Join our panelists as they discuss the investment landscape and try to provide some perspective of where the markets may be headed from here.
Event Details
The US economy has stalled, European banks appear to be on the brink of failure, emerging market demand is slowing, bond yields are historically low, equity market volatility is up, and the US dollar continues to plunge. Meanwhile, global policy makers seem at a loss for how to best to deal with growing economic challenges. So what are investors to do? Are there opportunities hiding behind the mask of fear? How are institutional investors managing risk and how are they positioning their portfolios?
No Charge
Program
6:00 PM - 6:30 PM: Networking and Beverages
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM: Presentation and Discussion
7:30 PM - 8:00 PM: Panelist/Audience Q&A
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Networking and Discussion
Speaker Profiles
Christopher T. Vincent (Speaker)
Head of Fixed Income, Investment Management, William Blair & Company LLC
http://www.williamblair.com
Mr. Vincent is the manager of the five-star rated William Blair Income Fund and co-manager of the four-star rated William Blair Bond Fund. He leads the fixed-income team, which oversees approximately $2.4 billion, in sectors including money market instruments, municipal bonds, structured securities, investment-grade credit, and high-yield bonds. The firm's fixed-income platform delivers products in the retail, institutional and private wealth channels. From 1988 through 2002, Mr. Vincent managed core and core-plus fixed income portfolios for institutional clients at Kemper Financial Services (and its successor firms) in Chicago.
Mr. Vincent earned his undergraduate degree in business from the University of Missouri in 1978. He completed his MBA at Saint Louis University in 1984 and was awarded the CFA charter in 1990. He has appeared as a guest on CNBC's "Kudlow & Cramer" and has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal and Chicago Tribune. He most recently appeared on WTTW's "Chicago Tonight" to comment on the downgrade of U.S. Treasury debt. Mr. Vincent is a member of the CFA Institute.
Kenneth S. Farsalas (Speaker) '00
Director of U.S. Equities & Portfolio Manager, Principal, Oberweis Asset Management, Inc.
http://www.oberweisinvest.com/asset_management.asp
Mr. Farsalas joined Oberweis Asset Management, Inc. in November 2004 and is Director of U.S. Equities and Portfolio Manager for the firm's domestic strategies. Previously, he was employed at Dearborn Partners LLC, where he was a Managing Director and the Director of Research. Prior to that, Ken worked as a small cap Research Analyst and Portfolio Manager at Sterling Johnston Capital Management, and began his career at SEI Capital Resources as an Investment Consultant. Ken is a holder of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Mr. Farsalas earned an MBA in Finance and Accounting from the University of Chicago and a BS in Journalism and Economics from Northwestern University. He is a member of the Investment Analysts Society of Chicago and the CFA Institute. Ken has been featured on Forbes.com and has provided commentary on various investment issues to Investor's Business Daily, Reuters and Bloomberg.
Ronald S. Levin (Speaker)
Private Wealth Management, Goldman Sachs
Ron is a Managing Director in the Private Wealth Management Division in Chicago. He joined Goldman Sachs in 1982 after receiving his B.A. at Claremont McKenna College and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, with Honors.
Ron is a trustee of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago where he is a member of the Executive Committee and head of the Investment Committee. He is a trustee of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and a member of the Investment Committee. Ron co-founded Invest For Kids, Chicago's investable ideas conference benefitting local children and currently co-heads the Charitable Contributions Group for the Goldman Sachs Chicago office.
Questions
Dustin Weinberger, '06
312.953.1235
Other Information
Booth Alumni Finance Roundtable Committee:
Vern Broders, '94
Kevin Clarke, '08
Michael Fisch, '02
Scott Kemper, '06
Guy Lakonishok, '09)
John Salvino, '06
Rich Thoroe, '07
Dustin Weinberger, '06