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Church Pension Group
Founded in 1917, the Church Pension Group operates as the financial services arm for The Episcopal Church, providing retirement, health, and life insurance...
Church Pension Group
Founded in 1917, the Church Pension Group operates as the financial services arm for The Episcopal Church, providing retirement, health, and life insurance benefits to clergy and lay employees. CPG is led by CEO and President Mary Kate Wold, with Michael Hood serving as Chief Investment Officer. CPG deploys across venture capital, buyouts, distressed debt, natural resources, and real estate. The team participates in direct co-investments, fund commitments, and special situations. Known holdings include a dedicated sustainable forestry portfolio and a sustainable agriculture portfolio, alongside a commercial real estate asset at 19 East 34th Street in New York. The fund is a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and a member of the Ceres Investor Network, embedding ESG screens across its manager selection and direct allocations. The team operates from its New York headquarters and is an active participant in shareholder advocacy through membership in the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) and the Council of Institutional Investors (CII). No recent fund closings or structural team changes have been publicly announced in the last 24 months. CPG’s architecture combines a pension guarantee model with active direct investing in real assets — a structure that sits apart from the typical endowment or corporate pension model by anchoring its capital to the long-duration liabilities of a single denomination’s benefit obligations, while simultaneously managing a direct real estate and farmland portfolio on its own balance sheet.
General information
Firm type
Pension Fund
Year founded
1917
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
New York
Corporate office
19 East 34th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States
Principals
Mary Kate Wold
CEO and President
Michael Hood
Chief Investment Officer
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Church Pension Group?
Michael Hood serves as Chief Investment Officer, overseeing asset allocation and manager selection. CEO and President Mary Kate Wold leads the overall organization. Specific portfolio manager names or internal investment committee structures beyond the CIO are not publicly disclosed.
How does Church Pension Group source its proprietary deal flow?
CPG sources investments through direct co-investments, fund commitments, and relationships with external general partners. Its membership in networks such as the Council of Institutional Investors (CII) and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) provides a distinct peer network for sourcing and collaborative investing opportunities.
Is Church Pension Group a single family office or a pension fund?
CPG is a pension fund serving The Episcopal Church. It is not a family office. It functions as the denomination’s financial services arm, providing retirement, health, and life insurance benefits to clergy and lay employees.
Does Church Pension Group make direct investments or only fund commitments?
CPG operates a hybrid model. It makes direct co-investments and holds real assets on its balance sheet, including a commercial building in New York and portfolios of sustainable forestry and agriculture. It also allocates capital through traditional venture capital, buyout, and distressed debt fund commitments.
How is Church Pension Group related to The Episcopal Church Medical Trust?
The Episcopal Church Medical Trust is an affiliated benefits vehicle under the Church Pension Group umbrella. CPG administers health and related benefits for participating clergy and lay employees through this structure, alongside its retirement and insurance offerings.
What is Church Pension Group’s approach to ESG and shareholder advocacy?
CPG is a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and a member of the Ceres Investor Network, integrating environmental, social, and governance factors into investment decisions. It is an active shareholder advocate through its membership in the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), participating in corporate engagements on social and environmental issues.
Does Church Pension Group maintain separate philanthropic vehicles?
Yes, CPG administers the Fund for Special Assistance (FSA), which provides emergency financial relief to eligible clergy and lay employees of The Episcopal Church. This charitable function is organizationally separate from the pension fund’s investment activities.
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