WASHINGTON – Israel (“Izzy”) Goldowitz, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation’s Deputy General Counsel for Program Law & Policy, has retired from public service following a 30-year career at the agency.
“Izzy has the rare ability to understand the enormous complexity of pension and bankruptcy law and use that knowledge to provide retirement security to the millions of workers insured by PBGC,” said PBGC Director Tom Reeder. “His leadership over the past 30 years will be deeply missed.”
“Izzy’s expertise, mentorship and leadership have been invaluable to our organization,” said PBGC’s General Counsel Judith Starr. “He’s been instrumental in shaping the vision, direction and strategy of the agency’s legal programs.”
In his most recent role, Goldowitz led a team of lawyers who provide legal advice and counsel on legislative, regulatory and policy matters as well as on PBGC’s Multiemployer Program and benefits administration issues.
Goldowitz previously served in other leadership roles including Chief Counsel. He led PBGC’s legal efforts on large, complex corporate bankruptcies in industries including airlines, steel and automotive.
Goldowitz also oversaw legal teams in establishing Supreme Court precedents on the multiemployer program, and other ERISA matters. As an expert and key leader in the agency, he mentored a number of attorneys throughout their careers. He continues his passion for teaching and mentoring as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center, where he teaches employee benefits.
A widely respected authority on ERISA, labor and bankruptcy matters, Goldowitz is a frequent speaker and author. He is a recipient of PBGC’s Distinguished Career Service Award. Before joining PBGC in 1988, Goldowitz began his career at the UMWA Health & Retirement Funds, where he served in a variety of roles including Deputy General Counsel.
Goldowitz is going into private practice at a Washington, DC-based law firm.
About PBGC:
PBGC protects the pension benefits of nearly 37 million Americans in private-sector pension plans. The agency operates two separate insurance programs — one covering pension plans sponsored by a single-employer and another covering multiemployer pension plans, which are sponsored by more than one employer and maintained under collective bargaining agreements. PBGC is currently responsible for the benefits of about 1.5 million people in failed pension plans. PBGC receives no taxpayer dollars. Its operations are financed by insurance premiums, investment income, and, for the Single-Employer Program, assets and recoveries from failed single-employer plans. For more information, visit PBGC.gov.