Frank Bello

Brain Swain

Howard University

Howard University is one of the most prestigious Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the country and boasts the largest endowment of all at over $800 million. The university’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) permeates all aspects of its operations, including its endowment management. The university's endowment, under the leadership of Chief Investment Officer and Assistant Vice President Frank Bello and Deputy Chief Investment Officer Brian Swain, is managed with a keen focus on aligning the investment portfolio with Howard's core values. Much of the credit for the school’s efforts to increase the representation of female and minority managers in its portfolio over the last decade goes to Bello and Swain. Both gentlemen bring significant finance and investment experience to the university and day to day they play complementary roles: Frank Bello is engaged at the highest levels of the university including strategy, finance, and governance, while Brian Swain develops investment themes and implementation strategies and monitors existing investments. Howard has a very astute Board of Trustees and alumni that includes a host of very successful investment and finance professionals including Citi CFO Mark Mason, Vista Equity’s Godfrey Gill and Fairview Capital’s Larry Morse. In November 2023, Ben Vinson III was installed as the 18th President, and he is intent on growing the legacy of the university. Given the unwavering commitment of Vinson, the board and the investment staff to growth, the expectation is that Howard’s tradition of Black excellence and developing future leaders will be further elevated and make it one of the most impactful institutions in the world for generations to come.