Navigating the Financial Markets
Thursday, April 7, 3-6:00 pm
Virtual & In-Person at North Dakota State University
(No registration needed for in-person attendance)
Free for everyone
This year's event will use a hybrid format. Audiences can choose to attend in-person at The Louise event space in Richard H. Barry Hall in Fargo, ND or virtually. The keynote address will begin at 3 p.m. with a virtual presentation by Liz Ann Sonders. The program will continue at 4 p.m. with the panel on "Navigating the Financial Markets" featuring three finance experts. The event will be moderated by Dr. Scott Beaulier, Dean of NDSU's College of Business.
The program is sponsored by NDSU's College of Business and CFA Minnesota, with the keynote presented by the Sheila and Robert Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth.
Agenda
3-4 pm: Keynote, Liz Ann Sonders
4-5 pm: Panelist discussion
5-6 pm: Reception
Panelists
- Emir Beganovic, CFA, ESG Program Lead at Thrivent Asset Management
- Josh Howard, CFA, Chief Investment Officer at Bremer Bank
- Kathryn Lyons, CFA, Director and Senior Portfolio Manager at BMO Wealth Management
Learn more about the in-person event here.
Keynote Speaker
Liz Ann Sonders
As Managing Director and Chief Investment Strategist at Charles Schwab, Liz Ann Sonders has a range of investment strategy responsibilities, from market and economic analysis to investor education, all focused on the individual investor. A keynote speaker at numerous industry conferences, Liz Ann is regularly quoted in financial publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Barron’s, and the Financial Times, and she appears as a regular guest on news programs. Liz Ann has been named “Best Market Strategist” by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance and one of SmartMoney magazine’s “Power 30.” Barron’s has named her to its “100 Most Influential Women in Finance” list and Investment Advisor has included her on the “IA 25,” its list of the 25 most important people in and around the financial advisory profession.
Panelists
Emir Beganovic, CFA
Emir Beganovic has spent his career in a variety of roles in financial services and currently leads the ESG program at Thrivent Asset Management. He has experience with business aspects of both asset and wealth management and is interested in advancing the field of sustainable investing. Emir holds a bachelors degree from Macalester College, is expecting an MBA degree from Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management this spring, and is a CFA Charterholder.
Josh Howard, CFA
Josh is currently the Chief Investment Officer at Bremer Bank. As CIO Josh leads all areas of asset management for the bank. Prior to joining Bremer in January 2022, Josh spent seven years at RBC Global Asset Management in a variety of investment leadership roles. Most recently, Josh served as Director of Global Risk Management, providing investment risk oversight of equities, fixed income and alternatives as well as having responsibility for derivatives risk management, liquidity risk management and fair valuation for the U.S. business. In his 20+ year career in finance Josh has worked in roles with responsibility for quantitative asset management, tactical asset allocation and investment consulting.
Josh earned his BA in Math and Economics at Northwestern University, an EdM in Math Education at Harvard University and an MBA in Finance at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. He is a CFA Charterholder and currently serves as a CFA Institute President’s Council Representative for the Midwestern US.
Kathryn Lyons, CFA, CAIA
Kate is currently Director, Senior Portfolio Manager at BMO Wealth Management. Kate is a strong advocate for women in finance and is currently serving as CFA Society Minnesota’s board of directors President. She has been a board member since 2017.
Kate earned her BS in Finance from Arizona State University in 2004. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA).
Scott Beaulier, Ph.D. – Dean, NDSU College of Business (Moderator)
Scott A. Beaulier, Ph.D. joined North Dakota State University (NDSU) as Dean for the College of Business in June 2016.
An economist by training, Dr. Beaulier has spent his career actively engaged in understanding and advocating for policies that foster dynamic, vibrant economies that best allow businesses and entrepreneurs to thrive. But, while policies are integral, Dr. Beaulier believes that people — innovative, creative, and dedicated business leaders — are the life blood of any economy. And, business schools have an enormous responsibility and role in preparing the next generation to change the world through business.
Prior to joining NDSU, Dr. Beaulier served as Executive Director at the Center for the Study of Economic Liberty in the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, an academic and research center dedicated to studying the impact government policies have on economic growth and individual well-being.
From 2010 to 2015, Dr. Beaulier served as Executive Director of the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy at Troy University. Under his leadership, the Johnson Center grew into a robust academic center: In just three years, Dr. Beaulier recruited seven top-notch Ph.D. economists to campus and expanded the program offerings to include both a major and a master of arts in economics.
In addition to leading the Johnson Center, Dr. Beaulier served as Chair of the Division of Economics and Finance at Troy University and, earlier in his career at Mercer University, was the BB&T Distinguished Professor of Capitalism, Chair of the Economics Department, and Director of the Center for Undergraduate Research in Public Policy & Capitalism. Dr. Beaulier earned an undergraduate degree from Northern Michigan University and a Ph.D. in economics from George Mason University.
