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We welcome your participation!

If you are interested in volunteering for any of these Advisory Groups or Sub-Groups, please click here. We recommend that you sign up for no more than 1-2 Advisory Groups at a time. If you are interested in participating in more than two groups, please contact Shantal Alonso at salonso@cfachicago.org directly to discuss your areas of interest. Thank you. We welcome your participation!

Only CFA Chicago members may volunteer for our Advisory Groups and Sub-Groups.

NOTE: Most advisory groups meet on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. Unless noted below or on the calendar, meetings generally take place between 12-1 pm. Volunteers have the choice to join in person at the CFA Society of Chicago office, or they can dial in via conference call. Volunteers who actively contribute in planning an event, securing speakers, reporting for the Society newsletter, and/or assisting with Society services and programs are eligible to receive complementary admission to a CFA Chicago event and/or additional function tickets.

It is not mandatory for volunteers to attend or call into every meeting, but any participation by way of meeting attendance or idea contribution is much appreciated. If a volunteer does not participate in a full fiscal year, contact with the volunteer will be attempted to confirm their desire to participate.

Advisory Group Highlights and Accomplishments from 2008-2009

 

ANNUAL DINNER (4-6 meetings per year)

Co-Chairs: Walid M. Fikri, CFA - William Blair & Company, LLC; Douglas M. Jackman, CFA - Thomas White International Ltd.
Email: AnnualDinner@cfachicago.org
Click here for the the group meeting schedule.
Click here to see the volunteers for this Advisory Group.
Click here to see the meeting minutes for this group. (CFA Chicago Members only)

The annual dinner is the society's flagship event and honors our society's new CFAs. The dinner typically takes place in November. The main tasks for the Annual Dinner Advisory Group volunteers include:

  • Suggest creative ways to improve the event;
  • Solicit feedback from members by preparing survey (November);
  • Solicit corporate sponsorships from local investment firms and vendors utilizing network of contacts (July - Sept);
  • Support society staff in obtaining commitments from past table sponsors and underwriting sponsors (July - Sept);
  • Provide suggestions on potential speakers to the incoming board president (Nov-Dec);
  • Shape the strategic direction of the event with suggestions to the board and society staff.

The ideal volunteer will want to participate on the advisory group for multiple years in order to improve the event from year-to-year. The ideal volunteer will also be someone that has attended past dinners and/or several similar industry events.

CANDIDATE SERVICES (meets on the 3rd Wednesday every other month)

Chair: Jay Eisenhardt - UBS Global Asset Management
Email: candidateservices@cfachicago.org
Click here for the the group meeting schedule.
Click here to see the volunteers for this Advisory Group.
Click here to see the meeting minutes for this group. (CFA Chicago Members only)

The main tasks for the Candidate Services Advisory Group volunteers include:

  • Reviewing scholarship applications for the Kimberly Paige Memorial Scholarship and the CFAI Exam Scholarship (twice a year - July and January);
  • Coordinating study group assignments for the CFA exams (twice a year - August and February);
  • Assisting with the Society post-CFA exam party each June; the Study Group Kick-Off parties (summer and winter); and any new Candidate Membership related events;
  • Brainstorming ways to engage the new Candidate Member class to become more active with the Society;
  • Administering the Candidates Services section of the Society website.

CAREER MANAGEMENT (meets on the 4th Thursday every month)

Co-Chairs: Melanie A. Angers; Jane E. Belcher, CFA
Email: careermgmt@cfachicago.org
Click here for the the group meeting schedule.
Click here to see the volunteers for this Advisory Group.
Click here to see the meeting minutes for this group. (CFA Chicago Members only)

The Career Management Advisory Group focuses on planning and conducting programs that assist members with enhancing and managing their careers and developing their professional skills. Events are held after-hours or via the CFA Chicago Online Community and cover a broad range of topics including resume writing, networking, industry roundtables, industry trends, and salary negotiation. The main tasks for the Career Management Advisory Group volunteers include:

  • Generating new ideas for events (3-4 live events; 3-4 cyberchats);
  • Conducting outreach to industry leaders for speaking engagements or participation at events;
  • Devising Q&A for informal, guided panel events;
  • Moderating events conducted by the group;
  • Reporting and writing articles covering our events for the Society newsletter.

