Claims Panel Committee Meeting Minutes

Meeting: May 12, 2026 | Posted: August 26, 2026 | 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 Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 10:21 a.m.

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

Others present: Ms. Bianca Green, SURS General Counsel; Ms. Heather Kimmons, SURS Senior Associate General Counsel; Mr. Albert Lee, Senior Associate General Counsel (via video conference); Ms. Jennifer Bartell, SURS Director of Benefits Processing; Ms. Lisa Fink, Communications Manager (via video conference); Ms. Shay Pope, SURS Disability Manager; Ms. Elicia Monti, SURS Benefits Education Trainer; Ms. Karen Nyi (via video conference) and Ms. Annette Ackerman, SURS Executive Assistants; Ms. Janet Cummings, Area Wide Reporting; Mr. Norberto Rivera, Claimant (via video conference); Mr. Ryan McDaniel, Claimant; Patrick Sullivan of the law firm Featherstun, Gaumer, Stocks, Flynn & Eck, LLP.

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

Trustee Participation Via Electronic Means

Ms. Suzanne Mayer made the following motion:

• That Trustee Pitman be allowed to participate remotely in the Claims Panel Committee Meeting of May 12, 2026, via video or audio conference as allowed by 5 ILCS 120/7(a) 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.

Mr. Gaumer 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 February 10, 2026. Ms. Mayer made the following motion:

• That the open session minutes from February 10, 2026, Claims Panel Committee Meeting be approved as presented.

Trustee Pitman 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 session minutes from the Claims Panel Committee Meeting of February 10, 2026, for approval. Ms. Mayer made the following motion:

• That the closed session minutes from February 10, 2026, Claims Panel Committee Meeting be approved as presented and remain closed.

Trustee Pitman seconded the motion, which passed via the following roll call vote:

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

Presentation of Claim – Norberto Rivera
Case Number 2025-07

The administrative appeal of Norberto Rivera was called for a hearing before the Claims Panel Committee. Mr. Dan Gaumer served as the Assigned Hearing Officer. SURS staff was represented by SURS Senior Associate General Counsel, Ms. Heather Kimmons.

Mr. Gaumer admitted 385 pages of written documents into evidence. Mr. Rivera explained that he was currently in the hospital awaiting surgery and he requested a continuance for his case to be heard on a different hearing date.

Given Mr. Rivera’s medical condition, Hearing Officer Gaumer agreed to rescheduled the matter for hearing on a later date. SURS will contact Mr. Rivera to reschedule.

Presentation of Claim – Ryan McDaniel
Case Number 2025-08

The administrative appeal of Ryan McDaniel was called for a hearing before the Claims Panel Committee. Mr. Dan Gaumer served as the Assigned Hearing Officer. SURS staff was represented by SURS General Counsel, Ms. Bianca Green.

Mr. Gaumer introduced the Claims Panel members. Ms. Green had several housekeeping items to address prior to beginning the Claims Panel process. Mr. Gaumer admitted 415 pages of written documents into evidence. Ms. Green provided a verbal summary of current issues to be addressed by the Claims Panel Committee.

Mr. McDaniel then presented his case. Ms. Green cross-examined the Claimant. Upon the conclusion of the cross-examination, Ms. Green presented the case on behalf of SURS. She called two SURS employees to testify: Ms. Jennifer Bartell, Director of Benefits Processing, and Ms. Elicia Monti, SURS Benefits Education Trainer.

Following the completion of all testimony, Hearing Officer 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, Trustee Pitman seconded the motion, and it passed via the following roll call vote:

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

Return to Open Session

Upon completion of the closed session deliberations, the Claims Panel Committee returned to open session at approximately 1:30 p.m.
Ms. Mayer made the following motion for the Ryan McDaniel Claim:

• Motion to affirm the staff decision, finding that Ryan McDaniel has not proven by a preponderance of the evidence that he is entitled to the relief sought, and that a written decision of factual findings and conclusions will be drafted by the Hearing Officer and signed by members of the Claims Panel Committee voting in favor of the motion.

Mr. Pittman seconded the motion, which passed via the following roll call vote:

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

Adjournment

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

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

Meeting adjourned at 1:35 p.m.

Mr. Dan Gaumer

Hearing Officer