CIFM Professional Speaker Series – Spring 2024

The CIFM Professional Speaker Series brings financial experts, investors, and policymakers into the Commerce School for co-curricular engagements with UVA students.

On January 23, 2024, Matt Dorchuck, a managing director at UVIMCO responsible for asset allocation, portfolio management, and risk management, began the spring semester’s series with a discussion on the role of asset allocation in building long-horizon investment portfolios. Part of his discussion also revolved around issues related to political and climate risks. Mr. Dorchuck serves as a member of UVIMCO’s Investment Committee and is involved in all aspects of the investment process. Prior to joining UVIMCO, Mr. Dorchuck was an asset allocation and risk management analyst at the South Carolina Retirement System Investment Commission. Mr. Dorchuck received his B.S. in Business Administration from the Honors College of the University of South Carolina with majors in International Business and Finance. He is a CFA charterholder.

On March 26, 2024, the CIFM Professional Speaker Series featured David Waddill, former International Investment Manager at Moore Capital Management, who discussed the role of monetary policy on global financial markets. Mr. Waddill’s talk focused primarily on how the Federal Reserve’s switch to average inflation targeting in August 2020 impacted global markets and economies. Moore Capital, founded by Louis Bacon in 1989, is a privately owned hedge fund with offices in several locations worldwide, including New York, London, and Hong Kong. Mr. Waddill was a prominent member of the firm’s investment team, where he was responsible for managing international investments for the fund.

To round out the spring semester, on April 24, 2024 the Center hosted Alternative Investing in A Rapidly Changing Environment, a panel that together a distinguished group of McIntire alumni who are industry leaders across diverse alternative investing sectors. During this discussion, the speakers share their extensive expertise and experiences in navigating the complexities and opportunities within alternative investing while exploring how alternative investments differ from traditional asset classes, highlighting the unique risks, returns, and strategies involved.  Panelists also discussed career opportunities in alternative investing and the processes firms use to identify and hire candidates.  The panel featured Owen Basham (McIntire ’08), Partner, Sentinel Capital Partners, Ross Gough (McIntire ’04), Founder and Managing Partner, Rivermont Capital Management, John Gowen (McIntire ’91), Managing Partner, Liberty Global Ventures, and Michelle Kelner (McIntire ’93), Co-Founder, Sandglass Capital Advisors. The panel discussion was organized and moderated by Brian Healy, Lecturer of Commerce and Associate Director of CIFM.