300 participants from 50 U.S. universities joined industry professionals at the Student Management Investment Fund Consortium Conference hosted by Indiana State University's Scott College of Business in Chicago on October 6-7. Held at the historic Palmer House hotel, attendees engaged in networking, panel discussions, investment competitions, and industry presentations from finance professionals. The conference is designed to deliver experiential learning, record best practices surrounding investment management, and provide professional development opportunities for business students.
Three distinguished keynote speakers took part in the conference: John Rogers, Co-CEO of Ariel Investments, Andrew Opdyke, Senior Economist at First Trust, and Matt Moran, Head of Index Insights for the CBOE Options Institute. In separate sessions, the program highlighted professionals from Charles Schwab & Company, CMT Association, Kingsview Partners, The Center for Investment Research, and UBS Global.
Students also demonstrated their investing knowledge through multiple competitions, including a poster session detailing each school’s student-managed investment fund and a firm performance analysis. Teams were judged on fund performance, visual quality, presentation of results, and overall analysis.
“This year’s SMIFC conference was a great success and I congratulate the winning schools and students, “ states Dr. Tarek Zaher, SMIFC Conference Chair and Professor of Finance at ISU. “We are proud to be able to provide our partner schools with a rich mix of experiential learning and I am grateful to our corporate sponsors who make the conference possible.”
The conference ended with students visiting the Chicago Board of Options Exchange (CBOE) for a tour, which is the largest options exchange in the United States.
It was a close-run competition but congratulations to the winners of the Poster Competition.
1st: Lipscomb University - Kyle Joaquin, & Kendal Matas. Advisor: Dr. Han-Sheng Chen
2nd: Kennesaw State University - Cain Beatty, Mambaye Diagne, Amitai Ilan, & Eric McCart. Advisor: Dr. Govind Hariharan
3rd: George Mason University - Kanwal Ahmad, Jaehee Lee, Julianna Silinsky. Advisor: Dr. Derek Horstmeyer
The Lipscomb University team who won the poster competition
2nd place went to Kennesaw State University and 3rd was George Mason University
Kennesaw State University also came second in the Firm Performance Analysis competition
The Firm Performance Analysis competition was also a close-run competition but congratulations to the winners:
1st: Hofstra University - Michael Candela, Christopher Merro, & Aye Chan Sint. Dr. Edward J. Zychowicz
2nd: Kennesaw State University - Cain Beatty, Mambaye Diagne, Amitai Ilan, & Eric McCart. Advisor: Dr. Govind Hariharan
3rd: Eastern Michigan University - Paul Katokwe, Ryan Mills, & Dominic Thomas. Advisor: Dr. Yu Zhang
The Hofstra University team who won Firm Performance Analysis competition
2nd place went to Kennesaw State University and 3rd was Eastern Michigan University
Kennesaw State University also came second in the poster competition
The purpose of the consortium is to enhance student learning and scholarship, record best practices in investment management among SMIF partners, provide a vehicle for student networking and exchange of ideas, and provide a permanent repository of relevant literature and recorded student experiences. The SMIF Consortium builds a community of institutions with a shared vision for student success and leadership in investing. The SMIF Consortium also establishes relationships with industry partners to assist in its primary goals of student education, research, and leadership.
When:
Thursday/Friday, October 6/7, 2022
Where:
Palmer House Hotel,
17 E Monroe St,
Chicago, IL 60603
Registration Fees
The conference registration fees will be:
Faculty/professional: $299
Student: $199
*Registration fees are not refundable unless, events, beyond our control take place including acts of God, war, disaster, strikes, civil disorder, or curtailment of transportation facilities. For the avoidance of doubt, pandemics, as declared by the World Health Organization or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that result in governmental orders restricting travel or assembly and prohibit at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the Group’s attendees from travelling to or attending the event.
Information
For more information, please contact:
Michelle Swick
Tel: 812-237-3442
Palmer House Hotel
The Palmer House Hotel has been an icon of downtown Chicago for over 150 years, it sits at the heart of the Theater District, near Chicago's Magnificent Mile.
All room reservations must be made directly by the attending groups or individuals.
