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 CTPF EMPLOYEE NEWS | AUGUST 2023 

The past two years we have focused as an organization on building and learning together – and it’s been a successful and fruitful time for our organization. We wrote our first-ever strategic plan which has guided our work and focused our efforts, launched the replacement of our pension administration system software which will dramatically change the operations of our organization, we received Great Place to work recognition for the first time, reestablished key departments including HR and Internal Audit, realigned our leadership along processes lines, returned to the office and to Board of Trustees meetings in hybrid mode – and achieved countless other milestones along the way. Most importantly, we have fostered trust, overcome challenges, embraced change, and worked tirelessly to shape our future.  

The work that we have done the past two years has been a tremendous path of building and learning, together. And as we look forward to the next year on the horizon, I want to move ahead with a new theme, Learning and Growing together. I see this year as a critical moment and tremendous opportunity for our organization to move beyond the immediate, and to focus on developing the skills and talent we need to grow as an organization.  

As we look ahead, talent planning, professional education and development, organizational training opportunities, and continuous learning will be at the forefront of our priorities. We've seen the incredible benefits of building and learning together, and now it's time to take that momentum and channel it into fostering growth and innovation. 

Talent planning will play a central role in identifying and nurturing the skills and potential within our organization. We'll be working closely with managers to develop growth plans for our teams, to help ensure that professional aspirations align with our organizational objectives.  

We plan to expand professional education and development opportunities, and to leverage resources we have available so that staff can invest in activities that help them build knowledge and skillsets. This fiscal year we plan to ask each employee to complete eight hours of education and training, just as we do for our Trustees, to help ensure that we all make the time to improve our training and professional development. Education can take many forms, and I encourage you to work with your managers to find ways to meet our goals. From webinars and in-person seminars to professional certifications and tuition reimbursement, there are a variety of ways to participate in educational opportunities. 

I want to extend my gratitude to each one of you for your support and commitment that has brought us to where we are today. Let's continue building on our successes and learning from our challenges, with the spirit of collaboration. I am confident that we will achieve even greater milestones in the coming year, as we embark on this journey of learning and growing together. 

We are CTPF. 

CTPF at the White Sox Game

We want to thank everyone who attended the White Sox game on Friday. It was great to watch the Sox win and have a fun team outing. We look forward to many more!

Neighborhood Spotlight: Chicago Cultural Center

Located less than a mile away from the CTPF office, the Chicago Cultural Center is one of the city's most popular attractions and the cultural heart of the downtown Loop neighborhood. Taking up an entire city block, the stunning landmark is home to the world’s largest Tiffany stained glass dome and presents more than 700 humanities programs a year — and many of them are free and open to the public. Click here to learn more.

Note: Neighborhood spotlight is our new feature highlighting fun places and activities in the neighborhood around CTPF. Have a suggestion? Please email [email protected].

Performance Review Timeline

During our Town Hall Meeting on March 31, the timeline for 2023 Performance reviews was shared.



July 28 – August 4, 2023

Evaluations are approved by 2nd Level Reviewers

August 4– August 18, 2023

Managers meet with employees to share reviews and set FY24 goals

September 29th is target for pay increases and retroactive pay.

Update Your CTPF Materials

Our communications team works hard to make sure the Fund puts its best foot forward when communicating with the public, and we appreciate your help with this. If you are using any kind of letterhead, template, etc., with a “money green” logo, it is out of date and needs to be replaced with our current brand standards. If you need assistance with this, please email [email protected] and we’ll be happy to help update your projects. 

Supply Room Needs

If you notice that we’re running low on supplies, please email [email protected] and note the items needed. Please help keep the supply room tidy by tossing out empty boxes and packaging. 

Workplace Solutions EAP Resources

• EAP brochure – This document highlights EAP's resources and provides their contact information.
• LifeSpeak flyer – LifeSpeak is a health, wellness, and personal development platform with over 1000s videos on topics that affect your everyday life. This benefit is included as part of the EAP services at no additional cost. 

BrainStorm Quickhelp 

There’s a wealth of information available on our new education platform, BrainStorm Quick help. The platform offers personalized learning which combines the organization's objectives with your individual needs. Take a look and get started at https://app.quickhelp.com/ctpf. Login with your CTPF email and credentials. 

Coffee Reminders

Please do not use anything but coffee and tea K-cups in the Keurig. Hot cocoa and cappuccino options are not good for the machine and should not be used. 

Website Updates

If you have an update to your department's information, please send it to [email protected]. We appreciate as much lead time as possible or a heads up if you know you will have a rush job during the week. 

Share the News... CTPF is Hiring

The Fund currently has positions available, which are posted on ADP. All available positions can be viewed and applied for on ADP. If you have a referral, please contact HR.

The Path to PAS

The team continues to work with TELUS Health related to the initial Project 125 tasks and activities. The collective team(s) have been busy establishing a project repository and other similar endeavors. They have scheduled a series of Discovery meetings to begin the commitments review process.

IT Notes

KnowBe4 Security Awareness Training

The next KnowBe4 Security Awareness Training campaign will run from Monday, August 14th, through Friday, September 22nd. All CTPF employees are required to complete all

their assigned training courses by the September 22^nd deadline. Instructions will be sent out on Monday morning, August 14^th explaining how to access the training. 

KnowBe4 Security Hints & Tips: Stay Safe on Social Media

You have probably used a social media platform, such as Meta, Twitter, or LinkedIn. On these platforms, you may have even shared posts about work. When using social media platforms, it’s important for you to post responsibly. Posting responsibly can help you avoid consequences at your organization such as disciplinary action or external threats such as cyberattacks.

Follow the tips below to stay safe while posting on social media:

Think Before You Post

Any information that you post on a social media platform can be used against you, so be careful. If your supervisor or manager sees you post negative information about work, you could face disciplinary action. In addition to avoiding sharing negative posts about work, you should also avoid sharing sensitive information about your organization. Cybercriminals can use social media platforms to gather information about you, putting both you and your organization at risk.

Protect Your Social Media Accounts

Most social media platforms allow you to only share posts with specific groups of people. When possible, you should use this feature and limit who can see your posts. Avoid sharing too much information with public groups. Additionally, consider separating your work relationships from your personal relationships online.

Be careful when using social media. If you share sensitive information on social media platforms, you and your organization could be at risk. Always use social media responsibly!

Welcome

Welcome to:

• Alende Jones Jr., Member Services Representative
• Kaely Kodidek, Associate Compliance Auditor
• Ashley Lofton, Association Pension Analyst

Your Turn

What have you been up to? If you've attended or been a featured speaker at an event, please share the news with [email protected]. 

Happy Anniversary to:

Happy August Birthday to:

Whistleblower Reporting Notice

The Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund (CTPF) has a whistleblower reporting hotline where complaints may be submitted through an interview, anonymously, or self-identified. The hotline is available for CTPF members, employees, and other parties who engage with CTPF. Complaints may also be submitted online, emailed, or faxed. Find more information at ctpf.org/whistleblower-reporting.

Employees with complaints or concerns can also report them directly to:

• Dan Hurtado ([email protected]) Chief Legal Officer

As a reminder, if you have meeting or event information for the calendar, please coordinate official meetings with the Administrative Services Department, and be sure to notify the Communications Department of other events (seminars, webinars, etc.) at [email protected], with all the appropriate information, so that we can keep our information up to date.