MODERNIZINGTODAY

J U LY 2 0 0 0

United States Office of Personnel Management Retirement Programs

Volume Two • Issue Two

Ed Flynn, A s s o c i ate Dire c t o rfor Retirement and Insurance

Modernization effort— A strategic initiative to rethink, reevaluate, and ultimately reengineer the various processes that support and provide retirement services.

Retirement Program employeesserve Federal employees andannuitants across the globe. Weprovide responsive customerservice and timely and accuratepayments to our annuitants wher-ever they are. Consider this—

● More than 1.7 million annuitantsand more than 600,000 survivor annuitants receive retirementbenefits here and overseas

● During 1999, we processedapproximately 77,000 retirementapplications under the F e d e r a lEmployees and Civil Service Retirement Systems and approx-i m a t e l y 85,000 survivor claims

The Modern i z ation Effo rt—A Look at our Pe o p l e , P r o c e s s, and Te c h n o l o g y

● More than two million Federalemployees are in over 100 agenciesworldwide in all three branches of Government and the U.S.Postal Service

● OPM's current retirement tech-nology is 30 years old with softwarethat lacks integration and the abilityto share data

Although our customer satisfactionrating remains relatively high today,you can see that yesterday's processesand technology will not be able to keeppace with the changing and growingneeds of our customers. That is why Ifirmly believe in the Modernizatione ffort. We are working to—

● Assess the best way to reengineer retirement system business processesand utilize technology so we cancontinue to lead in the delivery ofearned benefits to our customers

● Determine what tools and training are needed by Retirement Program e m p l o y e e s

● Learn what our customers want, need, and expect

● Hold ourselves accountable by

establishing performance measures that track the progressof our Modernization eff o r t

I invite you to read more aboutthe Modernization effort in thisissue. We have a variety of arti-cles including—

● An interview with the Directorof the Retirement Operations Center in Boyers, Pennsylvania

● Updates on the information technology and performancemeasures

● Anew Modernization puzzle

Have questions or comments?Email the author atE D F LY N N @ o p m . g o v.

" R e c o rd keeping for the Government’s workforce is in need of substantialchange. Anyone who has transferred between agencies knows the feeling ofbecoming a new Federal employee all over again! And sometimes with illeffects: the inadvertent termination of health insurance coverage or goofedup leave balances to name a couple.

C reating, extracting, moving, and piling paper for filing in a folder, a folderwhich has to be found, extracted, opened, filled, and placed back in storage,has become obsolete. With the Retirement Systems Modernization effort andthe Human Resources Data Network Program, the idea that a number ofdiverse, transactional systems can be linked to allow the flow of informationbetween Federal agencies is becoming a re a l i t y. "

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In this issue● Technology Update p. 2

● Quotable Quote p. 2

● Don LaceyI n t e r v i e w p. 4

● Performance Measure-m e n t P r o g r a m p. 6

● Focus on the Customer p. 7

● Modernization C r o s s w o r d p. 9

● I’m Glad You A s k e d p. 10

● Have Questions orSuggestions? p. 12

● Late-Breaking News p. 12

Quotable QuoteFrom the Federal Human ResourcesData Network Program ManagerJohn C.Moseley

The March 2000 issue gaveyou an idea that the purposeof a technology architecture isto define the major kinds oftechnologies needed to supportthe reengineered effort. T h i s

article explains what we are doingcurrently to create the technologya r c h i t e c t u r e .

Now that we have drawn up ablueprint for the Member A d m i n i s -tration core process, it is time to begincreating technical requirements forit. The technical requirements saywhat the system must do to supportthe new way of doing businessthat we designed in the blueprint.

As we complete each blueprint,we will create a new group oftechnical requirements for thatblueprint. We need requirementsto document what we want from

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the automated system. They arethe first step toward creating thesoftware we will use.

C OTS Pa ck a g e s

While we are creating the technicalrequirements for the MemberAdministration blueprint, we willhave IBM investigate COTS pack-ages. COTS means CommercialO ff-The-Shelf (software), whichis simply ready-made software.An example of a COTS packageis your word processor. For theretirement system, IBM will inves-tigate larger COTS packages, suchas ones that might handle the

c o n t i nued on page thre e

Read more about the Human Resources Data Network Program in M r. Moseley's article to appear in the Fall issue of Modernizing To d a y.