C.F.A. - CULTIVATING FEMALE AMBITION (meets on the 1st Thursday every other month)

Chair: Kerry Patricia Jordan, CFA
Email: cfa@cfachicago.org
Click here for the the group meeting schedule.
Click here to see the volunteers for this Advisory Group.
Click here to see the meeting minutes for this group. (CFA Chicago Members only)

The C.F.A. - Cultivating Female Ambition - Advisory Group is an alliance of dedicated investment professionals, which is focused on recognizing the importance of women's contributions to CFA Chicago, to the investment industry, and to the local community. C.F.A. sponsored programs range from social networking activities to investment topics. In addition to our mission of helping women investment professionals, the group is also dedicated to supporting the general population of women in need in the Chicagoland area. As a way of helping this larger community, at each event, we select a charitable organization that benefits women in need and collect items for donation.

The main tasks for the Cultivating Female Ambition Advisory Group volunteers include:

  • Suggesting names of potential female speakers and moderators for Cultivating Female Ambition sponsored events (3-4 per year); general Society events sponsored by other CFA Chicago advisory groups (i.e., the annual dinner, luncheon programs) and for Society leadership positions;
  • Contacting industry leaders for speaking engagements or Society participation;
  • Encouraging fellow colleagues to be involved in the community by volunteering or attending our events;
  • Conducting outreach to increase the number of women interested in pursuing the CFA designation or membership in the Society;
  • Cooperating with other professional women's organizations in Chicago that would complement or extend the reach of the C.F.A.;
  • Brainstorming ideas for events that would be interesting, timely, and relevant to our group and the investment community at large;
  • Reporting and writing articles covering our events for the Society newsletter;
  • Participating in a subcommittee to plan an event (as needed) (requires a few extra hours spread throughout the year);
  • Identify names of charitable organizations for each event.

COMMUNICATIONS (meets 6 times annually, varying afternoons and luncheons)

Chair: Greg Gocek, CFA
Email: communication@cfachicago.org
Click here for the the group meeting schedule.
Click here to see the volunteers for this Advisory Group.
Click here to see the meeting minutes for this group. (CFA Chicago Members only)

The main tasks for the Communications Advisory Group volunteers include:

  • Reporting on Society activities and people via newsletter articles (ongoing);
  • Producing Society Annual Report (late fall);
  • Representing Society at external forums calling for CFA/investment profession spokespersons (as needed);
  • Maintaining relationships with media and securing press coverage/publicity for Society (ongoing);
  • Matching members with potential media interview opportunities (maintain database of capabilities) (as needed);
  • Supporting Society marketing efforts and outreach initiatives like the online CFA Community (as needed);
  • Collaborating with CFA Institute on its relevant outreach such as advocacy (potential, none to date);
  • Providing input to Society leadership on effectiveness of member communications (as needed);
  • Facilitating ongoing tracking of member satisfaction via surveys and other research (occasional in spring in conjunction with Society surveys).

Useful Skills for Various Communications Functions:

  • Writing/proofreading/editing;
  • Speaking, both in public and potential cold calling;
  • Public relations/relationship management;
  • Personal interviewing;
  • Sensitivity to design issues, both for publications and website.

EDUCATION (meets on the 3rd Thursday every month)

Co-Chairs: Alexander N. Rabinovich, CFA - Morningstar; Daniel Robert Rudewicz - Furlong Samex, LLC
Email: education@cfachicago.org
Click here for the the group meeting schedule.
Click here to see the volunteers for this Advisory Group.
Click here to see the meeting minutes for this group. (CFA Chicago Members only)

The main tasks for the Education Advisory Group volunteers include:

  • Brainstorming topics and speakers for half-day education seminars, investment exchange forums, and Fundamentals of Investing programs (9-11 events per year);
  • Recruiting top level speakers to present/instruct during events;
  • Developing new education initiatives targeted for the benefit of CFA Chicago members (e.g. Wall Street Training Courses, Book Club, etc.);
  • Reporting and writing articles covering our events for the Society newsletter;
  • Organizing book clubs on topics relevant to CFA Chicago members.

PDDARI (FMA Practitioner Demand Driven Academic Research Initiative)
(meets on the third Thursday every month after the Education Advisory Group meetings at 12:45 pm)
Chair: Rawley Thomas - LifeCycle Returns, Inc.; Practitioner Services - Financial Management Association (FMA)

Note: Researchers will be rewarded through publication and recognition for addressing relevant practitioner problems.

