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Municipal Employees' Retirement System of Michigan (MERS)
The Municipal Employees' Retirement System of Michigan was established in 1945 to administer retirement plans for Michigan municipalities. It operates as an...
Municipal Employees' Retirement System of Michigan (MERS)
The Municipal Employees' Retirement System of Michigan was established in 1945 to administer retirement plans for Michigan municipalities. It operates as an independent professional services company serving local government employees. MERS allocates across private equity, infrastructure, timberland, agriculture, and public equities. Confirmed holdings include a 45 percent stake in Olam Australia Almond Farms acquired with Adveq Real Assets and Danica Pension, plus positions through 10T Holdings in Kraken, Ledger, and eToro. The portfolio spans North America, Australia, Latin America, and Europe. The firm employs 133 professionals at its Lansing headquarters. It maintains a wholly owned real estate subsidiary, Municipal Real Estate Company. In October 2024 MERS sponsored its annual conference in Grand Rapids focused on retirement plan governance. MERS invests through a mix of direct holdings via its real estate corporation and limited partner commitments to external managers. Governance rests with a retirement board chaired by a sitting municipal official.
General information
Firm type
Pension Fund
Year founded
1945
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Lansing
Corporate office
1134 Municipal Way, Lansing, MI, United States
Principals
Jeb Burns
Chief Investment Officer
Keith Van Beek
Board Chair
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at MERS?
Jeb Burns serves as Chief Investment Officer and has directed the investment program since 2001.
Does MERS participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
MERS makes both limited partner commitments to external funds and direct investments through its real estate subsidiary.
What asset classes does MERS target?
Allocations include private equity at 7 percent, infrastructure, timberland, agriculture, and public equities and fixed income.
Where does MERS invest geographically?
The portfolio includes holdings in North America, Australia, Latin America, and Europe.
How is MERS structured relative to its participants?
MERS operates as an independent not-for-profit entity created to administer plans for Michigan municipalities.
Profile maintained by Altss 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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