National Investment Leaders Headline Symposium at Colorado State University’s College of Business Oct. 25

National investment experts from Lord Abbett Investments, Goldman Sachs, Rocky Mountain Equity Fund, NBC Capital Markets Group and the senior economist for the state of Colorado will headline the first Summit Fund Investment Symposium at Colorado State’s College of Business Oct. 25.

The event is free and open to the public and will be held from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Colorado State’s University Club in the Lory Student Center on campus.

The first presentation by Zane Brown, partner and director of fixed-income management with Lord Abbett Investments, will focus on fixed income securities and the deflationary differences between Japan and the United States and how it affects consumer confidence.

Other highlighted sessions will include a presentation by Fran Matton, vice president of the investment management division of Goldman Sachs, who will provide detailed coverage of responsible growth investment strategies used in today’s market. Dennis Korner, executive vice president of NBC Capital Markets Group, will discuss the buy-side and sell-side of investment instruments. Julie Hart, senior economist for the Governor’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting in Colorado, will present the economic forecast for the state.

The investment symposium is the first of its kind at Colorado State and is an idea created by the Summit Student Investment Fund in the College of Business to bring leading investment experts to the university to share their experiences during a volatile time in the stock market. The event is designed for students, the financial community and individuals interested in investments.

"Our students have been able to attract some of the country’s leading portfolio managers who are eager to share their knowledge and skills with our students and the community," said Glory Burns, finance and real estate instructor at Colorado State and a Summit Student Investment Fund adviser.

The Summit Student Investment Fund began in 1999 after Bob Everitt, chairman and CEO of the Everitt companies, and his wife Joyce donated $50,000 after attending a student presentation. He also involved other local Fort Collins business leaders to add to the fund. Everitt will make a presentation at the symposium concerning why he started the Summit Fund at Colorado State.

The Summit Student Investment Fund is capped at 15 students who are chosen after extensive interviews by existing students in the class. The group meets once a week to review each stock in their current portfolio and to debate the pros and cons of stocks that are being proposed for purchase. Members also look at the economy and competing industries as part of decision-making factors. Each member of the group spends hours researching companies and promotes their stock to the group, which requires nine members to approve before it can be added to the portfolio.

"The event not only will provide a meaningful experience for our students, it will show the business community the caliber of students at Colorado State," said Andrew Holman, vice president of Summit Fund and main organizer of the symposium.

Merrill Lynch and Aquila Funds helped in funding the event.

A complete schedule of symposium is as follows:

  • 8:30 a.m. Continental breakfast – welcome reception
  • 9:15 a.m. Fixed Income Securities – Zane Brown, partner and director of fixed income management, Lord Abbott Investments
  • 10:15 a.m. Growth Investing – Francis Matton, CFA, vice president, investment management division, Goldman Sachs
  • 11:15 a.m. Growth at a Reasonable Price Investing – Barbara S. Walchli, portfolio manager, Rocky Mountain Equity Fund
  • 12:30 p.m. Lunch at Colorado State’s University Club 1:45 p.m.Economic Forecast – Julie Hart, senior economist State of Colorado
  • 2:45 p.m. Buy-side and sell-side of investment instruments – Dennis Korner, executive vice president, NBC Capital Markets Group
  • 3:45 p.m. Summit Fund presentation 4:15 p.m.Bob Everitt – Why I started Summit Fund
  • 4:30 p.m. Sarah Behunek – "How to donate to Summit Fund"
  • 4:45 p.m. Appetizers, punch and networking session

For more information or to make reservations to attend the symposium, call Linda Wenzel at (970) 491-5062.