A Seat at the Table

Dimensional, fund board ready early '26 ETF share class debut

By Hillary Jackson

Dimensional Fund Advisors is preparing to launch exchange-traded fund share classes of a selection of its open-end mutual funds in the early part of 2026, and the board that will oversee the multi-share class offerings is in step with that timeline, according to Stradley Ronon's Bruce Leto, independent board and ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

We've had A Seat at the Table — for 10 years

By Hillary Jackson

The very first independent chair we profiled for FBV was Leigh Wilson at Victory Funds, for our A Seat at the Table section. Victory Capital Management had recently redefined itself as a stand-alone multi-boutique asset management firm, and the fund board was going through its own changes. Wilson (below, left), who retired ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Trust for Professional Managers chair values diversity, strong relationships

By Hillary Jackson

When Erik Olstein was named the first-ever independent chairman of Trust for Professional Managers this spring, he took leadership of "a really good, diverse team of different experiences and backgrounds." Diversity of perspective in the boardroom is important to Olstein, as are strong—and deep—working relationships among board members, counsel, and ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Cooking, breaking bread builds Heartland Funds board-advisor relations

By Hillary Jackson

Members of the Heartland Funds board and Heartland Advisors management team spent a recent evening together sharing a meal. Of course it's not unusual for independent directors and members of management to break bread together over dinner during a multi-day board meeting. But in this case, the participants actually cooked ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Fund, board in place for new US Bank CEF series trust-like offering

By Hillary Jackson

U.S. Bank Global Fund Services has added a new multiple-series trust-like offering to its suite of products, this one designed for investment managers to more easily launch alternative investment products through registered closed-end funds—primarily tender-offer and interval funds. The CEF Accelerator Platform provides legal, audit, distribution, and governance services to ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<

Intentional Change: Lord Abbett Funds' approach to leadership, oversight

By Hillary Jackson

The Lord Abbett Funds board has done a lot of heavy lifting in the past few years, hiring new members, overhauling governance practices, and installing new leadership. The result, according to independent Chair Eve Guernsey, is a diverse group of professionals who are well positioned to take on whatever challenges ... >> CONTINUE READING <<<