Investing In Integrity (Scholars of Finance)

"Building character is like eating vegetables. It takes effort, but it is valuable and helps us invest in ourselves meaningfully," says Nishant Kumar Singhal, Chief of Staff at Scholars of Finance, and our guest in the latest episode of Investing in Integrity. Throughout his podcast interview with Ross Overline, he delves into the very essence of SOF's mission: inspiring character and integrity in the next generation of finance leaders.

Nishant also opens up about his transformation from an introspective and anxious youngster to a driven and purposeful leader, alluding to the role SOF played in that metamorphosis. He then sheds light on the prevailing culture in finance on college campuses, pinpointing the transformative potential of an ethics-driven approach. 

Speaking about the revolutionary impact SOF is achieving, Nishant emphasizes the need to change perceptions and promote values in the finance sector. To that end, he mentions the critical role of character screening in the recruitment process. “It's really time that firms who care about the character and care about the principles and values of their staff begin to meaningfully screen for that,” he says. Further, he touches upon SOF’s vision study, and its goal to quantify the organization's profound influence on its members.

For those with a keen interest in the future of finance, a passion for ethical leadership, or simply the desire to hear a transformative personal journey, this episode is your gateway to impactful insights. Dive in for a profound exploration into the heart of finance's future, its challenges, and the leaders shaping its evolution.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline has an insightful conversation with Tory Reiss, a 3x Founder of Fintech startups.

Tory shares his journey from a promising career at Microsoft to the thrilling world of startups, describing how his desire for personal growth and making a significant impact led him to Silicon Valley.

Embarking on a startup journey often feels like a leap into the unknown. However, such bold moves can bring great rewards. Driven by personal challenges, Tory ventured into creating solutions that not only addressed his problems but also responded to wider needs.

Balancing curiosity, imagination, and execution is essential in both business and personal life. Tory highlights the importance of having a clear personal mission statement to guide decisions.

Tory also dives into the power and importance of conscious leadership with confidence and openness and details how integrating principles like emotional intelligence, mental health, and spirituality into leadership can enhance personal and interpersonal health and success.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline speaks with Diana Pagliarini, the Executive Vice President and General Auditor at State Street Corporation. Diana has 32 years of experience in the banking industry and 14 years in board-visible roles. Her leadership and ability to execute strategic plans leads to improved processes, functions, and departments while influencing policy changes and risk practices at an enterprise level.

Diana’s role at State Street involves managing and developing the company-wide corporate audit plan, ensuring risk is appropriately governed. To maintain independence, a critical component of the General Auditor Role, she has a direct reporting line to the Board of Directors Examining and Audit Committee. 

State Street is a global leader across investment servicing, markets and financing, and investment management.

Risk and auditing is about managing risks, maintaining transparency, identifying vulnerabilities, and driving compliance. With risks, there are layers of security that only authorized people should have access to. The higher the risk the more security features and layers of security are built into the architecture of the vault access. Auditors have to look at everything from people to processes and technology to know the risk. If it is a risk for State Street, it’s something Diana and her team are auditing.

In her role, Diana also values the importance of character and integrity in leadership and emphasizes self-awareness and self-care, as well as owning your mistakes and showing up, especially during difficult times. Integrity and credibility are significant currencies in leadership. Demonstrating this during challenging times can lead to further opportunities. Also, being willing to ask “What do you need?” and “How can I help?” is a great way to show leadership and build a rapport with your seniors. 

Today is our second episode of Investing In Integrity and we were joined by Teri List, a Board Director at Microsoft.

Teri was the CFO of three Fortune 500 companies, including Gap Inc., Kraft Foods, and Dick’s Sporting Goods, after working for P&G for almost 20 years and Deloitte for 10 years prior to that.

In our conversation with Teri, we covered some of the biggest lessons she learned throughout her career including how to build confidence, investing in relationships, managing machiavellian colleagues, diversity in finance, the role philanthropy plays in our economy, and her experience being on the Board of one of the largest companies in the world.

Segments from the episode:

00:00 - Intro

04:00 - The one thing that had an exponential impact on Teri's success

7:15 - How you can develop confidence

9:25 - The biggest lessons from Teri's career

13:09 - How to manage machiavellian colleagues

17:35 - The importance of building relationships

22:20 - How Teri got involved with Microsoft's Board of Directors

27:00 - What it's like to be on the Board of Microsoft

31:00 - Best practices in board leadership

37:00 - The importance of diversity in finance

42:20 - What we can do to help women succeed in finance

46:45 - The importance of philanthropy

JC de Swaan is a Lecturer at Princeton University on the topic of Ethics in Finance. He also teaches at Cambridge University and is a partner at Cornwall Capital, a New York-based investment fund.

In today's episode of Investing In Integrity, we talk with JC about his new book, Seeking Virtue in Finance: Contributing to Society in a Conflicted Industry.

We unpacked each of the four pillars in his framework for virtuous financial leadership and discussed some of his thoughts on ethical fading and values-based leadership, among other topics.

Segments from the episode:

00:00 - Intro

05:44 - Seeking Virtue in Finance at a glance

09:25 - The Four Pillars

13:31 - Pillar #1 (Customer Mandate. Serving Customers Interests Faithfully.)

25:14 - Pillar #2 (Social Wealth Creation. Contributing to Society Beyond the Customer Mandate.)

40:35 - Pillar #3 (Humanistic Leadership - Treating Colleagues with Dignity, Empowering Them, and Fostering a Responsible Culture.)

51:16 - Pillar #4 (Engaged Citizenship)

01:09:25 - The core virtues to adhere to as a finance leader

The 50th episode of "Investing in Integrity" is the second part of our special Chairman & CEO series with host Nishant Singhal, SOF’s Chief of Staff, and Ross Overline as featured guest. Through their enlightening conversation, they discuss why we need to be more optimistic about the future of the financial industry and how to make a positive difference in the lives of others. 

Ross' unyielding commitment to societal betterment is what inspired him to co-found Scholars of Finance. He talks in detail about why finance must be transformed, especially within the academic world. Ross argues that our current definition of finance is essentially a construct that we’ve designed and passed on intergenerationally for centuries. As such, he emphasizes the need to reconceptualize it for humanity to thrive.

On a personal level, Ross also explores the impact of the pivotal influences in his life. Discover how his mother, a pioneering figure in Minneapolis back in 1981, has been a compelling figure throughout the years. Learn how his stepfather’s encouragement sparked his passion for data and graphics. Lastly, delve into the challenging journey that led to the creation of SOF.

Whether you're interested in reforming finance, gaining actionable advice, or simply hearing inspiring stories, this episode has something for everyone. So tune in for an enlightening installment that serves as a fitting and poignant conclusion to our podcast’s two-part special.

At the dinner table with his father, a Tuskegee airman, John Rogers began reading Kiplinger’s Letters and the annual reports of companies. Soon after, Rogers began being mentored by Stacy Adams, a pioneering African-American stockbroker in Chicago.

In just 30 minutes, John traces in remarkable detail his own pioneering, history-making career. John discusses how Ariel Investments, the first Black-owned investment management firm in America, weathered financial crises by sticking to a values-driven approach, both in investment decisions and in leadership.

He also explains how financial services firms and their leaders can help close the racial wealth & opportunity gaps, from diversifying management, to supporting financial literacy, to collaborating with other progressive and minority-owned institutions.

“Optimistic about the future,” John highlights the roles of political engagement, educational leadership, and non-profit involvement in his own life as crucial ways that financial services employees & executives can make a difference.

“I felt the challenge to do something special and make a difference,” John says. We think you’ll agree that his clarity of perspective and generosity of advice in this episode are yet another example of something special and difference-making added to John’s impressive list.

00:00 - Intro

2:59 - John’s Career and Story

13:53 - Racial Inequalities in Wealth and Corporate Finance

23:47 - Rapid Fire questions

Sheila Bair, named the 2nd most powerful woman in the world by Forbes in 2008 and 2009, is a former Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). She oversaw the organization from 2006-2011, notably during the Financial Crisis and its aftermath.

The FDIC, founded in 1933 as a part of the New Deal to restore confidence in the banking system, is one of two government agencies that supply deposit insurance to those who bank with American financial institutions. Prior to this role, Sheila had myriad roles in academia and a brief stint running for Congress. After retiring from the FDIC, Sheila re-entered academia and became the first female President of Washington College and today serves on a number of boards and governance committees.

In today’s episode, Ross and Sheila discuss Sheila’s early career, her interest in economics, and what led her to her job at the FDIC. They then continue into a conversation about her tenure as Chair of the FDIC in the backdrop of the monolith Financial Crisis and the FDIC’s role in that crisis. Finally, they discuss Sheila’s post-FDIC career, including her stint as President of Washington College as well as her interest and involvement in Scholars of Finance.

Joseph R. Martinetto is the Chief Operating Officer of Charles Schwab where he is responsible for operations, infrastructure, and products. This includes Charles Schwab Investment Management, Legal Services, Client Solutions, Community Services, Schwab's registered investment advisor affiliates and market strategists, and the Schwab Center for Financial Research. In addition, he leads Technology Services, Digital Services, Operational Services, and the Schwab Affiliated Banks.

In today's episode, Ross and Joe shared a conversation covering the broader economic system with a large percentage of that time being spent focused on financial technology including DeFi, cryptocurrency, and his leadership of the acquisition of TD Ameritrade.

Segments from the episode:

00:00 - Intro

5:54 - Where young professionals should focus to maximize their potential

7:27 - Joe's early career and how to find the right career strategy for yourself

10:47 - How to be a good team player

14:02 - How to be a strong leader

17:26 - Trade-offs within the context of work-life balance

23:57 - Charles Schwab's strategy against The Great Recession

29:01 - Assessing the risk profiles of different assets

36:25 - Why large finance companies are staying away from cryptocurrencies

40:05 - Does DeFi have a future in the financial sphere?

42:30 - How Schwab leverages new technology

46:15 - Schwab's Acquisition of TD Ameritrade

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, we spoke with Yassaman Salas, Partner at Goldman Sachs in the Healthcare Investment Banking Group. 

At Goldman Sachs, Yassaman leads their Medical Technology Banking division, where she’s been involved in some of the biggest Healthcare and MedTech industry deals of the last decade. Yassaman digs into how the pandemic impacted the space, and also discusses several predictions for the industry in the coming years. 

Yassaman also co-leads the undergraduate and MBA recruiting efforts at Goldman Sachs for her alma mater, Georgetown, so she offers lots of advice and insight in the episode into how the firm recruits, and how students can better stand out and navigate the process. 

Finally, Yassaman touches on her passion for helping women to succeed in finance, recounting her own inspiring career path and offering tips for anyone looking to make an impact through finance. Don’t miss this conversation filled with relatable, practical advice from Yassaman!

You can listen to Investing In Integrity on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere else you listen to your favorite podcasts.

00:00 - Intro

15:44 - Healthcare Investment Banking

28:26 - Recruiting

35:21 - Rapid Fire

In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, speaks with Howard Marks, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of Oaktree Capital Management. 

Join Howard and Ross as they explore the key moments of his illustrious career and the principles defining exceptional investing. They discuss second-level thinking, the emotional challenges of investing, and how integrity and shared values build successful partnerships. Howard also shares his insights on philanthropy and giving back to inspire future leaders. A must-listen for finance enthusiasts and aspiring leaders!

