News

The Retirement and Investment Office welcomed Adam Otteson as its new Chief Financial and Operating Officer (CFOO), effective Sept. 22, 2025. As CFOO, Otteson oversees RIO’s middle- and back-office operations, leads financial, accounting, and investment operations functions, and guides budgeting, audits, payroll, and strategic fiscal planning.

The Retirement and Investment Office has earned the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. This marks the 27th consecutive year the agency has received the award.

The State Investment Board has appointed Jodi A. Smith as the permanent executive director of the North Dakota Retirement and Investment Office. The decision was made during a special SIB meeting on June 3, 2025.

The Retirement and Investment Office in partnership with Sagitec, a leader in pension administration software solutions, successfully launched a modernized Pension Administration System for the Teachers' Fund for Retirement. This marks a significant milestone in a pension modernization project, which sought to enhance platform efficiency, security, and service for the fund's more than 25,000 active, inactive, and retired members.

At a special meeting today, the State Investment Board elected Gov. Kelly Armstrong as its chair, reaffirming the Board’s commitment to strong leadership.

The North Dakota Teachers’ Fund for Retirement has been honored with the 2024 Public Pension Standards Award for Funding and Administration by the Public Pension Coordinating Council. The award is the benchmark for excellence in public defined benefit plans, evaluating standards of management, administration, and funding. 

Gov. Doug Burgum has appointed Alexis Rasset of Mandan, ND, to the Teachers’ Fund for Retirement board of trustees. The seven-member board is responsible for administering the pension program.

RIO has been honored with the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada.

The TFFR pension program has earned the 2023 Public Pension Standards Awards for Plan Funding and for Plan Administration from the Public Pension Coordinating Council.

RIO has been awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada.