Retiree Spotlight: A Legacy of Service
In early May, we had the opportunity to sit down with Chris Graham, a former legislator, Army veteran, and state retiree, to hear his retirement story. Chris' warm smile and enthusiasm for his work shone through as he shared stories about his state service and his connection to MOSERS.
Chris will tell you he "grew up" in state government. His father, Thomas D. Graham, served as a Missouri state representative for over 20 years and was Speaker of the House from 1961 to 1967. The legislature was a familiar part of Chris' childhood, influencing his future career in public service.
After earning his law degree from the University of Missouri School of Law, Chris accepted a position as law clerk at the Missouri Supreme Court. This role marked the start of a rewarding and accomplished career with the state of Missouri.
Following in his father's footsteps, Chris served four terms in the Missouri House of Representatives from 1983 to 1991. After leaving the legislature, he served as an administrative law judge in the state's executive branch. He was later appointed as commissioner of the Administrative Hearing Commission. Chris also worked as an assistant attorney general and ended his career with the state as legal counsel for the Missouri State Auditor.
When asked why he dedicated 16 years of his career to the state of Missouri, Chris shared, "Private practice is not all that exciting. It can be monotonous. [Working for the state] opened the doors to organizations and ALJ associations. My wife would say that the eight years I spent in the legislature were the happiest years because it was a great experience."
In addition to his state service, Chris was elected as president of the National Association of Administrative Law Judges and served as chair of the National Conference of the Administrative Law Judiciary. He also served a term as an administrative judge with the Department of Defense and as State Judge Advocate and Ethics Counselor in the Missouri National Guard, retiring after 30 years of service with the rank of Colonel in the Army JAG Corps.
As a legislator, Chris advocated for state employee benefits.
"I worked summer jobs in state government, and I knew the dedication that most employees bring to their offices," he shared.
He served as chair of the House Interim Committee on State Employees' Salaries and Benefits and as a Trustee on the MOSERS Board from January 1989 to December 1990. He also drafted the original bill that formed the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan. Chris recalled his time as a trustee and his family's connection to MOSERS, noting that in 1957, his father sponsored the legislation that created the Missouri State Employees' Retirement System.
Chris discussed how his MOSERS benefits affected his retirement years and explained the importance of the monthly benefit payments he received based on his father's service, in addition to his own lifetime monthly benefit from the state.
As his benefit payment option, Chris' father elected 180 guaranteed payments, which provided a 15-year annuity that Chris received after his father passed away.
"It was a nice benefit," Chris said about what he received from his father. "And my benefit is comforting," he added.
Now that Chris is retired, he spends most of his time at home with his wife, who is an avid gardener, and visiting with his six grandchildren. His plans for the future include writing a book about his and his father's careers and the many interesting characters they met over the years.
Chris ended our interview with some words of wisdom for other state retirees.
"Enjoy your retirement. Do what you like to do. Don't worry about what other people might say or think. If you worked for the state all those years, you've worked hard. You have earned it."