Meet Howard Marks:

Howard Marks is a legend in the world of investing, known for his sharp insights and disciplined approach to risk. As the Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of Oaktree Capital Management, he has grown the firm to manage over $200 billion in assets, specializing in distressed debt and high-yield investments. With a career spanning Citicorp Investment Management and TCW Group, Howard has shaped modern investing through his expertise and widely followed memos. Beyond finance, he is dedicated to philanthropy, serving on the investment committee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and as an emeritus trustee at the University of Pennsylvania.

“Don’t you dare sell anything you wouldn’t want your grandmother to have,” says Richard Davis. “Get it off the shelf!” This ‘Grandmother Quotient’ is one of many leadership principles that the former CEO of U.S. Bank and now President & CEO of Make a Wish America shares in this episode.

It’s no secret that U.S. Bank during Richard’s (nearly two-decade) tenure set a standard of excellence, frequently being cited as one of the best places to work in America; racking up prestigious international awards for ethical business practice; and generating industry-leading returns to shareholders.

In this masterclass on principled, servant-leadership, Richard unpacks that elusive success. He recounts his rise from humble bank teller to CEO of one of the biggest banks in America, touching on key inflection points in his career such as leading U.S. Bank through the Great Recession and supporting employees and customers through social unrest in the 2010s.

“In our lives, we need to look around and see people with potential,” Richard says, reflecting on a bank manager named Cindy, who mentored him early in his career and set him on his path of leadership in banking.  “Financial services,” he says, is all about the “word services–what you do for others and what you give back.”

His insightful, pointed commentary on why “we shouldn’t set goals, but directions,” or why we should always be the person to “take the next hardest assignment, not promotion,” is relevant to students and professionals alike. One of our first and foremost supporters at Scholars of Finance, Richard offers timeless wisdom through sincere stories. We hope this episode makes you a little wiser, just as it did for us.

00:00 - Background & Introduction
02:52 - Richard’s Early Career as a Bank Teller
08:50 - Becoming CEO of U.S. Bank
10:38 - Leadership Paradigms & Values

14:28 - Compassionate Servant Leadership
18:30 - Ethics at U.S. Bank & Financial Performance

24:30 - Characteristics of World-Class CEOs
31:20 - Organizational Culture & Employee Wellness
35:00 - Non-Profits as a ‘Patchwork Quilt’
39:10 - Richard’s Backstory with SOF

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, our CEO, Ross Overline has a conversation with Katie Lawler, the EVP and Global Chief Ethics Officer at US Bank. Having started her career as a labor and employment attorney, Katie has spent close to twenty-two years with US Bank, working in legal, human resources, and ethics roles.

Katie's role at US Bank involves balancing culture and compliance. She focuses on building systems, structures, and processes to ensure every employee acts with high integrity. Unlike a typical Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, her role is distinct from regulatory compliance.

Financial services are fundamentally based on trust, requiring high levels of integrity. Recognizing the broader impact of financial services on various aspects of the economy highlights the importance of ethical practices in this industry.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline speaks with Robert Joss. Robert is a former Vice-Chairman of Wells Fargo, CEO of Westpac, Australia's largest bank, and Dean of Stanford University Graduate School of Business where he teaches leadership today.

Robert became the eighth dean of the Business School in 1999. He served as Dean for 10 years – overseeing the introduction of a new MBA curriculum, the institution of new collaborations between the school and Stanford University. 

Prior to joining the Business School as Dean, Robert was Chief executive officer of Westpac Banking Corporation, one of Australia’s largest banks, a post he held for six years. Before his tenure at Westpac, Robert held a variety of posts at San Francisco-based Wells Fargo Bank between 1971 and 1993, serving from 1986 onward as vice chairman. He worked 3 years at the U. S. Treasury, first as a White House Fellow and then as deputy to the assistant secretary for economic policy. He is currently a director board advisor at CM Capital.

Join Ross and Robert as they engage in a fascinating conversation about Robert's successful career journey and the values that have contributed to his achievements. They discuss Robert's upbringing, education, and roles in the finance industry, as well as his time as the Dean of the Stanford Graduate School of Business. They emphasize the importance of meaningful work, accessibility, humility, and constantly developing skills. They also touch on the concept of balance in leadership and the struggle of managing ambition.

Citing Matthew 5:16, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory,” Robin John, CEO of Eventide Asset Management, traces his inspiring, Christ-driven journey in building an investment firm that “makes the world rejoice” by allocating capital to promote “human flourishing.” In this one-of-a-kind episode of Investing In Integrity, Robin John explains how Eventide’s investment philosophy goes beyond, “avoiding the worst examples” of exploitation, to actively “keep moving towards companies promoting human flourishing and the global common good.”

“If a company's killing a person through their product and service, to us, they don't belong in our portfolio,” Robin explains, citing how focusing only on ESG criteria – without considering the specific effects of the actual product or service – isn’t necessarily sufficient to make values-based investment decisions.

Additionally, Robin unpacks his philosophy in leading a faith-inspired investment firm which includes “a huge amount of diversity – people from Hindu backgrounds, Jewish backgrounds, and atheists.” Reflecting on the importance of integrity, Robin says that, “if I have to sacrifice growth in order to maintain a strong culture at Eventide, I would: culture is number one.”

For anyone interested in learning from one of the most values-based, purpose-driven leaders in finance, this is sure to be an unforgettable episode.

00:00 - Intro/Career

05:15 - Founding of Eventide

10:36 - Faith & Values

18:28 - Navigating Pushbacks

26:48 - Religious Inclusion

29:56 - Leadership & Culture

37:31 - Rapid Fire

In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, speaks with Joel Peterson, Chairman and Founder of Peterson Partners, Consulting Professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business, and best-selling author of Entrepreneurial Leadership and the upcoming book, Juggling Glass and Rubber Balls.

The conversation starts with discussing the importance of trust while building high-performing teams. Joel emphasizes the need for integrity and delivering on promises to build trust within an organization. He also highlights the importance of empowering leadership and creating a high-trust culture.

The conversation segues to the topic of family and work-life harmony, and Joel shares his personal experience of balancing a demanding career with raising seven children.

He introduces his new book, "Juggling Glass and Rubber Balls," which focuses on finding harmony in life and defining success in terms of maturity in different aspects of life. Ross and Joel then discuss the role of values and priorities in driving personal and professional growth. Joel emphasizes the importance of assessing where one spends one's time, money, and mindshare to determine one's actual values and priorities.

They also discuss the significance of virtues and how many people overlook them. Joel mentions that supporting an organization like SOF (Scholars of Finance) is essential because it instills virtues in tomorrow's financial leaders.

Meet Joel Peterson

Joel Peterson has been on the Graduate School of Business faculty at Stanford University since 1992, teaching courses in real estate investment, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Joel served as Chairman of the Board of Overseers at the Hoover Institution at Stanford from 2016 to 2019. 

He also served as Chairman of the Board at JetBlue Airways for 12 years (2008-2020) and is on the boards of Franklin Covey and Packsize. Before Stanford Business School and founding Peterson Partners, Joel was Chief Executive Officer of Trammell Crow Company, the world’s then-largest private commercial real estate development firm. He has also served as the Chairman at the Hoover Institute and is an advisor and investor in firms like HireVue and ICON Aircraft. 

Joel has also been a Board Member at IT giant Asurion for 10 years and a Managing Partner at Trammel Crow Company. He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and his Bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University, where he was valedictorian. 

Joel is the author of Entrepreneurial Leadership: The Art of Launching New Ventures, Inspiring Others, and Running Stuff and The 10 Laws of Trust: Building the Bonds that Make a Business Great.

In episode #18, Ross converses with Chris Campbell, the Chief Strategist at Kroll.

Chris has an incredibly interesting story and provides unique insight on the financial system with his deep experience in both the public and private sectors. Chris discussed many topics including, working in the United States government, tackling tough objectives through policy, early career trajectory and advice, the role of finance in the current day, the current macroeconomic environment in the US, and the advice he would give to young finance professionals.

Prior to his role at Kroll, Chris was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Institutions serving from 2017 to 2018. Prior to this role he served as the Staff Director of the Senate Finance Committee and Judiciary Committee. He designed, managed and coordinated the U.S. Senate Republican agenda in the areas of international and domestic taxation, international trade, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and the U.S. National Debt. As a part of his government leadership roles, Chris helped spearhead some of the most impactful financial legislation and international negotiations of the last decade.

We are pleased to have Chris Campbell on today’s podcast!

This week on the podcast we had Jonathan Knee, a Senior Advisor at Evercore in the firm’s Corporate Advisory Business and Co-Director of the Media and Technology Program at Columbia Business School.

Before joining Evercore as a Senior Managing Director in 2003, Professor Knee was a Managing Director and Co-head of Morgan Stanley's Media Group. He was previously Publishing Sector Head in the Communications, Media and Entertainment Group at Goldman Sachs. Prior to becoming an investment banker, he was Director of International Affairs at United Airlines and served as Adjunct Professor of Law at Northwestern University. His writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, the Atlantic, and Jonathan is the author of The Accidental Investment Banker, The Curse of the Mogul, and The Platform Delusion.

Episode Segments

00:00 - Intro

06:20 - Jonathan’s Journey to Finance

09:10 - “What I liked about Banking”

10:20 - Jonathan’s role at Morgan Stanley

12:15 - Role at Columbia University

14:20 - Work with CEO of United Airlines

17:51 - What led to be being an “accidental banker”

22:57 - How to build transparent relationships 

31:50 - What Teaching is really about in finance

33:56 - Platform business delusions

40:00 - Rapid Fire Questions

In this episode of Investing in Integrity, Ross had the pleasure of speaking with Rory Gwozdz in our first ever alumni interview. Rory was one of the Co-Founders of our UC Berkeley chapter and is currently a trader at the hedge fund The Voleon Group.

Rory shares his experience of charting his initial path in finance. As a recent graduate of UC Berkeley, he offers relatable insights into choosing your professional careers from a student perspective. He candidly takes us through his journey and passion in finance through his academic years, and discusses how he realized he could follow his passion for options trading by building his own trading firm post-grad.

Rory was an incredible student member of SOF and we are so grateful for his commitment to the next generations of SOF students as a professional member and donor. This is a great podcast touching on values of entrepreneurship, dedication, and ethical finance from one of our very own alumni. We hope you tune in!

00:00 - Intro

09:10 - Perception of Finance

15:34 - Ethical Design and Regulation

36:34 - Involvement in SOF

42:28 - Impactful, Ethical Finance

Scott Mather is the CIO of U.S. Core and Sustainable Investing at PIMCO where he helps oversee over $2.2 trillion in AUM.

He is a member of the Investment Committee and a portfolio manager. Scott also oversees the firm’s global ESG portfolio integration and sustainable investment activities and previously, he was head of global portfolio management.

Prior to joining PIMCO in 1998, he was a fixed income trader specializing in mortgage-backed securities at Goldman Sachs in New York.

Scott has 26 years of investment experience and holds a master's degree in engineering, as well as undergraduate degrees, from the University of Pennsylvania.

In today’s episode, Ross and Scott spend the majority of the conversation focused on ESG investing, some of its benefits, some of its trade offs, and what you all can be doing right now to invest in a sustainable way.

In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, speaks with Miguel Guadalupe, Vice President of Development at Scholars of Finance. 

