David B. Wescoe, interim CEO of the San Diego County Employees Retirement Association, knows times are stressful at the $10.6 billion pension fund.
SDCERA is moving back to having an in-house chief investment officer from an outsourced CIO model. That's keeping pension fund officials very busy hiring staff, creating an action plan, moving investments and improving interdepartmental communications, Mr. Wescoe said in a memo to the board for its July 31 meeting.
So Mr. Wescoe has started a book club.
The club is voluntary and open to all employees, he said in the memo. Every month or so, members will meet over lunch to discuss a relevant business book covering topics including investments, finance and technology.
The first book will be “Lincoln on Leadership,” by Donald T. Phillips, Mr. Wescoe said in a voice message in response to questions. Some 25% of SDCERA's 80 employees signed up on the first day, he said. The first meeting will be in September.
“The book club accomplishes so many things: interdepartmental communications, education, training. It's very cost effective and (promotes) team building,” Mr. Wescoe said in the message.
