News Release -- 2005

Don Fecher resigns as Brethren Benefit Trust's director of the Brethren Pension Plan and Employee Financial Services

January 20, 2005, Elgin, Ill.

Don Fecher has resigned as director of the Church of the Brethren Pension Plan and Employee Financial Services, effective Feb. 18. These two Brethren Benefit Trust ministries have been guided by Don since he assumed his current responsibilities in January 1998. At that time Don also joined BBT’s five-person executive management team.

Don’s resignation was prompted by his desire to pursue his dream of developing an independent financial consulting business. However, he will continue to serve BBT as a consultant as long as needed to ensure that there is a smooth transition with his successor.

“Through all of his service Don has maintained a pleasant, easygoing, and trustworthy relationship with Pension Plan members, denominational employers, and church leaders, which has resulted in ever-increasing requests for his assistance.” said Wil Nolen, BBT president. “We will miss Don as a BBT employee and member of our management team but anticipate a continuing relationship with him as a consultant.”

Don has made significant contributions to BBT in many areas, such as tailoring software to run BBT’s 403(b) Pension Plan. He has improved member reports, prepared new Plan member handbooks, and drafted a provision for hardship withdrawals that was approved by the BBT Board.

Don joined the BBT staff in October 1995 as manager of Accounting. During his tenure, Brethren Pension Plan retirees were given the opportunity to continue investing in the Plan even after their account is annuitized. Two new investment funds were created as additional choices to Plan members. This timespan saw BBT remaining compliant with tax laws, which began allowing Brethren employees to transfer their accumulations from other employee retirement plans into the Plan. Don also played a key role in addressing BBT’s concern over the long-term funding of the Retirement Benefits Fund.

Don has managed the Supplemental Income Fund for Equitable Annuitants, a fund established for former General Board lay employees who were part of the Equitable Annuity Plan prior to lay staff being eligible to join the Brethren Pension Plan.

As director of Employee Financial Services, Don has supervised the restructuring of the Retired Church Workers Fund into the Church Workers Assistance Plan, which included increasing options of financial counseling and support for current and retired churchworkers. Don also has provided financial counseling to members of BBT’s benefit plans. He has frequently presented seminars at Annual Conference, district conferences, and at other denominational settings on financial and retirement planning, personal asset management, and pastors’ taxation rules and related compensation issues.

Pension Plan members who have questions pertaining specifically to their accounts or to the Plan in general should contact Marilyn Ziegler, Brethren Pension Plan member services representative, at 800-746-1505 or at mziegler_bbt@brethren.org.