Room Rates: King or double bed rooms at $199. Occupancy is single or double per room. The $25 fee per person per night for triple and quadruple occupancy has been waived for the conference, please mention this when booking accommodation at the hotel.
We do not endorse the Parkopedia or SpotHero web sites in any way, but they may be useful if you are trying to find somewhere to park.
Thursday, October 6, 2022
11:40 - 12:40 p.m. - Check in
Palmer House, Empire Room
12:40 - 1:00 p.m. - Opening Remarks
Palmer House, Empire Room
Dr. Tarek Zaher, Professor of Finance/Co-Founder and Managing Director of SMIFC, Scott College of Business, Indiana State University
Dr. Terry Daugherty, Dean, Scott College of Business, Indiana State University
1:00 - 1:50 p.m. - Current Economic Conditions and Future Outlook
Palmer House, Empire Room
Andrew Opdyke, CFA, Senior Economist, First Trust
Introduction: Dr. Terry Daugherty, Dean, Scott College of Business, Indiana State University
1:50 - 2:00 p.m. - Break
2:00 - 3:00 p.m - Panel Discussions
Investment Policy Statement, Understanding Your Fiduciary Responsibilities
CMT Program and University Partnership
Job Opportunities for Business/Finance Majors
Palmer House, Empire Room
Tiffany Dolby, Relationship Manager, Advisor Services Relationship Management, Charles Schwab & Co
Buff Dormeier, CMT, Chief Technical Analyst, Kingsview Partners
Alvin Kressler, Executive Director and CEO, CMT Association
Moderator: Dr. Anne Drougas, Professor of Finance/Quantitative Methods & Department Chair of Accounting, Finance, and Entrepreneurship, Dominican University
Introduction: Audra Doedtman
3:00 - 3:10 p.m. - Break
3:10 - 3:40 p.m. - Student Management Investment Fund Book, SMIFC Journal & Special Issue of Journal of Investing
Palmer House, Empire Room
Brian Bruce, Chair of Board of Directors, The Center for Investment Research
Introduction: Paru Acharya
3:45 - 4:40 p.m. - SMIFC Teams Poster Session Competition
Palmer House, Honore Room
4:20 - 4:40 p.m. - Poster Session Judges Meeting
Palmer House, Empire Room
4:40 - 5:20 p.m. - SMIFC Partners Meeting
Palmer House, Empire Room
Agenda
SMIFC Journal
Advisory Board
SMIFC Regional Meetings
Additional Sponsorships
Recommendations for program changes
SMIFC Database
5:20 - 6:30 p.m. - Dinner
Palmer House, Empire Room
Friday, October 7, 2022
9:00 - 9:50 a.m. - The Value of CFA Designation to Finance Majors
Palmer House, Empire Room
Kristan Rowland, CFA, Portfolio Manager, UBS Global
Introduction: Kyle Koch
9:50 - 10:00 a.m. - Break
10:00 - 11:30 a.m. - Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) Practices in Portfolio Management and Financial Analysis
Structure, Investment Policies, Strategies, Asset Allocation
Palmer House, Empire Room
Moderator and introduction: Dr. Mahmoud Haddad, Professor of Finance, College of Business and Public Affairs, University of Tennessee at Martin
Panelists:
SMIF Team 1 (Indiana State University)
SMIF Team 2 (University of Tennessee at Martin)
SMIF Team 3 (Loras College)
SMIF Team 4 (Northwest Nazarene University)
11:30 - 11:40 a.m. - Break
11:40 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Use of Derivatives in Investment Fund Management
Palmer House, Empire Room
Matt Moran, Head of Index Insights, Cboe Options Institute
Introduction: Dr. Jin Park, Chairperson - Accounting, Finance, and Insurance and Risk Management (AFIRM), Scott College of Business, Indiana State University
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. - Lunch, and Announcement of Competitions Awards
Palmer House, Empire Room
Poster Session Competition Awards
Sponsored by Indiana State University
Financial Analysis Competition Awards
Sponsored by Indiana State University
Competition winners will be announced and awards distributed followed by a short presentation by winning teams
2:00 - 2:45 p.m. - Q & A Session on Investment Management
Palmer House, Empire Room
John W. Rogers, Jr. Chairman & Co-CEO, Ariel Investments
Moderator and introduction: Dr. Tarek Zaher, Professor of Finance/Co-Founder and Managing Director of SMIFC, Scott College of Business, Indiana State University
2:45 p.m. - Closing Remarks and Instructions on Cboe Visits
Dr. Jin Park, Chairperson - Accounting, Finance, and Insurance and Risk Management (AFIRM), Scott College of Business, Indiana State University
3:00 p.m. – Start of Cboe Visit
Keynote Speakers
John W. Rogers, Jr.
