RSR Partners Recruits Chief Investment Officer for the Colorado Health Foundation
April 4, 2022 – Greenwich, Conn.-based RSR Partners recently placed Aron Grodinsky as chief investment officer of the Colorado Health Foundation in Denver. He succeeds Stan Willie, who is retiring. “Aron comes to our organization with significant and diverse investment management experience, and a belief that health is a basic human right,” said Mark Evans, CFO of the non-profit. “He’s a welcomed asset to our team as we continue working to achieve health equity across the state, including centering principles of equity in our investment management practices.”
Mr. Grodinsky was selected to carry the CIO role forward because of his deep understanding of investment strategies across a multitude of asset classes, and his commitment to mission-driven organizations. He joins the foundation following 18 years of institutional asset and high net worth investment management experience, all as an allocator of capital. Previously, Mr. Grodinsky was managing director of investment strategies for Cresset Capital Management, a boutique family office and private wealth management firm. He served as executive director at Perella Weinberg Partners/Agility, an outsourced chief investment officer firm. While at Perella Weinberg Partners/Agility, Mr. Grodinsky covered global equities, fixed income and real assets, and assisted with the roll out of environmental, social, and governance-focused (ESG) and mission-related investments, and served on their investment committee. He’s also held positions as senior investment officer at George Washington University’s investment office, executive director of investments at UJA-Federation of New York, and vice president of consulting services in the Ultra High Net Worth office at Merrill Lynch & Co.
A member of the finance and investments team, Mr. Grodinsky will oversee the Colorado Health Foundation’s $3 billion investment portfolio of financial assets, supporting the continued delivery of its mission to bring health in reach for all Coloradans.
“I was attracted to the opportunity to join the Colorado Health Foundation given my deep-rooted belief that everyone should have access to health services,” said Mr. Grodinsky. “I’m committed to making a positive change in the world, having spent most of my career working for, or with, mission-oriented nonprofit organizations. I’m excited to apply my investment acumen to help further the foundation’s mission to help Coloradans with challenging socioeconomic circumstances lead more healthful lives.”
RSR Partners, founded by Russell S. Reynolds Jr. in 1993, offers any number of vertical specializations, including consumer goods and services, hospitality, industrial, financial services, retail, board, CEOs, CFOs, CHROs, chief information officers, chief marketing officers, sport leadership, risk, board recruiting, board advisory, management consulting, technology, innovation, leadership, assessment, asset management, family office, fintech, investment technology, blockchain, cryptocurrency, leadership assessment, executive search, talent, talent advisory, healthcare, life sciences, human capital, and corporate affairs.
Investment Professionals in Demand
According to recruiters specializing in the function, demand for executive level, “high impact” investing talent has been on the rise, and that demand is expected to soar in coming years. But recruiters say these roles can be generally difficult to develop and ultimately recruit for clients, given their multi-disciplinary and evolving nature. In fact, impact investing roles are new to many organizations, they report.
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“It is no secret that demand for high quality CIOs across the asset allocator spectrum, including endowments and foundations, corporate, public and state plans, has increased significantly over the last five years as expectations regarding performance has ratcheted up post financial crisis,” said David Barrett, managing partner of David Barrett Partners, a boutique specialist search firm which recruits senior and C-level professionals for the investment and wealth management sector.
“Recruiting top talent in our space has always been challenging and, even with the ongoing advances in technology and proliferation of third-party candidate databases, it will not get easier,” said Mr. Barrett. He noted that pay was a key factor; successful professionals are paid well throughout the sector, he opined, giving little incentive or reason for them to consider moves elsewhere.
“In an increasingly competitive marketplace, the challenge for recruiters in this space will be to demonstrate they have the relationships, market credibility, and industry knowledge to not just serve up candidates, but to deliver the right candidates,” he said.
“Demand for CIOs in alternatives, especially real assets, is on the rise as firms take the lead from investors increasingly seeking assets with lower correlation to the stock and bond markets and higher returns,” said Maria de Rossi, a partner at Odgers Berndtson, who specializes in financial services with a focus on alternative asset management, investment banking and private equity.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
