Our Experience

Our first clients forty years ago were trust funds, including charitable and pension trusts. We have served as a fiduciary for four decades. We have experience partnering with clients such as hospital/medical practices, colleges, corporations, private family foundations, and charitable trusts.

Our Capabilities

Willis Investment Counsel offers the following services to our endowment/foundation clients:

• Education and counseling, including enterprise risk management*
• Investment policy
  • – Evaluation
  • – Recommendation
  • – Drafting
• Asset allocation education, stress-testing, and recommendations
• Investment management
  • – Direct management (portfolio construction, security selection, etc.)
  • – Indirect management (index fund selection, manager research, etc.)
• Reporting and Accounting
• Outsourced CIO role

* Enterprise risk management integrates risks of the organization with portfolio risks to achieve a more holistic risk/reward outcome. Especially where spending policy, debt covenants, and DOE composite score
issues are present, stress-testing a range of potential outcomes is part of our risk management process.

Firm Insight

The Willis Investment Counsel research and portfolio management team periodically publishes its views on the endowment/foundation landscape including risk management, diversification, fiduciary responsibility, and investment strategy.

Investment Principles for Endowment and Foundation Funds – June 2016

Targeted Rate of Return and Asset Allocation in a Low Return World – November 2016

The Drivers of Portfolio Outcomes – April 2016

The Role of Enterprise Risk Management in Not for Profit University and College Endowment Portfolio Strategy – April 2014

Paradox of Complexity: Pension Fund Management Evolution to Endowment Model and LDI – December 2013

Managing Private University and College Endowments: A Case for a Differentiated Investment Approach – August 2011