The $9 billion Illinois Police Officers’ Pension Investment Fund tapped Barbara Meyer as an investment officer, reporting to Kent Custer, chief investment officer.
Meyer will provide the critical support for the asset transition project at the fund and the development of the new investment program. Following the transition, she will be charged with managing and monitoring key investment and processes, officials announced earlier this month.
Prior to Illinois Police, Meyer was an investment portfolio manager at Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund (CTPF), where she focused on investment selection and monitoring for the public markets equity portfolio. Previous experience with pension and retirement savings plans includes consulting and client relationship management roles with Mesirow Financial, Northern Trust, and Ibbotson Associates.
“As the stewards of the retirement funds of law enforcement officers from more than 350 communities across the state, we are steadfastly focused on our mission of providing a dignified retirement for participants and their beneficiaries,” Custer added in welcoming Meyer to the new role.
“I am excited to work with the IPOPIF team as it continues to build an investment program from the ground up,” Meyer noted. “This is an extraordinary opportunity and I am committed to working with the team to achieve the best risk-adjusted returns possible.”
The fund was set up following the Illinois Pension Consolidation Act of 2019. The fund was formed to invest the assets of the ‘Article 3’ pension funds covering police officers serving and protecting all municipalities outside of the city of Chicago.