Freed-Hardeman University Endowment

Freed-Hardeman University Endowment

Freed-Hardeman University Endowment was established in 1869 alongside the founding of the university itself in Henderson, Tennessee. President David R. Shannon and Board Chairman Scott E. Latham, CEO of the Alabama Bankers Association, lead the institution's financial stewardship. The endowment supports a private university associated with the Churches of Christ, funded through donations that address immediate needs while the remainder is invested for long-term stability. The endowment deploys across a mix of venture capital, venture debt, distressed debt, growth equity, mezzanine, and special situations, spanning seed, early-stage, and expansion-stage opportunities. A distinctive vehicle is the Hatchett Investment Team Fund, a student-managed portfolio launched in 2007 with a $1 million initial investment from Jim Clayton, co-founder of Clayton Homes. The fund itself is a member of the Student Managed Investment Fund Consortium. The university's broader asset base includes commercial properties such as the Chick-fil-A franchise in Henderson, the FHU Memphis campus, the FHU Dickson campus, the Essary Building, and the Brown-Kopel Business Center, alongside specialized collections like the Troy Plunk Art Gallery and the Restoration and Rare Collections in the Loden-Daniel Library. Total endowment assets are estimated at $87 million. Beyond the main campus in Henderson, the university holds real estate in Memphis and Dickson, Tennessee. The Hatchett fund transitioned its banking relationship from Clayton Bank to FirstBank following the involvement of FirstBank Chairman Jim Ayers. The university maintains professional affiliations through NACUBO, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, and the Alabama Bankers Association through Chairman Latham's role. The endowment's structure is defined by its student-managed investment fund — an arrangement in which undergraduates participate in fund commitments and direct holdings under the mentorship of Rob and Rachel Hatchett. This operating model blurs the line between educational mission and investment office, and remains uncommon among institutions of similar scale.