Our Team
Each Retirement Systems Solutions staff member has an extensive background in working with federal employees.
Our primary goal is empowering the federal employee with knowledge.
Gary Fouts, ChFEBC(SM)
Gary is a co-founder of Retirement Systems Solutions and the National Director of Retirement Benefits
Mr. Fouts is currently the National Director of Retirement Benefits. He is responsible for all matters relating the development and creation of comprehensive and up-to-date training materials for federal employees or agencies. He specializes in federal retirement benefits training and coordinates agency-sponsored and public seminars on how to structure retirement benefits.
Prior to his current position, Mr. Fouts served in the U.S. Government as an Intelligence Officer. During that time, he was directly responsible for supporting various warfare communities with valuable and timely intelligence. A trademark of his career in this capacity was the ability to inform his customers of what they needed to know to conduct their missions. He always distinguished between the facts that surrounded a situation and the emotion of the moment. This is a skill that translates directly into his line of work today as a retirement benefits instructor.
"I have been where many of the students/employees are right now, so I can appreciate the sense of urgency and even the occasional intimidation that comes when you're getting ready to step out of what's been a very consistent routine … into something very different! I value the opportunity to walk alongside someone who is making that change and help by giving them retirement benefits instruction that they can translate into real security. I believe that as our governments continue their never-ending expansion and contraction, now more than ever, it is crucial that all employees have an opportunity to receive clear, objective information relative to their unique set of retirement benefits."
Mr. Fouts graduated in 1991 from Purdue University (Go Boilermakers!!!). He holds a Bachelors degree in Computer Information Systems and a Masters degree in Process Improvement/Quality Systems Management from the National Graduate School. Mr. Fouts is an active member of his local church and serves on the board of various youth charities. Gary and his wife, Dr. Sara Lee Fouts, have 5 children (Eric, Chad, David, Summer Lee & Sara Beth) and reside in Nashville, TN.
Jay Matthews
Jay Matthews is a Co-Founder of Retirement Systems Solutions and the National Director of Business Development
As a lifetime resident of Tidewater with a long career of serving individuals, Mr. Matthews has counseled countless federal employees about maximizing and protecting their benefits.
His "coaching and teaching" methods for the federal employee have distinguished him as a valuable resource in his community.
As Jay says, “Growing up in Tidewater, Virginia and working with individuals for over 30 years in one of the nation’s largest areas of federal employment has given me a unique depth of experience for the critical challenges that federal employees face. Working with individuals and families to help them get the most out of their hard-earned benefits gives me a great deal of satisfaction.”
His diverse background and years of experience serves Retirement Systems Solutions well and enable him to bring valuable insight to the employees and agencies that RSS serves.
Mr. Matthews graduated in 1986 from Virginia Tech (Go Hokies!). He holds a Bachelors degree in Finance and Management. Jay and his wife, Dr. Cathy Matthews, have two children, Nicholas and Sadie, and reside in Virginia Beach, VA.
Chris Ballard
Chris is the National Director of Operations for Retirement Systems Solutions and the Branch Manager for the Middle Tennessee Region
Mr. Ballard entered the financial education arena after a ten-year career in Healthcare Administration/Operations. Chris was able to work with individuals and families, to help them better understand their financial horizons and taught them how to successfully navigate them.
His favorite phrase is, “If you can’t explain it simply, then you simply don’t understand it.” This philosophy and approach paired with his understanding of the federal retirement systems makes Chris an unbelievably valuable teammate for both the federal employees that he serves and the team at Retirement Systems Solutions.
Chris is a 2010 Graduate of Austin Peay State University (Go Governors!). He is a native of Middle Tennessee and currently resides in Murfreesboro, Tennessee with his wife, Leslie, and their children, Lance, Emilia, and Mason. In his spare time, you can find him on the golf course or in the woods. Chris enjoys spending time with his family and is an avid supporter of APSU Athletics and Stewarts Creek High School.
Jackie Harrell
“Jackie” is the National Director of Benefits Research for Retirement Systems Solutions and the Branch Manager for our Southeast Virginia Region
In this capacity at the company she is responsible for the development and direct application of all new content as it relates to changes in Federal Retirement Benefits. Additionally, she specializes in federal benefits training and as such is a valuable resource for the RSS team.
Before joining RSS, Mrs. Harrell worked in the financial services industry for over 30 years. During this time she had the privilege of counseling hundreds of employees with regard to their retirement benefits and those options that were best suited for their individual retirement. Additionally, she has also served as the Vice President of Customer Service for a national firm.
“What I like about our team at Retirement Systems Solutions is that there's a genuine sense of compassion for those we serve. Our students/clients feel like they're more than a file folder, and that's important. I'm glad to be a part of an organization that makes that kind of dynamic a priority. I know it may sound a little bit cliché but we truly believe that ... no one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”
Mrs. Harrell attended the University of Colorado (Go Buffalos!). She and her husband, Marshall, have three children, Meg, Merritt and Carsen and reside in Southeast Virginia.