| Next Event: |
THIS WEEK! April 8th, 2010
Millennium Hotel Minneapolis
8:00am-5:00pm |
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Member Ad: |
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Want to promote your firm through an ad like this? Click here. |
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MENTORS WANTED! |
CFA Minnesota is looking for volunteers willing to mentor new members and candidates in the CFA program. This entails just a few hours of your time and helps introduce candidates to the Society. Please contact Josh Howard for more details. |
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Congratulations New Charterholders! |
CFA Institute is running a global charterholder recognition advertising campaign that includes print and online advertisements plus an interactive website that lists new charterholders' names. You can find the print and online advertisements congratulating the awardees the week of 1 March in the following: The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Globe and Mail, FT.com, FTChinese.com, and Economist.com. This website includes an interactive map showing, by country, the number of charters awarded around the globe over the past 10 years.
Congratualtions New Charterholders! |
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Board Member Spotlight |
Michael Seppelt, CFA
Member, Board of Directors
Mike Seppelt is an investment principal at Lowry Hill where he specializes in consumer research and manages the assets for 17 families. In addition, Mike is a member of the firm's small cap equity strategy team.
Mike joined Lowry Hill in 2000 as an investment analyst. Prior to joining Lowry Hill, Mike was a portfolio management assistant with Minneapolis-based Wells Fargo Private Asset Management. There, he was responsible for trading and rebalancing client portfolios, as well as analyzing and evaluating both existing and prospective clients' assets. While attending college, Mike held an internship with Norwest Investment Management, Inc.
Mike earned a bachelor's degree in economics from St. John's University in Collegeville, Minn. |
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Board of Directors Committee Updates |
Business/Financial Committee
Chair Jessica Murray would welcome new committee members.
Education Committee
Have an interest in supporting candidates or improving educational opportunities? Contact Chair Jake Seltz.
Employment Committee
Chair Kristine Mogollon has begun working on Career Day, scheduled for April 2010, and would welcome help.
Membership Committee
This active committee is enhancing our new Mentor program. Contact Chair Jay Alexander with questions.
Programs Committee
Have you noticed the number of great programs we've offered recently? We always welcome suggestions! Send them to Chair Dan Aronson.
Public Awareness Committee
Coming to a TV near you: Look out for CFA MN spots on TPT! Want to help with this and other CFA MN outreach? Chair Karen Florez will be glad to chat.
Planning Committee
Vice President Robert Buss is helping oversee execution of the 2009-10 Annual Plan. |
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Welcome New Members! |
12 new members joined CFA Minnesota in March, 2010. Welcome! |
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Contact Information |
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When was the last time you updated your contact information?
CFA MN has been working on a major database project, as has CFA Institute. We have been surprised at how much out-of-date information we have for our members! Please take a moment to log-in and update your membership record. Click here.
Note: Your receipt of this email does not mean your contact info is correct in the Institute database. |
Financial Funnies
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"After federal, state and local taxes, you get one-third of a wish!" |
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Recommended Reading |
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The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
A brilliant account-character-rich and darkly humorous-of how the U.S. economy was driven over the cliff. When the crash of the U. S. stock market became public knowledge in the fall of 2008, it was already old news. The real crash, the silent crash, had taken place over the previous year, in bizarre feeder markets where the sun doesn't shine, and the SEC doesn't dare, or bother, to tread: the bond and real estate derivative markets where geeks invent impenetrable securities to profit from the misery of lower- and middle-class Americans who can't pay their debts. The smart people who understood what was or might be happening were paralyzed by hope and fear; in any case, they weren't talking.
The crucial question is this: Who understood the risk inherent in the assumption of ever-rising real estate prices, a risk compounded daily by the creation of those arcane, artificial securities loosely based on piles of doubtful mortgages? Michael Lewis turns the inquiry on its head to create a fresh, character-driven narrative brimming with indignation and dark humor, a fitting sequel to his #1 best-selling Liar's Poker. Who got it right? he asks. Who saw the real estate market for the black hole it would become, and eventually made billions of dollars from that perception? And what qualities of character made those few persist when their peers and colleagues dismissed them as Chicken Littles? Out of this handful of unlikely-really unlikely-heroes, Lewis fashions a story as compelling and unusual as any of his earlier bestsellers, proving yet again that he is the finest and funniest chronicler of our times.
