Reelect Tom Brown to TRS board
Tom Brown’s leadership on pension improvements for members is cited among reasons to reelect him to the TRS board on May 13.
UFT Assistant Treasurer Tom Brown was endorsed by the Delegate Assembly on Feb. 11 for reelection as a teacher-member of the New York City Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) Board.
The resolution to endorse Brown, who currently serves as chair of the TRS board, was approved with 83% of the delegate vote.
The reelection vote — open only to in-service TRS members — will be conducted by the city Department of Education at schools on May 13. Besides UFT members, those represented by the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators and CUNY’s Professional Staff Congress will also vote for the position.
In introducing the endorsement resolution, TRS teacher-member Christina McGrath cited Brown’s “leadership spanning 30 years, including 12 as TRS board member” as the reason he deserved the body’s endorsement.
“Tom has had a profound impact on the pension landscape in New York City,” McGrath said.
Brown has been instrumental in a number of notable pension reforms, McGrath said, listing such improvements as five-year vesting, final average salary calculation reduced from five to three years for Tier 6 members, and pension credit for discharged LGBTQ+ military veterans.
When conducting member pension workshops and clinics, McGrath said Brown’s “commitment to excellence ensures that each event not only informs but also empowers our members to truly recognize the value of our pensions.”
During the debate, UFT District 31 Representative Shawn Ramos reminded the Delegate Assembly that Brown “learned his craft” from legendary pension expert and UFT founding member Mel Aaronson, “and, after decades of study, he became the teacher to all of us. Tom is our professor of pensions.”
Brown also was lauded for the protective measures he helped institute.
Elaine Haynesworth, the chapter leader at PS 279 in Brooklyn, said that thanks to the auto-enrollment reform Brown helped make a reality, “no longer will unsuspecting paraprofessionals work 10, 20, 30-plus years and then realize they never enrolled in TRS, making them ineligible.”
UFT District 15 Representative Nancy Aromando also noted Brown’s personal touch.
“He makes sure he knows everyone’s name and wants to have a personal connection with each member of this union,” Aromando said. “I have so much respect for that.”
All told, McGrath said, it’s why “my fellow trustee UFT Treasurer Victoria Lee and I wholeheartedly support Tom’s reelection as trustee. We look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts to ensure that all members achieve a financially secure future.”
Learn more about Tom Brown.