< 25 Top Pension Power Players

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-betsy-devos.jpg

3. Betsy DeVos
Secretary of Education

Betsy DeVos, President Donald Trump’s 59-year-old pick to head the Department of Education, is an advocate of charter schools. These alternatives to public schools are allowed to use teachers not represented by unions — teachers who won job security and comprehensive benefit plans, including guaranteed pensions, through their union membership. DeVos’s husband is Dick DeVos, former president and CEO of multilevel-marketing giant Amway Corp.; her Michigan-based family has donated millions to charter schools, and if she’s confirmed for the Education post, expect her advocacy and clout to shrink union power and whittle away at teachers’ retirement plans. The DeVos family has a history of backing similar causes. Every year it hosts the West Michigan Policy Forum, which has decided to fight to restructure government pensions and benefits in 2017. — Julie Segal


 
The 2017 Pension Political Power 25


2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-andrew-puzder-thumb.png
1. Andy Puzder
Secretary of Labor

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-bruce-rauner-thumb.png
2. Bruce Rauner
Governor of Illinois

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-betsy-devos-thumb.png
3. Betsy DeVos
Secretary of Education

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-john-laura-arnold-thumb.png
4. Laura & John Arnold
Founders,
Laura and John Arnold Foundation

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-steven-mnuchin-thumb.png
5. Steven Mnuchin
Secretary of the Treasury

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-wilbur-ross-thumb.png
6. Wilbur Ross
Secretary of Commerce

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-tani-cantil-sakauye-thumb.png
7. Tani Cantil-Sakauye
California Chief Justice

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-paul-ryan-thumb.png
8. Paul Ryan
Speaker of the House

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-anthony-scaramucci-thumb.png
9. Anthony Scaramucci
Founder, SkyBridge Capital

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-kevin-deleon-thumb.png
10. Kevin de León
California State Senator and President Pro Tempore

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-mike-enzi-thumb.png
11. Mike Enzi
Chairman, Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-steve-sweeney-thumb.png
12. Steve Sweeney
President,
New Jersey State Senate

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-jerry-brown-thumb.png
13. Jerry Brown
Governor of California

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-corey-lewandowski-thumb.png
14. Corey Lewandowski
Co-founder, Avenue Strategies

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-paul-singer-thumb.png
15. Paul Singer
President,
Elliott Management Corp.

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-randel-johnson-thumb.png
16. Randel Johnson
Senior Vice President, Labor, Immigration, and Employee Benefits, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-joe-manchin-thumb.png
17. Joe Manchin
U.S. Senator

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-kenneth-feinberg-thumb.png
18. Kenneth Feinberg
Founder and managingpartner, Feinberg Rozen

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-scott-walker-thumb.png
19. Scott Walker
Governor of Wisconsin

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-richard-trumka-thumb.png
20. Richard Trumka
President, AFL-CIO

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-mike-rawlings-thumb.png
21. Mike Rawlings
Mayor of Dallas

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-elizabeth-warren-thumb.png
22. Elizabeth Warren
U.S. Senator

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-kent-mason-thumb.png
23. Kent Mason
Partner,
Davis & Harman

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-bernie-sanders-thumb.png
24. Bernie Sanders
U.S. Senator

2017-02-res-the-pension-politics-25-randi-weingarten-thumb.png
25. Randi Weingarten
President, American Federation of Teachers