Chairman & Co-CEO, Ariel Investments
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John’s passion for investing began at age 12 when his father began buying him stocks as Christmas and birthday gifts. His interest in equities grew at Princeton University, where he majored in economics, and over the two-plus years he worked as a stockbroker for William Blair & Company, LLC. In 1983, John founded Ariel to focus on patient, value investing within small- and medium-sized companies. While our research capabilities have expanded across the globe, patience is still the disciplined approach that drives the firm today.
Early in his career, John’s investment acumen brought him to the forefront of media attention and culminated in him being selected as Co-Mutual Fund Manager of the Year by Sylvia Porter’s Personal Finance magazine as well as an All-Star Mutual Fund Manager by USA TODAY. Furthermore, John has been highlighted alongside legendary investors Warren Buffett, Sir John Templeton and Ben Graham in the distinguished book:The World’s 99 Greatest Investors by Magnus Angenfelt. His professional accomplishments extend to the boardroom where he is a member of the board of directors of McDonald’s, NIKE, The New York Times Company and Ryan Specialty Group Holdings.
John also serves as vice chair of the board of trustees of the University of Chicago. In 2008, John was awarded Princeton University’s highest honor, the Woodrow Wilson Award, presented each year to the alumnus or alumna whose career embodies a commitment to national service. Following the election of President Barack Obama, John served as co-chair for the Presidential Inaugural Committee 2009, and more recently, he joined the Barack Obama Foundation’s Board of Directors. John received an AB in economics from Princeton University, where he was also captain of the varsity basketball team.
Andrew Opdyke, CFA
Senior Economist, First Trust
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Andrew is a Senior Economist and a member of the First Trust Economics Team that Bloomberg has ranked as one of the top forecasters of the U.S. economy over the past several years.
At First Trust, Andrew is responsible for analyzing economic indicators, writing economic commentaries and producing articles on the First Trust Economics Blog. Andrew regularly presents economic commentary to financial professionals, CFA Societies, and Financial Planning Association (FPA) chapters across the United States. Andrew also provides research and analysis to Chief Economist Brian Wesbury, Chief Market Strategist Bob Carey, and First Trust CEO Jim Bowen. Cogent’s 2017 Survey of Advisors rated First Trust’s thought leadership material as number one for most read and most shared by financial professionals with colleagues or clients.*
Andrew received an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a BA in Business and Economics from Hope College. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Chicago.
*Cogent Reports conducted an online survey of a representative cross section of 1,078 financial professionals in April through June 2017. Survey participants were required to have an active book of business of at least $5 million and offer investment advice or planning services to individual investors on a fee or transactional basis.
Matt Moran
Head of Index Insights, Cboe Options Institute
Matt is focused on the exchange's educational efforts for pension funds, Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs), mutual funds, and other institutional investors. He has traveled to more than 100 cities worldwide to educate investors and deliver financial presentations. Prior to joining Cboe, Matt served as Trust Counsel at Harris Bank and Vice President at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. He is an associate editor of The Journal of Index Investing and has written articles for several financial publications, including The Journal of Trading and The Journal of Alternative Investments. Matt holds MBA and JD degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Kristan Rowland, CFA
Portfolio Manager, UBS Global
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Kristan Rowland, CFA, is a portfolio manager at UBS Wealth Management. Previously she was a member of the Global Equity investment team at William Blair covering the Financials sector. Prior to joining William Blair, she was a buy-side research analyst at Mesirow Financial where she had primary coverage of the Financials sector and supported three institutional value equity strategies. Earlier, she was a generalist equity analyst at Morningstar and published research reports on companies in a variety of industries. Rowland earned a BA from the University of Notre Dame in economics and French and an MBA from the University of Chicago in finance, accounting and economics. She holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of CFA Institute and CFA Society Chicago. Kristan is Immediate Past Chair of CFA Society Chicago, and has served on its Board of Directors since 2018.
