# BIG SPRING FIREMENS RELIEF & RETIREMENT FUND

BIG SPRING FIREMENS RELIEF & RETIREMENT FUND is a Pension Fund based in Big Spring, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Pension Fund
- **Headquarters:** Big Spring, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Big Spring, TX, United States
- **Assets under management:** $15M (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** bigspringfire.com

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

The Big Spring Firemen's Relief Retirement Fund is a defined-benefit pension plan serving firefighters in Big Spring, Texas. Established under the Texas Local Firefighters' Retirement Act, the fund's board includes the Mayor of Big Spring, Robert H. Moore III, Finance Director Sandy Smith, Chairman Paul Brown, and additional firefighter and citizen trustees. Plan administration is managed by Thomas Ferguson. The fund is an active member of the Texas Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems (TEXPERS), where Chairman Brown also serves on the board of directors. As a small municipal pension plan with an estimated $15 million in assets (Altss estimate), the fund maintains a conservative asset allocation designed to meet near-term benefit obligations. Typical portfolios of this size and type concentrate in investment-grade fixed income, US equities, and cash equivalents, generally accessed through commingled vehicles rather than direct co-investments. Governance rests with a hybrid board that combines ex-officio city officials — the mayor and finance director — with firefighter representatives and citizen appointees. This structure, mandated by the Texas Local Firefighters' Retirement Act, is replicated across dozens of similar Texas pension plans. Chairman Paul Brown's dual role on the TEXPERS board gives the fund direct exposure to the association's educational programs, legislative advocacy, and peer-sharing forums. TEXPERS represents over 80 Texas public pension systems and provides a professional network that shapes investment policy and fiduciary practice for its member funds. Structurally, the fund differs from general-obligation municipal pensions in that it serves only firefighters and is governed by a specialized state statute rather than the Texas Municipal Retirement System. This narrow beneficiary base allows for benefit formulas calibrated to public-safety careers, which typically permit earlier retirement ages than general city employee plans. The fund's statutory isolation also limits commingling risk with broader city obligations — a feature that has protected similar Texas firefighter pensions during municipal fiscal stress.

## Sectors

- Firefighter Pensions

## People

- Paul Brown — Chairman
- Thomas Ferguson — Plan Administrator
- Robert H. Moore III — Trustee (Mayor of Big Spring)
- Sandy Smith — Trustee (Finance Director of Big Spring)

## Questions

### Who governs the Big Spring Firemen's Relief Retirement Fund?

The fund is governed by a board of trustees that combines ex-officio members — the Mayor of Big Spring and the city's Finance Director — with firefighter representatives and citizen appointees. This structure is specified by the Texas Local Firefighters' Retirement Act, which also defines the board's fiduciary duties and investment authority. Paul Brown serves as Chairman and also sits on the board of TEXPERS, the state's professional association for public employee retirement systems.

### Is the fund part of the Texas Municipal Retirement System?

No. The Big Spring Firemen's Relief Retirement Fund operates under a separate statute — the Texas Local Firefighters' Retirement Act — and is not part of TMRS or any other statewide pension pool. This statutory separation means the fund's assets and liabilities are ring-fenced from the city's general employee pension obligations. Many Texas cities maintain parallel structures, with firefighters, police officers, and general employees each covered by distinct pension plans.

### Who administers the fund's day-to-day operations?

Thomas (Tommy) Ferguson serves as the Plan Administrator, handling the fund's operational and administrative responsibilities. The board of trustees retains ultimate fiduciary authority over investment policy, benefit decisions, and plan amendments. This separation of administration from governance is standard among Texas municipal pension plans.

## Related profiles

- [Texas Research & Technology Foundation](https://altss.com/profile/texas-research-and-technology-foundation)
- [Nomura Trust and Banking](https://altss.com/profile/nomura-trust-and-banking)

---

Last updated: 2026-08-11T02:43:31.692Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/big-spring-firemens-relief-retirement-fund

Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology