Pension Fund

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Plumbers' Pension Fund, Local #130 U.A.

Plumbers' Pension Fund, Local #130 U.A. is a Chicago-based multiemployer pension plan covering members of the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local Union 130.

Plumbers' Pension Fund, Local #130 U.A. logo

Plumbers' Pension Fund, Local #130 U.A.

Plumbers' Pension Fund, Local #130 U.A. is a Chicago-based multiemployer pension plan covering members of the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local Union 130. The fund operates under a joint board of trustees representing both union and contributing employer associations — specifically the Plumbing Contractors Association (PCA) Midwest and the West Suburban Association (WSA) of Plumbing Contractors. This governance structure routes industry employers directly into the fund's oversight, a feature that shapes its investment posture toward durable, tangible assets. A 2023 meeting summary confirms the fund's alternative investment allocation sits within a broader portfolio that includes direct commercial real estate. Two known holdings — the AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust and a three-building office parcel at 1330-1336 West Washington Boulevard in Chicago's West Loop — demonstrate a dual approach: co-mingled union-backed real estate vehicles alongside direct, neighborhood-scale property. The commitment to buyout funds forms the core of its private equity sleeve, targeting the established cash-flow profiles that align with defined-benefit payout schedules. Recent financial disclosures highlight a deliberate allocation to buyout strategies, reflecting the fund's preference for control-oriented private equity over venture or growth-stage exposure. While total assets remain undisclosed, the fund's targeted deployment into alternative investments signals a mature institutional program. Leadership sits with Business Manager James Coyne and Financial Secretary-Treasurer John Hosty, both long-tenured union officers who double as plan trustees. This fund's structural differentiator lies in the physical. Where most pension peer groups approach real estate and private equity separately, Local 130's ownership of a specific West Loop office asset ties the fund directly to the Chicago submarket its members have built and maintained. The employer associations on the board inject general contractor economics into asset-allocation discussions — a built-in feedback loop most allocators lack.

General information

Firm type

Pension Fund

Year founded

1953

AUM

Undisclosed

Location

Region

North America

Country

United States

City

Chicago

Corporate office

Chicago, IL, United States

Principals

James Coyne

Business Manager, Plumbers Local 130 UA

John Hosty

Financial Secretary-Treasurer, Plumbers Local 130 UA; Trustee

Sector focus

BuyoutReal EstatePrivate Equity

Frequently asked questions

What is a Taft-Hartley plan, and how does it affect Local 130's investment governance?

A Taft-Hartley plan is a jointly trusteed multiemployer pension fund governed by an equal number of union and employer trustees, per the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947. Local 130's board includes representatives from the union and two employer associations — PCA Midwest and the WSA. This shared governance means asset allocation decisions require consensus between labor and management, which can influence risk appetite and the preference for straightforward, income-producing strategies.

Who makes investment decisions for the fund?

Fiduciary authority rests with the board of trustees, composed of union and contributing employer representatives. Day-to-day oversight is led by Business Manager James Coyne and Financial Secretary-Treasurer John Hosty, both named as key plan officials. An investment consultant is typically retained by such funds to advise on asset allocation and manager selection, though specific mandates are not publicly disclosed.

How does the fund allocate its alternative investments?

Public meeting minutes confirm a dedicated alternative investments allocation, with a stated strategy of buyout-focused commitments. The fund also holds units in the AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust, a union-sponsored real estate vehicle, and directly owns commercial property at 1330-1336 West Washington Boulevard in Chicago.

Does the fund invest directly in real estate or only through funds?

Both. Local 130 directly owns a three-building office parcel in Chicago's West Loop. It also participates in the AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust, which pools union pension capital into institutional-quality commercial real estate across the United States.

Which sectors or strategies does the fund avoid?

The fund's private equity exposure is deliberately concentrated in buyout strategies, implying limited appetite for venture capital, growth equity, or early-stage technology. Public meeting documents reference no hedge fund or liquid alternatives allocation, though this is not explicitly ruled out.

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