CFA Institute Honors Outstanding Investment Professionals at Annual Conference

CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence, this week honored Richard Thaler (Nicholas Molodovsky Award), Karyn Vincent (Daniel J. Forrestal II Leadership Award for Professional Ethics and Standards of Investment Practice) and Elroy Dimson (James R. Vertin Award), at the organization’s 65th Annual Conference in Chicago. CFA Institute also announced its selections for three more annual awards to be presented later this year.  

Thaler, the Ralph and Dorothy Keller Distinguished Service Professor of Behavioral Science and Economics at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, was honored for his groundbreaking research in the fields of behavioral economics and finance. Among Thaler’s many accomplishments, he is the co-author of the global best seller Nudge, in which these concepts are used to tackle many of society’s major problems.   

Vincent, founder of Vincent Performance Services LLC and former global practice leader for investment performance services at PricewaterhouseCoopers, was recognized for her leadership in Global Investment Performance Standards. Vincent, a well-known speaker on measuring investment performance, has been a leading advocate for the GIPS for more than 20 years.  

Dimson is the Leverhulme Emeritus Fellow at the London Business School, fellow and visiting professor at Cambridge Judge Business School and chairman of the Strategy Council for the Norwegian Government Pension Fund. The Research Foundation of CFA Institute honored Dimson for his contributions to the profession, including the recently released Rethinking the Equity Risk Premium.  

Later this year, CFA Institute will present three additional awards to individuals who have made significant contributions to expanding investment knowledge and stewardship: 

Patricia C. Dunn will posthumously receive the Thomas L. Hansberger Award for Leadership in the Global Investment Profession for her innovation, management skills and inspiration. She is a past CEO of Barclays Global Investors, where she introduced investment management products such as the “Exchange for Physical” marketplace and the Exchange Traded Fund investment concept. 

Emilio Gonzalez, CFA, will receive the Alfred C. “Pete” Morely Distinguished Service Award for his significant contributions to CFA Institute and exceptional stewardship. Gonzalez is past chair of the CFA Institute Board of Governors and served as president of the CFA Society of Sydney. He has been the CEO and managing director of BT Investment Management since January 2010. 

Anthony Neoh will receive the Special Service Award in recognition for his exceptional service to CFA Institute. Neoh, who is chief advisor to the China Securities Regulatory Commission and a visiting professor at Peking University, has greatly contributed to the growth of CFA Institute in China. 

“Each of these individuals exemplifies what our global community of investment professionals strives to create: an investment industry that serves the greater good and promotes transparency and a thirst for knowledge,” said John Rogers, CFA, president and CEO of CFA Institute. “We congratulate and thank them for their groundbreaking work, leadership and commitment to advancing our profession.” 

About the Awards (View past award recipients) 
The Nicholas Molodovsky Award is presented periodically to individuals who have made outstanding contributions that change the direction of the profession and raise it to higher standards of accomplishment. It was established to honor Nicholas Molodovsky, one of the profession’s outstanding scholars and the first recipient of the award.   

The Daniel J. Forrestal II Leadership Award for Professional Ethics and Standards of Investment Practice is periodically presented to a CFA Institute member who champions the pursuit of excellence in professional ethics and standards of practice and who has provided outstanding leadership in elevating the integrity and competence of our profession.

The James R. Vertin Award is presented periodically to recognize individuals who have produced a body of research notable for its relevance and enduring value to investment professionals. This award was established in 1996 to honor James R. Vertin, CFA, for his outstanding leadership in promoting excellence and relevancy in research and education.