Carlson School of Management

Mentor Program

Investment Committee Mentors

Each year the Carlson Funds Enterprise assigns CFE students with a money management professional who counsels the student, evaluates his or her investment proposals, and serves as a resource for everything from career advice to helping them with research type questions.

At the end of each semester, mentors are invited to formal presentation meetings, typically around early December and late April. Students pitch their new stock/bond recommendations to our mentors, who serve on our investment committee, and they will take a vote with a majority rule. If the vote passes, then the stock/bond gets added to the approved list, and students can buy and sell as they see fit. Approximately a week in advance, research reports are sent to the investment committee mentors so that they have time to read them before the formal presentations.

Additionally, the CFE typically hosts a "roundtable forum" in the fall (late September/early October) where mentors come to our financial markets lab for lunch and professionals discuss pertinent topics in the market. Most mentors share what they are doing in their portfolios, and provide some insight to our students on what themes to pay attention to as they put together their fall pitches.

Career Development Mentors

We are always looking for financial services and corporate finance professionals to help our students develop their career and networking skills. The students truly value the coaching and advice that comes from our mentors and look forward to working with these individuals each semester.

Fixed Income Fund Investment Committee Mentors

Matt Bentley, Galliard Capital Management
Erica Bergsland, Advantus Capital Management
Mark Book, Sit Investments
John Bredemus, Allianz Investment Management
Mark Churchill, Nuveen
Vitali Datsenko, Office of Asset Management, U of M
Rob Fuller, Citigroup
Susanna Gibbons, RBC Global

Matt Grimes, Wells Capital Management
John Huber, JNJ Huber Properties LLC
Kirk Moore, Columbia Management
Paul Ocenasek, Thrivent Financial
Tim Palmer, FAF Advisors, Inc.
Thor Raarup, Travelers
Deborah Weiss, Okabena Advisors
Chris Zinn, US Bancorp

Growth Fund Investment Committee Mentors

Ben Carpel, OneWest Bank
Wendy Clements, RBC Capital Markets
Philip Dobrzynski
Patrick Donohue, DealPen
Bob Drobinski, Arbor Capital Management
Adam Freeman, Cornerstone Capital Management
Brian Friese, Black River Asset Management (retired)
Ben Gervais, 3M

Justin Miller, Wells Fargo
Sean Naughton, Piper Jaffray
Paul Roach, Cornerstone Capital Management
Dave Therkelsen, Waterstone Capital Management
Keith Tufte, Cherry Tree
David Webb, Abbot Downing

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