Executive Staff
David Swindell – Executive Director
David Swindell serves as the tenth Executive Director of the Wyoming Retirement System, being appointed by the board on August 1, 2019. As Executive Director, he is responsible for running the $10 billion system, which serves about 42,000 public employees in Wyoming and 26,000 retirees. Director Swindell manages the staff and day-to-day operations, and also serves as WRS board secretary.
He comes to the position of Executive Director after serving five years as the system’s Deputy Director. He served 22 years in the U.S. Army, retiring with a rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Prior to serving WRS, Dave was the Chief Financial Officer for the City of Pocatello, ID. His education includes a MPA with concentration in economics from Princeton University and a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
He is a member of the Government Finance Officers Association, Association of Government Accountants and is a Certified Government Finance Manager (CGFM). His arrival at the Wyoming Retirement System marked a return to the state, as he was raised in Riverton, WY and was appointed to the Military Academy from Riverton High School. Dave and his spouse Jill enjoy travel, skiing and fly fishing, where they amuse the local trout with their efforts.
Rachel Meeker – Deputy Director / Chief Financial Officer
Rachel Meeker joined the Wyoming Retirement System (WRS) team in May 2020, serving as the Internal Audit Manager. In August 2023, she became the Deputy Director/Chief Financial Officer. Rachel is a Wyoming native and brings over 20 years of business and accounting experience from the public and private sectors to her role. She has a Bachelor of Science in accounting and a Master of Business Administration. Rachel oversees the WRS Operations, Communications, Finance, Education, and Information Technology teams. She believes in the vision of WRS, to build financial security for members and their families.
Samantha Mills – Chief Benefits Officer
Samantha Mills joined the Wyoming Retirement System (WRS) team in July 2023 as the Deferred Compensation Manager prior to taking on her current role as the agency’s first Chief Benefits Officer. Samantha oversees all of the public facing teams housed within WRS including the Pension Benefits Team, the Deferred Compensation Team, Education Services and the Communications Team. Having graduated from the University of Wyoming, Samantha has served the State in various roles, within the legislative and executive branches of government since 2005. As a lifelong Wyomingite, Samantha enjoys sharing the love of this State with her family and finds fulfillment in serving those who make it their life’s mission to serve others.
Sam Masoudi, CFA, CAIA – Chief Investment Officer
Sam Masoudi has 27 years of financial industry experience. He has been the CIO for the Wyoming Retirement System since 2013. Prior to that, he served as a Managing Director of Tulane University’s endowment fund for five years. He was a founder and portfolio manager for eight years at the hedge fund Silver Peak.
Sam’s other investment experience includes three years at Veronis Suhler Stevenson (private equity fund) as a director, and four years as an assistant vice president in real estate investment banking at PaineWebber and Kidder Peabody, two New York based investment banks.
Sam received his B.S. in Finance and Investing from Babson College. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations.
Benjamin L. Brandes – General Counsel
Benjamin L. Brandes has served as General Counsel to the Wyoming Retirement System since October 2010. In this capacity, Brandes provides legal advice to the System on all investment, administrative and operational matters. He also advises the Wyoming Retirement Board of Trustees.
Prior to joining WRS, Brandes served as legal counsel to the National Mining Association in Washington, D.C. He also has several years of prior public service to the State of Wyoming in a variety of capacities, including as a policy adviser to Governor Freudenthal.
Brandes earned a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Colorado at Boulder and his JD from the University of Wyoming in 2004. He is an active member of the Wyoming Bar Association, the American Bar Association and the National Association of Public Pension Attorneys.
Managers
Finance Manager – Andrea Odell
Education Manager – George Eason
Pension Benefits Manager – Amanda Roberts
Business Integration Manager – Dale Meyer
Communications Manager – Kristin Kasper
Deferred Compensation Manager – Jessica Abbott