2010-2011 Torch Fund Manager Profiles
HASLAM TORCH FUND
Peter Canfalone
Peter Confalone, from Reading, Pennsylvania, completed his undergraduate degree in Sports Management and Law & Society from DeSales University, graduating summa cum laude in 2010. While at DeSales, Peter served as both the Student Body Treasurer (08-09) and Student Body President (09-10), and completed four internships in areas of sports marketing, community relations, athlete representation, and sports information. Peter is currently a first year MBA student, working towards a concentration in finance. He is interested in pursuing corporate finance with the long-term goal of being an NFLPA certified agent and financial advisor.
Ian J. Harman
Ian Harman graduated from Maryville College in May of 2008 with a BA in International Business. During his undergraduate years he also spent a semester at The Chinese University of Hong Kong and a summer at Pace University in New York City. He interned with Meridian Securities Group in Knoxville Tennessee, and in New York City with Scher Financial Group. After graduation he was responsible for international business development with Attention-IT, Inc. throughout the United States and United Kingdom. While working with Attention-IT, Inc he was named to the board of directors for the Energy Technology and Environmental Business Association. Ian’s goals are to further improve his investment management skills and abilities through his involvement in the Haslam Torch Fund. He is currently a first year MBA student at The University of Tennessee with concentrations in Finance and Entrepreneurship & Innovation.
S. Ryan Hoffman
Ryan is from Anderson, South Carolina. He graduated magna cum laude from Clemson University in 2007, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Economics. After completing his undergraduate studies, Ryan enrolled in the University of Tennessee College of Law. He graduated from law school magna cum laude with a Concentration in Business Transactions in 2010. Ryan is currently a first-year student in the University of Tennessee MBA program where he is concentrating in Finance.
Julian B. Wood
An East Tennessee native, Julian Wood graduated from the University of Tennessee in Spring 2010 with a degree in Journalism and Electronic Media. Specializing in visual communication and web journalism, Wood worked in graphic design and photography positions for organizations like the Tennessee Journalist (tnjn.com) and the Knoxville News Sentinel (knoxnews.com). Outside of media, Wood worked for AT&T during the original and 3G iPhone launches, which paved the way for his work at an Apple Retail Store.
A finance class during undergraduate school interested Wood in investing and financial journalism. It was then Wood first started investing and monitoring markets for a personal portfolio. Wood sees the MBA and the Torch Fund as an opportunity to fine tune skills necessary for a career shift into finance.
LA PORTE TORCH FUND
Andrew Chalache
Andrew Chalache graduated summa cum laude from American University in Washington D.C. with a degree in business administration and a specialization in international finance. While at American University, Andrew spent a semester in Rome, Italy and a semester in Beijing, China. He then graduated from the University of Chicago law school, clerked for two federal judges, and practiced corporate law at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in New York, and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius in Philadelphia. Andrew’s concentration in the MBA program is finance. He recently passed Level 1 of the Chartered Financial Analyst examinations and is a candidate for the Level 2 examination in June 2011. Andrew’s career goal is to work in Knoxville as a financial analyst.
David Edelson
David Edelson graduated in 2006 with High Honors from the College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin with a B.S. in Corporate Communication and completed the Business Foundations Program with Highest Honors at the McCombs School of Business. From 2006 to 2009, David worked as an Analyst in the Investment Banking Group at Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. in Memphis, Tennessee. After three years, David was promoted to an Associate and focused primarily on mergers and acquisitions for companies in the transportation and logistics industry. David is currently attaining a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee. He is working towards a dual degree in Finance and Logistics. David is also an active member of the Tennessee Organization of MBAs (TOMBA) and the Financial Management Association (FMA). He views his position as a LaPorte Torch Fund Manager as a valuable opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the Capital Markets and Portfolio Management. Upon graduation, David plans to either continue his career in Investment Banking or pursue a profession in Wealth Management.
Merrill Nelson
Merrill, a Lookout Mountain, GA native, graduated from the University of Georgia in December 2007 with a B.B.A in Real Estate, an A.B. in History, and a minor in Environmental Law. Post-graduation, he served a fellowship in the office of Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue. In August 2008 Merrill enrolled in the University of Tennessee College of Law, where he is studying business transactions and serving as the News and Acquisitions Editor on the Transactions Business Law Journal. His legal studies in securities regulation, corporate governance, and bankruptcy inspired him to apply and subsequently enroll in the joint J.D./M.B.A. program in the Fall of 2010. He is pursuing a concentration in finance and plans to use the experience from working on the LaPorte Torch Fund to learn more about fund management and securities analysis.
Daniel Shumate
Daniel Shumate earned his Business Administration Degree in 2002 from Belmont University, after which he began his aviation officer training for the Tennessee National Guard. Upon completing the technical training to become a UH-60 Blackhawk Pilot and the leadership training required of an officer, he returned to the University of Tennessee in pursuit of his J.D./M.B.A. After completing his first year of law school, his unit was deployed to Iraq where he supervised maintenance operations and was accountable for maintaining and managing over 1 million dollars of equipment and supplies. Daniel returned to the University of Tennessee to complete his degree and continue learning by leveraging his past experience with the valuable opportunities available. In the future, he plans to utilize his legal and business education and experiences in order to provide valuable insight into mergers and acquisitions for corporations by analyzing future financial position and operating potential. The Torch Fund provides the opportunity to develop fund management skills, improve financial analysis, and increase valuation proficiency.