For Immediate Release: April 5, 2021
Contact: public_relations@nhrs.org
CONCORD, NH – Ken Merrifield was recently appointed to the New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS, the retirement system) Board of Trustees as an employer member representing the state.
He is currently the Commissioner of the Department of Labor, where he has served since 2017. Before becoming Labor Commissioner, he worked in senior finance positions at the state Department of Health and Human Services and state Department of Education. He is a former five-term mayor of Franklin and also served on the Franklin City Council and the Franklin and SAU 18 school boards. Merrifield earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Anselm College and an MBA from Franklin Pierce University.
NHRS Trustees are nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Executive Council. Merrifield, whose term runs through July 2022, replaced former Assistant Corrections Commissioner Ben Jean, who resigned from the Board when he left state service in December.
NHRS is administered by a 13-member Board of Trustees that includes one employee member, one teacher member, one firefighter member, one police officer member, four employer representatives (one each representing the state, counties, schools, and municipalities), four public members, and the State Treasurer. All trustees – with the exception of the State Treasurer, who serves ex officio – are nominated by the Governor for three-year terms and must be confirmed by a vote of the Executive Council.
All Trustees must have familiarity with or experience in finance or business management. A full list of Trustees is available at: https://www.nhrs.org/about-nhrs/board-of-trustees
About NHRS
NHRS provides retirement, disability, and death benefits to its eligible members and their beneficiaries. The State of New Hampshire and nearly 470 local government employers participate in NHRS for their employees, teachers, firefighters, and police officers. NHRS has approximately 48,500 active members and 39,500 benefit recipients. NHRS administers a defined benefit plan qualified as a tax-exempt entity under sections 401(a) and 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
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