Committee Chair Bios
AARON GOECKNER, CFA
Research Analyst
SEMPER AUGUSTUS INVESTMENTS GROUP LLC
As a member of the investment team, Aaron is responsible for supporting the portfolio managers throughout the research process. A generalist, he keeps up with day-to-day portfolio maintenance as well as aiding in the generation of investment ideas across all sectors and geographies. Aaron also performs data analytics and content creation for various marketing, internal reporting and research functions within the firm.
Aaron previously worked as an intern for Semper Augustus Investments Group LLC.
Aaron was a Chancellor’s Scholar at Southern Illinois University Carbondale where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance with an emphasis in Investments as well as a minor in Accounting. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
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JOSEPH LACHKY, CFA
Vice President, Equity Research
WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
Since 2007, Joe Lachky has worked as the lead Equity research analyst covering the Cosmetics, Household & Personal Care Products sector. As Lead associate analyst, he has worked for five different senior analysts over ten years and covered four sectors. He provides investment recommendations and publishes equity research for individual companies and industry trends, as well as writes research reports based on detailed financial analysis, modeling and channel checks. He creates and maintains extensive financial models for companies under coverage. He also creates and maintains institutional marketing presentations covering industry and company themes.
Joe speaks daily with institutional buy-side clients on company and industry developments, and communicates regularly with equity sales and trading to help disseminate research to institutional clients. He develops and maintains deep relationships with IR and management of companies under coverage.
He leads non-deal roadshows with company management and represents Wells Fargo at numerous industry conferences, company sponsored events and management meetings. Joe is the Lead associate on three IPOs: ELF (2016), BUFF (2015) and COTY (2013) and is regularly quoted in the press, including: The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, Reuters, WWD and The Deal. Joe has been consistently ranked in the Top 10 in his firm’s associate analyst sales poll, including #2 in Q1 2010.
Joe supports St. Louis industry organizations, and is on the board of the CFA Society of St Louis (CFA STL). He is the Chair of the CFA STL Local Research Challenge for college students.
Prior to Wells Fargo Securities, Joe worked as a Branch Administration Manager for Scottrade Financial for five years in St. Louis and West Des Moines, Iowa.
He earned his Bachelors in Business Administration with a major in Investment Finance and a Masters of Business Administration at Drake University.
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BLAKE EMERSON, CFA
Head of Investments & Advice – Missouri
Executive Director
J. P. MORGAN PRIVATE BANK
In his role, Blake works with high net-worth individuals and families to dvelop and deliver customized, long-term investment strategies. He also serves in a leadership capacity within the St. Louis office, partnering closely with the Office Team Lead to grow the firm’s presence throughout a five-state region.
Blake joined the St. Louis team in march 2015 after spending five years working with families in the firm’s New York City office. He has been heavily involved within the firm on a national level, having served recently as a member of the U.S. Private Bank Advisory Council.
Blake is actively involved in the St. Louis community, serving as a member of the University of Michigan alumni association and serves on CFA Society St. Louis board of directors.
He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. He earned his CFA designation in 2015 and also holds Series 7, 9, 10 and 63 FINRA licenses.
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JULI NIEMANN, CFA
Executive Vice President
SMITH MOORE
Juli Niemann has worked in the financial services industry for nearly 50 years, and her extensive experience in this industry has given her the perspective and skill to manage the risk in investing. Investors cannot control the range of the returns available and set the markets. However, through careful analysis and proper balancing, they can control the risks in their individual portfolios. It is Juli’s task to know and understand your unique needs and concerns, to monitor changing circumstances, and to build and maintain a portfolio to satisfy your objectives.
Juli graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fontbonne College and from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an MBA in Finance. As a Chartered Financial Analyst, Juli is a current member and former president of the CFA Society of St. Louis.
Outside of the office, Juli remains active in the community as a member of many organizations, including the University City Pension Board, the Metro Children’s Theater Company, Parents as Teachers, the Missouri Women’s Forum, St. Louis Culinary Society, Women’s Democratic Forum, St. Louis Forum, Focus St. Louis, Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, and the Mary Ryder Home.
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DR. GAURANGO BANERJEE, CFA
Professor of Finance,
Plaster School of Business & Entrepreneurship
LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY
Dr. Banerjee is originally from India, and received a Bachelor’s of Engineering and Economics in the dual degree program at BITS Pilani, India. Subsequently, he completed a Master’s and Doctorate program in the Finance and Economics Department at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. After completing his Doctoral program, he taught at the University of Texas at Brownsville for 14 years before joining Lindenwood University in St. Louis in 2013. During his tenure at the University of Texas, he completed the requirements for the Chartered Financial Analyst program, and received the CFA designation. He has served as a Faculty Advisor for the CFA Research Challenge student team at Lindenwood University since 2016. In July 2021, Dr. Banerjee was appointed to the Board of Directors at the CFA Society St. Louis.
