On November 19, 2024, people gathered at the University of Massachusetts Club to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Pension Action Center, a center with the Gerontology Institute at UMass Boston. Current staff, previous directors, board members, and friends of the organization celebrated the three decades that PAC has spent providing free legal counseling for workers and retirees who seek to secure retirement benefits. (View 30th Anniversary Photo Gallery) Over that time, PAC has returned more than $72 million to more than 12,000 people.
“The impact is amazing,” says Emily Kennerley, the director of development and outreach at PAC UMass Boston. “Most of the people we serve are low to moderate income, and this pays their essential bills. These services are about enabling people to age with dignity.”
Over 30 years, PAC has returned more than $72 million to more than 12,000 people.
It was an evening of milestones, as PAC’s 30th anniversary coincided with three other big anniversaries. The first: Tyler Compton, PAC’s Managing Attorney and Director, celebrated five years with PAC that month as well. At the anniversary event, she moderated a panel with past directors of the organization, including Ellen Bruce, Jeanne Medeiros, and Anna-Marie Tabor. (Related: Pension Action Center’s early leaders reflect on history of ‘concrete victories’)
“It was so great to hear about all of the changes PAC has gone through during the past 30 years,” Compton says. “It was especially interesting to hear how PAC has worked alongside federal agencies such as the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and Employee Benefits Security Administration to better protect workers and their families. It was also great to hear how, even as PAC has grown and expanded throughout the years, our core mission has stayed the same: helping people in retirement with financial security.”
During PAC’s celebration, the group also marked another milestone: the 40th anniversary of the Gerontology Institute. Jan Mutchler, the current director of the Gerontology Institute, and Len Fishman, a previous director, were in attendance as well.
“PAC’s mission is critical to the work of the Gerontology Institute,” Mutchler says. “Each center and department of the Institute is happy to have PAC in our midst, and we’re grateful for the work they’ve done and continue to do.”
The third milestone that coincided with PAC’s anniversary was the 50th anniversary of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). ERISA established minimum standards for most private sector retirement plans, giving additional protection to plan participants and their beneficiaries. To honor the milestone, the Honorable Phyllis Borzi shared remarks at the event that evening. Borzi is the preeminent expert on ERISA and the assistant secretary of labor of the Employee Benefits Security Administration from 2009 to 2017.
“Listening to Phyllis Borzi talk about the roots of ERISA was fascinating, especially now that ERISA has been law for 50 years,” Compton says. “As an expert in the field, she described the challenges facing workers that led to the protection of employee benefits and how important those protections are to workers in the present day. We are so honored to have been able to host Ms. Borzi at our event and learn from her experiences!”
Even as the celebration honored PAC’s history, the staff kept an eye on what will come next. Reflections on PAC’s past, present, and future were the theme of the evening, and future initiatives include even more outreach and educational programming, in addition to expanding access to the helpline.
“I am so thrilled to be working with PAC to advance equity in retirement for people in our service area of New England and Illinois,” Kennerley says. “I am most excited about our outreach initiatives and helping people protect their money in retirement, as PAC is able to really make an impact in the lives of older adults.”
PAC’s 30th Anniversary Celebration: Photo Gallery
Board members Kirt Czarnowski, John Kimpel, and Anne Becker;
Director Tyler Compton moderates a panel with previous directors, Ellen Bruce and Jeanne Medeiros;
Jan Mutchler and Len Fishman, current and previous Gerontology Institute directors;
Anna-Marie Tabor, previous PAC director;
Phyllis Borzi, former assistant secretary of labor of the Employee Benefits Security Administration;
Gerontology Institute director Jan Mutchler;
Emily Kennerley, John Kimpel, Jeanne Medeiros, Tyler Compton, Ellen Bruce, Len Fishman, Anna-Marie Tabor, Phyllis Borzi, Katherine Hesse
Leave a Reply