Click here to for more information about this and other recomended reading available for purchase through our Amazon.com Store! Every time you shop at Amazon.com, you can support your local CFA Socity. Simply purchase through our Amazon.com portal - located on our home page and our NEW Recomended Reading page. |
| Registering for Events |
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A note about event registration through our new website:
We are now taking advantage of the registration portal provided by CFA Institute. The new improved system includes attendance tracking, automatic application of CE credits, and an estimated savings for our society of more than $10,000 per year.
Using the system is simple. Each individual registrant must have a CFA Institute website log-in name and password. All that is required is first/last name and a valid email address. Unfortunately, at this time the new system does not allow guest registration in the same way our previous application allowed. Guests are welcome, but will need to have their own user name and password. As host, you are welcome to create this account for them. On-site registrations will be allowed as available, payable with check or by registering online on-site. |
| Networking |
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Join the CFA Minnesota Linkedin Group! |
| Social Networking |
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We have recently started a Facebook Group. Click here to begin networking with colleagues through this social networking utility. |
| Join Our List |
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Greetings!
Sunny and 70+ the first week of April?! Welcome to Spring! CFA Minnesota is proud to kick off this sunny new season with our Professional & Career Development Conference THIS WEEK. With topics such as "Being a More Effective Presenter of Financial Information to a Less Financial Audience" and "Managing your Career Like You Managing you Portfolio" along with opportunities for one-on-one review/coaching with resume expert Jared Redick, we know this is an event you're sure to enjoy.
Also, the first week of April is when we have traditionally asked you for your feedback and input through our Annual Member Survey. So, keep your eye open for the survey invitation email and plan to give us a moment to provide your thoughts about Membership with CFA Society of Minnesota.
Maren Amdal, Executive Director
CFA Society of Minnesota |
| FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Monthly Member Missive |
Would you like to feature your firm in an upcoming newsletter? Click Here. |
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Relationships for Life... and Business
from RockPaperStar founder Cathy Paper |
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 To better highlight our upcoming Professional & Career Development Day on April 8th, 2010, this month's Monthy Member Missive features custom content from one of the nationally-known break-out session speakers we will feature at the conference. To feature your firm another month, please contact Maren Amdal.
Most people want more sales and more career success. Growing healthy relationships is the key to making a stronger impact as a business person. Yet, 9 out of 10 people think expanding their network means pushing themselves on other people and feels "slimy." There are several ways to grow your relationships and heighten your reputation without becoming a slick image of your authentic self.
Here are five ways I've seen people quickly become effective at increasing the power of their relationships.
1.Define your style. What kind of a person do you want to be known as? A giver, a taker, a connector, a writer, a self-promoter, a volunteer etc. Spend half an hour defining your personal brand. Ask someone you trust and respect what they think about you and how they would describe you to someone else. If they hesitate and can't answer the question, you have some work to do to be seen as a value-add.
2.Get involved and give back. Building relationships is not just lunch after lunch or 50 cold calls to grow your contact list. One of the best ways to get to know other people is to serve on a committee or a volunteer team. You can make a difference to an organization you are passionate about and meet great people along the way. Making connections starts with thinking about someone other than yourself.
3. Start small. Five nights a week out with high hopes of business development and networking and you'll burn out. Everyone gets busy and needs to hunker down with billable time or project deadlines. The best relationship people know that being a consistent but authentic presence out and about is one of the ways to stay top of mind. So pick one night a week or a Friday lunch to get to know someone new.
4. Find a wingman or wingwoman. I first learned of this concept through a New York Times article on dating. A pair would scope out a "prospect or potential date" and send one of the other people over to ask questions and talk up the other person. Brilliant. Find a person to attend an event with you and they can do your promoting for you. It's much better to have someone else say what you do and why you're amazing than to toot your own horn.
5. Be strategic. Who do you want to meet? Do your homework. Sam Richter, author of Take The Cold Out Of Cold Calling, has a toolbar where you can research people and companies in great detail using the "invisible web." Before an event, research people and study the guest list if possible. You will make the most of your time and the people you meet will be impressed by your thorough knowledge.
These are just a few of the ways to build strong relationships in today's virtual world of connections. I recommend a combination of virtual connections and face to face to cement what you want most, a lifelong network to champion your work and serve as your best business development tool.