By Joyce Ludwig Business Systems Reengineering Division

Technology Updat e

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Technology Updatec o n t i nued from page two

annuity roll. Part of IBM'sinvestigation is to decide howmany Commercial Off - T h e - S h e l fpackages are out there that couldmeet our needs and whether verymuch customization would beneeded. Large COTS packagesusually need some work to makethem meet all your needs. T h eidea is to try to find ones thatdon't need too much work. Ofcourse, there are other considera-tions, such as price.

E v e n t u a l l y, we will compare allthis to the cost and benefit ofcreating our own custom software.If we can find the right COTSpackage, it can save time andmoney; the wrong COTS can be aheadache. For the time being, weonly want to get a good idea ofwhat is out there so we can consid-e r it as we create the architecture.

D at abase Softwa re and theD ata Exchange Gat ewa y

Another reason for looking att h e COTS packages is to selectwhat database software we willu s e . L a rge COTS packages mayr e q u i r e using a particular databasesoftware, so we must learn whatour database choices might be soas not to exclude any COTSpackage we might want. Thedatabase is key to the success ofModernization eff o r t .

IBM will also plan a pilot forthe Data Exchange Gateway.The Gateway is the beginningof electronic retirement dataexchange with agencies. Eventual-l y, we won't need to exchangepaper records.

We will select candidate agenciesand create a working group toidentify the information we willexchange during the pilot. Ourplanning must address manyitems, including the technicalprocedures—the method bywhich the data will be sent—and security.

W h at does it all mean?

We need these activities tocomplete the technology architec-ture, which is the foundation forthe software programs you willuse. Using pilots and COTS pack-ages will also bring us some early

results while we complete thearchitecture. We want to havebenefits from the Modernizatione ffort as early as possible andalso follow correct system devel-opment processes.

Have questions or comments?Email the author at J I L U D W I G @ o p m . g o v.

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M T. The Modernization effort is animportant key to our future, aff e c t-ing each one of us by dramaticallychanging the way we do business.Can you tell us what your person-al goals for Modernization are, asManager of ROC?

Don. My primary goal would beto reduce, if not eliminate, theneed for paper records in doingour work. The reasoning behindthis goal involves delays in access-i n g the records and the impact thishas on customer service,the spaceneeded to maintain these paperrecords, and the fact that the cur-r e n t hard copy record processesrepresent a substantial drain onour limited resources. These eff o r t scould be redirected and betteru t ilized in more direct customerservice, such as in the role ofCustomer Service Representatives.O b v i o u s l y, the elimination of ourpaper records would require newautomated technology, which isan important part of the overallModernization effort. Also, theneeds of our customers are chang-ing, and one of the goals is to makeour organization more adaptableto meeting these changing needs.

M T. Do you feel the Modernizatione ffort is on schedule, with respectto both the short-term and long-term solutions necessary to takeus from where we are today, tomeet the challenge of the future?

Don. I feel, with all thingsconsidered, that we are on sched-ule. However, I wish that we could

Modernizing Today Interviews… Don Lacey

On June 16, 2000, Don Laceywill have 25 years of service withOPM. He remembers his first daywell, since it was also his oldestd a u g h t e r’s second birt h d a y. Donbegan his Federal career as aGS-4 Benefit Payment Roll Clerk,in the Survivor Annuity Serv i c eSection (SASS), with Lee Jonesas Section Chief and Gert ru d ePrather as Unit Superv i s o r. Donfondly remembers those earlydays, spent working in the tre n c h e swith Jimmy Fre i e rt, Tom Smithand Bill Cunningham; and hecontinues to value those friend -s h i p s and working re l a t i o n s h i p sto this day. Don became theD i rector of the Retire m e n tOperations Center (ROC) in Mayof 1995, making him only thet h i rd ROC Manager in its 40-y e a rexistence. Don has proven to be avaluable asset in the Retire m e n tSystems Modernization (RSM)e f f o rt. His knowledge of thep rogram, enthusiastic supportof Modernization, and commit -ment to successful businessp rocess reengineering havecombined to add value to theModernization effort .

By Delberta Grossman and Sandy Ringler

speed up the overall process,e s p ecially in the area of electronicdata feeds from the agencies.

M T. Employees are concernedabout how the new technologywill impact their jobs and oppor-tunities for career advancement.What encouraging advice wouldyou offer them?

Don. Yes, I think the employeesdo have concerns. They want tok n o w, ‘Where do I fit in thescheme of things?’or ‘What is myrole in this effort while it is beinginitiated and after it is completed?’I do encourage all employees totake advantage of any and alllearning opportunities. Somesuggestions may be volunteeringfor details and projects, utilizingthe Learning Centers, signing upfor home study courses, or takingclasses through local colleges.Employees should increase theirparticipation level all around andtake the initiative to commit tocontinuous learning. Their jobswill not go away; there will beplenty of work to do, ampleemployee training on the newt e c h n o l o g y, and opportunity forcareer advancement during andafter the Modernization eff o r t .

