Johnson & Wales University (JWU)

Johnson & Wales University (JWU)

Johnson & Wales University was founded in 1914 as a business school and now operates as a private nonprofit institution focused on culinary, hospitality, and experiential education programs. Mim L. Runey serves as Chancellor while John E. Taylor Jr. chairs the Board of Trustees. The endowment originated from university operations rather than a single family source. The endowment allocates across real estate, multi-asset funds, and select public equities. Asset classes include direct campus properties in Providence and Charlotte, natural resources exposure, and life settlements. Confirmed holdings include the Agility Fund as primary vehicle and the Wildcat Investment Value Fund for student-managed positions in names such as Exxon Mobil. Geographic reach covers North America with additional exposure through global fund-of-funds commitments. The university employs 2400 staff across two active campuses. Additional vehicles include the Johnson & Wales University Foundation for scholarship support and Wildcat Realty Holdings LLC for consolidated property ownership. A dated operational event includes the March 2025 oneJWU Day of Giving focused on endowment contributions. The structure features an outsourced CIO relationship with Agility since 2018 alongside direct ownership of operating businesses such as The Food Innovation Nexus. This hybrid model separates endowment management from university governance while retaining control over real estate and culinary collections.