Four classmates take first place in investment competition

Four CBA graduate students earned first place in the 2009 International Redefining Investment Strategy Education (R.I.S.E.) Global Student Investment Forum held in Dayton, Ohio. The event was attended by over 2,600 students, faculty and professionals from 275 colleges and universities located around the world. Winners were named in four divisions based on the risk-adjusted performance of their portfolio for the 2008 calendar year.

Competing in the Fixed Income Portfolio division, the first place UNO team achieved an annualized, risk-adjusted rate of return of 3.7 percent for 2008. The team was invited to present their management strategies at the event.The students, Till Bargfrede, Arnie Ovalles, Micah Schmidt and Jesse Shumaker, were part of the year-long fixed income asset management class taught by Wendy Guo, associate professor of finance, and Stephen R. Franz, chief investment officer of First National Bank of Omaha.

The class studies the fixed income section of the CFA curriculum and manages a $2 million fixed income portfolio provided by First National Bank.The students found that the preparation for the R.I.S.E. competition was very valuable. “This is not just because the work that we put into the management of the portfolio over the year paid off,” said Bargfrede, “but mostly because it was a great team building experience for our group. It was great to work together with a group of smart, knowledgeable, and hard working students.”