CalSTRS names new head of investment operations

The Sacramento-based California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) has promoted Kelly Criss to head of investment operations.

Criss replaces April Wilcox, who became CalSTRS’ director of investment services in October.

Criss joined CalSTRS in 2013 as an investment officer III and was promoted to associate portfolio manager, where he oversaw the data integrity and reconciliation team in investment operations while providing oversight of operational and custodial risk throughout the investments branch. He also made recommendations to the director on business planning, resources and training for investment operations and managed asset transfers, cash flows and projections.

In 2020, he began serving as the interim director of investment operations.

In his new role, Criss will manage the investment operations team, which includes protecting the CalSTRS pension fund from operational and custodial risk and providing expertise to support the investme