Miguel shares his journey from the South Bronx to finance, highlighting the pivotal roles of integrity and relationship-building throughout his career. He discusses his career beginnings at Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch, his transition to nonprofit work after Hurricane Maria, and his mission to inspire character and integrity in the next generation of financial leaders through Scholars of Finance. Miguel advocates for fostering genuine connections and prioritizing team growth, highlighting the importance of character in leadership and the financial industry.

Miguel shares his views on leadership, highlighting the importance of caring for team members and investing in their growth. He believes that successful leaders prioritize the development of their staff and foster an environment of collaboration and support. He contrasts this with the transactional mindset that can sometimes permeate the finance industry, advocating for a more human-centered approach.

Meet Miguel Guadalupe

Miguel Guadalupe is a seasoned business leader with deep expertise in strategic development, fundraising, and organizational leadership. A proud graduate of Wesleyan University, Miguel has held key roles in the financial services, technology, and nonprofit sectors, including positions at Merrill Lynch, FirstRain, Gartner, and BRC.

At Merrill Lynch, he gained significant experience in Marketing, Research Operations, and Middle Market International Sales. He then moved into the tech startup space at FirstRain, where he further honed his leadership and strategic skills. At Gartner, Miguel focused on strategic advisory services and market research. While at BRC, he served as VP of Development, leading fundraising initiatives that drove organizational growth and impact.

He currently serves on the National Puerto Rican Day Parade's board of directors, promoting cultural awareness and educational initiatives. As part of Scholars of Finance, Miguel focuses on guiding supporters of our programs in empowering the next generation of ethical leaders championing financial literacy and leadership development for young professionals.

Prepare to be immersed in a wealth of knowledge as we present our 'Best Of' compilation, distilled from the first 45 episodes of Investing in Integrity. This special edition is custom-made to elevate your financial expertise and turbocharge your personal and professional growth. Segmented into overarching themes of Personal Development, Leadership, and Finance, we have distilled the top talking points of the past 2 years into one blockbuster podcast. Listen from start to finish - you wouldn't want to miss this one!

• Personal Development: Your journey begins with insights from industry titans like Richard Davis, former Executive Chairman and President at U.S. Bancorp; Mandel Crowley, Chief Human Resources Officer at Morgan Stanley; and Chris Larsen, Executive Chairman and Co-founder at Ripple. They'll guide you on harnessing the power of humility and curiosity - not just as virtues, but as tools to supercharge your personal growth.
• Leadership: It's not just about knowing the numbers; it's about leading with vision and impact. Tune in as we delve deep into leadership essentials with Michelle Seitz, Founder and CEO at MeydenVest Partners; Arielle Patrick, Chief Communications Officer at Ariel Investments LLC; Peter Akwaboah, COO - Operations, Technology and Firm Resilience at Morgan Stanley; and the ever-insightful Richard Davis. Discover the true essence of exceptional leadership.
• Finance: We round off the episode with financial luminaries Mandell Crawley; John Taft, Vice Chairman at Baird; Chris Larsen; and Robin John, CEO at Eventide. They'll unveil the immense potential of the finance sector in addressing global issues and unveil the critical changes needed for a more compassionate and inclusive world of finance.

But here's the kicker - this episode isn't just about collecting information. It's about lighting a fire within you. We're here to equip you with actionable insights that can inspire, guide, and equip you with actionable insights for meaningful transformation in your career, business, and life.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, we were joined by three student members of SOF: Amirta (USC), Drake (UPenn) and Serena (UVA). This conversation was all about culture and  community–not only how each student has experienced SOF on their campus, but how their broader experiences in college and interactions with the industry–from networking conversations to recent internships–have shaped their pursuits of a career in finance.

With recruiting and networking top-of-mind for many students, our panelists shared first-hand perspectives on what they’ve looked for in internships and jobs, including how they compare and contrast considerations like business focus, people, and firm reputation when evaluating opportunities. They touch on some common challenges they’ve faced in addition to tips for standing out in the recruitment process.

Additionally, our students offer tons of practical advice for any student considering a career in finance, from choosing a career pathway, to making the most out of networking conversations, to developing stronger technical skills and knowledge. They also describe the impact SOF has had on their finance journeys, especially their own leadership roles and how they’ve specifically made an impact in their own campus chapters.

We hope you enjoy this conversation with some of our own stellar student members!

00:00 - Intro

12:08 - Finance Culture on Campus

27:02 - Impressions of Finance Industry

37:29 - Rapid Fire

In this episode, we dig into cryptocurrency regulation, the societal role of corporations, and ESG requirements with SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce.

Both a leading conservative advocate of cryptocurrency innovation and a vocal critic of ESG, Commissioner Peirce brings incisive perspective to complicated current topics including:

• Her path into financial regulation and her experience engaging in principled, civic discourse as the lone Republican of the SEC.
• The appropriate roles for Congress and regulatory agencies to play in controlling the risks of cryptocurrency, while incentivizing innovation.
• The free market forces which she believes incentivize corporations to behave in the public interest, and how finance can be a high-leverage sector for positive change.
• Her critique of ESG as a “scarlet letter phenomenon” and why she believes ESG currently fails to achieve its stated goals.
• Difficulties in ESG reporting and disclosures and how she believes investors can receive better information from companies.

For future and current finance leaders alike, we hope this conversation proves both highly informative thanks to its substantive depth, and also thought-provoking as Commissioner Peirce shares her unique perspectives on some of the most important topics in finance today.

*Note: at the time of this recording a few weeks ago, the SEC only had four commissioners. Since then, Commissioner Mark Uyeda and Jaime Lizarraga were sworn in.

00:00 - Intro

9:00 - Crypto Regulations

17:33 - Role of Corporations in the Public Interest

26:22 - ESG

39:53 - Rapid Fire

"The ability of using technology to create personal journeys in asset management is definitely the future and the next wave of opportunities for all of us," says Omar Aguilar, CEO & CIO of Schwab Asset Management, and our guest in the latest episode of Investing in Integrity. Throughout his podcast interview with Ross Overline, he delves into the future of asset management in the age of technological advancements, leadership, and innovation. 

Omar unfolds his narrative from his days as a Fulbright Scholar to his leadership at Charles Schwab Asset Management, suggesting the influential role interdisciplinary research played in his journey. He delves deeper into the burgeoning realm of asset management in the era of AI, spotlighting the transformative shift technology is bringing.

Discussing the paradigm shifts in the asset management landscape, Aguilar underscores the urgency to embrace technological advancements while navigating the challenges, notably regulatory concerns. He stresses, "Regulation is basically just putting in a speed bump. What actually works is if every single one of those drivers in that street realizes that there is a speed limit and they follow it, then it works." Furthermore, he alludes to Schwab's unique leadership ethos, which revolves around authenticity, transparency, and a staunch commitment to clients.

For those drawn to the intersections of technology and finance, intrigued by ethical leadership, or simply eager to delve into a journey of growth and transformation, this discussion offers a wealth of insights. Immerse yourself into the intricacies of the future of asset management, its impending hurdles, and the visionaries at its helm.

Ray Cameron is the Head of the Strategic Partner Program - The Americas, and the Head of Corporate Client Strategy - The Americas at BlackRock. Prior to this, Ray had been Head of Investment Stewardship for 3 years. Before joining BlackRock in 2018, Ray worked in a variety of roles across Wall Street for over 20 years, including firms such as Lehman Brothers, Morgan Stanley, and Barclays.

Ray holds a Bachelors of Business Administration from the University of Texas, Austin and a Masters of Business Administration from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University.

In today’s episode, Ross and Ray kick off their conversation with a discussion of Ray’s career and his appointment to leading roles at BlackRock. They then segue into a conversation about Ray’s core values and key lessons he’s learned throughout his career. Finally, they spend the remainder of the episode chatting about stewardship and steps that BlackRock, the leading asset manager by AUM globally, is taking to address current trends.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline speaks with Bradford Hu, the Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer at State Street. With almost 40 years of experience, Bradford is an international leader in financial services, risk management, and financial regulation.

Bradford previously worked at Morgan Stanley and Citigroup before becoming the Chief Risk Officer of State Street. His curiosity and love for learning have helped define his career. 

Bradford’s role at State Street involves mitigating risk while encouraging growth and innovation within State Street. Bradford is a believer in taking intelligent risks and emphasizes the need for a principles-based approach to risk management. He encourages open and honest conversations with business leaders to align on risk appetite and set boundaries.

The current landscape of risks includes the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, the upcoming US presidential election, the end of historically low interest rates, and cybersecurity. Bradford shares his insights on the importance of understanding vulnerabilities and developing alternative action plans to ensure operational and financial resilience.

Effective risk management requires strong leadership that curates a culture of risk awareness and accountability. Leadership is crucial in effectively implementing risk management strategies and integrating them within the organization. Bradford highlights elements leaders should be aware of such as: setting the tone at the top, establishing an appetite for risk, investing and promoting education in risk, and encouraging collaboration and communication. An open dialogue facilitates timely risk identification and resolution.

The 49th episode of "Investing in Integrity" offers a unique twist: Ross Overline, your usual host, steps into the guest seat for his first of two episodes with host Nishant Singhal, Chief of Staff at Scholars of Finance. Through their conversation, Ross dives deep into his unique journey from a modest farm town upbringing to becoming the champion for ethical finance he is today.

Listen as Ross pulls back the curtain on his life before Scholars of Finance. He candidly speaks about his mental health struggles and the invaluable support he received from family and friends on his path to recovery. Remarkably, he relates how he channeled these personal trials into his professional calling, using them to inform and inspire the future leaders of finance.

Ross' unyielding commitment to societal betterment is what inspired him to co-found Scholars of Finance, an organization poised to revolutionize ethical practices within the financial sector. By instilling values-based leadership in today’s students, he aims to transform the panorama of the finance industry and effect a positive societal impact.

Join Ross as he offers us a rare blend of personal growth stories, mentorship insights, and professional development tips that are as impactful as they are inspirational. He even commemorates the memory of a late student member, adding a layer of depth and community spirit to his powerful message.

Whether you're a seasoned professional in the finance realm or just embarking on your career, this is a must-listen episode that packs a powerful punch of wisdom and actionable insights. Get ready to be both enlightened and empowered!

In this episode of Investing in Integrity, Doug Kimmelman recounts his journey from a New Jersey upbringing to a leading role in the finance industry. He describes his transition from pre-med at Stanford to economics, where he discovered a passion for stock options and entrepreneurship. He then goes into detail about the founding of Energy Capital Partners (ECP), and how it has grown into a prominent private equity firm over two decades. 

Doug emphasizes the importance of cultivating a respectful and empowering culture at ECP. He discusses the role of inclusivity in corporate culture and the significant impact of individual interactions. His advice to young professionals includes engaging in philanthropy and community service as tools for personal growth, alongside a balanced approach to energy investment that considers reliability, cost, and environmental impact.

Addressing the finance industry's challenges, Doug underscores the value of humility and character in both personal and professional realms. He confronts the industry's negative stereotypes and stresses the need for ethical leadership.

The episode then delves into the ECP-Bridgepoint merger, with a particular focus on how cultural alignment and sustainable growth are being addressed. Furthermore, Doug discusses his strategies for maintaining mental and physical health. He also expresses his support for Scholars of Finance, highlighting the significant role the organization plays in fostering ethical leadership within the finance sector.

We encourage our listeners to tune in for valuable insights from Doug's vast experience. His knowledge is a vital resource for finance professionals at all career levels, offering practical guidance from a seasoned industry expert.

