Investment Club Presents Portfolio during Annual Dinner

On Thursday, April 12, the St. John Fisher College School of Business Investment Club hosted its 9th Annual Shareholders’ Report Dinner for fellow students, faculty, alumni, and friends of the School.

During the event, the executive student committee reported on the performance of the student-managed investment portfolio, gave an overview of their professional activities, and announced the winners of a separate academic year stock-picking competition.

The club, established in 2009, gives students the opportunity to gain real-world experience managing a small portfolio and making investment decisions. This year, the club hosted guest speakers from the investment field, including Wayne Strauss, vice president and senior product manager at Oppenheimer Funds. They also traveled to New York City where they visited financial landmarks including the NASDAQ and the trading floor of the NYSE, and participated in the Adirondack Cup, all while actively managing an endowment that hit a high this year of more than $81,000.

“The Club’s main successes included diversifying our portfolio through the purchase of new investment vehicles, networking with finance professionals through guest speaking appearances, and enjoying our annual club trip to New York City,” said John Capozzola ’18, a corporate finance and economics major, philosophy minor, and outgoing president of the Investment Club. “As always, our success has a direct relationship with the guidance we’ve received, in particular from our advisor, Dr. Patricia Wollan, and the insights we’ve derived from the culture that surrounds us at Fisher.”

Keith D. Smith, managing director of Empire Valuation Consultants, and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Charterholder, delivered the keynote address. Smith has extensive experience in financial consulting and business valuation. He has valued the equity, debt, derivatives, liabilities, and net operating losses of publicly and privately held businesses for acquisitions, divestitures, estate and gift tax reporting, liquidation, financial reporting, and general corporate planning purposes.

Winners of the Wall Street Survivor stock-picking contest were recognized and presented with monetary awards by Bob Fischer, president of Fischer Investment Group and underwriter of the awards. Senior Jake O’Donnell, a finance major, placed first, while junior Paul Derleth, a finance major and economics minor, and Capozzola, placed second and third, respectively. First place was awarded $1,000, second place $500, and third place $250.