2026 Elite Institutional CIOs, Part 3

Jonathan Glidden serves as chief investment officer at Delta Air Lines, where he oversees the company’s defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans. Since joining Delta in 2011, Glidden has been instrumental in driving one of the most notable corporate pension turnarounds in the U.S., transforming the program from 38% to 101% funded in under a decade.

Under his leadership, Delta’s investment program has achieved top-quartile performance among corporate plan sponsors through a disciplined, risk-managed approach that integrates private markets, derivatives, and market-neutral hedge fund strategies. His focus on governance, liquidity management, and innovation has positioned Delta’s pension program as a model of stability and long-term financial health.

Before joining Delta, Glidden served as director of manager research at Wilmington Trust, overseeing multi-manager portfolios across traditional and alternative asset classes, and as director of investment analysis at Emory University’s endowment fund. A former U.S. Navy officer, Glidden holds a master’s degree in financial mathematics from the University of Chicago, a Master of Business Administration degree from Emory University, and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

In 2026, Glidden and his team plan to prioritize the development of capital-efficient hedge fund exposure to enhance portfolio diversification and improve risk-adjusted returns.

Jonathan Grabel has served as chief investment officer of the Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association (LACERA) since 2017, overseeing the investment strategy for the system’s nearly $93B fund. In this role, he manages LACERA’s defined benefit pension assets and administers investments for the system’s healthcare benefits program.

Before joining LACERA, Grabel was CIO of New Mexico PERA, where he oversaw the investment program for the $15 billion pension fund and the PERA SmartSave deferred compensation plan. His earlier experience includes serving as CIO for Montgomery County Public Schools, working as a general partner at a private equity firm focused on growth-stage technology and digital communications investments, and holding prior roles in investment banking. Grabel earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

For 2026, Grabel and his team are focused on generating alpha through operational excellence.

Paul Greff serves as chief investment officer of the Ohio Public Employees’ Retirement System (OPERS), where he oversees the investment management of approximately $135B in assets for the largest public retirement system in Ohio. Greff leads the investment division across both public and private markets, guiding a diversified strategy designed to meet the long-term needs of OPERS’ members and beneficiaries.

Greff joined OPERS in 2009 after previously serving as deputy CIO and as a senior portfolio manager overseeing global fixed income. Before entering the public pension sector, he spent more than a decade at State Street Global Advisors, where he was senior managing director and head of global fixed income, managing large-scale portfolios and serving on key investment committees.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Kalamazoo College, a Master of Business Administration degree in economics from the University of Detroit and has been a CFA charterholder since 1994.

Philip Griffith serves as chief investment officer of the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana, where he manages a $29B portfolio supporting the retirement security of the state’s educators. Since joining TRSL in 2007, Griffith has led the investment program across global public and private markets, guiding policy, asset allocation, and manager oversight in partnership with the Board of Trustees.

Griffith’s career spans senior investment roles across Louisiana’s public and nonprofit sectors, including positions at the LSU Foundation and the Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System, as well as earlier experience with CitiGroup and Charles Schwab. He brings more than two decades of investment leadership to TRSL, with a focus on disciplined governance and long-term portfolio resilience.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Tulane University and a Master of Business Administration degree in finance from the University of New Orleans. Griffith is a CFA charterholder and a CAIA charterholder.

Philip Griffith serves as chief investment officer of the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana, where he manages a $29B portfolio supporting the retirement security of the state’s educators. Since joining TRSL in 2007, Griffith has led the investment program across global public and private markets, guiding policy, asset allocation, and manager oversight in partnership with the Board of Trustees.

Griffith’s career spans senior investment roles across Louisiana’s public and nonprofit sectors, including positions at the LSU Foundation and the Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System, as well as earlier experience with CitiGroup and Charles Schwab. He brings more than two decades of investment leadership to TRSL, with a focus on disciplined governance and long-term portfolio resilience.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Tulane University and a Master of Business Administration degree in finance from the University of New Orleans. Griffith is a CFA charterholder and a CAIA charterholder.

Chris Hanak is the chief investment officer of the Washington State Investment Board, where he oversees the investment strategy for the $185B system serving public employees, teachers, and other beneficiaries across the state. Hanak was appointed CIO in 2022, after joining the WSIB as an assistant senior investment officer focused on risk management and asset allocation.