In this year-end episode of Investing In Integrity, we’re joined by Peter Akwaboah, the Chief Operating Officer for Technology and Head of Innovation at Morgan Stanley.

It’s alright to “slow down,” Peter says. “The pandemic taught us we can take time out and calibrate; things will survive and still run.” As we wrap up a year marked by so much uncertainty and kick off 2023, Peter reminds us that “it doesn’t matter what we do – taking care of yourself is the only way we continue to have mileage for the marathon.”

Peter’s career proves that reflection and self-care aren’t just compatible with professional excellence, they’re conducive to it. He delves into his work spearheading innovation at Morgan Stanley, stressing the importance of clear principles, strong interpersonal relationships, and thought leadership in making a difference. He also explains how Morgan Stanley builds firm-wide resilience to weather global issues such as geopolitical challenges from China, mounting cybersecurity threats, and Russia’s War on Ukraine.

First an IBM engineer, Peter talks about pivoting from technology to finance and the changing landscape of FinTech, and also explains how the Great Recession of 2007-2009 changed his perspective not only about finance’s impact, but his own values and principles. He also digs into diversity, equity, and inclusion, highlighting the differences he saw between firms making statements versus taking actions in the wake of George Floyd’s murder.

This conversation managed to be both eerily timeless and unmistakably present, packed with wisdom spanning decades applicable to some of the biggest issues in finance and society today. We hope you enjoy our final episode of 2022 – Happy New Year!

Episode Segments

0:00: Episode Introduction

3:10: Peter’s Background

4:40: Triple Jump & Academic Excellence

6:45: Two Inflection Points in Peter’s Career

9:50: Peter’s Three Leadership ‘House’ Principles

14:20: Peter’s Innovation Role at Morgan Stanley

16:20: How Morgan Stanley Innovates

18:30: Morgan Stanley’s Global Growth in India

20:45: FinTech ‘Eating The World’ & Future of Big Banks

24:55: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion - Transparency & Taking Action

29:05: Macroeconomic Uncertainty and Cultural Nimbleness

32:40: Lessons from the Financial Crisis of ‘07-09

36:10: How to Balance Reflection & Execution

38:30: Rapid Fire Questions

In this week’s episode of Investing In Integrity, our CEO, Ross Overline, interviewed Michelle Seitz, the Chairman & CEO of Russell Investments, a leading global investment firm that ended 2021 with over $340 billion in assets under management and $1.2 trillion under advisement for clients in 32 countries.

Michelle digs into her 35+ year career arc, speaking candidly about the importance of bringing her authentic self to work, tracing back to 1987 when she was a first-time female portfolio manager with an undergraduate degree from Indiana University, among a sea of men with Ivy League MBAs.

“Human connection can never be understated, and it is core to being a high-performing executive.” Michelle says, in discussing her tenure leading Russell Investments. She reflects on building and sustaining strong culture and how she self-selected her role based on her own values tracing to her upbringing.

Michelle also offers timely insight on investors’ mindsets, contrasting her focus on fiduciary responsibility and long-termist discipline with bull-market speculation. For future finance leaders, Michelle charts a course for building “inclusive, sustainable, long-term” growth – and also explores challenges & opportunities for young women, in particular, in becoming leaders in finance.

00:00 - Intro

1:44 - Michelle’s Career and Story

26:55 - Developing client relationships, culture, and purpose

36:31 - Empowering more women to become leaders in finance

43:58 - Rapid Fire Questions

In this episode of "Investing in Integrity", Ross Overline has an enlightening conversation with Wole Coaxum, an incredibly thoughtful leader, and visionary entrepreneur. Wole is the Founder and CEO of MoCaFi, a financial technology company committed to helping America’s marginalized communities create wealth through better access to public, private, and social capital.

Wole starts by sharing his background as he began his career at Commercial Credit in Baltimore, which evolved into Citigroup, where he gained exposure to the world of finance. However, after the tragic death of Michael Brown in 2014, Wole was inspired to shift his career toward addressing economic injustice and helping more underserved people thrive economically. Leaving a secure position at JPMorgan, Wole embarked on an entrepreneurial journey and launched MoCaFi.

Wole shares the importance of diverse educational experience and critical thinking as he benefited from various learning methods like the Socratic method, the Harkness table, and the tutorial system at Oxford, which provided him with a solid basis in logical reasoning and effective communication, skills that are vital in any career.

MoCaFi's mission focuses on expanding access to financial and social capital, striving to place people on a wealth-building path regardless of their historical starting points. The company has reimagined traditional banking products to serve underbanked communities better. For example, MoCaFi offers a demand deposit account that doesn't require credit checks or a standard banking history. Also, they are working on including rent and utility payments in credit reporting to help customers build credit scores.

As the conversation draws to a close, Wole shares some of the challenges he faces with MoCaFi's business model, the customers, and investors as a founder. He also explains how innovating within the sector to serve the underbanked requires a break from traditional models and demystifies some of the most common misconceptions about those underbanked individuals and businesses.

Today’s episode is a special one for many of us at Scholars of Finance as we had the opportunity to sit down with our Co-Founder, Ryan Quinlivan, to discuss the founding story of SOF.

Ryan is a VP of institutional equity sales at Piper Sandler in their New York office. Beyond having a very successful early career thus far, Ryan has helped us build and grow SOF every step of the way on nights and weekends… investing a lot of time in our team, students, and community to help us achieve our mission of inspiring character and integrity in the finance leaders of tomorrow.

Ross and Ryan start with how they both met and got involved in finance, and ultimately, how they started Scholars of Finance. We dive into our vision for finance and SOF as well. Ryan is an amazing person, leader, and deeply knowledgeable about markets - so we can’t wait for you to listen to this episode.

A special thank you to all of our students who submitted questions for today’s interview.

Scott Kupor is a Managing Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). A16z is a leading venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California, with more than $18B AUM, focusing on early stage tech companies.

Scott Kupor is the Managing Partner of Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), one of the world’s top venture capital firms. He has overseen the firm's rapid growth to more than 300 employees and more than $18 billion in assets under management. Prior to joining a16z, Scott worked for 8 years in a variety of roles at Opsware, an early SaaS company, before its sale to Hewlett Packard. Besides his role at a16z, Scott is the author of the Wall Street Journal best-seller, Secrets of Sand Hill Road: Venture Capital and How to Get It. He serves on numerous corporate, nonprofit, and education boards.

In today’s episode, Ross and Scott discuss Scott’s early journey from finance into the world of start-ups, venture capital, his role growing a16z from the founding with Marc Andreesen and Ben Horowitz, and his advice for anyone looking to be successful as early stage investors.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, we spoke with Stephen Sorenson, COO at Scholars of Finance. This conversation is all about balance and leadership. 

Stephen defines work-life balance as “being healthy on all fronts - mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual,” and shares several stories about his early days in building SOF – and how being focused and present in the task at hand, whether it is work or spending time with family, benefited him.

Stephen also talks openly about how work-life balance is often overlooked until mental health is affected negatively. “I see a therapist every week, I'm not ashamed to say it,” Stephen says, because “everyone should be able to talk to someone professionally about what's happening and how they can learn and grow.”

Relatedly, Stephen talks at length about being an effective manager and his path into management. Giving feedback, he reflects, is about “helping others succeed with no other intentions aside from helping them succeed.”

“If that's my mentality heading into a feedback conversation, there's no loser, there's just winners,” he concludes.

There are only winners in this conversation, too, thanks to Stephen’s compassionate, wise advice on timeless themes like personal well-being, family values, work-life balance, and leadership.

00:00 - Intro

10:11- Work-Life Balance

14:30 - Mental Health

18:26 - Feedback and Growth

22:22 - Managing Others

26:00 - Rapid Fire

In this episode of Investing in Integrity, we spoke with Daniel Kimerling, Managing Partner of Deciens Capital, an early-stage investment fund. Along with being an experienced startup operator, Daniel is also the Co-Founder of Standard Treasury, a Y-Combinator backed startup.

Daniel makes an impassioned case for the role of finance & technology (specifically venture capital) in creating opportunity and driving positive innovation – telling stories about how the financing of Genentech enabled the synthesis of insulin, or how fintechs like True Link and Chipper Cash have introduced much-needed financial products to underserved populations. 

Much of this conversation is also a meditation on the value of liberal arts learning and insatiable curiosity in solving problems. “Investing is the ultimate liberal art,” Daniel says,  “because the amount of learning knows no bounds.” Daniel delves into his personal obsession, as he calls it, with, “understanding why people stick with projects that end up being massively successful, even though statistically the odds are massively against them.

Daniel and Ross tie together observational insights drawn from Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton, to Charlie Munger’s idea of “natural drift,” to Rick Rubin’s work with Dr. Dre and Johnny Cash. We hope you enjoy this wide-ranging conversation on venture capital, technology, and timeless values like curiosity and perseverance!

Welcome to Investing in Integrity by Scholars of Finance. We're a rapidly growing organization on a mission to inspire character and integrity in the finance leaders of tomorrow. If you’re an investor, finance professional, or student aspiring to make an impact with capital, this podcast is for you. Investing in Integrity is a compilation of conversations and interviews with leading minds in finance that will help you learn how you can make finance a force for good.

In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, speaks with Bei Ling, Head of HR at Wells Fargo.

Bei shares her experience and insights on ethics, leadership, and cultural transformation in finance. Bei discusses her career journey from Merrill Lynch to Wells Fargo while underscoring the impact of HR on ethical practices in an organization. She highlighted Wells Fargo’s focus on transparent feedback, leadership accountability, and promoting a positive risk mindset among employees through extensive training. Bei also shared personal values like family and self-awareness, her framework for decision-making, and insights into handling ethical challenges in finance. Her advice to future leaders is to develop authenticity, kindness, and resilience as key soft skills.

Meet Bei Ling

Bei Ling is the Head of Human Resources at Wells Fargo and a member of the company’s Operating Committee. She leads all aspects of the company’s human capital strategy. Bei focuses on cultivating a world-class culture and inclusive environment that supports the recruitment, development, and retention of top talent across Wells Fargo’s global operations. Since joining in 2021, Bei has worked closely with senior leadership to drive innovative and people-centric strategies.

Before Wells Fargo, Bei was a Managing Director at JPMorgan Chase, where she led Talent Development and Total Rewards while overseeing leadership development, compensation, benefits, and workforce analytics. She also served as Head of HR for the Commercial Bank. A graduate of Beijing University, Bei holds an MBA from USC’s Marshall School of Business and serves on the boards of CareerWise USA and USC Marshall’s Corporate Advisory Board.

Our CEO, Ross Overline, talks with Christine Anderson about how the reputation of finance and corporate governance have evolved over the years, her experience in the Clinton Administration press room, and the duties of her current role at Blackstone.

Christine Anderson leads Blackstone’s efforts related to Environmental, Social and Governance issues and she serves as the primary spokesperson for the firm, advising Blackstone’s senior leaders and business groups as well as companies across Blackstone’s portfolio on ESG matters.

Mandell began his career at Morgan Stanley and has been with the firm for 30 years. Prior to his role as CHRO, he served as the Head of Private Wealth Management, as the Chief Marketing Officer, and in a variety of roles in Sales, Trading, and Business Development. Throughout his time at Morgan Stanley Mandell has led the organization across revenue and asset growth, fielded leadership talent, and spearheaded the creation of a more equitable firm culture.

