# Willamette University Endowment

Willamette University Endowment is an Endowment / Foundation based in Salem, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Salem, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 900 State Street, Salem, OR 97301, United States
- **Founded:** 1842
- **Assets under management:** 313 (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** willamette.edu
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/school/willamette-university/

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Willamette University was founded in 1842. Its endowment supplies annual distributions that fund financial aid and academic programs. Truman W. Collins Jr. serves as a trustee while also leading The Collins Foundation, a separate education-focused grantmaker. The endowment holds positions across real estate, energy, venture capital, and public equities. Confirmed holdings include Pinnacle Ventures Equity Fund, Commonfund Strategic Solutions Real Estate Opportunity Fund 2014, all accessed through WUE Investment Holdings and LP. It also owns 100 percent of Willamette Angel Fund, LLC, which has taken minority stakes in Zapproved, Thrive Causemetics, and Carlsmed. Geographic exposure centers on the United States with additional commitments in Europe. The portfolio includes a student-managed equity sleeve valued at $500,000. The university employs 754 people and operates additional facilities in Portland. It belongs to NACUBO and the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. Aon Investments USA Inc. has acted as outsourced chief investment officer since 2021. December 2025: Signed letter of intent to merge with Pacific University. The endowment maintains full ownership of its primary real-estate holding company and art collections rather than delegating those assets to external managers. Governance ties to the university board and specific trustees create direct oversight of both financial and physical assets.

## Sectors

- Diversified

## Offices

- Portland, OR, United States

## People

- Katherine S. Cahill — Chair of the Endowment Committee
- Truman W. Collins Jr. — Trustee

## Questions

### Who chairs the Endowment Committee at Willamette University Endowment?

Katherine S. Cahill, former Managing Director at BlackRock, chairs the committee.

### Which external manager handles day-to-day investment decisions?

Aon Investments USA Inc. serves as outsourced chief investment officer under a mandate that began in 2021.

### What is the endowment's exposure to venture capital?

It owns Willamette Angel Fund, LLC outright and has taken minority positions in Zapproved, Thrive Causemetics, and Carlsmed.

### Where does the endowment maintain physical assets?

It directly owns the 69-acre Salem campus, the Pacific Northwest College of Art campus in Portland, Zena Forest, and the Hallie Ford Museum of Art collection.

## Related profiles

- [Concordia University Endowment](https://altss.com/profile/concordia-university-endowment)
- [Glass Wealth Management](https://altss.com/profile/glass-wealth-management)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/willamette-university-endowment

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