2022 Lifetime Achievement Award

Walter Kress, CIO of EY, who CIO has recognized in the past as both an investor and a master collaborator, is not ready for retirement, but he does have more than 36 years in finance and experience that makes him a resource for other CIOs are seeking insights, ideas or recommendations.

Kress is known for his six years at EY, but also for personal experience that gave him knowledge and understanding of both sides of the industry. Before EY, he spent 10 years at JP Morgan Chase as a managing director and chief operating officer (COO) for the bank’s own retirement plans, where he also oversaw the company’s multibillion-dollar alternatives portfolio for the last three years of his tenure. Before joining the allocation side of the business, Kress’s sell-side experience included roles as senior vice president of Mellon Institutional Asset Management, president of Mellon Advisors and national sales manager for Dreyfus.

The varying roles–and some of the unique experiences of working at both an accounting firm and a bank–have provided perspective and a unique skill set that have benefitted his work as an investor, a collaborator and contributor to the efforts of professional organizations, both formally and informally.

In addition to his job, Kress has volunteered with the Committee for the Investment of Employee Benefit Assets, which works to enhance corporate chief investment officer effectiveness and improve the overall soundness of the private retirement system. He serves there as an executive committee member, a member of the public policy task force and vice chairman of the defined contribution committee.

We have honored people for their innovations – in investing and in operations – their determination and their contributions to the community of the world’s largest investors.

When reviewing the names that came up in our conversations this year, Kress, was an obvious choice.

Despite his demanding job he makes time to volunteer in his community, confer with peers, call attention to the tremendous work of others and work with industry groups to problem solve and to educate professionals in the pension and benefits world.

—Amy Resnick