We discussed many topics today, including Mandell’s unique story of entering and rising the ranks at one of the top investment banks in the world, the role capital and capitalism plays in driving societal change, the ESG movement, and the importance of diversity and inclusion in the industry. Mandell was a fun and insightful guest and the conversation was amazing - all thanks to him of course. Our team really does hope you enjoy it and find it as valuable as we did.

Episode Segments

• 00:00 - Intro
• 01:33 - Mandell’s career and story
• 8:50 - Thinking through major career moves
• 12:37 - What’s the distinction between learning and growing?
• 15:00 - Conscious capitalism and the role of capital in society
• 23:15 - How is Morgan Stanley employing capital to improve society?
• 29:41 - The importance of ESG investing
• 32:52 - The role of income inequality in shaping the world of finance
• 36:50 - What is driving the lack of diversity inside of financial firms today?
• 41:38 - How diversity has evolved at Morgan Stanley
• 44:30 - Rapid fire questions

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline speaks with Steve Quirk, Chief Brokerage Officer at Robinhood. 

While the democratization of finance makes investing more accessible to a broader investor base, Steve emphasizes the importance of responsible investing behavior, especially for novice investors. The conversation also touches on the innovation and evolution within the finance industry.

Steve and Ross also explore the topic of industry leadership and the strategies essential for navigating disruptive changes. Steve emphasizes the importance of passing wisdom and experience to the next generation of finance leaders while emphasizing the importance of integrity, authenticity, and financial literacy.

Steve Quirk oversaw the strategy and deployment of initiatives for Trading at TD Ameritrade. He also served as a member of the company’s Senior Operating Committee, which shaped the organization's strategic focus. Under Steve’s leadership, TD Ameritrade debuted the Investor Movement Index® (IMXSM), a proprietary, behavior-based index aggregating Main Street investor positions and activity. 

Steve focused on teaching the next generation of investors and has championed the creation of the TD Ameritrade U program to bridge the gap between academia and reality. Before that role, Steve was responsible for developing new trading tools and technology enhancements for the thinkorswim® trading platform. 

Steve’s trading career began in 1987 on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE). While at the CBOE, he served on the exchange’s Index Market Performance Committee and the Arbitration Committee. He partnered with SCMS for seven years, trading options on index products. He also led the Chicago operations of Van der Moolen USA.

Content here is for educational purposes only. It is not individualized tax or investment advice. Consult a tax or investment adviser regarding your specific situation. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Reference to actual stocks or symbols is for illustrative purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any specific security.

The Robinhood Investor Index (RIX) is not a tradable index and individuals cannot invest directly in any index. Data is intended for informational purposes only and nothing referenced with regard to the Robinhood Investor Index is a recommendation of a security, account type, trading or investment strategy. For more complete statistical information and our index methodology, you can visit the RIX website.

Views and opinions expressed here are those of the participants and do not necessarily represent those of Robinhood, its employees, or its customers.

All investments involve risk, including loss.

In this episode of Investing in Integrity, we engage in an enlightening conversation with Anne Ackerley, an esteemed executive at BlackRock. As the overseer of the US Retirement Group, Anne is responsible for over $1 trillion in assets, serving the retirement needs of millions of Americans. 

With keen insights and unmatched expertise, Anne takes us on a captivating journey through her life and career in finance, starting from her roots as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch and eventually finding her way to BlackRock. She then discusses the secrets behind BlackRock's phenomenal growth and success; these being a relentless client-focused approach, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a steadfast commitment to risk management through their exclusive proprietary system.

Anne also delves into the sweeping trends shaping the finance industry, such as the burgeoning impact of AI, the urgent need for environmentally conscious investments, and personalized finance solutions. This leads her to address the shifting landscape of the retirement age, as people live longer and redefine the traditional notion of elderliness. By shedding light on the challenges of retirement planning, Anne highlights the significance of understanding and monitoring risks in the face of global uncertainty.

Join us for a valuable journey with Anne, where beyond sharing her wisdom, she encourages the young finance leaders of today to toil diligently, maintain a curious spirit, and exhibit compassion. We are sure that you’ll enjoy this great conversation!

In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, speaks with John Shrewsberry, CFO at GoodLeap and Former CFO at Wells Fargo.

The conversation explores the role of ethical leadership in fostering sustainable finance. John shares his career journey from Wall Street to Wells Fargo and now renewable energy fintech. He explores the balance between performance incentives and ethical standards, reflecting on lessons from the Wells Fargo sales crisis almost a decade ago and emphasizing the dangers of misaligned metrics. John advocates for integrity, transparency, and constructive feedback in leadership while highlighting the role of finance in driving innovation and prosperity. John and Ross also offer advice for young professionals and seasoned leaders on fostering a culture of accountability and growth. 

Meet John Shrewsberry

John Shrewsberry is the Chief Financial Officer at GoodLeap, where he oversees critical functions such as financial planning, accounting, capital markets, investor relations, human resources, legal, and compliance. Previously, John served as CFO of Wells Fargo, managing the financial operations of the $2 trillion company, including treasury, tax management, and corporate development. During nearly two decades at Wells Fargo, he held leadership roles such as head of Wells Fargo Securities and the Wells Fargo Commercial Capital Group, which stemmed from a finance company he co-founded and sold to Wells Fargo in 2001.

Before Wells Fargo, John worked in principal finance at Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse First Boston, following his start as a CPA at Coopers & Lybrand. He earned a degree in economics from Claremont McKenna College and an MBA from Yale School of Management. John serves on the boards of Claremont McKenna, Yale’s advisory committees, and the Yale University Endowment Investment Committee.

“Impact is the next big shift in finance,” says Aaron Yeo, SOF UCLA member and Founder of Purposeful Finance, a purpose-driven media initiative to illuminate and amplify stories of finance making an impact, showcasing how rapidly-expanding disciplines like Impact Investing & Sustainable Development are changing the world for the better.

A UCLA student interested in pursuing a career in finance who started his adult life in Singapore’s armed forces, Aaron reflects on how he founded Purposeful Finance to fill a niche that he and his friends noticed: a lack of high-quality, curated content, speakers, and internship opportunities specifically for students interested in impact-oriented finance.

For first-time founders or anyone considering launching their own project, Aaron offers tons of advice from his experience, from the importance of simply getting started to which criteria to weigh in picking strategic partners and collaborators.

Speaking of partners and collaborators, Purposeful Finance is now a Scholars Of Finance organization! Ross & Aaron dig into our integration and how it’ll benefit thousands of purpose-driven finance students and professionals. We hope you enjoy this conversation with Aaron about Purposeful Finance!

00:00 - Intro

7:06 - Purposeful Finance

18:25 - Integration

25:25 - Rapid Fire

In this episode of "Investing In Integrity", Ross Overline has an enlightening conversation with Greg Shell, an incredibly articulate and deep thinker. Greg is a partner in Sustainability Investing within Goldman Sachs Asset Management and serves as Head of the Inclusive Growth Strategy.

Greg's journey in the investment field spans over 25 years, primarily in public equity as an analyst and portfolio manager. He observed that markets efficiently generate societal benefits when functioning well, but often fail to distribute these benefits equitably. Greg also highlights the importance of private capital in solving social issues, traditionally left to the non-profit and public sectors.

In his role at Goldman Sachs, Greg focuses on impact investing, a type of sustainable investing that uses private equity to invest in companies addressing societal challenges, with a dual focus on environmental and social issues. Greg shares the role of impact investing in rectifying inequalities in capitalism, advocating for a system where opportunity and prosperity are more equitably distributed.

As the conversation draws to a close, Greg shares how capitalism, as an evolving socio-economic system, is neither bad nor perfect in its current form. However, its adaptability and potential for improvement are key strengths. According to Greg, the future of capitalism involves large companies systematically providing value for all stakeholders, returning to core economic wisdom while evolving to meet modern challenges.

In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, speaks with Jackie VanderBrug, Head of Sustainability Strategy at Putnam Investments, a division of Franklin Templeton. 

At Putnam, Jackie is responsible for leading the company’s ESG-focused business functions, including stewardship, engagement, partnerships, and ESG strategy and integration. She is also a member of Putnam's operating committee.

Join them as Jackie shares her journey from economic research to leading sustainability at Putnam, where she emphasizes the integration of financial material ESG factors to drive long-term business value. The discussion also touches on the importance of career development over monetary gain, the evolving landscape of ESG, and the role of gender lens investing in creating positive societal impact. 

Jackie debunks misconceptions about gender lens investing and highlights its potential to enhance risk-adjusted returns. The episode concludes with a discussion on socio-economic inclusion, the role of finance professionals in driving change, and advice for aspiring and seasoned financial leaders. Jackie underscores the importance of moral imagination in finance and praises Scholars of Finance's mission of fostering ethical leadership.

Meet Jackie VanderBrug

Jackie VanderBrug is Head of Sustainability Strategy for Putnam Investments, responsible for leading Putnam's ESG-focused business functions, including stewardship, engagement, partnerships, and ESG strategy and integration, and is a member of Putnam's Operating Committee.

Prior to joining Putnam, Jackie served as Head of Sustainable and Impact Investment Strategy for the Chief Investment Office within Bank of America Corporation. In this role, she drove consideration of sustainability throughout the investment process for Bank of America Private Bank and Merrill. Jackie served as the Managing Director at Criterion Ventures, where she worked with high-net-worth individuals and non-profits on impact strategies and led the development of the field of gender lens investing.

She also led business development for the technology firm iBasis and co-founded Work in Progress, a non-profit social enterprise focused on career development for underprivileged youths. Jackie started her career as a domestic policy analyst for the U.S. Congress and as a strategy consultant to Fortune 500 companies at CSC Index

Tony Paquette is the Chief Financial Officer at Point72, a leading hedge fund with over $22bn in assets under management. Prior to joining the firm in 2020, Tony was at SoFi, a publicly traded FinTech company in Silicon Valley, as a Business Unit Leader overseeing International, New Business, Treasury, Regulatory Operations, and the firm's application for their bank charter - to name a few.

Before SoFi, Tony was at J.P. Morgan, where he was a Managing Director and the Global Head of Funding & Liability Management. Further, he held portfolio management roles in the Chief Investment Office at J.P. Morgan, and in Treasury & Corporate Investments at Bank of America - all after beginning his career as a research analyst covering the Technology sector at Goldman Sachs.

Tony and Ross worked together at SoFi and have since become close friends. In addition, Tony is on the Advisory Board at SOF.

Tony holds a bachelor's degree in Business Economics and Organizational Behavior and Management from Brown University. In addition, Tony was on the varsity football team at Brown.

In today’s episode, Ross and Tony kick off the conversation with a discussion of mentorship and cultivating rewarding mentor/mentee relationships. Further, Tony discusses the intersection of sports and leadership as well as some of his principles on being an effective leader. Finally, they shift the conversation to discuss Tony’s involvement in SOF.

Working in finance is essentially “safeguarding people’s lives and dreams,” according to Gunjan Kedia, Vice Chair of Wealth Management and Investment Services at U.S. Bank.

“The most successful leaders and firms in finance,” Gunjan argues, are those who carry this obligation “close to heart, and never let people become just a statistic.”

U.S. Bank, Gunjan explains, follows this principle through efforts to bring equal access to wealth management and robo-advisory technology in serving clients

In the episode, Gunjan shares her journey in the financial services industry, including her experience as a management consultant at McKinsey, and the values and principles that have contributed to her ascent through the ranks of banking leadership.