Before his tenure at the WSIB, Hanak served as acting CIO of the Group Health Foundation and previously worked as an investment professional at Cascade Asset Management (formerly BMGI), where he supported multi-asset class portfolio construction in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. His experience spans public markets, private markets, and enterprise-level risk, grounding his leadership in a disciplined, research-driven approach to institutional portfolio management.

Hanak holds deep expertise in global macro dynamics, trade policy, and market structure which continue to shape WSIB's strategic positioning across its global investment programs.

Eric Henry is the chief investment officer of the Vermont Pension Investment Commission (VPIC), where he directs the investment strategy for approximately $7B in assets across three statewide retirement systems. Appointed in 2018 as VPIC’s inaugural CIO, Henry has led a broad transformation of the state’s investment program, strengthening risk management, modernizing governance, and improving portfolio efficiency.

Under his leadership, VPIC has built diversified private equity and private credit portfolios, implemented a cloud-based investment data platform, and enhanced workflow systems to support more effective oversight and risk analysis. Henry also played a central role in advancing legislation that established VPIC as an independent investment entity, reducing political influence and allowing for more consistent, professionalized decision-making.

Before joining VPIC, Henry held senior investment and executive leadership roles at several large public and nonprofit institutions, including the Hershey Trust Co., the UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust, the Texas Municipal Retirement System, the Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System, and the New Hampshire Retirement System. With more than 25 years of experience spanning portfolio construction, executive governance, and institutional restructuring, Henry remains a key voice in strengthening long-term retirement outcomes for Vermont’s public employees.

Ellen Hung serves as the state investment officer for the Nebraska Investment Council, where she leads the investment strategy for the state’s $43B portfolio. With more than three decades of institutional investment experience, Hung oversees assets spanning retirement plans, operating funds, endowments, trusts, and education savings programs.

Before joining Nebraska, Hung held senior investment and executive roles across several public systems. She served as deputy chief investment officer at the State Universities Retirement System of Illinois and earlier as assistant chief executive officer for the Santa Barbara County Employees’ Retirement System, where she supported strategic planning, asset allocation, and manager oversight. Her career also includes leadership positions in San José, Honolulu, and Spokane across treasury management, pension administration, and portfolio management.

Hung holds both a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Business Administration degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is a CFA charterholder. Throughout her career, she has been active in professional and community organizations, contributing her expertise to multiple nonprofit and pension boards.

Craig Husting is the chief investment officer for the Public School and Education Employee Retirement Systems of Missouri, where he oversees the investment strategy for the combined $64.4B portfolio. Since joining the organization in 1999, Husting has led the systems through a broad and sustained expansion of their investment program, most notably building out dedicated portfolios in real estate, private equity, private credit, and hedge funds to strengthen diversification and long-term performance.

Before his tenure with the Missouri retirement systems, Husting served as director of investments and deposit programs for the Missouri State Treasurer’s Office, where he managed a $3.5B pool of state assets. He previously worked in county government as deputy treasurer for Johnson County, Kansas, and held senior roles in the consulting sector.

In the year ahead, Husting and his team are placing particular emphasis on expanding direct lending, working alongside private equity partners to participate directly in deal-level debt with no fees and no carried interest to enhance returns and improve alignment.

Husting holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Notre Dame and a bachelor’s degree from Benedictine College. He is a CFA charterholder and a Certified Cash Manager.

Bob Jacksha is the chief investment officer of the New Mexico Educational Retirement Board (ERB), where he leads the investment strategy for the system’s $19B portfolio and oversees a strategic team of investment professionals. Jacksha has since guided the ERB through a significant evolution, moving from a traditional 70/30 allocation to a diversified, low-volatility, multi-asset model. Under his leadership, the ERB was among the early public funds to build dedicated programs in private infrastructure, private credit, and opportunistic credit. He has also expanded the investment team from four to more than a dozen members while launching a robust co-investment platform.

Before joining the ERB, Jacksha served as deputy state investment officer for the New Mexico State Investment Council and held a variety of investment roles across a 35-year career. He holds the CFA and CAIA designations, a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of St. Thomas, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Bemidji State University.

Looking ahead to 2026, Jacksha and his team are focused on integrating artificial intelligence into the investment process and conducting the ERB’s tri-annual asset allocation review to ensure the portfolio continues to meet its long-term objectives.