A distant view shows a mountainous landscape with sloping peaks, green trees in the foreground, and a cloudy sky above.

How well do you remember 2002?



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEjwubqDTfc" target="_blank">Winter Olympics</a> took place in Salt Lake City. Mitt Romney, who would go on to become a Massachusetts governor, presidential candidate, and Utah senator, led the organizing committee.</li>



<li>President George W. Bush <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KlFc2-4Yyk" target="_blank">signed a bill</a> creating the Department of Homeland Security</li>



<li>The word &#8220;Googled&#8221; <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/06/the-first-use-of-the-verb-to-google-on-television-buffy-the-vampire-slayer/373599/" target="_blank">appears</a> for the first time in pop culture, on an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer</li>



<li>For the first time, US consumers could buy a cell phone with a built-in camera (thanks, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.phonearena.com/news/Sprint-and-Sanyo-Introduce-Americas-First-Built-in-Camera-Phone_id145" target="_blank">Sanyo</a>!)</li>
</ul>



2002 was also the year in which PERA last adopted mission and vision statements it used until the Board adopted updated versions at its November meeting.



Mission, Vision, and the Board’s Strategic Plan



Colorado PERA’s Board of Trustees adopts strategic plans that guide the organization’s work. The most recent plan, adopted by the Board in 2019, will guide PERA through 2023. One objective in the current strategic plan is refreshing the organization’s mission and vision statements.



“A mission and vision statement helps an organization articulate who they are, and who they want to be,” said Laura Morsch-Babu, PERA’s director of communications. “PERA has evolved significantly since our mission and vision were created, and so has our industry. It was the right time to reflect on our mission, who we are today, and how we will serve our membership in the future.”



Creating a New Mission and Vision Statement



Despite the brevity of the statements, a lot of work goes into ensuring they represent PERA’s wide array of stakeholders. PERA staff conducted dozens of interviews and distilled the feedback into key themes that were then woven into the new statements.



Earlier this year, PERA staff presented the Board with a number of different approaches. The Board whittled down the options to just a few choices and asked staff to incorporate additional feedback. At the November Board meeting, the Board approved a new set of statements.



“The Board’s final mission and vision reflects PERA’s commitment to providing retirement security in a sustainable way for our members, but it also closely aligns with the board’s strategic plan to evolve and modernize the way we do business,” said Morsch-Babu. “These new statements will guide every aspect of our work and become part of the PERA culture.”

Board Refreshes PERA’s Mission, Vision