Cornell University The Parker Center at the Johnson School at Cornell University
Cornell University The Johnson School at Cornell University

Fall 2005 - 4th Annual Competition

2005 Sponsors

Gold Level: $10,000 and over
Jack M. Ferraro
Barclays Global Investors
Silver Level: $5,000 - $10,000
TIAA-CREF
Fidelity Investments
Wellington Management
Software Sponsors: training
FactSet
Reuters StockVal
Thomson

Teams

Click on a linked school name below to see a photo of the team in action at the top of this page.

And the winners are...

Final Four Competitors

Other Competitors

Judges

Julia Belford
Barclays Global Investors
As Head of Short-term Trading Strategy at Barclays Global Investors, Julia Belford is responsible for development of short-term investment strategies for multi-strategy funds. She also works closely with the global trading and research teams to develop trading strategies based on microstructure research. Before joining BGI's trading research group in 2004, Ms. Belford had extensive experience conducting high-frequency research, developing automated trading and intra-day statistical arbitrage strategies at Epoch Partners (acquired by Goldman Sachs), Schwab Capital Markets and, most recently, Citadel Investment Group. She began her career in fixed income when she implemented pricing, trading and risk management strategies at Morgan Stanley, Nikko Investment Technologies and Integral Development Inc.

She received her Ph.D. in Astrophysics and Computer Science from Stanford University and B.S. and M.S. in applied mathematics and theoretical physics from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.

Gerry Cronin
Sandler O'Neill Asset Management
Gerry Cronin, Managing Director, joined Sandler O'Neill Asset Management, LLC in 2003 and currently serves as an analyst. Previously, Mr. Cronin was a Managing Director at Sandler O'Neill & Partners L.P., where he was a member of the equity research division and provided research coverage of mid- and large-cap regional banks, focusing on the southeastern U.S. region.

Mr. Cronin's previous positions include Senior Vice President of Equity Research at McDonald Investments in Cleveland, Ohio; Senior Research Officer at John Hancock Funds, providing research support for two open-end and two closed-end financial services mutual funds, and five years as a Bank Examiner at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

Mr. Cronin has a B.A. in economics from Bowdoin College and an M.B.A. from Boston University.

Richard Cutler
TIAA-CREF
Mr. Cutler is a Managing Director and an active Portfolio Manager in the Investment Management - Equities division of TIAA-CREF. He has served in various positions at the firm since 1996, overseeing stock selection of the CREF Stock Account, as well as several Large-Cap and Mid-Cap Value Funds for the firm.

He came to TIAA-CREF after six years' experience in various positions with Britron, the Japan Institute, and Alliance Capital Management.

Mr. Cutler earned his M.B.A. in International Business and Finance from the Stern School of Business at New York University. He holds a B.S. degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University.

Judah S. Kraushaar
Mr. Kraushaar retired from Merrill Lynch following a 20 year career on Wall Street as a sell-side analyst. Mr. Kraushaar was a First Vice President and led a ten-person equity research team covering US Banks, Brokers, and Asset Managers. He also coordinated Merrill Lynch's global bank research product, integrating the work of over 40 analysts located around the world.

Mr. Kraushaar received a B.A. degree and an M.B.A. degree from Cornell University. He is a member of the Bank & Financial Analysts Association, and has previously served as a past President and Director. He was an MBA Stock Pitch Competition judge in 2003, 2004, and 2005.

Rankings / Awards:

Matthew E. Megargel, CFA
Wellington Management
As Senior Vice President, Partner, and Equity Portfolio Manager at Wellington Management, Mr. Megargel manages a Large Cap Stock Portfolio and is co-head of the Core Equity Group. He manages portfolios for mutual fund, endowment, and corporate pension clients, bringing an analyst's perspective to his work.

Mr. Megargel began his investment career at Wellington Management in 1983 as a Global Industry Analyst, researching the capital goods, entertainment, and airline industries. He began managing diversified client portfolios in 1990.

He received his M.B.A. from the University of Virginia's Darden Graduate School of Business and his B.A. in Economics from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and has served on the Board of the Boston Society of Security Analysts.

Kenneth A. Posner, CPA, CFA
Morgan Stanley
Mr. Posner is a managing director of Morgan Stanley and serves as head of the Mortgage Finance and Specialty Finance Equity Research team. Prior to joining the Equity Research department in 1995, he worked in Morgan Stanley's investment banking group, where he focused on commercial real estate transactions. Mr. Posner previously served as a captain of infantry in the US Army, and was airborne and ranger qualified.

He earned a B.A. from Yale University and an M.B.A. with honors from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. He has earned Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Financial Analyst designations.

Lawrence D. Rakers
Fidelity Investments
Larry Rakers is a vice president and 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. He manages Fidelity Balanced Fund, Fidelity Advisor Balanced Fund and VIP: Balanced Portfolio.

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. He began managing Fidelity Advisor Balanced Fund and VIP: Balanced Portfolio in June 2005.

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.