He has published his research in over 15 peer-reviewed journals in his field, and his current research interests lie in Risk Management and Corporate Governance issues. He has taught a wide variety of finance courses, including Corporate Finance, Investments, and seminars in Finance, Derivatives and Fixed Income Securities at the undergraduate and graduate level.
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PATRICK FEARON-HERNANDEZ, CFA
Marketing Strategist
CONFLUENCE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC
As Market Strategist at Confluence Investment Management LLC, Patrick analyzes financial market trends, global economics and geopolitical developments, including international security issues, in order to map their implications on investment strategy. Patrick also writes various reports that lay out the firm’s geopolitical, economic and market insights, which can be found under the Research & News section of the Confluence website. He is a member of the investment committees for the firm’s asset allocation, international equities and fixed income strategies and participates in the management of those portfolios.
Patrick worked in a wide variety of investment roles prior to joining Confluence. Before joining Confluence, Patrick served as a portfolio manager at AdvisorNet Financial Partners in Phoenix, Arizona, where he had responsibility for developing and implementing the investment strategy related to a series of multi-asset model portfolios. Prior to that position, Patrick was a portfolio manager at Terra Nova Ventures, a niche private-equity fund focused on international agriculture companies. Patrick is also an alumnus of A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. in St. Louis, having served as an analyst following foreign currencies, precious metals and interest-rate futures, and as the firm’s international economist.
Patrick’s global, top-down approach to investment strategy builds on his early career experience at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Brussels, Belgium, and at the Central Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C. The insights and methods of CIA-style “Strategic Intelligence” he has acquired throughout his career can be effective tools for investment strategy and management. Patrick has written widely on the evolving global “megatrends,” and has often been quoted in media sources such as the Wall Street Journal.
Patrick holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Arizona State University as well as a Master of Public Policy degree from the John. F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame, and he is a CFA charter holder.
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STEVEN KENNY, CFA
Senior Manager, Investment Portfolio Management
AXIUS FINANCIAL
Steven joined the AXIUS Financial team in 2016 as a Senior Investment Analyst and has grown in the company to a Senior Manager. He has been involved in the financial industry since 1982, with over 35 years of experience. As a Senior Manager, Steven works with the Investment Committee to design Client Portfolios. In addition, he performs construction analysis, attribution analysis, investment research, handles all trade executions, meets with clients and writes the morning research call.
Prior to Axius, Steven was a Portfolio Manager for PNC Investments, Waddell & Reed and Wells Fargo Advisors, where he was co-manager of $100 million book of assets.
He was also the Vice President/Senior Equity Strategist for Thomson Reuters/Bridge Trading, where he provided market analysis and commentary daily via written research and Squawk Box to clients around the world to demonstrate value proposition and deepen client relationships. He was a former CNBC guest commentator and provided on-demand commentary for Bertha Combs.
Steven graduated from Maryville University with a degree in Marketing and Business Management. While at school he discovered his passion for the financial industry. He has continued his education and has attained FINRA Series 3, 4, 7, 15, 16, 63 and 66 licenses to best care for his clients, as well as CFA level 2 candidate.
He is a member of the CFA Society St. Louis and serves as the Society’s Communications Committee Chair.
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C. KEVIN MOORE, CFA
ASSET CONSULTING GROUP
Kevin works closely with both institutional and private investor clients. His primary responsibilities include asset allocation analysis, portfolio construction, investment policy development and review, investment manager searches and due diligence, portfolio analysis, implementation and rebalancing, and performance evaluation.
Prior to this role, he was part of the ACG's Research Team. Kevin worked as a summer intern at ACG before joining them full-time.
He graduated from the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance.
Kevin is a holder of the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and a member of the CFA Institute. He is also a member of and the Education/University Relations Committee Chair of the CFA Society St. Louis.
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MEGAN ST. JOHN, CFA
Director – Analytics Consulting
EDWARD JONES
Megan focuses on partnering with senior leaders across the firm to leverage the full power of data and analytics for the benefit of our clients, branch teams, and firm.
Megan began her career at Edward Jones in the summer of 2005 as in intern in the Equity Trading department. Upon graduating, she was hired as an equity trader for the firm. In 2008, she became the Best Execution Analyst for the firm, and in 2010, she became a member of the Mutual Fund Research department. Megan held various roles within Mutual Fund Research including helping to create Bridge Builder funds, manage Advisory Solutions models, create portfolio construction guidance, and lead the
firm's ETF Research Advice and Guidance in both the U.S. and Canada. In 2018, she became the Senior Manager of the People Analytics team within Firm Analytics.
Megan graduated Summa Cum Laude from St. Louis University in 2005 with dual Bachelor’s degrees in finance and economics. In addition, she holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the CFA Institute. She currently sits on the CFA Society St. Louis board of directors and is a CFA Liaison to Women In Investment Management.
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