Brian R. Bruce
Chair of the Board of Directors, The Center for Investment Research
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Brian is Chair of the Board of Directors of The Center for Investment Research. The Center is a 501(c3) founded in 1993 to support academic research in investing. The Center has funded research projects at a number of universities and currently is supporting efforts to promote student managed investment funds.
Previously, Brian was CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Hillcrest Asset Management. Under Brian, Hillcrest won numerous awards for outstanding investment performance. Before founding Hillcrest, Brian was Chief Investment Officer at PanAgora Asset Management, a subsidiary of Putnam Investments. Previously, Brian held senior investment roles at State Street Global Advisors and the Northern Trust Co.
Brian received his M.B.A. from the University of Chicago, M.S. from DePaul University, and B.S. from Illinois State University. He is a member of the Illinois State University College of Business Hall of Fame, is a recipient of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business CEO Award, and was awarded the SMU Cox School of Business Media Expert of the Year Award.
Brian has published numerous scholarly articles and books including Analysts, Lies, and Statistics which he co-authored with former Harvard Business School Professor Mark Bradshaw. He co-authored the only textbook for student managed portfolios, Student-Managed Investment Funds. He is the Editor of Journal of Investing, the Journal of Index Investing, the Journal of Impact & ESG Investing and the Journal of Behavioral Finance.
Brian has been an adjunct professor at Baylor University and was Director of the Finance Institute and Founding Director of the Alternative Asset Management Center at the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University.
Tiffany Dolby
Relationship Manager, Advisor Services Relationship Management, Charles Schwab & Co.
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Tiffany has been with Charles Schwab & Co. for 14 years including multiple roles within the Sales and Business Development teams. About 5 years ago, she moved to Chicago to serve as the North Shore Branch leader and managed the Winnetka and Kenilworth branches.
As a native of San Diego, she loves the sun, outdoors, mountains and being near or in a large body of water. Currently, she and her dog Luna can be found walking around Chicago’s West Loop looking for new restaurants.
Tiffany graduated from Purdue University, Krannert School of Management, located in West Lafayette, IN with a degree in economics. She holds the series 7, 63, 66, 9, and 10 financial licenses.
Buff Dormeier, CMT
Partner and Chief Technical Analyst, Kingsview Partners
Buff Dormeier, CMT® provides four important roles to our clientele that of a financial advisor, consultant, analyst, and a portfolio manager. Armed with proprietary indicators and investment programs, Buff dynamically advises affluent and institutional clientele on strategies to help meet their specific investment objectives in what are often uncertain investment climates. As an advisor, Buff has been named a “Best in State Wealth Advisor” by Forbes*. As an analyst in 2007, Buff’s technical research was awarded the Charles H. Dow Award**, distinguishing him as the only financial advisor to thus far win the Award. The Charles H. Dow Award is considered one of the most important recognitions in the field of technical analysis. As an accomplished portfolio manager applying advanced technical/quant analysis, some simply refer to Buff as “the geek”.
However, Buff considers himself to be an evangelist of sorts. He enjoys sharing his investment theories as a foremost expert on volume analysis presenting at international conferences such as TradeStation’s World Conference, Latin America’s Portfolio Manager’s Conference, and the World Money Show.
An award-winning author (2012’s Technical Analyst Book of the Year / Trader Planet’s Top Book Resource 2011), Buff literally wrote the book on “Investing with Volume Analysis” partnering with the Financial Times Press, Pearson Publishing and the Wharton School. Buff’s research has been further featured with press partners including Barron’s, Stock’s & Commodities, Futures and Active Trader magazines, The Financial Times, C-NBC, Market Watch as well as a variety of technical journals. Buff is featured in “Technical Analysis and Behavior Finance in Fund Management” – a European book comprised of interviews with 21 esteemed portfolio managers.
Buff is a former Fort Wayne / Indiana Marathon champion. Although his competitive distance training is on hold, Buff still enjoys a good long run on occasion. Buff is a member of the Chartered Market Technicians Association and Emmanuel Community Church. He is married to his beloved bride Kathy, father of two adored children Hadassah and Kaleo, and best friend to his Rhodesian Ridgeback Dutch.
