Executive Committee Meeting Minutes
Meeting: September 10, 2025 | Posted: March 9, 2026 | SURS Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
The meeting of the of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the State Universities Retirement System (SURS) convened on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at 3:00 p.m.
This meeting was held in person at the State Universities Retirement System, in Champaign, IL.
The following trustees were present: Dr. Fred Giertz; Mr. Scott Hendrie; Mr. John Lyons, chair; Mr. Collin Van Meter; and Mr. Antonio Vasquez.
Others present: Mr. Michael Calabrese of Foley & Lardner LLP; Ms. Kelly Carson, Executive Assistant; Ms. Carolyn Clifford of Ottosen DiNolfo Hasenbalg & Castaldo, Ltd.; and Mr. Patrick Sullivan of Featherstun, Gaumer, Stocks, Flynn & Eck, LLP.
Executive Committee roll call attendance was taken: Trustee Giertz, present; Trustee Hendrie, present; Trustee Lyons, present; Trustee Van Meter, present; and Trustee Vasquez, present.
Approval of Minutes
Trustee Lyons presented the minutes from the Executive Committee meetings of October 24, 2024, and June 5, 2025.
Trustee Giertz made the following motion:
- That the open session minutes from the October 24, 2024 Executive Committee meeting be approved as presented.
Trustee Hendrie seconded the motion which passed via all trustees present voting in favor of the motion.
Trustee Van Meter made the following motion:
- That the open session minutes from the June 5, 2025 Executive Committee meeting be approved as presented.
Trustee Vasquez seconded the motion which passed via all trustees present voting in favor of the motion.
Chairperson’s Report
Trustee Lyons did not have a chairperson’s report.
Presentation of Claims: Kanauss
Attorney Carolyn Clifford provided a brief verbal summary of the issues on appeal from the Claims Panel Committee case of: In re the Claim of Lorri Kanauss, Case No. 2023-22. She submitted into evidence the full Administrative Record in the matter, which the committee received for review in advance of the hearing. Ms. Clifford reminded the committee members that they were allowed to go into closed session to deliberate on the evidence that the committee received in the matter, but that the committee’s decision must be made in open session.
Closed Session
At 3:19 p.m. Trustee Giertz moved that the Executive Committee go into closed session pursuant to §2(c)(4) of the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Trustee Hendrie seconded the motion, which passed via the following roll call vote:
Trustee Giertz – aye
Trustee Hendrie – aye
Trustee Lyons – aye
Trustee Van Meter – aye
Trustee Vasquez – aye
Return to Open Session
Trustees resumed open session at 3:28 p.m.
Trustee Giertz made the following motion:
- That the findings and conclusions of the Claims Panel Committee in the matter of Lorri Kanauss be affirmed and that a written order reflecting this decision be drafted by external counsel and signed by the committee members voting in favor of the decision.
Trustee Van Meter seconded the motion which passed via the following roll call vote:
Trustee Giertz – aye
Trustee Hendrie – aye
Trustee Lyons – aye
Trustee Van Meter – aye
Trustee Vasquez – aye
Presentation of Claims: Zhi
Attorney Carolyn Clifford provided a brief verbal summary of the issues on appeal in the Claims Panel Committee Case of: In re the Claim of Lizi Zhi, Case No. 2024-03. She submitted into evidence the full Administrative Record in the matter, which the committee received for review in advance of the hearing. Ms. Clifford reminded the committee members that they were allowed to go into closed session to deliberate on the evidence that the committee received in the matter, but that the committee’s decision must be made in open session.
Closed Session
At 3:37 p.m. Trustee Van Meter moved that the Executive Committee go into closed session pursuant to §2(c)(4) of the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Trustee Vasquez seconded the motion which passed via the following roll call vote:
Trustee Giertz – aye
Trustee Hendrie – aye
Trustee Lyons – aye
Trustee Van Meter – aye
Trustee Vasquez – aye
Return to Open Session
Trustees resumed open session at 3:46 p.m.
Trustee Vasquez made the following motion:
- That the findings and conclusions of the Claims Panel Committee in the matter of Lizi Zhi be affirmed and that a written order reflecting this decision be drafted by external counsel and signed by the committee members voting in favor of the decision.
Trustee Van Meter seconded the motion which passed via the following roll call vote:
Trustee Giertz – aye
Trustee Hendrie – aye
Trustee Lyons – aye
Trustee Van Meter – aye
Trustee Vasquez – aye
Presentation of Claims: Newman
Attorney Patrick Sullivan provided a brief verbal summary of the issues on appeal in the Claims Panel Committee case of: In re the Claim of Yolanda Newman, Case No. 2023-17. He submitted into evidence the full Administrative Record in the matter, which the committee received for review in advance of the hearing. Mr. Sullivan reminded the committee members that they were allowed to go into closed session to deliberate on the evidence that the committee received in the matter, but that the committee’s decision must be made in open session.
Closed Session
At 4:03 p.m. Trustee Giertz moved that the Executive Committee go into closed session pursuant to §2(c)(4) of the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Trustee Van Meter seconded the motion which passed via the following roll call vote:
Trustee Giertz – aye
Trustee Hendrie – aye
Trustee Lyons – aye
Trustee Van Meter – aye
Trustee Vasquez – aye
Return to Open Session
Trustees resumed open session at 4:22 p.m.
Trustee Vasquez made the following motion:
- That the findings and conclusions of the Claims Panel in the matter of Yolanda Newman be affirmed and that a written order reflecting this decision be drafted by external counsel and signed by the committee members voting in favor of the decision.
Trustee Van Meter seconded the motion which passed via the following roll call vote:
Trustee Giertz – aye
Trustee Hendrie – aye
Trustee Lyons – aye
Trustee Van Meter – aye
Trustee Vasquez – aye
Public Comment
There were no public comments presented to the Executive Committee.
Adjourn
There was no further business brought before the committee and Trustee Vasquez moved that the meeting be adjourned. The motion was seconded by Trustee Hendrie and it passed with all trustees present voting in favor:
Trustee Giertz – aye
Trustee Hendrie – aye
Trustee Lyons – aye
Trustee Van Meter – aye
Trustee Vasquez – aye
Respectfully submitted,
Mr. Michael Calabrese, Foley & Lardner LLP,
Fiduciary Counsel to SURS and its Board of Trustees