Illinois Teachers Taps Doehla To Head PE Program

The $30 billion Teachers’ Retirement System of the State of Illinois has selected Zachary Doehla to serve as its alternative investments officer. Doehla will oversee the private equity portfolio starting on August 17. He replaces Lamar Villere, formerly the senior alternative investments officer, who left in February to helm the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System’s private equity program.

Doehla previously served as associate director at Orix USA Corp., director at Bridge Finance Group and senior financial consultant at Manor Care, Inc.

“Zak’s expertise in corporate finance, leveraged buyouts and distressed debt portfolio management will clearly benefit the private equity program at TRS,” said Stan Rupnik, acting executive director and chief investment officer for Illinois TRS, in a prepared statement.

A new asset allocation plan approved in May increased the pension fund’s long-term target for private equity to 10 percent from 8 percent. As of May 31, Illinois TRS had $2.5 billion invested in private equity, roughly 8 percent of the fund’s total assets.