Judges
Judges for the MBA Stock Pitch Challenge come from the top echelon of the investment industry. We are grateful to them for bringing their expertise and donating their time for this event.
Matthew Born
Managing Director of Research, Fidelity Management & Research Company
Matthew Born is a managing director of research for Fidelity Management & Research Company (FMRCo.), the investment advisor for Fidelity's family of mutual funds. Fidelity Investments is the largest mutual fund company in the United States, the No. 1 provider of workplace retirement savings plans and a leading online brokerage firm. Mr. Born assumed his current position in May 2008 and is responsible for the Small Cap and Financial Sector research teams of FMRCo.'s Equity division. In this role he manages eighteen research and portfolio management professionals.
Mr. Born joined Fidelity in 1992 as a mutual fund service representative for Fidelity Retail Investor Services. From 1993 to 1995, he served as a premium service representative. He left the company in June 1995 to pursue his MBA. In 1996, Mr. Born returned to Fidelity as a summer intern in the high income equity group. From 1997 to 2008, Mr. Born was a research analyst in the High Income division and was responsible for covering numerous industries including gaming/lodging, healthcare, cable/satellites and utilities. Mr. Born was also responsible for the High Income associate group from 2005 to 2008.
Born in 1968, Mr. Born received a bachelor of arts degree in American history from Hobart College in 1991 and received an MBA from Cornell University in 1997.
Ryan Burgess
Vice President, T. Rowe Price Associates
Ryan Burgess is a vice president of T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., and a research analyst in the U.S. Equity Division following chemical companies. He is a vice president and Investment Advisory Committee member of the Value Fund, New Era Fund, and Capital Appreciation Fund. Ryan joined T. Rowe Price in 2007 after serving as a summer intern in 2006, covering trucks and machinery. Prior to this, he was a vice president and senior portfolio manager with Evergreen Private Asset Management. Ryan earned a B.S. in finance, magna cum laude, from the University of Alabama. He also holds an M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School. Ryan has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Tim Corbett
Vice President, State Street
Tim is a Vice President of State Street and a member of the State Street Global Advisors' Investment Risk Management Team. Tim is responsible for investment risk management across the firm's equity and global multi-asset class portfolios.
Prior to joining the State Street Global Advisors Investment Risk Team in December 2008, Tim was a Senior Portfolio Manager responsible for Global Fundamental Equity Products. From 2000-2004 Tim was a Junior Portfolio Manager and Equity research analyst. From 1997-2000, Tim was a member of SSgA's Global Structured Products Operations Group where he specialized in international developed market and emerging market indexing strategies.
Tim's career at State Street began in 1996 and has focused on risk analysis, portfolio construction, equity research, and portfolio management.
Tim holds a BS in Finance from Boston College, an MBA from Bentley University, and an MS in Corporate Finance from Bentley University. Tim is an appointed member of the Tuckerman Investment Committee, Proxy Review Committee, and FTSE BIRR Advisory Board. Tim is also a New England chapter member of the Global Association of Risk Professionals.
Adam Kramer
Portfolio Manager, Fidelity Investments
Adam Kramer is a portfolio manager for Fidelity Investments. Fidelity Investments is a leading provider of investment management, retirement planning, portfolio guidance, brokerage, benefits outsourcing and other financial products and services to more than 20 million individuals, institutions and financial intermediaries. He currently co-manages Fidelity Equity-Income Fund, VIP Equity-Income Portfolio and the concentrated subportfolio of high-yield and convertible securities of Fidelity Advisor Equity Income Fund. He also is responsible for managing the convertible subportfolio and the preferred subportfolio of Fidelity Strategic Dividend & Income Fund.
Mr. Kramer joined Fidelity in 2000 as a research analyst and has since covered a variety of industries, including health care, energy, automotive, rail, aerospace/defense, maritime tankers, packaging, lodging and airline stocks. In 2006, he was named portfolio assistant on Fidelity Leveraged Company Stock Fund, Fidelity Convertible Securities Fund and Fidelity Advisor High Income Advantage Fund. Mr. Kramer began managing the convertible subportfolio of Fidelity Strategic Dividend & Income Fund in August 2007 and the preferred subportfolio in October 2010. He began managing the concentrated subportfolio of high-yield and convertible securities for Fidelity Advisor Equity Income Fund and co-managing VIP Equity- Income Portfolio in April 2011. He assumed co-management responsibilities for Fidelity Equity-Income Fund in October 2011.
