Rodney June, CIO, LACERS, "The Long and Winding Road to Success"
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Rodney June, CIO of the LA City Employees Retirement System (LACERS), shares his remarkable journey from a working-class upbringing in Orange County to becoming a senior leader in public pension investing. Raised by parents who emphasized American identity over cultural heritage, June reflects on how his early experiences—working at McDonald's, discovering finance in college, and navigating a lack of formal mentorship—shaped his disciplined, risk-taking approach to life and leadership. His career path, marked by calculated risks and a commitment to standardization and innovation, includes pivotal roles at Hawaii’s Employees Retirement System and LACERS, where he championed portfolio diversification, adaptive asset allocation, and unique investment opportunities. A passionate advocate for mentorship, June has built programs to support underrepresented talent, particularly from minority backgrounds, and emphasizes the importance of thinking outside the box, embracing challenging paths, and doing what’s right for the broader good. His story is one of resilience, self-directed growth, and a deep belief in the power of opportunity and personal responsibility.
Standardize processes early—your McDonald's manual experience taught you the power of consistency and efficiency.
Take calculated risks: jump into roles even if you don’t meet every qualification—your ideas and execution matter more than credentials.
Think outside the box and embrace the winding path: challenges build deeper learning and long-term value.
Do the right thing—not just what benefits you, but what benefits others and society at large.
Mentorship is a responsibility: if you’ve had no mentor, become one for others, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Introduction to AIM High ELI and Rodney June
Hosts Johnny Wu and Angie Chatterjee introduce the AIM High ELI podcast, which aims to elevate AAPI emerging leaders in investment management and break the bamboo ceiling. They welcome Rodney June, CIO of LACERS, highlighting his journey from McDonald's to leading a $27 billion pension fund.
The Joy of Flying and Life as a Journey
“It's that. It's also just having the sense of being outside of kind of away from the world and putting yourself in a different environment.”
Childhood, Identity, and Cultural Influences
June discusses growing up in a working-class, predominantly Caucasian neighborhood in Orange County, his mother’s strong American identity, and how he gradually recognized his Asian American heritage. He describes himself as a cultural 'mutt,' blending Chinese, Japanese, and American influences.
McDonald's as a Foundational Lesson in Standardization
“I was just very impressed by standard procedures done that so much growing up where I had like a very prescribed way of doing anything.”
College, Career Discovery, and the Power of Peer Influence
June reveals how he went to college by chance, influenced by friends at McDonald's. He switched from management to finance after being inspired by fraternity brothers in finance, and won a class investment competition by shorting the Argentine peso.
“Don't take the easy path. The other thing I would say is do the right thing.”
“I made it a point in my life as I became what I'd say more successful... to help others who may have been in a situation like me.”
“You can break into this industry. And I think that's what I would like to be remembered for.”
Hosts
Guest
Rodney June
person
LA City Employees Retirement System
organization
Hawaii Employees Retirement System
organization
McDonald's
brand
Association of Asian American Investment Managers
organization
Girls Who Invest
organization
Japanese American
other
Cal State Long Beach
other
Chinese American
other
Beirut
place
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