Centennial Speaker Series: Stephen Foerster on In Pursuit of the Perfect Portfolio

Join us for a lunchtime talk with Stephen Foerster, co-author of In Pursuit of the Perfect Portfolio: The Stories, Voices, and Key Insights of the Pioneers Who Shaped the Way We Invest, as he discusses how the greatest thinkers in finance changed the field and how their wisdom can help investors today.

Is there an ideal portfolio of investment assets, one that perfectly balances risk and reward? In Pursuit of the Perfect Portfolio examines this question by profiling and interviewing 10 of the most prominent figures in the finance world: Jack Bogle, Charley Ellis, Gene Fama, Marty Leibowitz, Harry Markowitz, Bob Merton, Myron Scholes, Bill Sharpe, Bob Shiller, and Jeremy Siegel. We learn about the personal and intellectual journeys of these luminaries―which include six Nobel Laureates and a trailblazer in mutual funds―and their most innovative contributions. In the process, we come to understand how the science of modern investing came to be. Each of these finance greats discusses his idea of a perfect portfolio, offering invaluable insights to today’s investors.

Agenda
12 p.m.: Welcome Remarks: James Kelly, director, Gabelli Center for Global Security Analysis

12:03 p.m.: Speaker Introductions: David Cowen, president and CEO, Museum of American Finance

12:08: p.m.: Presentation: Stephen Foerster

12:45 p.m.: Audience Q&A

1 p.m.: Closing Remarks: David Cowen

About the Speaker
Steve Foerster is a professor of finance at Ivey Business School, where he has taught since 1987. He received a B.A. in business administration from Western University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He obtained the chartered financial analyst (CFA) designation in 1997 and has taught financial management, investments, and portfolio management courses. He has won numerous teaching and research awards.

In addition to his most recent book, Foerster has also written two textbooks: Financial Management: A Primer, and Financial Management: Concepts and Applications. Foerster has written more than 100 cases and technical notes in the areas of investments and financial management. He has more than 50 publications, including empirical studies in such leading academic journals as the Journal of Financial Economics, the Journal of Finance, and the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, as well as in such practitioner-oriented publications as Canadian Investment Review. He also co-authored Cases in Financial Management and is editor of Finance and Money Market Cases.

Foerster has been a consultant and executive training course designer and facilitator in portfolio management, finance for non-financial executives, value-based management, risk management, and other investment areas. Foerster is a member of the advisory board of Financial Economics Network Courses, Cases and Teaching Abstracts Journal and is a former member of the editorial board of Financial Analysts Journal and Pacific-Basin Finance Journal. Foerster is currently a member of Western’s joint pension board, was formerly a director and chair of the investment committee of Foundation Western (Western’s alumni endowment fund), and was on the advisory board of Tremont Capital Opportunity Trust.

Copies of In Pursuit will be raffled off to attendees.

This event is co-sponsored with the CFA Society New York, the Gabelli Center for Global Security Analysis, and the Museum of American Finance.