| Public Release Date: March 29, 1996 | No. 96-11 |
The Minnesota State Board of Investment (SBI) administers and directs the investment of state funds, primarily retirement funds. Minn. Stat. Chapter 11A governs the investment activities of the board. Howard J. Bicker is the executive director of the board.
The board uses both internal staff and external investment managers to fulfill its responsibilities. The external firms invest and manage the Post Retirement Fund and Supplemental Investment Fund, as well as the assets of the basic retirement funds and the assigned risk plan. SBI staff manage the other investments.
The primary objective of our audit was to render an opinion on the Investment Trust Fund financial statements. These financial statements are included both in SBI's Annual Report and in the State of Minnesota's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for fiscal year 1995. Our objective included determining whether the financial statements presented fairly the financial position, results of operations, and changes in net assets in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
As part of our work, we were required to gain an understanding of the internal control structure and ascertain whether SBI complied with laws and regulations that may have a material effect on its financial statements. During our audit, we gained an understanding of the investment purchases and sales, investment custody and valuation, investment income collection and allocation, and management fee payments and reimbursement control cycles.
SBI's Annual Report for the year ended June 30, 1995 includes our unqualified audit opinion on the Investment Trust Fund's financial statements, dated December 1, 1995. The SBI financial statements are also included in the State of Minnesota's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the year ended June 30, 1995, which includes our audit opinion dated December 1, 1995. In addition, the Minnesota Financial and Compliance Report on Federally Assisted Programs for the year ended June 30, 1995 will include our reports on the internal control structure and compliance with laws and regulations for the state as a whole. We anticipate issuing that report in June 1996.
