Claims Panel Committee Meeting Minutes

Meeting: August 28, 2025 | Posted: November 10, 2025 | SURS Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes

The meeting of the Claims Panel Committee of the Board of Trustees of the State Universities Retirement System (SURS) convened on Thursday, August 28, 2025, at 12:45 p.m.

The following Claims Panel Committee members were present: Mr. Dan Gaumer, Hearing Officer; Ms. Suzanne Mayer, SURS Executive Director; Mr. Herb Pitman, Trustee (via video conference).

Others present: Ms. Heather Kimmons, Senior Associate General Counsel; Mr. Albert Lee, Senior Associate General Counsel; Ms. Jennifer Bartell, Director of Benefits Processing; Ms. Lisa Fink, Communications Manager; Ms. Karen Nyi (via video conference) and Ms. Annette Ackerman, Executive Assistants; Ms. Ann Parkinson, Area Wide Reporting; Mr. Patrick Sullivan of the law firm Featherstun, Gaumer, Stocks, Flynn & Eck LLP; Mr. Mark Prince, Attorney for Claimant and Mr. Kevin Finney, Claimant (via video conference).

Initial Claims Panel Committee roll call attendance was taken with Hearing Officer Dan Gaumer and Executive Director Suzanne Mayer, both present.

Trustee Participation Via Electronic Means

Hearing Officer Dan Gaumer made the following motion:

• That Trustee Pitman be allowed to participate remotely in the Claims Panel Committee Meeting of August 28, 2025, via video or audio conference as allowed by 5 ILCS 120/7 because he is prevented from physically attending this meeting due to 1) personal illness or disability, 2) employment purposes or the business of SURS, 3) a family or other emergency, or 4) unexpected childcare obligations.

Suzanne Mayer seconded the motion which passed via the following roll call vote:

Mr. Gaumer – aye
Ms. Mayer – aye

Roll call attendance for Trustees participating via electronic means was taken: Trustee Pitman, present.

Approval of Minutes

Mr. Gaumer presented the open session minutes from the Claims Panel Committee Meeting of May 5, 2025.

Mr. Gaumer made the following motion:

• That the open session minutes from the May 5, 2025, Claims Panel Committee Meeting be approved as presented.

Ms. Mayer seconded the motion which passed via the following roll call vote:

Mr. Gaumer – aye
Ms. Mayer – aye
Trustee Pitman – aye

Mr. Gaumer presented the closed minutes from the Claims Panel Committee Meeting of May 5, 2025, for approval.

Mr. Gaumer made the following motion:

• That the closed session minutes from the May 5, 2025, Claims Panel Committee Meeting be approved as presented and remain closed.

Ms. Mayer seconded the motion which passed via the following roll call vote:

Mr. Gaumer – aye
Ms. Mayer – aye
Trustee Pitman – aye

Continuation of Claim – Kevin Finney
Case Number 2024-10

The administrative appeal of Kevin Finney was called for a continued hearing before the Claims Panel Committee. Mr. Dan Gaumer served as the Assigned Hearing Officer. SURS staff were represented by Senior Associate General Counsel, Mr. Albert Lee. Mr. Gaumer admitted 202 pages of written documents into evidence. Court reporter, Ms. Ann Parkinson, swore in Ms. Jennifer Bartell and Mr. Kevin Finney. Mr. Lee provided a verbal summary of issues to be addressed by the Claims Panel Committee. Mr. Mark Prince, Attorney for the Claimant, presented Mr. Finney’s case which included testimony from Mr. Finney. Mr. Lee cross-examined Mr. Finney and then presented evidence and testimony on behalf of SURS. He called Ms. Jennifer Bartell, Director of Benefits Processing, to testify on behalf of SURS staff. Mr. Mark Prince cross examined Ms. Bartell.

At the conclusion of the claim presentation, Hearing Officer Dan Gaumer closed the evidentiary proofs.

Claims Panel Deliberations

Hearing Officer Gaumer asked for a motion to move into closed session, pursuant to §2(c)(4) of the Illinois Open Meetings Act, to consider the evidence and testimony presented in open session. Ms. Mayer made the motion to move into closed session, Mr. Gaumer seconded the motion and it passed via the following roll call vote:

Mr. Gaumer – aye
Ms. Mayer – aye
Trustee Pitman – aye

Public Comment

There was no public comment.

Adjournment

There was no further business for the Claims Panel Committee. Ms. Mayer moved that the meeting be adjourned. The motion was seconded by Mr. Gaumer, and it passed via the following roll call vote:

Mr. Gaumer – aye
Ms. Mayer – aye
Trustee Pitman – aye

Meeting adjourned at 2:08 p.m.

Mr. Dan Gaumer

Hearing Officer