Pension Fund

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Michigan Electrical Employees Pension Fund

The Michigan Electrical Employees Pension Fund is a Taft-Hartley multiemployer plan based in Traverse City, serving electrical workers represented by the...

Michigan Electrical Employees Pension Fund logo

Michigan Electrical Employees Pension Fund

The Michigan Electrical Employees Pension Fund is a Taft-Hartley multiemployer plan based in Traverse City, serving electrical workers represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. The board of trustees, chaired by Mark Ruppert with Robert White serving as secretary, oversees plan administration from northern Michigan. The pension fund's real estate portfolio is constructed through holdings in publicly traded real estate investment trusts, providing liquidity that direct property investments would not. Known positions span industrial, data center, retail, and multifamily sectors. The fund holds shares in Prologis and Equinix globally, alongside US-focused positions in Simon Property Group, AvalonBay Communities, and Boston Properties. Paul Kelley and David Fashbaugh previously served as chairman and secretary of the board of trustees, respectively. The fund operates alongside a related vehicle, the Michigan Electrical Employees Insurance Fund, domiciled in Bloomington, Minnesota. As a union pension plan governed by ERISA and jointly trusteed by labor and management representatives, the fund's governance structure separates it from corporate or public pension systems. Investment decisions flow through trustee deliberation rather than a professional investment staff, a model common among Taft-Hartley plans where trustees retain direct fiduciary authority over asset allocation and manager selection.

General information

Firm type

Pension Fund

Year founded

1964

AUM

Undisclosed

Location

Region

North America

Country

United States

City

Traverse City

Corporate office

Traverse City, MI, United States

Principals

Mark Ruppert

Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Robert White

Secretary of the Board of Trustees

Sector focus

Real Estate

Frequently asked questions

What union sponsors the Michigan Electrical Employees Pension Fund?

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers sponsors the fund. It operates as a Taft-Hartley multiemployer plan, jointly trusteed by representatives of the union and contributing employers.

How does the fund gain real estate exposure?

The fund invests through publicly traded REITs rather than direct property ownership. This approach provides daily liquidity and market pricing, which differs from the private real estate allocations common among large public pension funds.

Who makes investment decisions for the pension fund?

A board of trustees, chaired by Mark Ruppert with Robert White serving as secretary, holds fiduciary responsibility. The board operates under ERISA's joint trusteeship model, where labor and management representatives share governance duties.

Does the fund allocate to private equity or venture capital?

Altss research tracks no disclosed private equity commitments. The fund's known investment posture centers on publicly traded REITs. No venture capital, buyout fund commitments, or direct private investments have been identified in public records.

How is the insurance fund related to the pension fund?

The Michigan Electrical Employees Insurance Fund, domiciled in Bloomington, Minnesota, operates as a separate entity providing supplementary benefits to the same IBEW membership. Both are sponsored by the union but serve distinct purposes under different regulatory frameworks.

Profile maintained by using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.

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