News Release: RoAnn Destito Elected President of Retired Public Employees Association

Additional New Members Join RPEA’s Board of Directors

The Retired Public Employees Association (RPEA), which represents the interests of more than 500,000 New York state and local government retirees and their beneficiaries, recently held its annual meeting and elections in Albany, NY. During the meeting, the slate of board members was confirmed, including RoAnn Destito as president of RPEA.

In her role as board president, Destito will work closely with RPEA Executive Director Tom Tatun and the rest of the board to advance RPEA’s legislative priorities, including efforts to address long-standing concerns that affect New York’s public service retirees.

“One of the first groups to meet with me when I was elected to the NYS Assembly in 1992 was retirees, and the number one issue at the time was the COLA. It was a priority then, and it remains a priority today,” said RPEA President RoAnn Destito. “We have experienced an 87% increase in the Consumer Price Index over the past 25 years, while the average pension of public service retirees stands at just $28,000. Our members dedicate their lives to public service. They deserve to retire with dignity and with a livable pension COLA. I am determined to improve the COLA for retirees and look forward to working with our union partners and state leaders to get it done.”

In 1992, RoAnn was elected to represent the 116th New York State Assembly district. She served in the Assembly for nearly 20 years, working to advance and strengthen procurement practices, opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses, and support for military families. Beginning in 2001, she served as chairwoman of the Assembly Standing Committee on Governmental Operations, which provides legislative and budget oversight.

In 2011, she was unanimously confirmed by the NYS Senate as commissioner of the Office of General Services, the first woman to serve in that position. At OGS, she led transformational changes to make government more effective. She played an integral role in the administration’s efforts to bolster New York’s economic development initiatives and provide increased opportunities for companies, including MWBEs and preferred sources, to do business with the state. She was a member of the Governor’s Financial Restructuring Board for Local Governments, Raise the Age Implementation Task Force, State Commission on the Restoration of the Capitol, the NYS Pay Equity Study Panel, the NYS Women’s Suffrage Commission, the Sauquoit Creek Floodplain Restoration project in Oneida County, and the Lake Ontario Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative Multi-Agency Task Force. Destito retired in 2021 after 40 years in state service and joined RPEA.

Additional officers and board members confirmed during the annual meeting include: 

• Executive Vice President Charlene Lojewski
• Vice President Mary Frye
• Treasurer Alan Dorn
• Assistant Treasurer Tim Elliott
• Secretary Christine Williams
• New Board Member Janice Beutner-Shirtz
• New Board Member Daniel Cunningham
• New Board Member Chris Farber

Visit RPEA.org to view the full board and their biographies.

The Retired Public Employees Association (RPEA) represents the interests of nearly 500,000 retirees, and their spouses and beneficiaries, from New York state and local governments, school districts, and public authorities. Learn more at: www.rpea.org.