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City of El Paso Employees Retirement Trust
The City of El Paso Employees Retirement Trust was established by the City of El Paso to provide retirement benefits to municipal employees. Executive Director...
City of El Paso Employees Retirement Trust
The City of El Paso Employees Retirement Trust was established by the City of El Paso to provide retirement benefits to municipal employees. Executive Director Robert B. Ash — who also serves as Board Secretary and Legal Advisor — manages day-to-day operations, with Deputy Executive Director Adrian Sanchez in a key administrative role. The Trust operates from its own administration building at 1039 Chelsea Street in El Paso, Texas. The portfolio spans multiple private-market asset classes. Real estate exposure includes the CEPERT Administration Building, the UBS Trumbull Property Fund, and a broader private real estate portfolio. Agricultural holdings are channeled through the US Core Farmland Fund. The Trust also pursues venture capital, buyout, distressed debt, mezzanine lending, and secondaries strategies — indicating a diversified alternatives program built through direct investments and fund-of-funds commitments. The Board is governed by elected trustees. Robert Studer and Karl C. Rimkus hold the Chairman and Vice-Chairman positions for the 2025–2026 term, with former Chairman Matt C. Kerr continuing as a Trustee. The fund is an active member of the Texas Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems (TEXPERS) and reports to the Texas Pension Review Board. Executive Director Robert Ash is also a founding board member of the National Society of Institutional Investment Professionals (NSIIP). The pension fund operates alongside a distinct sister entity — the El Paso Firemen and Policemen's Pension Fund — covering the city's public safety employees. This separation by employee class is a governance hallmark among Texas municipal pension systems, creating parallel investment organizations with shared sponsorship but independent boards and fiduciary mandates.
General information
Firm type
Pension Fund
AUM
$1.06B
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
El Paso
Corporate office
1039 Chelsea St, El Paso, TX 79903, United States
Principals
Robert Studer
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Karl C. Rimkus
Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Robert B. Ash
Executive Director and Board Secretary
Adrian Sanchez
Deputy Executive Director
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at the El Paso City Employees' Pension Fund?
The Board of Trustees holds fiduciary authority over investment policy. For the 2025–2026 term, Chairman Robert Studer and Vice-Chairman Karl C. Rimkus lead the board. Day-to-day administration is overseen by Executive Director and Board Secretary Robert B. Ash, with Deputy Executive Director Adrian Sanchez in a senior operational role.
Is the pension fund structured as part of the City of El Paso government?
Yes, it is a governmental defined benefit plan established by the City of El Paso under Section 401(a) of the U.S. tax code. It operates as a separate trust with its own elected board of trustees, though the City remains the sponsoring employer and funding source.
Does the fund participate in direct deals, fund commitments, or both?
The portfolio reflects a mixed approach. Public records show direct holdings like the CEPERT Administration Building, direct participation in the UBS Trumbull Property Fund, and dedicated allocations to venture capital, distressed debt, buyout, and mezzanine strategies — suggesting both direct investments and fund-of-funds commitments.
Which investment stages does the fund target within private markets?
The fund's private-market strategy spans the full spectrum — from early-stage seed and startup venture capital through expansion, late-stage, buyout, and special situations. It also participates in secondaries transactions across its investment portfolio.
How is the El Paso City pension fund different from the fire and police pension?
The City of El Paso maintains two separate pension trusts. The City Employees' Pension Fund covers general municipal workers, while the El Paso Firemen and Policemen's Pension Fund covers public safety employees. Each has its own board, benefit structure, and fiduciary mandate, though both answer to the same municipal sponsor.
What professional networks does the fund participate in?
The fund is an active member of TEXPERS (Texas Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems) and reports to the Texas Pension Review Board. Executive Director Robert Ash is a founding board member of the National Society of Institutional Investment Professionals (NSIIP), and the fund has received GFOA recognition for financial reporting excellence.
Does the pension fund disclose its AUM publicly?
The fund does not publicly publish a current, specific AUM figure. The scale of its portfolio is understood through trustee filings and structural context rather than a regularly updated disclosed number.
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