Key Takeaways
- • Cook County pension funds have rehired Callan Associates as their investment consultant, with John Jackson and Anne O'Bradovich listed as primary contacts for the engagement.
- • The Cook County Employees' and Officers' Annuity & Benefit Fund manages approximately $11–$14.7 billion in retirement assets and maintains a diversified target allocation of 32% domestic equities, 23.5% broad U.S. fixed income, 20% international equities, and 8.2% private real estate among other allocations.
- • The pension fund's investment strategy is overseen by the Retirement Board working in conjunction with the investment consultant and internal fund staff to conduct ongoing review of asset allocation and manager performance.
- • Callan Associates' reengagement follows a formal procurement process in which the Cook County Pension Fund solicited proposals from qualified general investment consultants, underscoring the fund's commitment to maintaining institutional governance standards.
Summary
Cook County pension funds have rehired Callan Associates as their investment consultant, according to a January 8, 2026 announcement published in Pensions & Investments. The engagement follows a formal request for proposals process conducted by the County Employees' and Officers' Annuity & Benefit Fund of Cook County, which manages approximately $11–$14.7 billion in retirement assets serving county employees and officers.
John Jackson and Anne O'Bradovich serve as the primary contacts for Callan Associates on the engagement. The consulting firm will work alongside the fund's internal investment staff and Retirement Board to oversee the fund's investment strategy through ongoing analysis of asset allocation, manager selection, and performance monitoring. This collaborative governance structure reflects standard institutional practice for public pension funds managing significant retirement obligations.
The Cook County Pension Fund maintains a strategic asset allocation framework that includes 32% in domestic equities, 23.5% in broad U.S. fixed income, 20% in international equities, and 8.2% in private real estate, with allocations to other asset classes rounding out the portfolio. The fund's search process, which resulted in Callan's reengagement, demonstrates the pension system's formal approach to consultant procurement and its emphasis on fiduciary responsibility in managing member retirement assets.
John Jackson and Anne O'Bradovich serve as the primary contacts for Callan Associates on the engagement. The consulting firm will work alongside the fund's internal investment staff and Retirement Board to oversee the fund's investment strategy through ongoing analysis of asset allocation, manager selection, and performance monitoring. This collaborative governance structure reflects standard institutional practice for public pension funds managing significant retirement obligations.
The Cook County Pension Fund maintains a strategic asset allocation framework that includes 32% in domestic equities, 23.5% in broad U.S. fixed income, 20% in international equities, and 8.2% in private real estate, with allocations to other asset classes rounding out the portfolio. The fund's search process, which resulted in Callan's reengagement, demonstrates the pension system's formal approach to consultant procurement and its emphasis on fiduciary responsibility in managing member retirement assets.
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