In this compelling episode of the Dakota Live! Podcast, host Robert Morier sits down with Renee Hanna and Kailey Ransom from Baylor University's Office of Investments to explore how a mission-driven approach informs manager research, team dynamics, and long-term investment success.

Baylor’s $2.1 billion endowment supports a range of initiatives including scholarships and professorships—and behind the numbers is a deeply collaborative team led by values, diligence, and a commitment to developing strong investment partnerships.

Renee, Managing Director of Investments, shares insights from her 17-year tenure building out Baylor’s private markets portfolio with intentionality and discipline. Kailey, a rising talent and investment analyst, reflects on her transition from Baylor student to staff and the unique opportunity to learn from a tight-knit, high-performing team. Together, they walk us through how manager selection at Baylor is guided not only by performance, but by integrity, alignment of values, and a firm’s "why"—what drives them beyond money.

Key takeaways for listeners:

• Integrity is a Non-Negotiable: Baylor's deep-dive due diligence starts with reference checks from friends, neighbors, and former colleagues.
• Team Collaboration Matters: With a flat structure and shared decision-making, the private investment team evaluates every GP through a unified lens.
• Focused and Intentional: With a relatively concentrated private markets book (favoring sub-$500M funds in tech, healthcare, and consumer), Baylor only adds 1–2 managers annually—and expects to grow alongside them.
• Mission Alignment: The endowment supports transformational student experiences, making investment outcomes personal for the team.
• The Waco Advantage: A tight campus community away from coastal financial centers allows the team to think independently while staying connected to its purpose.

Whether you're an allocator, GP, or student considering a career in finance, this episode offers a rare look into how a university investment office balances discipline, culture, and conviction in building a portfolio that lasts generations.

Dakota Live! Podcast: The Waco Edge: Investing with Purpose at Baylor University

Dakota Live! Podcast