She also describes the difficulties in balancing raising a family and keeping a personal life with building a professional career, and emphasizes the importance of honesty and courage in the workplace to navigate difficult situations.

We hope you enjoy the conversation!

Disclaimer: Automated Investor is offered by U.S. Bank affiliate, U.S. Bancorp Investments.

00:00 - Intro

16:32 - US Bank

34:04 - Doing Good in Finance

42:36 - Rapid Fire

In this episode of "Investing in Integrity", Ross Overline has an enlightening conversation with Howard Morgan, a formidable figure in the tech world and current chairman of B Capital. 

Howard walks us through his exciting journey from academia to tech innovations, recalling his impactful roles at First Round Capital and Renaissance Technologies.

Venturing deep into the world of investments, Howard reveals some of his successful bets and those he passed on.

Interestingly, he sees a connection between academia and venture capital - both are about nurturing fresh talent. He also sheds light on the values that drive him: persistence, passion, and humility.

Life outside of business is also bustling for Howard. He stresses the importance of human connection when choosing business partners and shares insights into his disciplined personal routine, which astonishingly includes reading 160 books a year and prioritizing fitness. 

As the conversation draws to a close, Ross and Howard delve into a transformative concept: redefining the finance sector's role in fostering global betterment. They discuss the potential for future finance professionals to effect real change, striking a harmonious balance between achieving financial success and making a meaningful, positive impact.

Ready to dive deeper into this riveting discussion? Tune in now and enrich your perspective!

In episode #14, Ross converses with Stephanie Cohen, Global Co-Head of Consumer and Wealth Management at Goldman Sachs.

Stephanie discusses the importance of giving everyone a voice, and how staying curious and embracing failure can lead a company to rapidly innovate - even an investment bank as large as Goldman Sachs.

Prior to assuming her current role, Ms. Cohen was the firm’s Chief Strategy Officer, where she drove strategy, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), strategic investing and partnerships for the firm. She led Launch With GS, Goldman Sachs’ $1 billion investment strategy which aims to increase access to capital and facilitate connections for women, Black, Latinx, and other diverse entrepreneurs and investors, as well as GS Accelerate, the firm’s in-house innovation engine. She is also a member of the Global Inclusion and Diversity Committee, serving as a Global Executive Sponsor of the Women’s Network.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline speaks with Helene Glotzer, Head of Risk at Bridgewater Associates. Helene has spent nearly two decades at Bridgewater, one of the top hedge funds globally. In 2018, Helene was named among the 50 Leading Women in Hedge Funds by the Hedge Fund Journal.

Prior to her role at Bridgewater, Helene spent ten years as an attorney in the Enforcement Division of the US Securities and Exchange Commission. From 2004 to 2007, she co-headed the enforcement program for the SEC’s New York Regional Office, where she supervised investigations and litigation involving allegations of insider trading, market manipulation, and other types of fraud and misconduct.

Together, Ross and Helene discuss the unique culture at Bridgewater, which focuses on transparency, radical openness, and integrity. They explore what principles lead to high-performance teamwork and the key leadership values Helene has garnered over the years. She also emphasizes the importance of personal growth, transparency and candor.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, we spoke with Jonathan Cary, a Senior Managing Director at Guggenheim Securities, one of the leading investment banks on Wall Street. In this episode, Jonathan discusses everything from navigating the financial landscape after the 2008 recession, to unleashing the power of authentic leadership.

Jonathan shares several anecdotes of how he steered Guggenheim Securities through the challenging period of the last financial crisis, shaping the organization's path forward while uplifting more junior members. A central theme in Jonathan's approach to leadership is empowering others to succeed. He shares his philosophy on providing effective feedback, emphasizing the importance of genuine support and a selfless mindset.

Like previous guests in senior leadership roles, Jonathan encourages listeners to show humility and curiosity in working with others. For anyone struggling with solving a problem, he advises others to be transparent about just “needing some help," which will go a long way. “Like, who's not gonna respond well to that?” he says.

As Jonathan puts it, “There'll always be a reason why something won't work, but what are you gonna do to make it work? And when you become an advocate of trying to push it forward and leading an organization, you will be successful.”

00:00 - Introduction

03:13 - Personal Background

06:57 - 2008 Financial Crisis & Guggenheim

16:55 - Leadership Approach 

23:48 - Continuous Learning 

28:38 - Successful Deal Making

32:32 - Rapid Fires

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline speaks with Winter Mead, the founder and CEO of investment firm Coolwater Capital, focusing on emerging managers and technology investments. 

Winter has previously helped build and invest an evergreen fund at SAP, a publicly listed enterprise software company, where he co-founded the LP transparency movement called #OpenLP. Winter also worked as a private equity and venture capital investor at a large multi-family office in San Francisco. He is also the author of How To Raise A Venture Capital Fund.

Winter’s prowess goes beyond finance as he founded and operates the Coolwater Academy, which trains, builds, and scales emerging managers. Winter and Coolwater have positively impacted over 240 emerging managers over the last four years.

A common struggle for emerging managers in today's market is fundraising, but seeking out capital is just one of the many challenges they face. Winter and Coolwater prioritize a holistic approach when it comes to the Coolwater Academy. They help emerging managers with operations, transparency, and building strong foundations for long-term success. 

Coolwater supports the growth and commercialization of early next-generation technologies and innovation. They aim to be a legacy platform that supports the launch of emerging investors and helps them succeed in the industry. By doing so, they contribute to the development of technology, innovation, and the mitigation of early risks in the venture capital and growth investing ecosystem. Coolwater has helped launch over 200 funds, and in turn, they've invested into over 5,000 companies.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross chatted with Vijay Tirathrai, Managing Director of Techstars, a juggernaut startup accelerator which has had 2,900 companies go through its accelerator programs, adding up to a combined market capitalization of over $70 billion.

Vijay’s journey spans founding, failing, building, scaling, and exiting as a serial startup founder – and then investing, advising, and mentoring as a venture investor at Techstars. Vijay emphasizes the role of integrity in startup leadership, especially through vulnerability and tenacity as a team-member in his own companies. “The quicker we can get to openness, the faster we build trust,” Vijay says, explaining how it’s important for leaders to be forthcoming about challenges, setbacks, and the failures they face.

A prolific and successful entrepreneur, Vijay explains how getting “agitated” about unsolved problems in his life inspired him to start several companies, including a cycling helmet manufacturer, an association and events management platform, and a corporate venture capital firm.

And as a seasoned investor and advisor, Vijay also unpacks how Techstars operates, highlighting how they “don’t have a timeline for when investors need to exit” as a firm that believes in “patient capital.” He emphasizes the role of a curated, talent-dense network in facilitating growth and collaboration. “Start a company because you’re passionate about solving a problem, start today,” Vijay says. “If you fail, even better – stop procrastinating and get it done!”

We hope you enjoy this conversation on entrepreneurship, integrity, vulnerability, and the principles underpinning great leadership in the startup space!

00:00 - Intro

15:06 - Entrepreneurship

29:49 - Techstars Role

36:03 - Rapid Fire

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline has an insightful conversation with Chris Larsen, a well-known personality driving innovation in the financial system. Chris is the Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of Ripple.

Chris co-founded Ripple to use blockchain technology and digital assets to enable financial institutions to send money across borders, instantly, reliably, and for fractions of a penny. Before Ripple, Chris co-founded and served as CEO of Prosper, a peer-to-peer lending marketplace, and E-Loan, one of America's first online mortgage lending service providers and now a publicly traded online lender.

Chris reflects on Ripple's three-year battle with the SEC, grateful for the positive outcome while acknowledging the vital role the SEC plays in preventing fraud. He critically assesses the SEC's approach to crypto regulation, asserting that their power play has unintentionally pushed crypto innovators offshore, causing harm to the industry. Chris sheds light on a legal precedent that distinguishes cryptocurrencies like XRP as commodities, emphasizing its significance in shaping the regulatory landscape of the industry.

Chris and Ross delve into the challenges posed by climate change, and those affecting San Francisco. The conversation explores the various initiatives designed to tackle these challenges, shedding light on the critical role of public finance in this context.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline spoke with Tim Welsh, Vice Chair of Consumer and Business Banking at U.S. Bank. This conversation is all about helping other people to achieve their goals, and how a mindset grounded in humility, compassion, and integrity should be at the center of banking.

Tim’s career started in management consulting, spanning over two decades at McKinsey. He discusses in-depth how a leadership foundation in solving problems and helping clients has informed his decision-making as the head of over 25,000 people in the consumer and business banking divisions of U.S. Bank.

“Job titles are irrelevant if you’re not making a difference in people’s lives,” Tim says. This conversation has a timeless quality to it, as Tim touches on inflection points in his own career and U.S. Bank’s journey, and explains how leadership principles and values have helped him and his countless employees and clients to prosper.

We hope you enjoy this evergreen conversation on the importance of serving others and staying true to principles in leadership!

00:00 - Intro

11:40 - Leadership

34:35 - Consumer Banking

38:01 - Philanthropy

39:16 - Rapid Fire

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline revisits our all-time favorite episode with Richard Davis, the former Chairman and CEO at US Bank. Richard sits on several boards including Wells Fargo, MasterCard, Dow Chemical Mayo Clinic, and the Advisory Board of Scholars of Finance. A giant figure in the banking industry, Richard is renowned for his financial know-how and excellent leadership.

Richard has now retired from the financial industry having left a lasting legacy, he steered US Bank through the financial crisis of 2008, winning the coveted award “Banker of the year”, selected by American Banker and was the chosen "2010 Executive of the Year" by the Twin Cities Business Journal.

In this episode, Richard shares his rise from bank teller to CEO of one of the biggest banks in America. He touches on leading the U.S. Bank through the Great Recession and his support of employees and customers through social unrest in the 2010s.

His insightful, pointed commentary on why “we shouldn’t set goals, but directions,” or why we should always be the person to “take the next hardest assignment, not promotion,” is relevant to students and professionals alike. Considered a co-founder, Richard was one of the first supporters of Scholars of Finance. 

In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, speaks with Rick Flynn, Managing Director, Head of RQA EMEA at BlackRock.

This conversation explores the entrepreneurial journey of Rick Flynn in the world of risk management. Rick takes us through the processes needed to gain knowledge about risks. He shares several lessons about risk management and also how the support given to his clients while making decisions has improved their relationship over the years.

The episode concludes with a discussion on the role of derivatives in the financial markets. Rick addresses concerns about the potential risks associated with derivatives trading and the importance of regulatory oversight to ensure market stability.

Meet Rick Flynn

Richard Flynn, Managing Director and Head of Risk & Quantitative Analysis EMEA at BlackRock. In addition, he is the Chief Risk Officer of BlackRock Group Limited (BGL), co-chairs the EMEA Enterprise Risk Committee, and is a member of the European Executive and Global Operating Committees of the firm.

Mr. Flynn's service with the firm dates back to 2005, including his years with Barclays Global Investors (BGI), which merged with BlackRock in 2009. Prior to joining BGI in November 2005, he spent 4 years at London-based hedge fund Horizon Asset Limited focused on convertible bond arbitrage research and equity stat-arb trading. Previous experience includes setting up proprietary trading groups and managing risk arbitrage strategies at both Sanwa International plc and Sumitomo Finance International plc. Mr. Flynn began his career by spending 9 years with Salomon Brothers Proprietary Fixed Income groups variously in London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and New York.

