David C. Villa ’76

David died Feb. 13, 2021, of cancer in Madison, Wis. He was executive director and chief investment officer at the State of Wisconsin Investment Board. The governor of Wisconsin, Tony Evers, wrote, “David provided visionary leadership and the strategic direction to forge a stronger and more certain future for thousands of Wisconsin retirees.” 

Born in Albuquerque, N.M., David coxswained for lightweight rowing, sang second tenor in the Nassoons, joined Cap and Gown, and majored in economics. Roommate Neil Hauck recalls David’s “robust head of hair and diabolical mustache” that earned him the nickname “Pancho.” David went on to earn a master’s degree in Latin American studies at Stanford and an MBA at Northwestern. 

In 1991 he was recruited by Brinson Partners, rising from performance director to operations manager to client-relationship manager to asset-allocation analyst. His colleague Mike Jacobs found his “mastery at all those disciplines” to be remarkable, showcasing David’s “wide range of knowledge.” 

We share our loss with David’s daughter, Elena; and his wife, Jane, who wrote, “He had the grit, ability, and laser focus on his goals that have allowed Princeton graduates to make this world a much better place.”