CFA Society of Minnesota Hosts Annual Economic Dinner

Expert panel discusses credit, equities and politics

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The CFA Society of Minnesota, in partnership with ACG Minnesota, will host its Annual Economic Dinner on Thursday, January 26, 2012, at The Minneapolis Hilton beginning at 6:30 p.m. The highlight of the evening will be an informative panel discussion on credits, equities and politics titled “Who Wags the Dog?” An acclaimed panel of financial and political experts will inform and entertain attendees on how the world’s capital markets are entangled within a political economy – not an economic theory – all while the average Joe is making bold and drastic decisions in an environment of uncertainty. What does this mean and how does it affect the coming year?

“This night is sure to be a winner for the more than 400 people who have already registered to attend the dinner!,” said Robert L. Buss, CFA, CIPM of Disciplined Growth Investors and president of the CFA Society of Minnesota. “With political campaign rhetoric growing louder and louder while forecasts for national and global economic improvement showing very modest improvements, who knows what the coming year will look like for you and me? We are confident that our panel will educate and entertain us with information that will provide a better understanding of the financial horizon.”

The 2012 Economic Dinner panel includes Jeff DeGraaf, CFA of Reliance MacroResearch - one of Wall Street’s most influential macro-based analysts, Steve Soukup, vice president and publisher of The Political Forum, and Rob Vanden Assem, CFA, Head of Investment Grade Fixed Income at PineBridge Investments. Dean Junkans, Chief Investment Officer of Wells Fargo Private Bank, will serve as moderator.

The Society greatly appreciates the support of the many annual and event sponsors whose generosity makes this night a great success:

Silver Annual Sponsor
Disciplined Growth Investors (DGI)
Thrivent AM

Bronze Annual Sponsor
State Street
Morningstar
US Bank – Private Client Reserve
Advantus Capital Management
Fidelity Investments
Invesco Powershares
Allianz Global Investors

Annual Premiere Partner
Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal

Bronze Event Sponsor
Wells Fargo Private Bank
Charles Schwab Advisor Services

Table Sponsors
BNC National Bank	PIMCO
The Clifton Group	Quantitative Advantage
Factset Research Systems	Robert Half
Goldman Sachs Asset Management	Speece Thorson Capital Group
Intrinsic Research	Tealwood Asset Management
The Leuthold Group	The Travelers Companies
Marks Group Wealth Management	University of Minnesota, Carlson Funds Enterprise
Nuveen investments

The Annual Economic Dinner is open to anyone to attend. Please register online at www.cfamn.org or contact the CFA Society of Minnesota at [phone].

About CFA Society of Minnesota
Founded in 1952, the CFA Society of Minnesota (www.cfamn.org) is the premier professional organization for Investment Professionals in the Twin Cities area and throughout the Midwest region. A member of the CFA Institute, the CFA Society of Minnesota is the 15^th largest society of analysts among the 140 member societies and affiliates worldwide. With members in five states and a wide variety of industries, The Society strives to serve its broad membership through relevant educational programming, membership support services and opportunities for advancement such as networking events and discounts on educational materials.