Endowment / Foundation

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University of St. Thomas Endowment

The University of St. Thomas Endowment is a Saint Paul-based endowment plan with approximately $135 million in assets across 16 funds. It focuses on North...

University of St. Thomas Endowment logo

University of St. Thomas Endowment

The University of St. Thomas Endowment is a Saint Paul-based endowment plan with approximately $135 million in assets across 16 funds. It focuses on North America.

General information

Firm type

Endowment / Foundation

Year founded

1885

Location

Region

North America

Country

United States

City

Saint Paul

Corporate office

Saint Paul, MN, United States

Additional offices

Minneapolis, MN

Principals

Sonali Dalal

Vice President and Chief Investment Officer

Andrew Duff

Chair of the Investment Committee

Jodeen A. Kozlak

Chair of the Board of Trustees

Sector focus

Real EstateEducation

Frequently asked questions

Who chairs the Investment Committee for the University of St. Thomas Endowment?

Andrew Duff chairs the Investment Committee. He is the former CEO of Minneapolis-based investment bank Piper Jaffray, bringing decades of capital-markets and institutional-advisory experience to the committee's oversight of endowment assets.

What non-traditional assets does the endowment hold?

The endowment holds direct commercial real estate in downtown Minneapolis at 1000 LaSalle Avenue, plus campus-adjacent mixed-use properties including the Schoenecker Center and the Anderson Arena in Saint Paul. It also stewards cultural assets, such as the American Museum of Asmat Art collection and the Father Dease Crucifix Collection, under its curatorial purview.

Does the University of St. Thomas Endowment incorporate ESG or mission-aligned investing?

Yes. The university is a member of the Intentional Endowments Network, indicating a commitment to sustainable and mission-aligned portfolio construction. Its AshokaU Changemaker Campus designation further reinforces a mandate to integrate social innovation into institutional decision-making, including investment policy.

How does the student-managed Aristotle Fund fit into the endowment?

The Aristotle Fund is a student-managed investment vehicle housed at the university. It functions as an educational program that gives students hands-on experience in security analysis and portfolio management, operating alongside but distinct from the main endowment pool overseen by the Investment Office.

What trustee-level investment expertise shapes the endowment's strategy?

The Board of Trustees includes Brett Keith, co-founder and managing partner of middle-market private-equity firm Rockwood Equity Partners, and Rory J. O'Neill, CEO and managing partner of global alternative-investment manager Castlelake. Their presence provides direct private-equity and private-credit domain knowledge. Andrew Cecere, chairman and CEO of U.S. Bancorp, brings commercial-banking and balance-sheet management perspective.

Is the endowment's real estate held directly or through fund commitments?

The endowment holds certain properties directly rather than exclusively through commingled real estate funds. The 1000 LaSalle Avenue building in downtown Minneapolis is owned outright, giving the institution an income-producing asset with direct operational control, a structure more common among foundations than university endowments of similar scale.

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