Jim McNamee, is President of the National Public Pension Fund Association.  He is director of Stonegate Insurance, Unique Insurance Company and Resolute Global Partners as well as the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association which he founded in 1985. He was formerly a police officer.

Our conversation starts with the school of hard knocks – a strict Catholic schooling outside Chicago, and we trace Jim’s early years, which weren’t always easy within the school system. After dropping out of high school he joined the military and this was the regulation that he needed to calm down and develop a plan.  He spent decades in the police and there became interested in the pension system and protections in place for beneficiaries.

This sparked a second career as a connector, Trustee and advocate for public pension funds around the US, and the founding of first the Illinois Public Pension Funds Association and then the National Public Pension Funds Association. We talk about the challenges and priorities for public pension funds today and the way that advocates, officers and trustees are beginning to tackle them.

Series 3 of 2024 is supported by Ruffer and Nuveen. Ruffer is a London based asset manager – founded in 1994 – managing over $25 billion for institutions, pension funds, charities and individuals. They have a single investment approach that aims to deliver positive returns across the full range of market conditions.  Nuveen has provided investment excellence for 125 years. With expertise across income and alternatives, Nuveen continues to expand its capabilities while maintaining its legacy as a leading investment manager. Visit Nuveen.com to learn more. Investing involves risk; loss of principal is possible.