Mark L Wakefield

Background

About Mark L Wakefield

I am currently with the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security as an Administrative Services Assistant 2. I've held this position since March 2015. My duties include responding promptly to internal and external customers, new-hire scheduling/processing, coordinating self-insurance, daily administrative duties, facility service calls, and 'Tennessee-Only' licensing, among others. I respond to inquiries from the Commissioner's Office, Legislative offices, Tennessee Courts, and out-of-State jurisdictions. Providing accurate, up-to-date information is critical, and both internal and external customers often compliment me for the promptness, courtesy, and thoroughness of my responses. Previously, I served more than 16 years with the Tennessee Treasury Department, mostly in the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS), a defined benefit pension plan. I effectively advised thousands of TCRS Members regarding their State pensions, from unskilled laborers to university presidents. At TCRS, I learned as much possible about Tennessee’s pension, which taught me to anticipate potential retirement pitfalls and find unexpected advantages for our members. I took responsibility for insuring they had the knowledge necessary to make informed, appropriate decisions for themselves and their families. I used my strong communication skills to address groups as well as individuals. I frequently traveled across Tennessee for public speaking engagements, which sometimes included private sector presenters. I coordinated these "Pre-Retirement Seminars" with 401(k) advisers, Social Security representatives, estate planning attorneys, insurance providers, and financial planners. I mentored and trained the new counselors TCRS brought online. I traveled several times at a moment’s notice to address out-of-town groups, and often took on co-workers’ counseling appointments when they were unavailable. Prior to TCRS, I served in the Tennessee Treasury Unclaimed Property Division. As an Unclaimed Property Specialist, I learned the policies and procedures involved in reclaiming lost financial assets. This included an understanding of documentation procurement, Tennessee intestate succession rules, and records management.