Prior to joining Fidelity, Mr. Kramer worked for RSM Richter in Montreal as a chartered accountant and an auditor from 1994 until 1998.
Born in 1972, Mr. Kramer received a bachelor of commerce degree in accounting in 1994 from McGill University and a graduate diploma in public accountancy in 1996 also from McGill University. Mr. Kramer received an MBA from Cornell University in 2000. He is a member of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants and was awarded a Chartered Accountant designation in 1996.
Lawrence D. Rakers
Portfolio Manager, Fidelity Investments
Larry Rakers is a portfolio manager for Fidelity Investments, the largest mutual fund company in the United States, the No. 1 provider of workplace retirement savings plans and a leading online brokerage firm. Mr. Rakers manages the VIP: Balanced Portfolio, Fidelity Dividend Growth Fund and Fidelity Advisor Dividend Growth Fund.
Mr. Rakers joined Fidelity as an equity research analyst in 1993, and followed the restaurant, precious metals and coal industries. Mr. Rakers managed Fidelity Select Gold Portfolio from 1995 to 1997 and managed Fidelity Select Precious Metals and Minerals Portfolio and Fidelity Select Paper and Forest Products Portfolio from 1996 to 1997. He managed Fidelity Select Energy Portfolio, Fidelity Select Natural Resources Portfolio and Fidelity Advisor Natural Resources Fund, and served as sector leader of Fidelity's natural resources equity research group from 1997 to 1999. Mr. Rakers managed Fidelity Select Computers Portfolio and Fidelity Advisor Technology Portfolio from January 2000 and Fidelity Select Technology Portfolio from February 2000 until June 2001. He was also technology sector leader from January 2000 to June 2001. Mr. Rakers also managed Fidelity Convertible Securities Fund from June 2001 until February 2002, when he assumed management responsibility for Fidelity Balanced Fund until 2008. He began managing Fidelity Advisor Balanced Fund in 2005 to 2008 and VIP: Balanced Portfolio in June 2005. He also currently manages Fidelity Dividend Growth Fund and Fidelity Advisor Dividend Growth Fund since 2008.
Before joining Fidelity, Mr. Rakers was a project engineer for Loral Corporation in Lexington, Massachusetts, from 1986 to 1993.
Born in 1963, Mr. Rakers received bachelor of science and master of science degrees in metallurgical engineering from the University of Illinois in 1985 and 1987 respectively. He also received an MBA from Northeastern University in 1993.
Thomas Sprague
Retired Portfolio Manager and Investor
Thomas Sprague has been involved with the stock market for over 20 years. As an analyst at Fidelity, he was responsible for stock picks in a wide variety of industries, from technology to leisure to steel. As a portfolio manager there he managed up to $12 billion in several retail mutual funds and institutional retirement portfolios, emphasizing a growth style of investing. Although no longer at Fidelity, he remains an active private investor, and assists several not-for-profit organizations with their investment and financial decisions.
Sprague's work experience includes sixteen years at Fidelity Investments, where he served, successively, as equity analyst, equity portfolio manager, and group leader; and eight years as an industrial engineer at Eastman Kodak. He currently serves as the Finance Committee Chair on the Board of Directors at Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro, MA; the Finance Committee Chair for the Evangelical Covenant Church in Chicago, IL; and the Investment Committee Chair for the Covenant Trust Company in Chicago, IL. Tom also sits on the Board of Directors for an Albuquerque based startup company TruTouch Technologies. Tom currently is an Executive in Residence at Johnson and an occasional guest lecturer for the Cayuga Fund class.
Sprague earned his BS in operations research and industrial engineering at Cornell University in 1979, and his MBA in finance at the Wharton School in 1989.
Matt Titus, CFA
Portfolio Manager, American Century Investments
Matt Titus is a portfolio manager for American Century Investments, a premier investment manager headquartered in Kansas City, Mo. Mr. Titus, who joined the company in 2004 has worked in the financial industry since 2002. Previously, he was an equity research analyst for Banc One Investment Advisors, where he provided coverage for value portfolios.
Mr. Titus received a bachelor's degree in accounting and economics from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and a master's degree in business administration from Ohio State University. He is a CFA charterholder.
