Jainen “JT” Thayer

Jainen Thayer joined the Grinnell College Investment Office in 2018 as the Chief Investment Officer. Prior to coming to Grinnell, he served as the Chief Investment Officer at Oberlin College, based in New York, for over six years (2012 – 2018), and previously as a Director of Investments at the New York University Investment Office. Before NYU, Jainen was a Managing Director at Fortress Investment Group in New York and a senior member of a team responsible for evaluating a wide range of investment opportunities.

With over 20 years in the finance industry, Jainen brings a wealth of experience building effective teams and managing institutional investment portfolios to Grinnell. His most satisfying professional experience has been working within higher education, particularly for small liberal arts colleges, where the efforts of the Investment Office can have a direct impact on supporting the institutional mission. 

Jainen attended Johns Hopkins University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and Affairs, with a concentration in International Economics. He earned a Master of Business Administration, with a Finance focus, from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. Jainen is a CFA Charterholder.