Jane Mendillo '84 Receives 2007 Industry Leadership Award from 100 Women in Hedge Funds

Jane Mendillo ’84, the chief investment officer for Wellesley College, received the 2007 Industry Leadership Award from 100 Women In Hedge Funds, a networking and philanthropic organization aimed at helping women in the financial industry. The award goes annually to someone whose “professional talent, ethics, and passion help define and advance the hedge fund industry’s standard of excellence.”

Mimi Drake, a board member for 100 Women In Hedge Funds, called Mendillo a “veritable pioneer in hedge fund investing.” Mendillo has managed Wellesley’s $1.5 billion endowment since 2002. Before joining the college, she was vice president for external management at the Harvard Management Company for 14 years, where she was responsible for investing nearly $7 billion in the university’s assets. Jack Meyer, the former head of the Harvard Management Company, praised her abilities. “She has a fierce intellect, a steely resolve, and incredibly high standards for herself and those around her,” he said. “She has been quick to master and excel in every job she has held.”

Mendillo graduated from Yale College in 1980 with a BA in English and serves as a member of the Yale University Investment Committee.