A Seat at the Table

'Join, learn, lead' motto drives fund director Cynthia Plouché

By Hillary Jackson

For Cynthia Plouché, success isn't just about her own accomplishments—which are many—but also about helping others around her, and coming up behind her, see and seize the opportunities that can lead to success. At this point in her career, those opportunities are largely centered around mutual fund board service, and ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Thornton transitions from FedEx career to Nuveen Funds board

By Hillary Jackson

Matthew Thornton wasn't really looking for a mutual fund board position when the Nuveen Funds board found its way onto his radar screen. He was, however, working with executive search firm Spencer Stuart on a post-retirement plan that focused on finding board opportunities that would allow him to continue to ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Quaker Funds' West: Look beyond same networks to diversify boards

By Hillary Jackson

The key to getting more diversity into mutual fund boardrooms is to source candidates in a new way and in new places, according to Warren West, a 44-year veteran of the financial services industry and an independent director of Quaker Funds in the Philadelphia suburbs for the past 17 years. ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Self-investment, networking paid off for American Century's Cheesman

By Hillary Jackson

When Chris Cheesman joined American Century Funds' Kansas City board two years ago, she entered the boardroom with more than three decades of experience in the investment management business, primarily at AllianceBernstein. Cheesman knew she wanted to join a fund board in her post-career life, so she set things in ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Dalia Blass talks fund boards, regulation, what's ahead

By Hillary Jackson

Dalia Blass met with dozens of independent mutual fund directors through the board outreach program she launched while director of the Securities and Exchange Commission's Division of Investment Management. The key to her success in getting those meetings was to invite the directors to meet with her, she told Fund ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

MFDF's McPhillips: Diversity, evolving fund landscape top of mind for 2021

By Hillary Jackson

It's a good thing Carolyn McPhillips had the experience she did when she took the helm at Mutual Fund Directors Forum last June because she had to hit the ground running—in place, that is, considering the pandemic-related travel restrictions that have marked her tenure so far. "Directors have been really, ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<