Newsletters

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Dear Fund Members,
As the weather is finally cooling off and we prepare for another holiday season in Houston, it is time again to share where we are and where we are going in managing your pension fund. We had a great year financially with a return of 9.5% resulting in the maximum COLA at 4%. Our investment strategy has a long-standing history of outperforming our benchmark as well as other pension plans across the nation.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Dear Fund Members,
We have seen some crazy weather already this year here in Houston, and we aren’t even into the hurricane season yet. It was great seeing those of you who, in spite of the rainstorm, were able to attend the Retiree BBQ in May. Everyone seemed to really enjoy catching up with old friends in person and hearing updates on the Fund.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Dear Fund Members,

Whether you are retired or approaching retirement, it’s crucial to be well-informed about your health insurance options including Medicare, supplemental plans, and other potential coverages.

Rumors and Myths
As I, fellow Trustees, and our staff meet with fellow firefighters and retirees around Houston, we hear all sorts of rumors and myths that many believe to be factual. Our member services staff often handle numerous calls from HFD active and retired members of the Fund with questions based on gossip and tall tales. We would like to take a moment to try to put some of these falsehoods to rest and hopefully reduce some of the unnecessary anxiety about our pension fund that comes from these stories being passed around. Before we jump into that, please know that HFRRF is one of, if not the best run and well-funded pension funds in the country. We have a long history of growing our investments, even when other pensions have struggled. Your pension will be here when you need it and if we continue this tradition of building a strong and well-governed pension fund, it will be here for firefighters and their families long into the future. Here are the top three:

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Dear Fund Members,
It was great seeing those of you who attended the Retiree BBQ in May. Everyone seemed to really enjoy catching up with old friends in person.

As we begin our new fiscal year, the legislative session has wrapped up, and HB 3340 passed the House 133-9 in favor. Unfortunately, it did not receive a hearing in the Senate. We know what our obstacles are for the 2025 session and will be working on that until we can pass legislation that helps Houston firefighters and their families. We are encouraged by the support from, not only our House members, but all the calls by city officials and business owners who realize we are losing too many firefighters. They have expressed support for our retirees who are dealing with rising inflationary costs across the board

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Dear Fund Members,
Serving on the HFRRF board is an opportunity for trustees to make a difference in the lives of Houston firefighters and their families and we take that seriously. Our mission to “provide a secure retirement benefit plan for our members” resonates deeply with all of us.

We are disappointed to report that the Texas Supreme Court has denied the Fund’s petition for review in its case challenging the constitutionality of SB 2190.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Dear Fund Members,
It has been another busy and eventful year here at your pension fund. With volatility in the markets, inflation, an Astros World Series championship, and the recent election, it has been crazy. As I have said in the past, we wake up every day looking to do the best we can to support our retirees and their families as well as make good investment and policy decisions so our active members can rest assured that their pension will be strong and ready to support them when they retire. I am grateful and honored to represent all of you and I remain dedicated to protect and strengthen your benefits.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Dear Fund Members,
It was great seeing those of you who attended the Retiree BBQ in May. Everyone seemed to really enjoy catching up with old friends in person.

As we begin our new fiscal year, geopolitical dynamics, supply chain issues, and rising prices continue to impact economic uncertainty. The good news is that our portfolio is diversified to protect against volatility. While we cannot control markets nor foretell the future, our prudent investment practices put us in a position to make more and lose less. Time is the Fund’s greatest asset and, over time, we have always outperformed the markets.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Dear Fund Members,
After ending Fiscal Year 2021 with a 33.7% rate of return, the Fund is off to a good start in 2022. Under board leadership, our investment team’s strategies maintain a diversified portfolio designed to protect against volatility such as that created by escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. I believe we are well-positioned to weather the storm and outperform large pension funds in the state. Over the long term, our annual return is 11.8% over 5 years, 8.4% over 7 years, 9% over 10 years, and 8.2% over 15 years. Rest assured, the Fund is healthy and consistently maintains a level of liquidity to satisfy our obligations including your benefit payments.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Dear Fund Members,
I would like to begin by saying Thank You for all your phone calls & emails in continuing support of my role as your chairman. I am honored to represent such a diverse pool of members from all over Texas & across the US.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Dear Fund Members,
We are halfway through another year & thankfully, life is returning to “normal”. During the closure, we were forced to adapt, change routines & step out of our comfort zones. Along the way, one lesson we learned was to embrace new technology. Thank you for all of the positive feedback about MemberDirect & how easy it is to navigate.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Dear Fund Members,
I think it is safe to say we are all glad a new year is here. There is a sense of relief & excitement to be able to get out & do some everyday activities. We can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Dear Fund Members,
As the end of 2020 draws near, reflection can be a tool for our success in the coming year. Looking back, it is amazing to see how everyone at the Fund came together & rose to the challenge to keep operations running smoothly during what has been an unprecedented time in history. The ingenuity & steadfast commitment of HFRRF Trustees & staff led the way for monumental developments & successes throughout the year.