WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--California State Teachers' Retirement System's Chief Investment Officer Christopher J. Ailman has been named recipient of Institutional Investor magazine's first-ever lifetime achievement award. The award recognizes Mr. Ailman’s three-decade career, including 17 years at CalSTRS–where he shepherded the portfolio's growth from $116 billion upon his arrival in 2000 to $219.6 billion today. In addition, Ailman also led efforts to diversify the portfolio, most recently creating a risk mitigating strategies asset class to complement global equities, real estate, private equity, cash, fixed income, inflation sensitive, and innovative and strategic overlay.
“It’s very humbling, and quite an honor being recognized for one’s life’s work, but I’m not finished yet. I’ve served 32 years as a public fund CIO and am still going strong,” said Ailman. “This award is really a testament to the quality of the amazing staff here at CalSTRS. Working with the Teachers’ Retirement Board, we have created an atmosphere which promotes longevity among the senior leadership and diversity among the team. It’s allowed us to grow the investment portfolio for our members, encompassing more than 914,000 dedicated California educators and their beneficiaries.”
“This is a richly deserved award for someone who has always been an innovator,” said CalSTRS Chief Executive Officer Jack Ehnes. “Chris has been a stalwart for CalSTRS’ leadership position in high visibility areas like sustainability and environmental, social and governance efforts.”
“Chris Ailman’s contributions to our fund cannot be underestimated,” said Teachers’ Retirement Board member and chair of the Investment Committee, Harry Keiley. “This award is recognition of something we’ve known for a long time: Chris is a leader truly dedicated to the mission of making retirement security a reality for California’s educators. Mr. Ailman and his talented staff, whom he has developed and allowed great latitude, have performed remarkably well.”
Mr. Ailman serves on a number of boards and advisory boards in the U.S. and UK. He is chair of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board Investor Advisory Group, chair of the North America Chapter of The 300 Club and the co-chair of the Milken Institute's Global Capital Markets Advisory Council.
In addition, he is a member of the MSCI Barra Index Editorial, Russell Index and EDHEC-Risk Institute Advisory Boards.
About CalSTRS
The California State Teachers’ Retirement System, with a portfolio valued at $219.6 billion as of October 31, 2017, is the largest educator-only pension fund in the world. CalSTRS administers a hybrid retirement system, consisting of traditional defined benefit, cash balance and voluntary defined contribution plans. CalSTRS also provides disability and survivor benefits. CalSTRS serves California's more than 914,000 public school educators and their families from the state’s 1,700 school districts, county offices of education and community college districts.
