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Ms. Cathy Swain assumed her current duties in September 2007 as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Commercial Development in The University of Texas System’s Office of Research and Technology Transfer. Her responsibilities include coordinating activities related to the Texas Emerging Technology Fund, working with the Regional Centers of Innovation and Commercialization (RCICs) and chambers of commerce to enhance university involvement in economic development, exploring and developing strategies for accessing venture capital and angel investment for U. T .System startup companies, and assisting RTT generally in technology transfer and commercialization.
Ms. Swain joined The U. T. System in January 2005 as Director of Investment Oversight in the Office of Finance, with a main purpose to help the Board of Regents fulfill its fiduciary duty to prudently manage what is now more than $23 billion of U. T. System endowment and operating assets that are managed day-to-day by the University of Texas Investment Management Company (UTIMCO). Her duties involved synthesizing, interpreting, and communicating complex policies and investment information to enhance transparency and facilitate informed decision making by the Board of Regents, the Chancellor, and Regental Directors of UTIMCO.
Ms. Swain’s significant contributions to Investment Oversight include improving investment policies and Code of Ethics; advocating the creation of the new UTIMCO Board Risk Committee with a new charter encompassing investment risk management and compliance, asset classification, and independent evaluation of risk management systems; completing the first definitive annual Total Cost Effectiveness Studies; coordinating the first Joint Meetings of the Board of Regents and the UTIMCO Board; completing the first official description of duties of UTIMCO directors; coordinating with counsel to update the Investment Management Services Agreement between the Board of Regents and UTIMCO; advocating effectively to create new UTIMCO Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel staff roles; and reviewing relevant proposed State legislation (especially UPMIFA, Sudan divestments).
Ms. Swain’s extensive prior career focused primarily on managing alternative investments for large institutions, and doing private placements as an investment banker and venture capitalist. She currently serves on the Investment Fiduciary Council Policy Board, and has served on institutional investment committees; filled senior management roles in portfolio management, valuation, research, and consulting; performed due diligence and investment manager searches; served as CEO of a regional property management company; taught professional workshops and college courses (online and classroom); authored published articles; and contributed in finance industry associations. Ms. Swain also has experience serving a regional non-profit Community Development Corporation (CDC), initially as the Vice President in charge of equity investments, then later as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. With federal funding and a mission similar to the Texas ETF and RCICs, the CDC achieved and maintains to this day self-sufficiency, and at least one of the businesses that Ms. Swain helped launch with stock and convertible debenture financing in 1980 still operates today. She also served on the Vermont Governor’s advisory task force in the formation of the Vermont Venture Capital Fund in the 1980’s.
Ms. Swain earned her BA in economics (Highest Distinction, Phi Beta Kappa) and MS in finance (Highest Distinction, NDEA Fellow) from the University of Illinois, and subsequently completed post-graduate studies at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. She holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and the Accredited Investment Fiduciary AnalystTM (AIFA®) professional designations. |
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