Darryl Barnes Named Chairman of the Employees’ Retirement System

September 11, 2025

Employees’ Retirement System

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

September 5, 2025

Darryl Barnes Named Chairman of the Employees’ Retirement System

of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission

Riverdale, MD – The Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (“Commission”) elected the Honorable Darryl Barnes as Chairman of its Board of Trustees during its monthly meeting on September 2, 2025. Barnes, who currently serves as the Chairman of the Prince George’s County Planning Board and The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, will serve as ERS Board of Trustees Chairman for a two-year term expiring on June 30, 2027.

“We are excited to welcome Chairman Barnes into this role,” says Jaclyn Harris, ERS Executive Director. “His insights and leadership will guide the single employer defined benefit pension plan covering Commission employees – past and present.”

“I am extremely honored by this opportunity to provide strategic guidance and financial oversight for a healthy retirement system with assets exceeding $1 billion,” Barnes stated.

The ERS Board of Trustees consists of 11 appointed and elected members who serve for three-year terms. The trustees elect a Chair and Vice Chair to serve for a two-year term. The ERS Board of Trustees meets monthly (except in August) and prudently manages, protects, diversifies, and administers the funds for the sole benefit of the members and beneficiaries to ensure sufficient assets are available to pay the promised benefits. The Chair of the ERS Board of Trustees presides over all Board meetings, serves as ceremonial representative and spokesperson for the Board, and signs all contracts, bonds, and other documents as outlined in the Procurement Policy.

For more information on the Employees’ Retirement System, visit https://www.ers.mncppc.org/ or email ersboard@mncppc.org.

About the Employees’ Retirement System

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (“Commission”) Employees’ Retirement System covers employees of the Commission, a body corporate of the State of Maryland, established by the Maryland General Assembly in 1927. The Commission is the bi-county agency empowered to acquire, develop, and administer a regional system of parks in the defined Metropolitan District, and to prepare and administer a general plan for the physical development of a defined Regional District for Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. The Commission established a single employer defined benefit pension plan effective July 1, 1972, in accordance with the Trust Agreement between the Commission and the ERS Board of Trustees. The Mission of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Employees’ Retirement System is to prudently manage, protect, diversify, and administer the funds for the sole benefit of the Members and Beneficiaries to ensure sufficient assets are available to pay the promised benefits. For more information, visit https://www.ers.mncppc.org/.

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