Alvin Kressler
Executive Director and CEO, CMT Association
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Alvin Kressler is the Executive Director and CEO of the CMT Association, a global credentialing body for Technical Analysis. Previously he was a consultant to Brinson Patrick, a financial advisory firm specializing in ATM’s. Prior to Brinson Patrick he was Director of Research and Corporate Access at Bloomberg Trade book. Before joining Bloomberg he was the Executive Director and CEO of CFA Society New York. At over 10,500 members, CFA-NY is the largest CFA Institute Member Society.
Prior to joining CFA-NY, Mr. Kressler was the product manager for telecom and media equity research at Lehman Brothers. Before working at Lehman Brothers, Mr. Kressler was a senior research analyst at B. Riley (formerly Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Company) as well as at Kaufman Bros., LP, where he covered small- and mid-cap semiconductor and component stocks. In addition to his sell-side experience, he covered the broader technology sector as a buy-side analyst at The Burridge Group and Institutional Capital Corp.
Preceding his work in the financial services industry, Mr. Kressler was an officer in the U.S. Army, serving first as an armor officer in Germany and in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and then as a finance officer in Germany. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BS from Drexel University.
Moderators
Dr. Anne Drougas
Professor of Finance/Quantitative Methods & Department Chair of Accounting, Finance, and Entrepreneurship, Dominican University
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Dr. Anne Drougas is a professor of finance/quantitative methods and the Department Chair of Accounting, Finance, and Entrepreneurship at Dominican University of Illinois. Since joining the faculty of Dominican’s AACSB-accredited Brennan School of Business, she has received four institutional teaching awards, at both the undergraduate and graduate level. She has served on many university and business committees, including service as a University Senator, chairing committees on High Impact Practices and Faculty Development. In 2021, she and her department collaboratively launched the first Brennan Business School of Business Investment Challenge, where student investment portfolios were judged by an alumni panel of experts from financial corporations and investment banks.
Her research focuses primarily on issues of teaching pedagogy and case studies that can be used in the classroom as well as topics encompassing financial education, data analytics, assessment, sustainable finance, and entrepreneurial finance. She is a coauthor of the text Business Statistics and Analytics in Practice (9th edition, 2019, McGraw Hill: New York).
In addition to her academic accomplishments, Dr. Drougas served on the Board of Directors for the Financial Education Association from 2001-2007 and is member of many organizations, including the Academy of International Business and the Decision Science Institute. As a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission for the past ten years, Dr. Drougas has also developed a passion for uniting innovative course curricula with assessment to ensure a quality education for all her students.
Education
Ph.D., M.A., Economics, University of Illinois at Chicago
B.A., Mathematics, University of Illinois at Chicago
Dr. Mahmoud Haddad
Professor of Finance, College of Business and Public Affairs, University of Tennessee at Martin
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Mahmoud Haddad, PhD. is a professor of Finance at the college of Business and Public Affairs, University of Tennessee at Martin. Dr. Haddad has published numerous financial economic refereed journal articles. Dr. Haddad is certified in e-teaching and learning, he has broad experience in Distant and Online teaching at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Haddad was the Financial and Accounting Manager at the American Family Insurance Co., the Executive Director of Research at the Palestinian Monetary Authority, the Vice President for Administrative and Financial Affairs and Dean of College of Business and Financial Sciences at Arab American University and Member of the Board of Trustee and research fellow at the Economic Research Forum (ERF). Dr. Haddad Is Managing Director of the UT-Martin TVA Investment Challenge Program and the University of Tennessee Alumni Distinguished Service Professor.
Dr. Terry Daugherty
Dean, Scott College of Business, Indiana State University
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Daugherty earned his B.A. at Western Kentucky University, his M.A. at the University of Alabama, and his Ph.D. at Michigan State University.
He was a postdoctoral fellow at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management. After that, he went to the University of Texas at Austin as an assistant professor in the Department of Advertising. He started at the University of Akron in 2009 where he served on the faculty and in various administrative capacities, including department chair and assistant dean.