Mr. Flynn holds a Masters in Finance from London Business School, a BSc in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and is a CFA Charterholder.

Chris Larsen is the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Ripple and happens to be a crypto billionaire.

Chris is active in working to advance pro-consumer regulation in the financial sector and is an incredibly impressive leader, founder, and change-maker.

In today's episode of Investing In Integrity, we delve into the regulation of cryptocurrencies, transparency in the financial system, socioeconomic impacts of crypto, their climate impact, and the future of crypto in America and across the globe.

Here’s an overview of some of the segments:

00:00 - Intro

04:00 - What value crypto brings into the world

08:55 - The impact crypto has on globalization

12:30 - How crypto and blockchain technology can make finance more accessible

22:50 - Ripple’s lawsuit with the SEC and its regulatory implications

28:00 - Chris’s definition of cryptocurrency

32:00 - Crypto’s climate impact and how it can be dramatically reduced

57:00 - Career advice from Chris

John Taft is Vice Chairman at Baird and a member of the firm's Executive Committee. Prior to joining Baird, he served as CEO of RBC Wealth Management, a full-service brokerage firm with nearly 2,000 financial advisors and over $280 billion in assets, for more than 10 years (2005-2016). He is a past chairman of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), where he advocated for responsible financial reform.

His book "Stewardship" is read by all of our students during the Leadership Development Program and covers the importance of core principles on a personal, professional, and societal level.

Throughout this interview, Ross and John unpack the concept of stewardship and what everyone can do to use finance as a force for good.

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Segments from the episode:

00:00 - Intro

06:45 - John's book "Stewardship"

15:30 - What we can do to make finance a force for good

24:30 - The role of finance in making a positive impact

29:20 - Vehicles that generate value vs. those that extract value

39:30 - To what extent is the financial services industry extractive?

42:00 - Combating inequality and inequity through finance

53:00 - Advice for investors to maximize personal impact

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Join our mission at scholarsoffinance.org

In today’s episode, we were joined by Elizabeth Sandler, the Founder and CEO of Echo Juliette and a former Managing Director at The Blackstone Group, to discuss mentorship with a focus on helping people chart their path in finance.

Prior to founding her consultancy, Elizabeth served as a Managing Director at The Blackstone Group and Chief Operating Officer of Blackstone’s Real Estate Debt Strategies business from September 2016 to August 2018. Prior to that, she was at Deutsche Bank for 15 years as an MD and division COO as well.

Elizabeth is a dynamo and we think you’ll love hearing from her. In our conversation we covered the importance of setting and accomplishing long-term goals, what we all can do to empower women in finance, what it takes to be a good mentor AND mentee, and so much more.

As always, a special thank you to all of our students who submitted questions for today’s interview.

Chris Varelas is the Founding Partner at Riverwood Capital Partners. Riverwood Capital Partners is a world-leading Private Equity firm that invests in high growth technology. With over 3 billion dollars in capital commitments Riverwood enables tech-related business scale into world-class organizations.

If that isn't enough, Chris is a board member for The Aspen Institute - an organization that works to build diverse and creative thought leaders who are designed to address the world’s most complex issues.

Prior to his work with Riverwood and The Aspen Institute, Chris worked at Citi as the Global Head of Technology, Media & Telecom Investment Banking, Head of Citi’s National Investment Bank, and a member of Citi’s Global Operating Committee.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline has an enlightening conversation with Trae Stephens, Partner at Founders Fund and Co-Founder of three companies, Anduril, Sol, and Pursuit. 

Join us as we delve into the world of venture capital, Trae's background in the intelligence community, his work at Palantir, and his co-founded companies. In this episode, he shares the importance of purpose-driven leadership in finance and the moral gray zones of investing. With book recommendations and advice for young listeners, this podcast is a must-listen for those seeking fulfillment beyond financial success.

Trae provides examples of companies Founders Fund has invested in, such as Facebook, SpaceX, and Palantir. They then dive into Trae's co-founded companies, Anduril Industries and Sol. Anduril is a defense technology company focused on building autonomous platforms for national security purposes. They discuss the importance of technology in the defense industry and the need for a just and ethical approach to warfare.

Trae also shares his perspective on moral gray zones in investing, stating that he prefers to avoid investing in things that may lead to bad behaviors or addiction – even if they may be profitable. Highlighting the risks associated with investing, particularly the temptation of greed and the importance of finding contentment and gratitude to counteract it.

Aligning with our mission, Trae notes his perspective on leadership in finance and investing. He emphasizes the importance of having a mission-focused approach and ensuring that the work being done positively impacts humanity. He believes a deeper purpose and value should drive financial outcomes.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline spoke with Michael Sonnenshein, CEO at Grayscale Investments. For context, Grayscale is the world’s largest digital currency asset manager, and its flagship product, the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, or GBTC for short, has had major ups & downs in the last couple years – just like Bitcoin.  Ross & Michael dig into some of the major controversies and flashpoints in crypto, from the recent collapse of FTX, to Grayscale’s clash with the SEC over launching a Bitcoin spot ETF.

A decade-long crypto veteran, Michael describes the present moment as a “third winter” in the backdrop of a possible recession, but argues there is ample reason to be bullish. With measured optimism, Michael answers some of the core existential questions about crypto, from its viability as an asset class, to whether NFTs and memecoins are useful innovations.

Michael also shares some thoughts on leadership, gained from working at one of the most dynamic and unpredictable edges of finance.

We hope you enjoy this timely conversation on some of the hottest issues in crypto!

00:00 - Intro

18:04 - SEC Lawsuit, Regulation

31:23 - Crypto as an Asset Class, Recession Context

36:06 - Rapid Fire

In this episode of Investing in Integrity, we had an in-depth conversation about risk management and modeling with Armel Roméo Kouassi, Global Head of Asset Liability Management for Northern Trust Corporation.

From dissecting the downfall of Silicon Valley Bank to comparative historical analysis of how firms managed and modeled risk in the 1980s, Armel argues throughout the conversation how the complexity and uncertainty of working in finance necessitates strong, principled leadership. 

He also unpacks how having close peer networks (for Armel, his inner circle of other risk leaders) is instrumental to professional success – especially in difficult environments.
An accomplished leader both in and beyond finance, Armel also shares a few stories from his experience as part of the Executive Leadership Program in the Presidential Leadership Scholars Program – through which he met former Presidents Bush and Clinton.

This episode of Investing In Integrity features a highly respected leader in Private Equity, Daniel Pietrzak. Daniel is a Partner at KKR where he co-leads the firm's private credit funds with about $72B in assets under management.

Daniel recently launched a $2.1B asset-based finance fund, which is the firm’s first fund which finances assets secured against collateral-based cash flows, like consumer mortgages and commercial leases.

Daniel not only takes us through the backstory of launching a new fund and building a team; he explains how his fund operates at the cutting edge of Private Equity, which he says is about “financing the real-world economy,” more than the traditional buy-and-flip model.

Throughout the episode, Daniel offers insightful, first-hand advice for anyone interested in a career in PE or a top-tier firm like KKR. He explains how KKR looks for “dynamic athletes” and talks about the importance of being both well-read and speaking up to share points of view.

A seasoned leader, and Advisor to Scholars of Finance, Daniel shares wisdom into the leadership principles and practices which have helped him to succeed, from the importance of education to the necessity of humility. The first in his family to attend college, Daniel shares an inspiring story–both of his own career journey and of the rapidly-evolving landscape of PE in finance.

We hope you enjoy this conversation!

00:00 - Intro

2:42 - Daniel’s Story

14:25 - KKR and Daniel’s Role

19:47 - Private Equity

31:00 - Rapid Fire

In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, speaks with Mike Bontrager, Founder of Chatham Financial and Team Lead at Square Roots Collective.

This conversation explores Mike Bontrager's entrepreneurial journey in the world of risk management. Mike takes us through the processes of building Chatham Financial and emphasizes the importance of building trust and integrity in finance. He shares several lessons on navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship and how prioritizing client trust has fostered long-lasting relationships at Chatham Financial.

Mike and Ross also discuss the role of movements in driving systemic change. Mike addresses the importance of collaboration and ethical leadership in shaping a more trustworthy and stable financial industry.

Meet Mike Bontrager

Mike Bontrager has spent his career starting and operating both purpose-driven for-profit and nonprofit organizations. In 1991, he founded Chatham Financial and built it into the largest independent financial derivatives advisory services and technology firm. In 2019, he retired from Chatham and founded Square Roots Collective (SRC) to launch ventures under one umbrella to cultivate a community where everyone can thrive and meet their potential. Mike holds a BA in economics from Wheaton College and received an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, speaks with Reggie Love, Senior Advisor at Apollo Global Management. 

Reggie discusses his inspiring journey from college athlete to key aide for Barack Obama and now as a leader in finance. We explore the pivotal role of mentorship in developing leaders, effective leadership qualities, and financial services' transformative impact on promoting equality. Reggie shares valuable insights on integrity in finance, the traits of successful mentees, and the importance of community engagement. This conversation offers meaningful takeaways for students, professionals, and executives alike.

Reggie's story is a testament to the power of hard work, resilience, and the importance of giving back to the community. Tune in to discover how you can make finance a force for good!

Meet Reggie Love

Reggie Love is a Senior Advisor at Apollo Global Management, where he leads strategies in human capital, public engagement, and DE&I initiatives. Known for his tenure as one of President Obama’s longest-serving aides, Reggie played a crucial role in the inner circle, bridging Obama’s public and private affairs. His memoir, Power Forward: My Presidential Education, chronicles his front-row experience during Obama’s historic campaign and presidency. Reggie also served as a Partner at RON Transatlantic EG, focusing on financial services and energy investments across the U.S., Latin America, and Europe. His career reflects a commitment to leadership, resilience, and change.

In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, speaks with Jessica Taylor, Managing Director and National Director of One Million Black Women at Goldman Sachs. 

Jessica discusses the One Million Black Women initiative, a $10 billion investment commitment to create economic opportunities for Black women by 2030. She shares insights on the "Black in Business" program, which supports Black women sole proprietors with education and networking opportunities.

The conversation explores the importance of mentorship, the role of storytelling in philanthropy, and the initiative's goal to close the racial wealth gap. Jessica also highlights the economic impact of investing in Black women and shares success stories from the program's participants.

Join Ross and Jessica as they delve into the transformative power of intentional investment and the potential to drive systemic change in the finance industry.

Meet Jessica Taylor

Jessica Taylor joined Goldman Sachs in 2014, beginning her career in the firm’s 10,000 Small Businesses initiative, a cornerstone philanthropic program designed to empower small business owners with the education and tools needed for growth. Her leadership in this space saw her oversee the program for several years before she transitioned to head the 1,000,000 Black Women initiative in June 2023.

Launched in March 2021, the 1,000,000 Black Women initiative is a $10 billion investment commitment, with an additional $100 million in philanthropic capital, designed to advance economic opportunities for Black women in the United States by 2030. This initiative is rooted in the findings of Goldman Sachs’ "Black Womenomics" report, which highlighted a significant racial wealth gap and the immense potential of investing in Black women to drive U.S. economic growth. Under Jessica’s leadership, Goldman Sachs is addressing this gap through targeted investments to create jobs and boost annual GDP by an estimated $450 billion.

