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Blair Testin Award

Until his retirement, Blair Testin was a legislative staff person who staffed the Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems (JSCRS) and the Director of the Retirement Research Committee (RRC). The JSCRS is composed of an equal number of legislators from each house of the Legislature and represents both political parties.

Blair Testin was probably the most knowledgeable authority on public retirement systems in the nation. He gathered information on over 80 public pension systems across the country and compiled the data for comparative purposes. His report was considered the "gold standard" by pension officials and policymakers. As a result, other public pension systems sought out his expertise.

During the late 1980s and into 1991, when the Coalition was struggling to find common ground and put together an organization to represent retirees within the Wisconsin Retirement System, Blair Testin was always available and extraordinarily helpful with his expertise and inside knowledge. Having ready access to a real insider gave the Coalition a view not only of what really existed but what was on track and what was likely be going on in the legislature with respect to the WRS. Even after his retirement Blair Testin was our confidence and advisor.

Because Blair was so very helpful, it was decided to present an annual award to an individual or to persons deemed exceptionally significant in the maintenance, operation or enhancement of the Wisconsin Retirement System

Blair Testin Award Recipients
1998 Jane Elmer 1999
2000 2001 Eugene Lehrman
2002 2003
2004 Tom Rausch 2005 Matt Pommer
2006 Eric Stanchfield 2007 Dave Mills
2008 William Ford 2009 Carol and Ed Kehl
2010 James Gruentzel 2011 James Senty
2012 Keith Bozarth
Dave Stella
2013 Dwayne Rohweder
James Skiles
2014 Mel Sensenbrenner
Steve Werner
2015 Omer R. Jones
2016 Patricia Lipton 2017
2018 Michael Williamson 2019 James Palmer
2020
2021 Gary Gates
2022 John Maydak
Dick Kratz
2023












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