M T. Can you explain how thefive member agencies of theModernization Agency A d v i s o r yCommittee are working with OPMto ensure smooth and successfultransition of changes made throughthe Modernization eff o r t ?

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c o n t i nued on page fi v e

Don. Bringing their insight to thetable has helped with the transitionto date. These Agencies are essen-tial stakeholders to this process.Communication and informationfrom stakeholders help us developways to meet their needs and helpsus all realize we are part of theprocess. Working with the agenciesmakes us more aware of the truepartnership we have—to provideservice to the Federal communityin the administration of retirement,health and life insurance programs.

MT. The Modernization ProjectTeam has looked at the people,processes, and technology currentlyoperating the Retirement Program,and has asked the question,"What can we change to drivethe retirement program to operateat its fullest potential?" Of thethree areas identified for change,(1) new processes, (2) newtechnologies, and (3) expandedcapabilities of employees, whichdo you feel will be the mostimportant factor in a successfulModernization effort and why?

Don. It must be a melding of thethree, and for it to be successful,we will need to balance all three.We cannot institute new proceduresand receive maximum benefitwithout new technology being inplace or without having expandedthe capabilities of the employeesto use new technologies; this maybe one of the biggest challengesfacing us. The three must beaccomplished simultaneously tobe effective.

M T. Don, in conclusion, is thereanything else you would like toa d d ?

Don. I have been, I am and I willcontinue to be committed to theRetirement Systems Modernizatione ffort. I have demonstrated mycommitment by my level of par-ticipation in this effort. I see greataccomplishments resulting fromthe Modernization effort, forexample, the new ‘Federal Re-t i r e m e n t Benefits Booklet’. T h er e s p o n s e from our customers onthis informational booklet indi-cates very favorable reaction tothe information being provided.

I do want to thank all of theemployees who participate in theModernization effort, especiallythose here at the RetirementOperations Center. Being 300miles away from WashingtonHeadquarters requires extracommitment because of the travelinvolved to fully participate in thee ffort. The Retirement SystemsModernization effort shouldultimately be able to provide thesystems, tools and support toenable the employees to meetour customers’needs in a moree ffective and efficient manner.

Have questions or comments?Email the authors atDMGROSS@opm.gov andS L R I N G L E @ o p m . g o v.

Don Lacey Interv i e w. . .

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c o n t i nued from page fo u r

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Assessing How Well We Wo rk —The Pe r fo rmance Measurement Program

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By Diane Tyler and Fred Diehl

We have all done self-assessments,examined where we are personallyor career-wise, and have maded e c isions based on our findings. Wehave even given ourselves goals. A no rganization does the same tomaintain its health and vitality—that is why a Performance Measure-ment Program like ours is important.In our March issue, we introducedPerformance Measurements to you.Now we wish to explain moreabout these measures.

What are the Modernization eff o r t ' sperformance measures?

Each measure is a snapshot ofhow well the organization and theModernization effort is meetingd i fferent objectives. We havestrategic measures that indicatehow well the Modernization eff o r tis doing as a whole and morespecific operational measures thatindicate how well different coreprocesses are performing. T h e s emeasures are not only unique tothe Modernization effort but reflectthe goals of the Retirement andInsurance Service.

Whether we are talking at thestrategic or operational level,the Performance Measurement

Program will measure results fromthe Financial, Customer, Wo r k f o r c e ,and Business Process categories.

The following composite chartillustrates that our measurementprogram uses a program-wideperspective by measuring OPMperformance as well as agencyp e r f o r m a n c e .

