Colorado PERA has been named Best Public Pension Plan by the 2016 Markets Choice Awards, hosted by Markets Media.

PERA was recognized for its innovation and leadership among public pension funds, drawing accolades from market experts for being ahead of most of its public pension peers in trading, technology, and market structure savvy.

The Markets Choice Awards recognize excellence among the firms and individuals that are the lifeblood of financial markets, including exchanges, sell-side desks, institutional buy-side investors, hedge funds, and technology providers. Winners were selected through a digital voting process at marketsmedia.com, interviews with senior market participants, and consultation with Markets Media’s Advisory Board.

“As fiduciaries for public employees whose investment horizons can span many decades, we are truly long-term investors,” said PERA Executive Director Gregory W. Smith.  “Our results over the past five and ten years are evidence of our ability to manage for long-term performance. We appreciate that our strategic approach and consistent returns are being recognized by market leaders,” he added.

“We consider opportunity and innovation in the context of what we think is going to be valuable in the long term, not just what is popular today,” added PERA Chief Investment Officer Jennifer Paquette. Read the profile of Ms. Paquette in the July 2014 issue of MarketsMedia.

PERA currently invests in five primary asset classes of global equity, fixed income, private equity, real estate, and an opportunity fund that is comprised of investments that do not fit into the other asset classes.