The
TIPS conference, now in its 10th year, is a forum for students and
faculty from Texas and Southwestern universities with investment management curriculum.
TIPS 2013 provides the more than 200 participants with a wonderful opportunity to
learn from and interact with senior investment industry professionals through
keynote presentations, panel discussions, and
networking events.
TIPS 2013 is also home to three competitions:
- CFA Institute Research Challenge - Southwestern US in which four finalist schools, based on a research report, presented their stock research to a panel of judges.
- CFA Institute Research Challenge – Central America and Caribbean in which four finalist schools, based on a research report, presented their stock research to a panel of judges.
- Portfolio Manager's Finalist Competition in which teams 'pitched' their investment process to a panel of judges.
TIPS Honoree
The professional life of Gene Vaughan has been interwoven with the growth in professionalism of the research and investment management profession. While at the Harvard Business School he was the first summer intern of Putnam Management Company and joined them full-time after graduation. Inspired by Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette, he moved to Houston in 1964 and created the first regional institutional research group outside the east at Underwood Neuhaus (NYSE). He was elected president of the Houston Society of Financial Analysts in 1967-68. He earned his CFA designation in 1969, among the earliest to pass all three examinations.
In 1970 he formed Vaughan Nelson Investment Management. He was elected to the Board
of the Financial Analyst Federation (FAF) and became Chairman in 1973-74. As Chairman in 1974,
he successfully led the profession-wide fight against “State Regulation” and helped introduce “Self-Regulation” which continues to this day. He was the tenth person to receive the Distinguished Service Award in the history of the professional organization.
In 1986 Gene was asked to join the Governing Board of the CFA. Over the next three years he was a visionary leading force in bringing about the successful merger of the FAF and ICFA. Upon the merger he became Founding Chairman of the AIMR (now CFA Institute) in 1990-91. In the aftermath of the dissension and strife, as a “healing” chairman Gene led the profession to harmony, setting conditions for the immense growth of our profession over the next two decades. He is described in CFA publications as “the father of CFA Institute” (AIMR).
Among other professional highlights: he was the first to be named “Most Inspirational” by the CFA Magazine. In 2010 at the 20th Anniversary of the Founding of CFA Institute, at which the past and current Boards gathered at the NY Yacht Club to celebrate the enormous success of the CFA Institute, Gene was asked to give the Keynote Address. He has been asked since the start to serve as a judge in the highly successful Texas CFA Challenges.
He is featured prominently in The Gold Standard: The 50 Year History of the CFA.
Vaughan Nelson prospered and after 35 years as CEO he retired in 2005 to concentrate on a variety of community interests. He was elected to the Board of Trust of Vanderbilt University in 1972 and served continuously and passionately until named Trustee Emeritus in 2010. Among his civic endeavors he served on the Greater Houston Partnership and Executive Committee for 15 years. In 2000 he created and was Founding Chairman of Center for Houston’s Future, a highly respected organization focused on strategic planning for the future of the Houston Region and training civic leaders. There are now 750 graduates of its Leadership Forum.
Other involvements have been serving on Boards of: Houston Grand Opera; St. John’s School; Presbyterian Board of Pension (USA) (Chairman of Investment Committee); Dreyfus Founders Mutual Fund Complex; Trustee, Goodwill Industry. Devoted to education, he was the Founding Chairman of Presbyterian School, an “early” early-childhood school at First Presbyterian Church of Houston. His most recent passion has been serving as Chairman of the Development Board of The University of Texas Health Science Center.
Gene and Susan have a daughter and son (who holds a CFA charter) and four grandchildren.