Ta rgets and baselines

Measures need targets to aim forand a baseline to work from. Forexample, we know that undertoday's environment it costs $111to process each retirement claim.This data gives us the baseline forthe measure ‘Retirement Claims

c o n t i nued on page seven

*

*

FinancialObjective Measure

Provide cost effectiveclaims operations

R e t i rement claims(unit cost)

Provide cost effectiveannuity roll maintenance

Annuity roll servicing costs

CustomerObjective Measure

Enable agencies to pro v i d eworld-class service bydelivering (to them) qualityp roducts, tools, and support

Agency satisfaction with

OPM guidance materials,

tools, training, and support

P rovide accurate paymentto benefit re c i p i e n t s

Payment accuracy ofclaims (by # of claims)

R e t i re m e n tS y s t e m s

M o d e rn i z at i o nVision &

S t r at e gi e s

Business ProcessObjective Measure

Establish the tools, data, andp rocesses to enable claimsto be fully adjudicatedwhen first touched

Increase the customer’sability to access inform a t i o nt h rough self-service

P e rcentage of annuitants thataccessed annuitant specificinfo on the web site or IVR

P e rcentage of claimsp rocessed without re q u i r i n ga hand-off or follow-upa c t i o n

WorkforceObjective Measure

Support the OPM workf o rce as it transitions to theuse of new systems and anew way of doing business

P rovide appropriate trainingfor re t i rement pro g r a me m p l o y e e s

P e rcentage of employeeswho have completedtraining a round new RSMp rocess and systems

Number of counselors whohave completed on-goingjob competency training

*The Modernization team will make sure there is no degradationof service while we make the transition.

(unit cost)’, shown in the chart.We have set a target of $27 forthis measure which is a big change.H o w e v e r, the Modernization eff o r twill change the way we do busi-ness (for example, shared data,increased self-service access, newtools, streamlined processes) andwill result in dramatic improve-ments and efficiencies that willhelp us reach our targets.

While we still need to set some ofthe baselines for our measures, wehave established targets for themajority of them.

Long-term versus Interim implementation

We will fully implement ourmeasurement program once thetechnology architecture andblue-printing are complete. Inother words, some of these arelong-term measures for processesand systems not yet in place.We needed to identify themnow to ensure that we build ournew retirement system at thehighest level of performancereasonably possible and thatthese modernized systems cancapture and report additionalmeasurement data.

Until the modernized systemsare in place, we will use interim

measures and current systemcapabilities and reporting mecha-nisms. This way, we can track theimpact that incremental changesare having on our processes.

What's next?

The Modernization team willwork with offices like OPM'sFinancial Management Division,Management Information Branch,Quality Assurance Division, andothers as we continue to refineour Performance M e a s u r e m e n tProgram. We will keep you postedon our progress.

Have questions or comments?Email the author atD J T Y L E R @ o p m . g o v.

P e r formance Measurement Pro g ra m . . .c o n t i nued from page six

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Focus on the CustomerBy Bob KaneBusiness Systems Reengineering Division

In the last issue of M o d e r n i z i n gTo d a y, Ed Flynn, Associate Directorfor Retirement and Insurance,talked about the series of thought-provoking meetings that weconducted with our Federal employ-e e and human resource customerslast fall. Since that time, we haveconducted additional meetingswith retired Federal employeeswho are receiving benefits fromus to listen to their ideas on theModernization effort. We also

talked with Retirement andInsurance Service (RIS) employeesfrom Washington, DC, the Te l e -Service Center in Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania, and the RetirementOperations Center in Boyers,Pennsylvania about their thoughtson the Modernization effort andtheir suggestions for change. Wewill be continuing our "Focus onthe Customer" efforts in the up-coming months by conductingadditional sessions with Federal

c o n t i nued on page eight

Focus on the Customer. . .

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agency human resource represen-tatives. These sessions ensure thatwe are incorporating feedbackfrom all of the customers of theRetirement Program.

The most recent sessions providedvaluable information on ourc u s t o m e r s ’ expectations for themodernized system, and wealso confirmed, by tremendouspositive feedback, their satisfactionwith service improvements madeover recent years. The sessionswith RIS employees reinforced thevision of Retirement SystemsModernization, validated that ourvision is on track and conf i r m e dthat our employees are dedicatedto their work and want nothing lessthan to provide world class serviceto our annuitants.

In general, the themes of theretiree customer and the RISemployee sessions were the same,with customers focused on how togain access to our services and

information and RIS employeesfocused on the tools and informa-tion needed to provide top qualityservice to the retirees. Specifically:

● Retirees focused on being able to access retirement systeminformation and services through a variety of methods but emphasized their need to speak to a knowledgeable, cust o m e r-oriented individual ("a real live person") whenneeded. RIS employees were focused on the tools, technology,and information needed torespond to our customers without having to refer them toother places, or delay theresponse while waiting for needed information frompaper files or outside sources.

● Retirees were very concerned about making sure important information is available to survivors when the retireepasses, while RIS employees

were very concerned about theway we deal with survivors and provide assistance to them during a very trying time in their lives.

