FRANKFORT, KY – Dr. Patricia Carver and Steven Webb were the top two nonhazardous vote-getters in the most recent County Employees Retirement System (CERS) Board of Trustees election. Tommy McGraw was the winning hazardous candidate. All three will begin serving their four-year terms on the CERS Board on April 1.
The nine-member CERS board is composed of three trustees elected by members and six trustees appointed by the Governor selected from lists of candidates provided by the Kentucky Association of Counties (KACo), the Kentucky League of Cities (KLC), and the Kentucky School Boards Association (KSBA).
“On behalf of the entire CERS Board of Trustees, I want to congratulate Dr. Patricia Carver, Steven Webb, and Tommy McGraw on their election and thank them for stepping forward to serve their fellow public servants,” said CERS Board Chairman Lisle Cheatham. “This system exists to protect and sustain the retirement security of our local government employees, and it takes dedicated leadership to keep that promise. I look forward to working alongside each of them to build on our momentum and ensure the long-term strength and stability of the County Employees Retirement System.”
“I thank Betty Pendergrass and Jerry Powell for their many years of dedicated service,” said CERS Chief Executive Officer Ed Owens III. “I’m excited to build upon their commitment to excellence with the newly elected Trustees. Pat, Steven, and Tommy each bring a unique set of skills that will continue to inform our work on behalf of our membership.”
Dr. Carver, the only incumbent on the ballot, was first elected to the CERS Board in 2021. She is retired from the Louisville and Jefferson Metropolitan Sewer District, where she worked in various positions from 1987 to 1999, including Chief Internal Auditor. She holds a Ph.D. in Leadership in Higher Education from Bellarmine University and works as an assistant professor in the school’s Rubel School of Business. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and has an MBA from Bellarmine. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Louisville.
Mr. Webb is the finance director for the City of Cincinnati. Previously, he was finance director and chief financial officer for the City of Covington, where he oversaw the budget, accounting, procurement, and payroll. In 2024 he served as president of the Kentucky Government Finance Officers Association (KGFOA), and in 2023 he was named that organization’s Finance Officer of the Year. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management from Purdue University.
Mr. McGraw is a retired captain of the City of Hopkinsville Fire Department. He has more than 20 years of management, data collection/reporting, logistics, and emergency scene mitigation experience. He holds multiple certifications from the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC). In addition to his career as a firefighter, he started two businesses – a freight transportation company that operated for 13 years, and a small maintenance operation. He graduated from Christian County High School.
“We are excited to welcome two new trustees, whose fresh perspectives will strengthen our efforts, alongside the continued dedication and experience of Dr. Carver,” said KPPA Executive Director Ryan Barrow. “We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to Betty Pendergrass and Jerry Powell for their invaluable service and contributions to advancing our mission.”
Total turnout for the CERS election was 2.7%, including inactive members. Counting only active and retired members – which together accounted for 93% of all votes cast – turnout was 3.9%.
The more than 286,000 members of the County Employees Retirement System are current and former employees of county and city governments, eligible local agencies, and nonteaching school board staff. The Kentucky Public Pensions Authority oversees CERS operations by providing administrative support, investment management, and conducting daily activities on behalf of the CERS Board of Trustees and the KPPA Board.
Visit our website at https://kyret.ky.gov