The main tasks for PDDARI volunteers include:

  • Developing cutting-edge investment research useful to CFA members, their firms, and the investment profession;
  • Specifically defining issues plaguing our industry, such as accurate risk measurement for non-normal distributions;
  • Presenting these problems to academics, who will develop research at no cost to the CFA Society or the participating members;
  • CFA members, or "Thought Partners," are requested to provide only specific research ideas/ critiques and data.

FINANCE (meets on the 2nd Thursday every other month)

Chair: Christopher Peifer, CFA - JPMorgan
Email: finance@cfachicago.org
Click here for the the group meeting schedule.
Click here to see the volunteers for this Advisory Group.
Click here to see the meeting minutes for this group. (CFA Chicago Members only)

The main tasks for the Finance Advisory Group volunteers include:

  • Monitoring and reviewing the status of the CFA Society's investments at each meeting to determine if each investment fund continues to be within its target asset allocation range;
  • Examining how the investment funds are tracking their respective benchmark indexes;
  • Reviewing the annual budget of the CFA Society, which includes:
    • Discussing individual budget items, anticipated income and expenditures over the next fiscal year;
    • Evaluating new budget items; and
    • Comparing the new budget to the prior year's budget;
  • Providing support with the annual financial statements, including preparation of financial charts and graphs;
  • Updating the investment policy statement (as needed);

Note: Other than meeting attendance, the external time commitment for volunteers is minimal during most of the year. Volunteer duties during budget review season in late summer may require several hours of external time commitment between meetings.

LUNCHEON PROGRAMS (meets the 2nd Monday every other month)

Chair: Joanna McGinley, CFA - Morningstar, Inc.
Email: programs@cfachicago.org
Click here for the the group meeting schedule.
Click here to see the volunteers for this Advisory Group.
Click here to see the meeting minutes for this group. (CFA Chicago Members only)

The main tasks for the Lunch Programs Advisory Group volunteers include:

  • Bringing speaker and topic suggestions to the committee for review;
  • Reviewing suggested speakers for relevancy to the membership at large;
  • Extending written and/or verbal invitations to selected speakers;
  • Following up with invitations and coordinating with Society Office to secure dates;
  • Introducing speakers at the luncheon events (optional).

RECRUITMENT (meets on the 2nd Tuesday every other month)

Chair: Jodi DiCenzo, CFA - JLD Consulting
Email: recruitment@cfachicago.org
Click here for the the group meeting schedule.
Click here to see the volunteers for this Advisory Group.
Click here to see the meeting minutes for this group. (CFA Chicago Members only)

The main tasks for the Recruitment Advisory Group volunteers include:

  • Contacting new CFA Chicago members to welcome them and to familiarize them with membership benefits and programs (rotating basis, monthly).
    • Note: Ideally, volunteers offer to meet new members at a future event;
  • Supporting CFA Chicago's Student Membership by participating in outreach efforts, including:
    • Maintaining contact with student organizations at local universities (as needed);
    • Matching members with speaking opportunities at local schools (as needed);
    • Identifying other viable resources/contacts at universities to build awareness of the CFA Society, CFA Program, and Student Membership;
    • Reviewing student essays submitted with membership applications (rotating basis, monthly);
  • Sponsoring new members who do not otherwise have CFA Chicago member sponsors (as needed);
  • Brainstorming new ideas on how to recruit new members; increase retention among existing members; and enhance the Society's volunteers' experience by recognizing their contributions and developing their leadership potential.

SOCIAL (meets on the 2nd Tuesday every other month)

Chair: Christopher Lakumb, CFA - RiverNorth Capital Management, LLC
Email: socialevents@cfachicago.org
Click here for the the group meeting schedule.
Click here to see the volunteers for this Advisory Group.
Click here to see the meeting minutes for this group. (CFA Chicago Members only)

The Social Advisory Group's mission is to organize relaxing, entertaining, and networking-oriented events in a variety of different environments that will appeal to our diverse group of members. Social events include group outings to sporting events, happy hours, dine-arounds, themed events such as cooking classes, wine tastings, boat excursion, museum outings, etc.

The main tasks for the Social Advisory Group volunteers include:

  • Generating new ideas for events (8-10 events per year);
  • Utilizing network of contacts at local clubs, private venues, entertainment facilities, restaurants, etc. to secure space;
  • Researching package deals, venue offerings, sports calendars, etc. (as needed);
  • Identifying up-and-coming restaurants for the Dine-Around series (1 per quarter);
  • Suggesting and possibly recruiting potential sponsors for the Annual Golf Outing (spring);
  • Reporting and writing articles covering our events for the Society newsletter.