JAMES R. MEYNARD, CFA

Managing Member

James R. “Jim” Meynard is the founder and managing member of Sagewood Investment Advisors, LLC.  Sagewood is a registered investment advisor established to make Jim’s background and experience available to investment firms seeking to improve their penetration and marketing profile with corporate and public benefit plans; to institutional investors needing assistance with trust management issues; and to individuals for personal financial and retirement planning.

Jim is the former Executive Director of the Georgia Firefighters' Pension Fund, (GFPF).  In that capacity, he was responsible for the fiduciary oversight of $750 million in pension assets and administrative oversight of 15,000 active participant and 3,500 retiree accounts.  Mr. Meynard directed the Fund’s consultant in matters related to strategic planning, asset allocation, and manager selection and retention.  He directed and managed the relationships with the Fund’s asset managers, actuary, custodian and legal counsel.  He had direct responsibility for the fund’s banking relationship and cash management program. 

He was responsible for liaison with the Georgia General Assembly, and in that capacity, was responsible for securing numerous legislative improvements to the GFPF for firefighters and their beneficiaries.   He led the initiative that culminated in state pension funds being allowed to invest in alternative assets, and in that regard, the GFPF was the first and only state fund initially allowed to invest in alternative assets.

Jim joined the GFPF following the economic downturn of 2000-2002.  Under his stewardship, the fund grew from $375 million to $750 million, while continuing to pay significant benefits and weather capital market turbulence.  Jim retired from the GFPF in April of 2014. 

 With a keen interest in professional education and development, Mr. Meynard initiated the formation of the Georgia Association of Public Pension Trustees, a non-profit association for the cost-effective delivery of education to trustees and administrators for public pensions in the State of Georgia.  The Association offers one annual education conference and a formal school for trustee certification.  Mr. Meynard served as President and Chair of the Association for the first six years of its existence.  It now boasts over 300 members.

Mr. Meynard joined GFPF after retiring from BellSouth Corporation and following a period where he served as an independent consultant and marketer for emerging private equity firms.  During his career at BellSouth, Mr. Meynard held positions of Director-Trust Investments (pension fund, VEBA trusts, 401k plan,) and Assistant Treasurer (corporate treasury services.)  He has also held positions in internal auditing, accounting services and data systems with Southern Bell, and accounting methods with AT&T.

Jim is a member of the CFA Institute and the Atlanta Society of Finance and Investment Professionals.  He is a former member the Southern Employee Benefits Conference (SEBC), and the Georgia Public Policy Forum.  He has been a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars on subjects related to investment management for the SEBC, the Association of Investment Management Sales Executives (AIMSE) and others.  He has taught portfolio management courses for the Atlanta Society and has been a guest lecturer in pension fund management for Emory University and the University of Georgia, and has graded CFA examinations.

A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Mr. Meynard holds an MBA from Atlanta’s Emory University and a BS - Mathematics from Georgia State University.  He was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst designation in October of 1993.  Jim and his wife, Toni, live in Acworth, Georgia.  They have three children and eight grandchildren.  He enjoys golf, fishing, sport shooting and tinkering in his workshop.