Daugherty’s scholarship is focused on examining consumer psychology and persuasion within digital marketing and advertising. He theorizes and empirically tests how individual characteristics and media properties influence cognitive processing and consumer behavior.
Dr. Jin Park
Chairperson - Accounting, Finance, and Insurance and Risk Management (AFIRM), Scott College of Business, Indiana State University
Dr. Jin Park joined the Scott College of Business in fall 2009 and has been the chair of Accounting, Finance, Insurance and Risk Management Department since March 2019. He teaches classes relating to risk management, property and liability insurance, and employee benefits. His research areas of interest include asset-liability management, performance, and organizational efficiency. He has awarded Best in Track Award three years in a row (2007 – 2009) at Academy of Finance. He earned his Ph.D. from Temple University, Philadelphia, PA in 2003, and was an assistant professor (2003-2009) at Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL.
Dr. Tarek Zaher
Professor of Finance, Scott College of Business, Indiana State University
Tarek Zaher has held a number of professional positions with the industry and provided consulting services to a number of international institutions including the World Bank, the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan, and the Academy for Educational Development in the United States and the Ministry of Work in Dubai. He has also offered a number of seminars in investment and international financial management at a number of institutions around the world.
Dr. Zaher is SMIFC Managing Director and Co-founder and Co-Advisor of the Investment Club at Indiana State University. He also manages and supervises other international portfolios for individuals and institutions. Dr. Zaher’s research has been published in numerous prestigious professional and scholarly journals, including the Journal of Financial Research and Journal of Banking and Finance. Dr. Zaher received three research awards from professional conferences and one research certificate of excellence. He was also recognized by the Scott College of Business as the winner of the faculty research award in 2002 and the winner of the exemplary service award in 2004.
Congratulations
It was a close-run competition but congratulations to the winners of the poster competition.
1st: Lipscomb University - Kyle Joaquin, & Kendal Matas. Advisor: Dr. Han-Sheng Chen
2nd: Kennesaw State University - Cain Beatty, Mambaye Diagne, Amitai Ilan, & Eric McCart. Advisor: Dr. Govind Hariharan
3rd: George Mason University - Kanwal Ahmad, Jaehee Lee, Julianna Silinsky. Advisor: Dr. Derek Horstmeyer

The Lipscomb University team who won the poster competition
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2nd place went to Kennesaw State University and 3rd was George Mason University
Kennesaw State University also came second in the Firm Performance Analysis competition
Sponsored by:
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The 2022 SMIFC poster session will be held on Thursday, October 6, 2022, at the Palmer House, Honore Room at 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. The poster session provides the SMIFC teams a way to display information about their SMIF including performance during 2022. As an incentive to participate in the poster session competition, Scott College of Business at Indiana State University will recognize and present awards for the three teams that demonstrate Posters of Excellence for outstanding performance and outstanding visual presentation. Presenters will participate in engaging their colleagues at other SMIFC schools. All presenters are responsible for bringing or delivering the posters to the conference and removing it after the conference. Posters presenters are expected to arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of the poster session. We encourage all SMIFC teams to participate in the poster session.
Submissions and Representation
Each SMIFC team who plans to participate in the poster session competition should send an email to Michelle Swick at michelle.swick@indstate.edu by 5:00 pm eastern time on September 25, 2022. Each team is also required to report their fund time weighted rate of return (TWRR) on a spread sheet and send it to us along with a letter or statement from the brokerage house that host their SMIF for the period from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021. If the school hosts more than one fund and are managed by different teams up to three teams (1-3 students) can participate in the competition.
The teams are expected to use 48 inches by 36 inches tri-fold boards to display their posters.
Evaluation Rubric
SMIF performance measured by Sharpe ratio (40%)
Visual presentation (30%)
Presentation to judges (30%)
To determine the performance score for each team, the teams will be ranked by their risk adjusted rate of return. The team that has the highest adjusted rate of return would receive a score of 40. The score for each team would be reduced by the difference in return between its adjusted rate of return and the first team adjusted rate of return. For example, if the first team has an adjusted return of 30% and second team has an adjusted return of 27% then the second team receives a score of 37. The score on the visual presentation and presentations to visitors will be determined at the conference by the two Judges who will stop by the table of each participating team and ask questions about the teamwork.
