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R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company
The R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company Retirement Benefit Trust was established in 1941 to serve the domestic employees and participating subsidiaries of the...
R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company
The R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company Retirement Benefit Trust was established in 1941 to serve the domestic employees and participating subsidiaries of the global communications and packaging firm. Thomas J. Quinlan III, President and CEO, leads the parent company, which was acquired by Chatham Asset Management and taken private in February 2022. Drew Coxhead serves as CFO, and Deborah Steiner acts as Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel. The trust is distinct from the company's philanthropic arms, the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation and the R.R. Donnelley Foundation. The trust's investment strategy spans venture capital from seed through late-stage, fund-of-funds commitments, and secondaries transactions. While specific portfolio company names are not publicly disclosed, the program builds exposure across asset classes. The parent company maintains industrial real estate globally, including production facilities in Temecula, California, Shanghai, and Debrecen, Hungary, alongside its Chicago headquarters. The corporate art collection and the Lakeside Press Archive at the Art Institute of Chicago further reflect the Donnelley legacy. RRD employs more than 35,000 people across 30 countries, generating revenue that placed it 16th in Ad Age's 2025 Agency Report for the seventh consecutive year. The enterprise encompasses marketing services, packaging production, and supply-chain solutions under the Iridio℠ brand. Executive leadership participates in YPO, and the firm holds a historical connection to the Caxton Club. The Retirement Benefit Trust operates alongside a separate Post-Retirement Medical Benefit Trust based in Warrenville, Illinois. The trust's structure as an in-house pension fund making direct venture allocations distinguishes it from most corporate peers, which typically outsource all private-market exposure to external managers. Chatham Asset Management's 2022 privatization of the parent company — and Chatham's ongoing role as sole owner — adds a layer of credit-focused ownership governance over the pension's long-term investment policy.
General information
Firm type
Pension Fund
Year founded
1941
AUM
$1.0B – $1.1B (Altss estimate)
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Chicago
Corporate office
227 West Monroe Street, Suite 500, Chicago, IL, United States
Additional offices
Temecula, CA, United States · Shanghai, China · Debrecen, Hungary
Principals
Thomas J. Quinlan III
President and Chief Executive Officer
Drew Coxhead
Chief Financial Officer
Deborah Steiner
Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at the R.R. Donnelley Retirement Benefit Trust?
The trust falls under the oversight of R.R. Donnelley's senior leadership, led by President and CEO Thomas J. Quinlan III, with CFO Drew Coxhead and Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel Deborah Steiner in key governance roles. Details on an internal investment committee or dedicated CIO are not publicly disclosed.
Does the pension fund commit to outside fund managers or invest directly?
The trust engages in both direct venture investments across stages from seed to late-stage, and fund-of-funds commitments, according to data held by Altss. It also participates in secondaries transactions, blending direct company exposure with manager relationships.
How does the 2022 privatization affect the pension fund?
In February 2022, Chatham Asset Management, a credit-focused investment firm, completed its acquisition of R.R. Donnelley & Sons, taking the publicly traded company private. Chatham now serves as sole owner, which places ongoing pension liabilities under an ownership structure run by a disciplined credit investor.
What is the trust's relationship to the company's philanthropic foundations?
The Retirement Benefit Trust is legally and operationally separate from the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation and the R.R. Donnelley Foundation. The trust manages employee pension assets, while the foundations handle charitable giving related to the Donnelley family's legacy in conservation, arts, and community programs.
Does the firm maintain a separate healthcare trust?
Yes. R.R. Donnelley operates a Post-Retirement Medical Benefit Trust based in Warrenville, Illinois, distinct from the Chicago-based retirement pension trust, to fund healthcare obligations for eligible retirees.
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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