James Perry

Mr. Perry serves as the Investment Officer of Public Markets for the San Bernardino County Employees’ Retirement Association (SBCERA).  He has been an integral part of the SBCERA Investment Team since 2004.  He is responsible for oversight, analysis and reporting on over $5 billion of the Plan’s assets that are invested in hedge funds and traditional asset classes. 

Additionally, Mr. Perry manages the plan’s compliance monitoring program, securities lending, commission recapture, securities litigation and proxy voting.  He works closely with the Plan’s CIO, other investment officers, fund consultants and the Board of Retirement in the development of investment goals and strategies, program implementation and investment manager selection.

During his tenure with SBCERA, Mr. Perry introduced timber and international small caps into the Plan’s asset allocation and has worked extensively on the development and expansion of the fund’s alternative assets investment program. He has been a significant contributor in the Plan’s development of tactical asset allocation rules and in the design of the Plan’s portable alpha program.

Mr. Perry earned a Bachelors of Science in Biochemical & Biophysical Sciences from the University of Houston in 1986.  He also earned a Masters of Business Administration with Distinction from National University in 1995 and is a CAIA charter holder.

In 1995 Mr. Perry began his career in finance as a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch after leaving the Navy and completing his MBA.  While at Merrill Lynch he achieved the Southern California Region’s “Superstar” and “Pacesetter” Awards.  In 2000, he was accepted into the firm’s Private Investment Advisor portfolio management program.

Mr. Perry served as a Naval Aviator in the US Navy for eight years.  During his naval career he served as a Helicopter Aircraft Commander and completed training in the elite Sea Based Weapons Advanced Tactical Systems (SWATS) program.  In his last assignment with the Navy, he was tasked with addressing one of the Navy’s critical program shortages and became the nation’s top Dental Officer Programs recruiter.

Lake Arrowhead, California is where Mr. Perry and his family call home.  He often participates as a coach for his son’s teams in football, soccer, basketball and baseball.