Episcopal Church Foundation CEO Dail St. Claire Appoints Michael H. Strauss to Lead ECF Endowment Management
New Head of Episcopal Church Foundation Endowment Management, Financial Services Veteran Michael Strauss
Michael Strauss partners with CEO Dail St. Claire to lead Endowment Management, serving Episcopal churches and dioceses and managing their endowments with OCIO.
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, April 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Episcopal Church Foundation Appoints Michael H. Strauss to Lead Endowment Management
New York, NY — April 21, 2026 — The Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) announced the appointment of Michael H. Strauss as Executive Senior Investment Advisor. In this role, Strauss will partner with President and CEO Dail St. Claire to lead the ECF Endowment Management program, work closely with the Endowment Management team to serve Episcopal churches, dioceses, schools, and other faith-based organizations, and work with a third-party investment firm to manage their endowment assets.
Strauss is a 45-year veteran of the financial services industry, with extensive experience in institutional asset allocation, investment strategy, and endowment and foundation advisory services.
“Michael brings exceptional investment judgment, seasoned leadership, and a deep understanding of the needs of endowments and foundations,” said Dail St. Claire, CEO of the Episcopal Church Foundation. “I had the pleasure of working with Michael during his tenure as Chief Economist at UBS in the 1990s, when I managed fixed-income assets for New York City’s pension funds. I am thrilled that Michael and I will lead Endowment Management together as we continue to strengthen this important ministry of service to The Episcopal Church.”
Most recently, Strauss served as Managing Director and Senior Institutional Investment Strategist at Bank of America Private Bank, focusing on institutional endowment and foundation clients. He was instrumental in expanding the firm’s outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) business. His responsibilities included developing investment strategy and asset allocation, training portfolio and relationship managers, and expanding client relationships.
Before joining Bank of America, Strauss spent nearly two decades at Commonfund, where he held senior leadership roles, including Executive Vice President, Head of Asset Allocation, Chief Investment Strategist, Chief Economist, and Chief Operating Officer of the asset management division. He helped build Commonfund’s OCIO and Treasury businesses, advised on multi-asset-class portfolios across public and private markets, and oversaw key client relationships with endowments and foundations.
Earlier in his career, Strauss served as a top-ranked chief economist and financial market strategist at Sanwa Securities (USA), Yamaichi International (America), and UBS Securities.
“I am honored to join the Episcopal Church Foundation at a pivotal moment in its growth,” said Michael Strauss. “ECF’s combination of mission, service, and financial stewardship is compelling. I look forward to working with Dail St. Claire, the Endowment Management team, and colleagues across the Foundation to provide Episcopal organizations with thoughtful, mission-aligned investment guidance and responsive client service.”
Strauss holds a B.S. degree with distinction from Cornell University and an M.B.A. with distinction from New York University. His community service includes volunteering for the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, Operation Hope, and Habitat for Humanity, and he lives with his family in Connecticut and Florida.
“Michael’s appointment reflects ECF’s commitment to thoughtful stewardship, strong governance, and long-term institutional strength,” said Annette Buchanan, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Episcopal Church Foundation. “His experience serving endowments and foundations, combined with his collaborative approach and strategic vision, will be a tremendous asset to the Foundation and to the Episcopal organizations ECF serves.”
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About Episcopal Church Foundation
The Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) is a nonprofit organization that helps build, vitalize, and transform Episcopal faith communities by providing resources in finance, formation, and leadership. Established in 1949 as an independent, lay-led foundation with a self-directed endowment, ECF serves Episcopal churches, dioceses, schools, and related faith-based organizations.
About ECF Endowment Management
The ECF Endowment Management program partners with a third-party investment firm to offer a spectrum of investment options for Episcopal organizations, ranging from individually managed accounts tailored to risk and spending needs to pooled funds appropriate for smaller or emerging endowments.
In addition to portfolio management, Endowment Management provides governance guidance, support with endowment and investment policies, and responsive client service to volunteer boards. The program also administers individual charitable gifts, including life income gifts, trusts, and other complex gifts, for the benefit of Episcopal and related faith-based organizations.
Dail St. Claire
Episcopal Church Foundation
+1 929-522-9164
dailstclaire@ecf.org
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