William Ashmore, CEO of the State Employee Insurance Board, announced at a board meeting March 12, 2024 that he was retiring from the post after 37 years. (Alander Rocha/Alabama Reflector)
The head of the Alabama State Employee Retirement Board (SEIB) is retiring from his post after 37 years in his post.
William Ashmore, the board’s chief executive officer, said in a “transition” meeting Wednesday that he plans to retire June 1 but said he was open to delaying his last day if the board needs him to. Ashmore was first hired as CEO of SEIB, which oversees health insurance for state employees, in 1988.
“My last responsibility today is to make sure that we have a smooth transition and get a qualified candidate who will be successful, and I am committed to doing whatever it takes to make sure that happens,” Ashmore said after the meeting.
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Ashmore said the search for a new candidate will begin immediately with the board likely hiring an external search firm to guide the search. The board is expected to finalize a succession plan at its next meeting in April. The process will include evaluating both internal and external candidates, developing interview questions and a scoring guide and determining where to advertise the position. A 30-day application window is planned, followed by interviews in May and June.
A job description was not made immediately available as board members are still finalizing the final version, but Ashmore said qualified candidates would likely need at least eight years of experience and an advanced degree.
Faye Nelson, chair of the SEIB, strongly supported bringing in outside expertise, saying hiring a new leader might be demanding on the board members’ time.
“This is now our full-time job,” Nelson said jokingly, referring to the workload ahead.
One concern raised was the potential benefit of confidential candidate discussions. If interviews are conducted in open meetings, later candidates could gain an advantage by hearing the questions in advance. An external search firm could help mitigate this issue by conducting initial screening interviews privately before presenting a final list of candidates to the board.
“When a university is searching for a university president, they hire an external consultant and then applicants send in their application to that external consultant to protect their confidentiality and privacy,” said Bill Poole, board member and state finance director.
The board has experienced funding challenges due to rising health care costs, a shrinking state workforce and an increase in retirees. Ashmore told lawmakers in July that the board projects a $20 million loss for fiscal year 2025.
Ashmore said after the meeting that he doesn’t have any immediate plans post-retirement. He’ll stay in Alabama and take about three to six months to enjoy time with family. After that, he said he’ll figure out if he wants to stay in retirement or start a new career.
“This has always been my plan– get to 40 years [in state government and] age 65,” he said when asked if he considered staying a couple more years.
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