Illinois SURS CIO retires

Daniel Allen has announced his plans to retire as CIO of the $17.5 billion State Universities Retirement System of Illinois, according to a statement.

Allen joined Illinois SURS as deputy CIO in 2000. In 2005, he became the third CIO in the retirement system’s 75-year history.

Illinois SURS will be conducting a nationwide search for a new CIO during the next few months. Heidrick & Struggles, a Chicago-based executive search firm, will assist.

In the past year, Illinois SURS has invested $195 million in noncore real estate. In May 2015, the pension fund committed $35 million each to Blue Vista Real Estate Partners IV, Brookfield Strategic Real Estate Partners II and Crow Holdings Real Estate Partners VII. The retirement system additionally hired Franklin Real Asset Advisors to manage $90 million in an emerging manager noncore real estate fund of funds, $30 million of which will be allocated this year.