Ralph Ayres of Chesterton is retiring as executive director of the Indiana Retired Teachers Association, effective August 31.

Ayres, a former state representative and retired Chesterton High School teacher, assumed his post at the IRTA in January of 2007, after opting not to seek re-election to his legislative seat. He said his upcoming retirement from the IRTA will give him the opportunity to pursue other interests.

Ayres said he will stay involved with the IRTA but in a different role, by serving on its state legislative committee.

He said he has truly enjoyed working with the IRTA. “They’re a wonderful group of people and very dedicated,” he said. He also said that many members of the IRTA are from Northwest Indiana, particularly from Porter County.

Under Ayres, the IRTA expanded its legislative efforts and increased memberships. It also began a partnership with the CASA program, in which retired teachers are encouraged to become Court-Appointed Special Advocates for children in court cases involving abuse or neglect. Ayres said Indiana’s program is now a national model for CASA.

Before he officially retires at the end of this month, Ayres will be back in Indianapolis, when he testifies on August 20 before the Pension Management Oversight Committee in support of increased benefits for retired teachers. Ayres said the IRTA is seeking cost-of-living adjustments for teacher pensions, as well as a minimum monthly benefit amount.

He said some Indiana retired teachers now get less than $200 a month from their pensions, even if they taught for more than 20 years.

When asked if he intends to return to local politics, Ayres, who previously served on the Porter County Council before he was elected state representative in 1980, said he has no definite plans at all for his retirement, other than continuing to work with the IRTA on its legislative committee.

The IRTA has announced that Ayres’ successor will be Andy Thomas. A Valparaiso University Law School graduate, Thomas is a former state representative from west central Indiana and former Vigo County prosecutor who now works in the Indiana Attorney General’s office as a deputy attorney general in the Government Litigation Division.

Posted 8/7/2008