Sea wave

Our history

The key milestones in our growth journey

Since Wilshire was founded in 1972, we have evolved from an investment technology firm into a global advisory company specializing in innovative investment solutions, consulting services, technology solutions and world-leading market indexes including the benchmark Wilshire 5000 (now the FT Wilshire 5000).

Scroll through the timeline to learn more about our company history.

1972

American aerospace engineer and entrepreneur Dennis Tito founds the firm in Santa Monica, California with three employees. On April 28, 2001, Dennis became the world’s first space tourist as part of a visiting mission to the International Space Station.

American aerospace engineer

1974

Launch of Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index (now the FT Wilshire 5000 Index), named for the number of issues included at the time (approximately 4,700). By the height of the dot-com boom in the late 1990s, the index included more than 7,500 stocks.

Bull statue

1976

Launch of Wilshire Trust Universe Comparison Service, the world’s largest peer-universe service for U.S. institutional invested plan asset performance, representing more than $4 trillion in assets under management today.

Earth surface

1981

Institutional advisory practice established to help the fund sponsor community address challenges at every stage of the investment decision-making process. Today, Wilshire advises on more than $1.3 trillion in assets.

Meeting notes

1996

Private equity fund-of-funds and specialty advisory practice established to meet growing demand for exposure to alternative investments.

London city view

2005

Intermediary advisory practice established to help intermediaries create customized investment solutions they can offer to retail investors. Today, Wilshire advises on over $370 billion in assets for more than 60 leading financial intermediaries.

Presentation

2014

Launch of the Wilshire Liquid Alternative Index, a broad market measure for the performance of diversified liquid alternative investment strategies in mutual fund structures.

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2021

Wilshire acquired by private equity firms CC Capital Partners and Motive Partners.
Mark Makepeace, founder and former CEO of FTSE Russell, replaces Dennis Tito as Wilshire CEO.

Mark Makepeace

2021

Launch of FT Wilshire 5000 Index Series in association with The Financial Times. The indexes provide U.S. and global investors with complete, dynamic representation of the U.S. investible market.

Spectacles
1970s
Wilshire focuses on intersection in technology and finance, helping investors better measure and manage risk
1972
Founded in Santa Monica, California; an early innovator of equity risk models
1974
Wilshire 5000 Total Stock Market IndexSM created
1978
Wilshire Trust Universe Comparison Service® (Wilshire TUCS®) created
1980s
Established leading investment consulting practice to help the fund sponsor community address challenges at every stage of the investment decision-making process
1980
Began asset allocation modeling for pension plans
1981
Pension consulting practice started
1990s
Established asset management and private markets practices to meet clients' growing need and demand for alternative investments
1996
Private equity fund of funds platform launched
1997
Wilshire Mutual Funds, Inc. established
2000s
Wilshire extends into advisor-sold space, translating institutional expertise into solutions designed for individual investors
2005
Hedge fund managed account platform launched
2008
Launched model portfolios for broker-dealers and recordkeepers
2010s
Continues growth in Wilshire products and assets under management, notably, expansion in alternatives solutions
2014
Liquid alternatives index suite launched
2019
Suite of multi-asset risk parity indexes launched
2020s
New ownership and focus on global investment solutions positions Wilshire for the next stage of innovation and growth
2020
Wilshire surpassed $75 billion in assets under management
2021
Wilshire acquired by private equity firms CC Capital Partners and Motive Partners
2021
Financial Times and Wilshire announced collaboration to create indices
2023
Launched Wilshire Indexes, a new operating entity holding the global index platform
2023
Wilshire acquired Lyxor U.S.
Today
Wilshire offers a broad and deep array of multi-asset solutions built on competitive analytics and innovation

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Wilshire has been applying highly tested theories and approaches to our client solutions since 1981.

Our clients rely on us to improve investment outcomes for a better future.

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