[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 79 (Friday, June 3, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1036]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING PATRICIA K. MACHT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, June 3, 2011

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, as Dean of the California Congressional 
delegation, I rise to highlight the career of Patricia K. Macht, who is 
retiring after more than fifteen years of service with the California 
Public Employees' Retirement System (CALPERS).
  Ms. Macht is currently the Deputy Executive Officer for External 
Affairs at California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS). 
She has served under six CEOs and Interim CEOs, and four deputy 
executive officers. During her tenure, she has attended more than 400 
committee meetings and 200 board meetings.
  While at CalPERS, Ms. Macht established the vision, guiding 
principles, structure, and resources to administer a world-class 
communications function. She spearheaded the creation of a media 
relations program, an executive speechwriting support function and 
special events support services. She maintained the high quality of the 
services provided, keeping up with the tremendous changes in speed of 
communications methods.
  Ms. Macht also ensured that CaIPERS communications did not take place 
in a vacuum, as she led the integration of governmental affairs and 
public affairs and added a stakeholder relations function. She greatly 
expanded the system's ability to ensure that all stakeholders groups 
have equal access, timely and quality communication, and participation 
in the System's policy formulation and administration as possible. 
Through this integration, CalPERS has enhanced efficiency, access, and 
timeliness of dissemination of information and education.
  Ms. Macht worked cooperatively and collaboratively regarding 
communications and advocacy with other leaders in the public pension 
community, including the National Institute of Retirement Security 
(NIRS), National Association of State Retirement Administrators 
(NASRA), California Association of Public Retirement Systems 
(CALAPERS), State Association of County Retirement Systems (SACRS) and 
numerous other industry groups and association.
  Ms. Macht greatly expanded the reach to CalPERS 1.6 million members. 
Under her leadership, the CaIPERS communications office issued more 
than 800 press releases, resulting in more than a million references to 
CalPERS in local, state, national and international media articles. She 
guided the development, execution and dissemination of the widely-read 
CaIPERS' ``PERSpective'' newsletter. She also created the institution's 
``Retirement Planning Month'', the CalPERS Member Network video 
programming on cable television, and a robust CaIPERS website that is 
continuously improving to meet the needs of our members and employers. 
Ms. Macht created the first California Retirement Dialogue summit--
bringing stakeholders from labor, employers, and policy experts 
together to review and discuss pension issues in the wake of the 
pressures upon employers to meet their pension obligations due to the 
market downturn.
  She received the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award for her career in 
the communication field from the State Information Officers Council and 
garnered high praise from all who worked with her.
  She began her career in government as the Director of Public Affairs 
and Education at the California Integrated Waste Management Board. 
Prior to entering public service, she worked in corporate 
communications/public affairs positions in the private sector for five 
years. Previously, she was a journalist for 10 years covering local 
government issues in the state of Maryland. Ms. Macht has a Bachelor's 
Degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.
  Once again, I would like to commend Ms. Macht for her dedicated 
public service and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

                          ____________________