ND Pension Funds Investment Director Kills Himself

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - The investment director for North Dakota's

pension funds has killed himself.

A Burleigh County Sheriff's spokesman says Steve Cochrane shot

himself in his home in rural north Bismarck last Saturday. Cochrane

was 53 years old.

Cochrane was director of North Dakota's Retirement and

Investment Office. The office oversees investments that benefit

pension funds for state workers and public school teachers.

The funds suffered steep losses recently as the stock market

tanked, but their performance has recovered somewhat during the

last year.

Lt. Gov. Jack Dalrymple is chairman of the state Investment

Board, which oversees state pension investments. Dalrymple says

Cochrane was considered an excellent investment manager, and his

job wasn't in trouble.

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