Mississippi hires pension director from Georgia government

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - The Mississippi Public Employees Retirement System is hiring a new director from Georgia.

Ray Higgins will be the sixth leader of the Mississippi government pension system in its 66-year history.

The current director, Pat Robertson, is retiring June 30 at the end of the current state budget year. Higgins will work with her during June, and he succeeds her as director July 1.

Higgins is coming from the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, where he has been deputy commissioner for finance and administration since 2011.

Higgins began his career in 1998 as an analyst for the Georgia Legislative Budget Office. He has also worked in financial jobs for the Georgia court system, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the government employees’ pension system in that state.