State of Wisconsin Investment Board

The State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB) is a governmental agency responsible for managing the assets of the Wisconsin Retirement System, the State Investment Fund, and several other state trust funds. Its core function involves actively investing these funds across diverse portfolios to ensure long-term financial health and meet various liquidity needs. SWIB employs a comprehensive asset management approach, encompassing both fully diversified and all-stock funds, alongside targeted strategies for specialized trusts.

SWIB was established in 1951, formalized by the signing of a Wisconsin State Senate bill into law on June 28th of that year. The formation was driven by public policymakers and union officials who recognized the need to effectively manage the state's idle cash balances and protect the value of public worker pensions. This foundational insight centered on creating a centralized, professional body to steward state assets for the benefit of its citizens and public employees.

The agency primarily serves current and former employees of Wisconsin’s state agencies and most local governments, whose retirement savings are managed within the Wisconsin Retirement System. Additionally, over a thousand local government units utilize the State Investment Fund for their cash management needs. SWIB’s overarching vision is to provide liquidity, ensure the safety of principal, and achieve competitive rates of return, thereby securing the financial future for its beneficiaries and partners across the state.