Jones Day Defined Benefit Master Trust

Jones Day Defined Benefit Master Trust

The Jones Day Defined Benefit Master Trust was established to manage retirement assets for employees of Jones Day, the law firm founded in 1893. Gregory Shumaker serves as managing partner of the firm and oversees governance that includes the trust. The structure separates plan administration from the law firm's client work. The trust allocates 7.12 percent to private equity and holds positions in Mesirow Financial Private Equity Partnership Fund VIII and AlpInvest Secondaries Program VIII. It also maintains exposure to the GMO Resource Transition Fund at a 5.5 percent stake reported in 2023. Geographic reach centers on the United States with additional commitments to global secondaries vehicles. Ticket sizes range from $10 million to $50 million. Total retirement plan assets reached $1.58 billion. The trust lists three named service providers active since 2023: BMO Harris Bank as directed trustee, Reliance Trust Company as custodian, and Wells Fargo Bank as trustee and record keeper. No additional offices exist beyond the Cleveland headquarters. The trust operates under a hybrid mandate that combines direct oversight by plan administrators with commitments to external private equity funds, distinct from typical corporate pension structures that delegate entirely to third-party consultants.