 Cathy Paper, Writer & Principal
www.rockpaperstar.com
RockPaperStar acts as a growth catalyst for authors and small businesses. Current clients include Harvey Mackay, #1 New York Times Best Selling Author of Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive, Virtual Officenters, MorseKode and Fruitshare. As one customer said,"We are thrilled with the results of our business consulting work with Cathy Paper of Rock Paper Star. She helped us come up with new revenue sources and ideas based on our business planning and strengths work. She provides a fresh, fun and enlightening perspective to our business planning. We imagine calling on her again and again." Char Mason- Coleman Mason Events
Cathy Paper presents:
"Who's in Your Fanclub?: Growing Your Fanclub to Grow Your Career"
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FREE! R�sum� Coaching Session!
with San Francisco-based r�sum� expert Jared Redick |
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A few spots Remain!
Get your Free Session
in 3 Easy Steps:
1.Register for Career Day NOW!
If you've already registered, proceed to Step 2:
2. Email your Resume to CFA MN
Be sure to indicate am/pm preference.
3. Receive confirmation of appointment
Space is limited. If selected, you will be contacted with your appointment time.
Jared Redick, Writer & Principal
www.TheResumeStudio.com
San Francisco-based r�sum� writer, Jared Redick, helps people discover the marketable intersection between their background, interests, audience expectations, and career goals. His strategic "purpose, content, design" approach helps people transform rusty r�sum�s into barrier breaking documents.
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Professional & Career Devlopment Day: 04/08/10 |
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THIS WEEK!
REGISTER TODAY!
An invaluable opportunity to network with the top financial and investment management talent, including CFA Charterholders, CFA Program candidates, and CIPM certificants in the greater Twin Cities metropolitan area.
Featuring career experts from around the country - such as Jared Redick and Roy Cohen, both featured in this newsletter - as well as exhibitors and ample networking opportunities, this full-day conference is sure to provide you with insights and practical ideas no matter where you are on your career path .
April 8th, 2010
8:00am-5:00pm
The Millennium Hotel
1313 Nicollet Mall, MN 55403
NOT JUST FOR JOB-SEEKERS!
This event has many sessions applicable to people at any stage of their career! |
| April Educational Event: 04/29/10 |
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Intellectual Property
with Steven W. Lundberg, Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A
Much has been said about the importance of "intellectual capital" to business success. This mantra, however, is more of a truism than helpful insight. How does an investor know if a company has the intellectual capital critical to its future success? While this may sometimes seem like a difficult or impossible question to answer without an expensive consultation with an IP attorney, such is not the case. This presentation will provide attendees with simple, quick and powerful "tricks of the trade" for identifying the intellectual capital that is truly critical for any type of business.
 Steven W. Lundberg is a patent attorney and founding shareholder of Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A., a top-rated intellectual property law firm with over 80 patent attorneys and offices in Minneapolis, Silicon Valley and Austin, Texas. The firm represent many top U.S. and international corporations as well as hundreds of start-ups and emerging growth companies. Mr. Lundberg has performed hundreds of due-diligence reviews, freedom-to-operate and patent infringement studies in nearly 30 years in practice, and through those experiences has gained practical insight into what intellectual property really matters to a business.
Thursday, April 29th, 2010
11:30am - Registration opens
12:00am - Presentation & Lunch
Radisson Plaza Hotel
Room: New Sweden
35 S. 7th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55402
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April Social: 04/08/10 |
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April Social Networking Reception!
Welcoming current members and all interested industry professionals. Following our Career Conference, join CFA Board Members and conference attendees for cocktails and networking.
This Thursday - April 8th, 2010
5:00-6:00pm
The Millennium Hotel Minneapolis
1313 Nicollet Mall, MN 55403
FREE!
No registration required - Just come! |
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August Golf Outing: 08/03/10
With FPA Minnesota! - Save the Date! |
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CFA Partnering with FPA for Golf Outing!
Welcoming current members and all interested industry professionals.
 Plan to take a break to enjoy a day of golf at Island View Golf club in Waconia on Tuesday, August 3rd. Island View Golf Club is a challenging 18-hole semi-private golf course that is situated off the shores of scenic Lake Waconia. Fairways lined with trees, rolling hills, and well manicured greens offer championship golf with some of the most scenic holes in Minnesota.
This first-class tournament brings the Board Room outdoors so you can network with other financial and business professionals from around the state of Minnesota. The unique Scramble format opens the tournament up to golfers of all abilities. For all of the non-golfers out there, we hope you will participate in the Bocce Ball tournament!
