About me
Travis is the Executive Director for the South Dakota Retirement System (SDRS) in Pierre, South Dakota. SDRS is a cost-sharing, multiple employer, public employee-defined benefit pension plan. SDRS provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits for employees of public school districts, the State of South Dakota, municipalities, counties, the Board of Regents, and other public employers.
Travis joined SDRS in December 2001 as a retirement planner, focusing on benefit counseling as well as educating members via workshops and seminars. In 2008, Travis was promoted to the member services/communications manager, which oversees four distinct functions within the SDRS office: benefits, communications, records management, and administrative services. As the member services/communications manager he was responsible for the development, expansion, and implementation of member education programs and communication efforts. In September 2019, Travis was selected by the SDRS Board of Trustees to become the third Executive Director in the system’s history. Prior to working with SDRS, Travis worked in the private sector offering financial protection and wealth management products and services.
Travis holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business from Chadron State College, the Certified Retirement Counselor ® (CRC ®) designation with the International Foundation for Retirement Education (InFre), the National Social Security Advisor Certification with the National Social Security Association (NSSA), LLC, and a Certificate of Achievement in Public Plan Policy Employee Pensions from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP). He has also completed the Retirement Plan Administration (RPA) series through InFre. Travis has been involved with NPEA since 2006 and was elected to the Board of Directors in 2014.