow Jones Indexes provide the most timely and useful information for its clients. His insight into this important market segment will help illustrate the significance of benchmark adoption for plan sponsors and trustees,” says Michael A. Petronella, president, Dow Jones Indexes.
Podgorny has an extensive background in public service and pensions. Prior to his post at NCPERS, he was first vice president of Chicago’s Fraternal Order of Police Lodge # 7, having served on the board for 21 years. He currently serves as a trustee and also has chaired numerous committees. Podgorny served as a Chicago police officer for more than 33 years. There he was instrumental in obtaining collective bargaining rights for the Chicago Police Department. In addition to his collective bargaining expertise, Podgorny dealt with all medical and health-related issues and disabilities of Chicago police officers.
He was a member of the NCPERS Credentials, Elections, and Program Committee as well as NCPERS Task Force on Health Care Benefits, and served as an NCPERS representative to the Public Pension Coordination Council.
Podgorny currently serves as director of the Retired Chicago Police Association (RCPA). He also is a board member of the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association (IPPFA).