Mark your calendars today! Registration details and the invitation will be sent electronically - watch your email! |
| WHAT DID I MISS?: |
March Events Summary |
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| March Monthly Luncheon: 03/11/10 |
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Issues Facing Defined Benefits Plans
with Jim Andrews, Towers Watson
The Society hosted Jim Andrews of Towers Watson on March 11th, 2010, for an engaging presentation on current issues facing sponsors of defined benefits plans. Jim's presentation focused on three primary issues, including: new funding rules, utilizing single target liability for determining interst rates, and discussion of politcal reform. The event was well-attended and very well-received, as evidenced by the highest ratings we've received on a recent event survey. The society greatly appreciates Jim's time and expertise. Also, special thanks to Jack Hansen of the Clifton Group for helping to organize this great event. |
| INDUSTRY EVENTS: |
Other associations may submit listings directly to maren@cfamn.org |
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| ACG MN: April Luncheon 04/20/10 |
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 Monthly Meeting:
Featuring Dave St. Peter, President of the MN Twins Join ACG Minnesota for their monthly luncheon at the NEW Twins Stadium with Twins President, Dave St. Peter.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Target Field!
Click Here for more information! |
| FPA MN: April Meeting 04/20/10 |
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Keeping Your Wits in Stormy Seas: A Real-Time Retirement Distribution Simulator with Jonathan Guyton
Golden Valley Country Club
Tuesday April 20th, 2010 Registration and Networking: 11:00-11:30 am
Buffet Lunch, Announcements & Presentation: 11:30am-2:00pm
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| JOB BOARD SPOTLIGHT: |
To feature an open position at your firm, click here |
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Senior Investment Consultant
Institutional Practice Group |
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Arnerich Massena, Inc. is a West Coast-based investment consulting firm assisting institutional and private clients in establishing and maintaining successful investment programs. See our web site at www.arnerichmassena.com.
The Senior Investment Consultant is responsible for the day to day consulting needs of assigned clients and developing new client relationships. Click here to visit postings on our website.
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CANDIDATE OPPORTUNITIES: |
Prep course providers and university representatives should contact our Education chair. |
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| NEW: GI Bill Covers CFA fees! |
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Did you know?
 The GI Bill now covers the cost of the CFA Program for U.S. military veterans as well as those serving active duty. This is a great opportunity for military personnel who are considering the CFA Program. Prospective CFA candidates can learn more and apply for benefits at http://www.gibill.va.gov/. |
| Study Groups! |
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Volunteer-organized study groups now active
CFA Minnesota volunteers have stepped forward expressing their willingness to coordinate study groups for currently enrolled candidates for the upcoming June 2010 exams. If you would like to study with a group, please contact:
Thank you, Manas and Travis! |
| Mock Exam Workshops |
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FREE CFA Mock Exam Workshops by Stalla for Level I & II
In preparation for the upcoming Level I and II exams Stalla invites you to sample their Mock Exam and Review Seminars. Led by Stalla's expert faculty from the University of St. Thomas, these intensive problem-solving workshops focus on the CFA exam topics that students say challenge them most. You'll receive:
� Expert-led review of critical key concepts
� Hands-on, problem-solving practice
� Guidance on how to approach tough questions
� Advice on how to get the most out of your remaining study time
� Drawing for a Stalla Mock Exam and Review Seminar scholarship
� Refreshments and networking
Wednesday,
April 21, 2010
6:30 - 9:00 p.m.
University of St. Thomas -Minneapolis
For more information, please call 877-727-7232 or contact
Amy Napolski, Stalla Field Marketing Specialist, 651-797-2135, anapolski@stalla.com
Checkout their website at www.stalla.com/workshops for more information and to RSVP. |
| Review Study Materials FREE! |
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Come on up to CFA Minnesota Offices to Study!
CFA Minnesota offices house a library of study materials from CFA Institute, Becker/Stalla and Kaplan/Schweser. Candidates are welcome to come by during regular business hours to study. Free coffee, access to free materials, and a quiet conference room in which to study!
CFA Minnesota Offices
Rand Tower, Suite 1300
527 Marquette Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55402 |
No Poll this Month: Please keep your eye out for our April member Survey. It will be emailed all on it's own within the next few weeks. We actively work to serve our members and your input is vital to our planning process. |
Poll results from last month:
In March, we asked how you feel about the importance of Professional Development to your Career. More than 75% of you responded that you feel Professional Development is "Very Important" to your career success.
Thank you for your feedback!
And join us on Professional Development Day! |
| Annual Premeir Sponsor - MSPBJ |
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Visit the online version of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, where you'll find the latest breaking business news, updated throughout the day, some of this week's top stories from the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal and other popular features from the print edition. Click Here. | |
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