● Retirees expressed a desire to be able to get the information they need or speak to a knowl-edgeable person without being transferred. RIS employees were concerned about servicingannuitants after they hadbeen transferred and rebuildingthe inquirer’s confidence inRIS, as well as providingcorrect information.

As we bring the Modernizationfrom a vision to a reality, the con-cerns, expectations, and ideasexpressed by customers and RISemployees will ensure that webuild a system that will enableu s to continue to provide highquality customer service in the21st century.

We would especially like to thankthe National Association of RetiredFederal Employees NationalHeadquarters staff and the NARFEChapters in Alexandria, Vi rg i n i a ,Albuquerque, New Mexico, SanDiego, California, and New Yo r k ,New York. Their hospitality andparticipation enabled us to talkwith retirees, their spouses, andsurvivors who receive benefitsfrom Civil Service and FederalEmployee Retirement Systems.

Have questions or comments?Email the author atR J K A N E @ o p m . g o v.

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M o d e rn i z ation Crosswo rd

A c r o s s

1 . Employees will have user-_____ software that will enablethem to perform retirement estimates based on different scenarios. (Hint: see the "I'm Glad You Asked" section)

3 . The Modernization effort is nota big- ___ process—it is a phased approach that focuses on incremental changes. (Hint: rhymes with "sang")

4 . _ _ _ _ _Townley is the Leader of the Benefits CalculatorDevelopment Team (Hint: he was interviewed in the March issue of Modernizing To d a y )

6 . One of the Modernization team contractors who wrote articles on blueprinting and theTo be models. (Hint: first letter begins with "A")

7 . The Modernization team con-tractor who is working to define the technology architecture. (Hint: first letter is an "I")

10. What our Modernization Performance Measures Program is striving to hit. (Hint: Robin Hood could always hit these)

D ow n

1 . This was the month that Modernizing Today was first issued in 1999. (Hint: this is the month for hearts and chocolates)

2. We use this term to describe our high level model of the modernized retirement system. (Hint: part of a famous phrase uttered in the Shakespeare playHamlet)

4. We have completed the blue-prints for the ______ Administration, Claim To Payment, and Annuity Roll Maintenance core processes. (Hint: clue can be found in #8 down)

5 . The Modernization web site address is: w w w.opm.gov/____/modern.

8 . The Modernized retirement system contains ____ core processes. They are Member Administration, Employee Withholdings, Benefits Counseling, Claim to Payment,Annuity Roll Maintenance, and Trust Fund Management.

9 . The Modernization effort has already resulted in Early ___ such as the Benefits Calculator and Benefits Booklet. (Hint: what avid sports fans want their teams to have many of)

Answers can be found on theR e t i rement SystemsModernization Web site: w w w. o p m . g o v / re t i re / m o d e r n .

I’m Glad You A s ked

At the focus group sessions youmentioned electronic storage. Ifall the information is going to beelectronic, how do you keep fromlosing the information?

A c t u a l l y, maintaining a Federalemployee's work history electroni-cally in a centralized database i s more secure and reliable thankeeping it in paper storage in dif-ferent locations. Technology toolsallow us to either scan paper doc-uments directly into the databaseor key retirement data into the data-b a s e file via a personal comp u t e r.Electronic storage means an e n dto lost pieces of important papers,for example, prior military serviceor Postal Service employment. Bymaintaining a database called theRetirement Data Repository (RDR),we can start a new file as an em-p l o y e e is hired and periodicallyupdate that file electronically. A sthe employee moves from agencyto agency or from one Federalappointment to another, the ap-propriate staff would be able toaccess their benefits file.

The likelihood that we will loseelectronic retirement data is evensmaller than with paper records.But, we will maintain a back-upelectronic copy in the event theoriginal electronic file is destroyedor loses integrity. The bottom lineis that electronic storage gives usquick and secure access to anemployee's Federal service andmakes customer service so mucheasier when all the information isat the employee's fingertips.

How are we going to get theretirement information that is inthe Retirement Operations Centerinto electronic format?

This is definitely an issue, but onewe can solve with technology.IBM, along with other members ofthe Modernization team, will belooking at a variety of ways toaccomplish this, such as indexingand scanning into the databasefiles of employees as their agen-cies decide to participate in theModernization effort. We willinitially focus on populating the

repository database (mentionedpreviously) with data from newlyhired Federal employees. This willgive us a good sample to work withas we move towards addressingl a rger files like those in Boyers.

Are customers going to be able toestimate their retirement benefits?

