Richard M. Charlton

Dick's investment experience dates back to 1972 when he initiated Michigan Bell’s Pension Oversight District in anticipation of the requirements of ERISA.  Dick also prepared risk, return and capital structure regulatory testimony, and wrote his master's seminar on pension fund performance evaluation.  He was elected Assistant Treasurer in February 1976, overseeing the financial modeling, market research, corporate economics, pension, and math research districts.

After an assignment at AT&T, Dick joined Merrill Lynch Capital Markets in 1981, assuming the investment consulting responsibility for over $25 billion in assets.  With Merrill Lynch's decision to leave the institutional investment consulting market at the end of 1985, Dick formed his own firm, New England Pension Consultants, converting 100% of his clients in this process.  During the ensuing 26 years, NEPC has become one of the largest investment consulting firms in the industry, earning wide acclaim for its superior client ratings in national independent surveys, its unconflicted revenue model and its ability to add value to client investment programs.

NEPC pioneered the use of alternative assets in its client investment programs, making its first placement in 1988.  Our work in that regard was recognized in 2009 by PLANSPONSOR Magazine, which accorded NEPC its prestigious ALTIES Award as the Alternative Asset Consultant of the Year.  Since 2010, five of our clients have been recognized by Money Management Letter as their Large and Mid-Sized Plans of The Year, and during 2011 we established retainer relationships with four of the country's 100 largest investment programs.  

Dick is a frequent speaker at national industry conferences and seminars.  He also served as the Co-Chairman of the Consultant's Performance Presentation Standards Task Force, a two-year effort by the investment consulting industry to develop standards for performance documentation, presentation and disclosure. 

Dick’s undergraduate degree is in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Detroit (1965) and his M.B.A., with emphasis in Statistics and Finance, is from Wayne State University (1972).  He is also a past director of IMCA, the Investment Management Consultants’ Association.