A bus route to the boardroom isn’t a cliché here—it’s the real path two former superintendents took before stepping into leadership at Georgia’s Teacher Retirement System. We open with their unexpected journeys, the mentors who nudged them forward, and the idea that leadership is transferable when anchored in service, data, and relationships. From there, we get practical: how culture, strategic planning, and succession design can transform a solid agency into a standout one with sub–5 percent turnover and a staff that sees its work as a mission.

We also dig into what members care about most: access and security. You’ll hear the story behind TRS’s video counseling and the Macon office—human-centered changes that saved educators hours on the road and made retirement counseling more equitable statewide. Then we zoom out to the numbers: a roughly $125 billion fund, a funding ratio that ranks among the strongest, and a seasoned team managing most investments in-house. Governance matters too, from the investment committee’s discipline to joint management sessions that sharpen oversight.

If you’re a teacher, principal, or district leader wondering when to engage with TRS, we map out a clear timeline: learn early, revisit mid-career, and sit for pre-retirement counseling within five years of your target date. And on the perennial question—retire at year 30, 33, or keep going to 40—we frame the tradeoffs with both math and meaning. Love the work and see rising impact? Staying can lift your final average salary and multiplier. Ready for a second act? Drawing your pension while launching a new career can be a powerful combination.

Ready to plan smarter and lead with clarity? Follow the show, share this conversation with a colleague who’s weighing their next step, and leave a review with your top retirement question—we may feature it in a future episode.