Yes they will. We will havesoftware applications that can rund i fferent retirement scenarios notjust estimates—for example anemployee could do a retirementcalculation with a survivor annuityand another calculation withoutthe survivor annuity, another witha paid redeposit and another with-out the redeposit paid and so on.Federal employees will be ablet o access the software from theirdesktop PCs or from home if theyhave Internet access. This softwarewill be user- f r i e n d l y, be one stan-d a r d version used by all Federalagencies, and will pull in data fromthe electronic Retirement DataRepository (another reason whyelectronic storage is important).With the software and proactivebenefits counseling by their agency,employees will be more preparedthan ever for retirement.

O k a y, so you've told us about thenew software tools that employeescan use to run different retirementscenarios. What else can we expectin the near future and how aboutthree to five years from now?

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c o n t i nued on page eleven

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We know everyone is anxious tosee the end results of our eff o r tbut we still need to carefully planModernization as we work withour stakeholders. At this time, weare designing the 6 core processesthat make up the retirement systemsand the technology architecturethat will support them. You readabout both of these in our lastissue and we have a technologyarchitecture update in this one.

In the short term, we will:

● Develop and pilot the firstversion of a Coverage Determi-nation Application tool that agencies can use throughout a n employee's career to verify that they are in the correct retire-m e n t s y s t e m .

● Design and pilot the technologyto capture employee retirementdata electronically. This is the first step toward electronic re-cord keeping for all employees.

● Complete the design of themodernized system, includingthe technology design.

● Develop an implementationplan and organization blueprintto map how we will movef r o m where we are today to the modernized system, including the training plan.

In the longer term, you can expect:

● More and more agencies will be exchanging retirement data with the Office of Personnel Management electronically.

● Federal employees will start to receive proactive counseling notices at different times intheir Federal careers—notices that might remind them to pre-pare to make a military depositfor example.

● Employees participating in and supporting the retirement program will have more tools to plan for retirement and knowthe actual amount of retirementbenefits before retirement.

● Annuitants will have moreoptions to access information about their benefits than byphone or mail, for example, via the Internet and email.

I’m Glad You A s k e d . . .c o n t i nued from page ten

?H a ve Questionsor Suggestions?We'd like to hear what youthink! There are several waysto get more information aboutthe Modernization effort, orprovide feedback.

Contact BSRDRetirement and InsuranceS e r v i c e ’s Business SystemsReengineering Division (BSRD)supports the Retirement SystemsModernization (RSM) effort andmanages the communicationprocess. To find out more aboutthe Modernization effort, pleaseemail us at: a s k r s m @ o p m . g o vor write us at U.S. Office ofPersonnel Management, BusinessSystems Reengineering Division,1900 E St. NW Room 3H28,Washington, DC 20415-3400;or fax us at (202) 606-0548.

Look us up on theWo rld Wide We bIf you have Internet access, youcan visit the Retirement SystemsModernization Web site at:w w w. o p m . g o v / re t i re/modern. Past Modernizing To d a y b u l l e t i n sand notes from the focus groupsessions can be found on theWeb site.

L at e - B reaking New s

OPM has expanded the servicesavailable at Services Online, aninteractive retirement Web site.Annuitants can now changemailing addresses, sign up fordirect deposit, and make allot-ments to organizations. Checkout the options available atw w w. s e rv i c e s o n l i n e . o p m . g o vand look for an article about thesite and its developers in ourFall issue.

M o d e rn i z ation Commu n i c ations Committee Members

From the A g e n cy A d v i s o ry Committee

Eleanor Ratcliff D e p a rtment of A g r i c u l t u reSyrena West D e p a rtment of Defense

From OPM’s Retirement and Insurance Serv i c e

Chris BrownManagement Information BranchMarty Ehrlich Business Systems Reengineering DivisionPhil GardnerR e t i rement Claims DivisionLesley Gordon Disability and Reconsideration and Appeals DivisionDelberta Grossman R e t i rement Operations CenterAgnes KallandInsurance Planning and Evaluation DivisionPat LancasterDisability and Reconsideration and Appeals DivisionJohn Landers, ChairAssociate Dire c t o r’s OfficeDavid LewisInsurance Contracts Division IIIVivian MackeyOffice of CommunicationsJoe Parker Office of Retirement Pro g r a m sSandy Ringler R e t i rement Operations CenterMary SugarBenefits Officers Resource CenterDiane Tyler Business Systems Reengineering DivisionBernadine Wa l k e rP i t t s b u rgh Te l e s e rvice Center

Special thanks to Ruth Ann Kier for her photography.

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