Evaluation Method
We will use the Sharpe ratio to measure SMIF team’s performance over the period January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021. The return used in the ratio is the time weighted return.
While we would like SMIF teams to be innovative in what to include on and how to set up their posters, we expect the posters to highlight among other things, the SMIF performance, history, investment policy, Investment strategies and student role in decision making process.
Prizes
Poster session prizes (courtesy of Scott College of Business at Indiana State University)
First Place - $1,500
Second Place - $750
Third Place - $500
Information
If more information is required about this competition please contact Dr. Tarek Zaher - Tarek.Zaher@indstate.edu
Congratulations
It was a close-run competition but congratulations to the winners of the Firm Performance Analysis competition.
1st: Hofstra University - Michael Candela, Christopher Merro, & Aye Chan Sint. Dr. Edward J. Zychowicz
2nd: Kennesaw State University - Cain Beatty, Mambaye Diagne, Amitai Ilan, & Eric McCart. Advisor: Dr. Govind Hariharan
3rd: Eastern Michigan University - Paul Katokwe, Ryan Mills, & Dominic Thomas. Advisor: Dr. Yu Zhang

The Hofstra University team who won Firm Performance Analysis competition
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2nd place went to Kennesaw State University and 3rd was Eastern Michigan University
Kennesaw State University also came second in the poster competition
Sponsored by:
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This project is a financial analysis exercise of the subject company Amazon (ticker: Amzn). Financial ratios, valuation models and other statistics and variables can be used in the analysis.
Up to three teams (2 to 3 students) from each school can participate in the firm’s analysis competition. Macroeconomic, Industry, and company specific data that are necessary to complete the analysis can be obtained from the following resources or other resources you have access to:
Macroeconomic and Industry Data
Federal Reserve Beige Book and Fred database
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Consumer Board website
World Bank
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
PWC estimates of future outlook
Deloitte estimates of future outlook
Company-specific Data
EDGAR
Yahoo Finance
Google Finance
Company website
Morningstar
Questions
Use the techniques and tools you studied in your Finance and Business classes to address the following questions and topics:
1.What special business niches has Amazon developed over time? (10%)
2. How well diversified is Amazon in terms of exposure to regional national, and international economic problems (Inflation, war, and health crises)? Is the firm's asset portfolio heavily invested in assets that are likely to be affected by sharp regional, national or international economic, financial or political, changes? (15%).
3. How well have the stockholders of Amazon faired over the last five years? Compare Amazon's stock performance to the Dow Jones Industrial Average or other market indices and to its peers. (15%)
4. What are the financial strengths and weaknesses of Amazon? Use financial ratios and other statistics to answer this question. (30%)
5. What is the intrinsic value (target price) of Amazon’s stock relative to its market value? Is the stock overvalued or undervalued? Would you recommend purchasing the stock? (30%)
Prizes
Firm analysis prizes (courtesy of Scott College of Business at Indiana State University)
First Place - $1,500
Second Place - $750
Third Place - $500
Information
If more information is required about this competition please contact Dr. Tarek Zaher - Tarek.Zaher@indstate.edu
Thank you to all our sponsors without whom this conference would not be possible.
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Judges
Han-Sheng Chen
Associate Professor of Finance
College of Business
Lipscomb University
Brian Du
Associate Professor of Finance
College of Business and Economics
Cal State East Bay
Anne Drougas
Professor of Finance/Quantitative Methods & Department Chair of Accounting, Finance, and Entrepreneurship,
Brennan School of Business
Dominican University
Eric P. Eller
Associate Professor of Finance & Chairperson of the Faculty
Loras College
Mahmoud M. Haddad
Professor of Finance
College of Business and Global Affairs
University of Tennessee Martin
Derek Horstmeyer
Professor of Finance
School of Business
George Mason University
Barbara MacLeod
Professor of Business Administration
Department of Economics and Business
Ohio Wesleyan University
Mikhail Munenzon
Assistant Professor of Finance
Illinois Wesleyan University
Tarek Zaher
Professor of Finance
Scott College of Business
Indiana State University
Student Leaders
Paru Acharya
Indiana State University
Lauren Thomas
Indiana State University
Hayley Walton
Indiana State University
***coming***