September 30, 2024

Investing in Illinois Innovation – Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs and RockCreek Founder & CEO Afsaneh Mashayekhi Beschloss

City Club event description:

Join Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs and RockCreek Founder & CEO Afsaneh Mashayekhi Beschloss for a conversation about the FIRST Fund, the Illinois Growth and Opportunity Fund (ILGIF), and the importance of investing in infrastructure and the tech ecosystem.

Speakers

State Treasurer Michael Frerichs
Michael Frerichs was first elected Illinois State Treasurer in November 2014. He has been re-elected twice and started his third term in January 2023. Frerichs is the 74th person to serve in this role.

In Illinois, the Treasurer is the state’s Chief Investment and Banking Officer. The office invests money on behalf of the state and local units of government. Frerichs also believes in providing individuals with financial tools so they can invest in themselves.

He does this by encouraging savings plans for college and trade school, increasing financial education among all ages, removing barriers to a secure retirement, and reuniting Illinois residents with their unclaimed property.

The Treasurer’s Office actively manages approximately $56 billion. The investment approach is cautious to ensure the preservation of principal, but the investment returns are significant. Under Frerichs’ tenure, the office has earned more than $2 billion for taxpayers through safe, smart investing.

Since taking office, Treasurer Frerichs has made significant strides in the fight for consumers by making sure Illinois residents get what is owed to them through the Unclaimed Property Program. A record- breaking $2 billion in forgotten cash and stock has been returned to individuals, employers, and nonprofit organizations under his watch.

Treasurer Frerichs also has worked to make college more affordable for families saving for their children’s future. He made changes to the Bright Start college savings program, taking it from worst to among the nation’s best. Independent analyst Morningstar awarded Bright Start their top Gold rating five years in a row. The treasurer lowered fees and provided more investment options for families.

In November 2018, Treasurer Frerichs launched Illinois Secure Choice, a retirement savings program that will help an estimated 1.2 million private-sector workers who do not have access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan retire with dignity.

Treasurer Frerichs was born and raised in the small, downstate farming community of Gifford, Illinois. He graduated from Yale University and spent two years in Taiwan, where he taught English to young students and learned to speak Chinese. He returned to Champaign County and launched his own technology business. He served as a volunteer firefighter. He was elected to the Champaign County Board and elected Champaign County Auditor, where he became a Certified Public Finance Officer.

In 2006, Frerichs was elected Illinois State Senator representing east-central Illinois. As chairman of the Higher Education Committee, he championed efforts to make college more affordable. He also served as chairman of the Agriculture and Conservation Committee.

Frerichs was unanimously elected president of the bipartisan National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers, and Treasurers in 2022. He also was unanimously elected by his bipartisan peers to serve as president of the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST) in 2023. Among his numerous honors, the College Savings Plans Network presented Frerichs with its Distinguished Service Award in 2022. He was awarded the ESGR Patriot Award in 2020 for his commitment to Illinois veterans. He also serves as vice chair of the Illinois State Board of Investment which manages over $26 billion in pension assets for state employees.

Treasurer Frerichs is married to Erica. He has a daughter, Ella, and two sons, Max, and Theo.

City Club video

Afsaneh Mashayekhi Beschloss
Afsaneh Mashayekhi Beschloss is Founder and CEO of RockCreek, one of the largest diverse firms in the US with groups investing in impactful early and growth stage companies. Previously, she was Managing Director and partner at the Carlyle Group. As the World Bank’s Treasurer and Chief Investment Officer, she led the Bank’s investments, balance sheet management, ratings, borrowings, and innovations in financial products. Prior to this, she led the World Bank’s investments and policy work for renewable energy, power, and infrastructure, as well as pioneering investments in wind and solar energy. Previously, she worked in corporate finance at JP Morgan.

Afsaneh has advised governments, central banks, and regulatory agencies on financial policy and energy policy. She serves on the board of trustees of the Council on Foreign Relations, Georgetown University, as well as the Rockefeller Foundation, and National Geographic, where she chairs their Investment Committees, and chairs the PBS Foundation.

She was recognized by Carnegie Corporation in their “Great Immigrants, Great Americans 2020” list, received the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Award and the Institutional Investor Lifetime Achievement Award, and been listed among the “Most Powerful Women in Banking” by American Banker. She is the co-author of The Economics of Natural Gas (Oxford University Press) and author of numerous journal articles on innovations in finance, energy economics, and renewable energy investing. Afsaneh holds an MPhil (Honors) in Economics from the University of Oxford, where she taught international trade and economic development.