Jessica credits the vision of senior women and women of color at Goldman Sachs for inspiring the initiative. She is proud to lead an effort that combines business strategy with social impact, proving that investing in Black women is a powerful economic catalyst.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, we’re joined by Kathy Kraninger, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Solidus Labs & the former Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). A Republican Trump-appointee confirmed along party lines, Kathy covers several hot-button issues from her tenure leading the CFPB, from the $2T+ student loan debt crisis to the record-high level of consumer complaints filed in 2020.  

“Many Republicans stated their opposition to the CFPB,” says Kathy, but “I’m a ‘good government person’ and the CFPB’s mission is important,” she adds. Kathy emphasizes the influential role of public service in finance, tracing her own career path through government, from the Department of Transportation in the early 2000s, to the Department of Homeland Security, to leading the CFPB from 2018-2021.

Additionally, Kathy digs into cryptocurrency & digital assets, ranging from her thoughts on the Digital Commodity Consumer Protection Act to the recent backlash spurred by Bitcoin’s price collapse. She discusses her transition into the private sector, leading regulatory affairs at Solidus Labs, including her recent experience building the Crypto Market Integrity Coalition (CMIC).

We hope you enjoy this in-depth conversation as we did.

00:00 - Intro

14:26 - Consumer Protection

23:46 - Crypto and Crypto Regulation

36:32 - Rapid Fire

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline, Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder of Scholars of Finance, reflects on where SOF is today and where the organization is headed. He shares insights on SOF’s remarkable growth and outlines a proposal for the future, “SOF V2.”

Join Ross as he unpacks this transformation and discusses the groundbreaking results from a Harvard study, showing that today, SOF stands as the home for purpose-driven, principled, high-performing current and future financial leaders and executives—people who manage and will steward capital as a force for good.

Ross also recognizes the various mentors, advisors, and supporters who have helped him along the way. He emphasizes the importance of helping those in need in our society and expresses his confidence in achieving this mission with the support of the SOF community.

Tune in to hear Ross's reflections, learn about SOF's impactful journey, and get inspired by the vision for a better future.

Kofi Bruce is the Chief Financial Officer at General Mills where he has worked for over 12 years in various roles at the firm. Prior to joining General Mills in 2009, Kofi worked at EcoLab and at the Ford Motor Company in various financial positions.

Kofi holds an undergraduate degree in international relations from Stanford and a masters in business administration from the Ross School of Business at University of Michigan.

In today’s episode, Ross and Kofi discuss Kofi’s early career arc and what eventually led him to General Mills. Further, they spend the bulk of the time discussing values and people based leadership as well as diversity in the finance industry. Finally, they pivot the conversation and discuss Kofi’s work outside of General Mills and his involvement in SOF.

“Life’s too short to play games,” says Arvind Purushotham, Head of Citi Ventures, our guest in our latest episode of Investing in Integrity. Arvind traces an impressive career arc from engineering leadership at Intel to making high-stakes investment decisions and advising founders & business leaders at Citi, unpacking how strong technical and product knowledge can equip future investors to make smarter decisions.

For those curious about different approaches to venture capital (e.g. the differences between Citi Ventures and firms like Sequoia), and the role finance can play in driving innovation, Arvind offers a first-hand perspective comparing and contrasting how different firms operate.

Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes the importance of transparency, ethics, and integrity in leadership positions, and doing right by the company, investors, and clients. 

And tempered with wisdom from working through the Dot-com Bubble, Arvind contextualizes present macroeconomic concerns and unpacks timeless qualities that investors should look for–from operational discipline to principled-decision making. 

Tune into this episode for advice on how to “face the music and be out there,” as Arvind muses, in making difficult decisions and navigating uncertainty, whether as a student, operator or investor.

00:00 - Intro/Career

06:11 - Values

08:43 - Keys to Success

11:19 - VC vs. CVC

16:13 - Value Proposition

23:31 - Principled Leadership

26:10 - Rapid Fire

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, we’re joined by Jack Pitts, Senior Managing Director in the Legal & Compliance Group, where he serves as General Counsel of Blackstone Alternative Asset Management (BAAM). 

“I’m only as good as the people around me,” Jack said, praising his colleagues at Blackstone. “I can’t do anything without an offensive line in front of me or a receiver to throw to,” the former quarterback added.

Educated at Howard University School of Law, Jack explains the rewarding, intellectually challenging problems he solves day-to-day by applying his legal training to important parts of finance, from structuring portfolios to negotiating investment opportunities. Jack also delves into his work Co-Chairing the Blackstone Diverse Professionals Network Task Force. 

Throughout the episode, Jack offers candid bits of wisdom drawn from his own childhood, education, and professional trajectory. He highlights the transformative role of education in instilling confidence and the value of great mentors whose feedback is “not always going to be peaches and cream.”

And like other guests from top firms like Blackstone, Jack offers first-hand advice into what the firm looks for in recruiting and hiring, and the values and principles it takes to succeed. We hope you enjoy this conversation!

In our first-ever student panel, our CEO Ross Overline spoke with several Scholars of Finance members from the Princeton, MIT, and UC Berkeley chapters.

“One finance club I joined had a party culture – it was toxic and snaky, and instead of encouraging community, it made me feel alone,” said one panelist. “It made me reconsider and almost give up on the finance industry because I wasn’t comfortable. The culture turned good people away.”

“But the truth about finance,” another student said in this episode, “is that you can be ethical, hold your values close to your heart, reach the top and use your position to do good and be admired for it.”

Throughout the conversation, our panelists attested to the impact SOF has had on their pursuit of positive, values-driven, inclusive finance cultures. “The people I’m around in SOF help me have more hope,” said one student. “This community encourages and motivates us to stay true to our values.”

This episode is packed with first-hand student stories and perspectives covering:

1. the diverse finance cultures at their universities, and how they found like-minded, mission-driven peers and avoided toxicity through SOF

2. the finance industry and its reputation at their campuses, and how they have been navigating the recruiting process to find values-driven opportunities

3. the intersections between pursuing finance and social impact, ranging from helping their extended families overseas to driving inclusive change within the industry

As another student panelist said, “I’m most looking forward to starting a domino effect to help others achieve the best versions of themselves, because it takes a village to achieve what we want to do.”

We hope this conversation – packed with authentic insights from SOF student members – tips a domino for you in your own pursuit of a purpose & passion-driven career.

Episode Segments:

00:00 - Intro

02:09 - Background on student panelists

10:16 - Finance culture at different schools

27:15 - Student perspectives on finance industry and recruiting

34:28 - The impact our members hope to make in finance

41:21 - How SOF has impacted our members

In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, speaks with Cary Krosinsky, Leading Teacher, Author & Advisor at Brown, NYU and Yale.

At Yale University, Cary has been co-teaching a seminar on climate, energy and finance since 2014. Other courses at Yale include the first seminar on Business & Sustainability, a new workshop on Climate Tech Ventures, and the first MBA class on Sustainable Finance.

Cary is also the Co-founder of the Sustainable Finance Institute (SFI), Real Impact Tracker (which spun out YourStake) and the Carbon Tracker Initiative. He is a Founding Mentor to Climate Tech VC (CTVC, now Sightline Climate). 

Join Ross and Cary as they delve into sustainable finance and the need for integrity in this  sector. Cary shares his background, including his teaching experience at top institutions and his evolution in the field. They discuss the impact of student interest on course content, the challenges facing universities, as well as the controversy surrounding ESG investing. 

Cary highlights the investment gap in addressing climate change, the rise of the anti-ESG movement, and the need for transparency to combat greenwashing. The conversation also covers the diverse strategies within ESG investing and the importance of global collaboration and ethical practices in finance.

Meet Cary Krosinsky

Cary Krosinsky is a distinguished lecturer, author, and advisor specializing in the intersection of sustainability, finance, and impact. As co-founder of the Sustainable Finance Institute (SFI), Real Impact Tracker, and the Carbon Tracker Initiative, Cary has been at the forefront of sustainable finance innovation. He created the field of Sustainability & IR in the mid-2000s and continues to serve as a senior advisor in various capacities.

Cary's influence extends beyond Yale, having taught at Brown University, Harvard, and NYU. His work at Brown supported the creation of the sustainable investment component of the Brown endowment in 2016. He also served on the NYS Common Retirement Fund Decarbonization Advisory Panel, contributing to their 2019 Climate Action Plan.

A prolific author, Cary has written seven books on sustainable investing and related topics. His works include "Sustainable Investing: Revolutions in Theory & Practice" (2016) and "Modern China" (2020), which advocates for better relations in solving sustainability challenges.

Cary's expertise is sought after globally. He has developed sustainable finance frameworks for organizations like the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) and China's CSI. His research papers cover topics ranging from the financial outperformance of active sustainable investing to the value of global assets under management.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline speaks with Mike Mayo, Managing Director and head of U.S. large-cap bank research at Wells Fargo Securities. He has spent 30 years as a bank analyst and is the author of “Exile on Wall Street: One Analyst’s Fight to Save the Big Banks From Themselves.”

Mike's influence extends beyond traditional research roles, as he was one of the few analysts who foresaw the 2008 global financial crisis and subsequently testified on its causes to the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission in 2010. His contributions to the field have earned him widespread recognition, including accolades such as the Daniel J. Forrestal III Leadership Award for Professional Ethics and Standards of Investment Practice from the CFA Institute.

Mike shares his background and journey into the finance industry, highlighting the challenges he has faced and the importance of staying true to his values. He emphasizes the importance of isolation, initiative, and impact in his work. Together, Ross and Mike discuss the isolation felt by finance professionals and students and how to overcome it, accountability in the financial industry, and leadership in finance. 

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, we talked with one of sustainable finance’s most innovative and impactful leaders, Kara Succoso Mangone. Kara is a Managing Director and Head of the Sustainable Finance Group at Goldman Sachs where she drives Goldman’s $750B firmwide commitment to providing sustainable finance solutions to clients and investors.This conversation dives into Kara’s perspectives on issues from the pragmatics of global decarbonization, to purchasing nature offsets in emerging markets, to the successes of public-private partnerships to scale sustainable development. 

Kara layers in many helpful examples from her work at Goldman Sachs, including the firm’s recent partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Asian Development Bank to accelerate climate finance in lagging developed markets; and also the firm’s progress financing the first fleet of electric buses in Vietnam. Kara also digs into trends and changes in metrics and reporting, drawing on her expertise in investor relations. 

And of course, the episode includes career advice and Kara’s own recollections of her journey – such as her perspective on how taking maternity leave three times helped her improve how she reflects and re-prioritizes in her life. 

We hope you enjoy this episode and share in Kara’s excitement for innovations in sustainable finance!

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, we spoke with Arielle Patrick, Chief Communications Officer of Ariel Investments. 

Arielle leads an integrated team responsible for all communications for the $16.2 billion global asset management firm and its private equity arm.

This episode is a masterclass on essential communication skills for all finance professionals. Arielle also explains the recent rebranding of Ariel Investments, which introduced the tagline, ‘Active Patience.’ She emphasizes the importance of the brand reflecting specific changes in the firm’s asset management strategy and client service approach and speaks more broadly about the changing role and reputation of financial services in the public understanding. 

Additionally, she discusses the ethical obligations of communications leaders and how to handle situations when professional duty conflicts with personal values. Whether you’re keen on improving your communications skills or learning about another leader’s real-world perspective on ethical dilemmas, this episode is for you.

00:00 - Intro

11:08 - Communications Leadership & Role at Ariel Investments

33:08 - Rapid Fire