Finding the Opportunities

To the many young professionals entering the industry this time of year, Ellen-Blair Chube, Managing Director and Client Service Officer for William Blair & Co., recommends looking for the gaps in the organization – ways to improve how the organization is run or where there isn't sufficient activity. Chube created William Blair's client service platform from scratch because there was a great opportunity to better engage their client base.

NAIC Team Expands! David Smith Joins as Programs and Initiatives Manager

To support the growing number of new initiatives and programs brought about by a substantial increase in membership, NAIC is proud to announce today that we are expanding our team with the addition of David Smith, who joins the association as Programs and Initiatives Manager effective August 26th. Smith most recently served as Senior Regional Organizer for the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), a group that works to bring investment to underserved communities. In that role, he engaged with community development nonprofit organizations to support and grow the coalition’s membership base. Prior to the NCRC, Smith was Chief of Staff for the U.S. Black Chambers Inc. where he was directly involved in all operations of the organization including; accounting, fund-raising, membership engagement, communications, human resources and more.

Member Focus: Dynamk Capital’s Niche Play in Biopharmaceuticals

Dynamk Capital, a venture and growth equity fund based in New York City that focuses on opportunities in biotech and life sciences, is carving out its own space in the biopharmaceuticals industry. In this NAIC report, we chronicle the history of the firm, provide insight into its investment strategy and how leadership looks to generate returns by funding innovation on the leading edge of stem cell research and regenerative medicine.

Please join NAIC, along with major capital allocators, high-performing investment managers, and other extraordinary dealmakers for the 2019 National Association of Investment Companies’ Annual Private Equity and Hedge Fund Conference in Los Angeles. The largest gathering of diverse private equity and hedge fund managers will be held October 23-24, 2019 at UCLA's Luskin Conference Center. It provides an unparalleled opportunity to network with pension plan CIOs, trustees and other industry insiders. Our panel discussions offer unique insights and perspectives presented in an engaging manner that is not to be missed. Among this year’s confirmed participants are:

• Mark Doherty, Director of Investments, The San Francisco Foundation
• Andrea Auerbach, Head of Global Private Investments, Cambridge Associates
• Hershel Harper, Chief Investment Officer, UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust
• Hank Kim, Executive Director, National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems

ONLY A FEW ROOMS REMAINING! Act now to reserve a room at the conveniently located UCLA Luskin Conference Center hotel (starting rate: $379.00 per night). To reserve, call or email Melanie Perry at 310-794-1601 or [email protected]. In order to secure the group rate, reservations must be made by September 23, 2019.

NAIC’s Robert L. Greene Featured in P&I Online Report

NAIC’s President and CEO Robert L. Greene is one of the industry insiders providing thoughts on race and institutional investors in reaction to a recent report that states black investment managers face bias even when their performance exceeds that of non-diverse competitors. In Pensions & Investments' online article, “It's racial bias, not merely an issue of access,” Greene states, “Unless institutional investors are intentional about identifying top-performing (diverse) managers and getting them into searches, they oftentimes don't come out with a diverse manager."