CLINTON, N.Y. — Hamilton College has appointed Lauren Jacobson as chief investment officer to manage its more than $1.3 billion endowment.
Jacobson will start in her new role on Nov. 7. She currently serves as managing director and co-head of marketables-asset classes at Columbia Investment Management Company, where she co-manages $8 billion of investments, including oversight of the investment process and portfolio management.
She replaces Anne Dinneen, who took a job as chief investment officer and senior VP at New York-Presbyterian in April, after a seven-year tenure at Hamilton.
Jacobson has also served as a member of the portfolio construction committee that oversees endowment asset allocation, risk, and firm strategy at Columbia, which has an overall endowment of $14 billion. She has also been part of the investment advisory committee for Columbia University’s $9 billion defined-contribution retirement plan.
“I am honored to join the Hamilton College team and to lead the endowment in support of the College’s mission and constituents,” Jacobson said. “Hamilton’s successful investing history provides a strong foundation at this critical time. I am excited to dedicate my energy and experience, working together with Hamilton’s investment committee and team, to building upon this legacy for the college’s long-term benefit.”
Hamilton College’s overall endowment consists of more than 1,000 individual endowed funds established by donors to provide permanent income for institutional priorities. Student scholarship aid represents the largest percentage of those funds. In its most recent fiscal year, Hamilton’s endowment provided $47.2 million, or 30 percent of the revenue to operate the college. Hamilton College practices need-blind admission for all first-year domestic applicants meaning a family’s financial need is not considered when making admission decisions. Students who qualify for financial aid have their full demonstrated financial need met by the college.
“Lauren Jacobson is a talented leader and a skilled investor who has a successful track record managing investments across asset classes,” Hamilton College Board of Trustees Vice Chair and Investment Committee Chair Bob Delaney said in a press release. “As chief investment officer, Lauren will provide her exceptional skills to the important task of managing the endowment, which is critical to the current and future success of the college. We look forward to working with her to sustain this important resource for current and future generations of Hamilton students and faculty.”
Jacobson graduated from the College of William and Mary in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in finance. Prior to her job at Columbia, she worked for eight years as director of investments at the Rockefeller Foundation and for two years as an analyst for Goldman Sachs.