ECF at Next-Gen Infrastructure and Real Assets Investing
In June, the Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) participated in the ALTS NY Investment Conference, a leading education-focused event for institutional investors, consultants, and managers across the alternative investment industry. ECF’s President & CEO, Dail St. Claire, moderated a panel titled Next-Gen Infrastructure and Real Assets Investing, highlighting how this evolving asset class can benefit long-term, values-driven investors with investable assets of all sizes.
The panel highlighted that access to these strategies is expanding beyond large institutions, including through structures designed for small investors. As opportunities expand, the panel consistently emphasized the importance of carefully selecting managers, maintaining fee and liquidity discipline, and ensuring clear governance.
Dail St. Claire discussed how infrastructure and real assets are evolving in response to the energy transition, digital progress, and global growth trends. A key topic was the convergence of traditional real estate, core infrastructure, and private equity—especially in areas such as data centers, renewable energy, and grid modernization.
Infrastructure and Real Assets can contribute to:
- Diversification – offering return streams that differ from public stocks and bonds.
- Income and liability matching – offering potential for stable cash flows to sustain ministries, grants, and programs over time.
Next-Gen Infrastructure and Real Assets Investing Panelists:
- Anthony Liparidis, Managing Director, Private Markets – Real Assets, Bessemer Trust
- Michael Brand, Managing Director, Co-Head of Real Assets, Aksia
- Harlan Cherniak, Managing Director, Head of Infrastructure and Investment Grade Credit, Macquarie Asset Management
ECF Endowment Management’s role at ALTS NY demonstrates our ongoing commitment to staying current with investment trends and translating complex market dynamics into clear, disciplined guidance for vestries, finance committees, and church boards.