2020 Capstone Student Investment Conference Speakers

Speaker Biography
Photo of Dan Davidowitz Dan Davidowitz, Portfolio Manager, Head of Large Company Growth Team, Polen Capital

Mr. Davidowitz joined Polen Capital in 2005 and is the lead Portfolio Manager for the firm’s flagship Focus Growth strategy. He is a CFA charterholder, received his B.S. in Public Health from Rutgers University, and earned his M.B.A. from the City University of New York’s Baruch College Zicklin School of Business.

Photo of C.T. Fitzpatrick C.T. Fitzpatrick, Founder, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer, Vulcan Value Partners

Mr. Fitzpatrick founded Vulcan Value Partners in early 2007 after a 17-year tenure at Southeastern Asset Management/Longleaf Partners. He serves on The University of Alabama’s President Cabinet and the Board of Visitors at the Culverhouse College of Business, where he has established the Fitzpatrick Endowed Professorship and heads the Advisory Board of the student-run Culverhouse Investment Management Group. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, earned his M.B.A. from the Owen School of Management at Vanderbilt University, and graduated from the University of Alabama with a major in finance and minor in English.

Photo of Jonathan Gattman Jonathan Gattman, Founder, Managing Partner, Cloverdale Capital

Mr. Gattman founded Cloverdale Capital in October 2014. Prior to the firm’s launch he was a Managing Director at Highside Capital Management, a Dallas-based hedge fund, where he analyzed and traded global equities in the technology, business services, healthcare and consumer sectors. He holds a B.A. in Government from Harvard College.

Photo of Billy Hwan Billy J. Hwan, Co-Portfolio Manager, Parnassus Endeavor Fund

Mr. Hwan joined Parnassus Investments in 2012 and was named co-Portfolio Manager of the firm’s Parnassus Endeavor Fund in May 2018. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Stanford University, a Master’s degree in Accountancy from the University of Houston, and an M.B.A from the University of California, Berkeley. He also holds the CPA and CFA designations.

Photo of Christopher Kiper Christopher Kiper, Co-Founder, Managing DirectorLegion Partners

Mr. Kiper in 2012 co-founded Legion Partners Asset Management, LLC, a small-cap activist fund for high net worth and institutional investors. Prior to founding Legion Partners he managed a concentrated, long-only activist fund for Shamrock Capital Advisors, the alternative investment vehicle of the Disney family. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Nebraska and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Photo of Mark Millsap Mark Millsap, Partner and Portfolio Manager, Foundation Resource Management

Mr. Millsap has spent his entire career as a value investment manager, joining Foundation Resource Management in 2001 after extensive stints at AmSouth Bank and Meridian Management Co. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and holds a B.S. in Corporate Finance and Investment Management from the University of Alabama, where he serves on the Board of Visitors of the Culverhouse College of Business and on the Advisory Board of the Culverhouse Investment Management Group.

Photo of Derek Pilecki Derek Pilecki, Founder, Portfolio Manager, Gator Capital Management

Mr. Pilecki founded Gator Capital Management in 2008 and currently manages the firm’s long/short and long-only strategies focused on financial-sector equities. Prior to starting Gator, he worked for Goldman Sachs Asset Management, where he served as a portfolio manager and co-chaired the Growth Equity team’s investment committee. He is a CFA charterholder and holds an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in Economics from Duke University.

Photo of James Roumell James Roumell, Founder, Portfolio Manager, Roumell Asset Management

Mr. Roumell founded Roumell Asset Management, focused on “finding value through out-of-favor, overlooked or misunderstood securities,” in 1998. Prior to founding the firm, he was a registered principal at Raymond James Financial. He graduated with a B.A. in Sociology from Wayne State University and now serves as a board member and Chairman of the Investment Committee of the Wayne State University Foundation.

Photo of Adam Schwartz Adam H. Schwartz, Senior Managing Director, Portfolio Manager, First Manhattan Co.

Mr. Schwarz joined First Manhattan in 2001 and today manages assets for individuals, families, partnerships and trusts. In addition to his work as a portfolio manager, he helped establish and continues to play a lead role with the FM First China Funds, First Manhattan’s China-focused investment vehicles. He holds an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and a B.A. in Economics and International Relations from Brown University.

Photo of Julie Stewart Julie Stewart, Managing Director, Investor Relations, Delta Air Lines

Ms. Stewart is responsible for the communication of Delta’s financial results and outlook to the investment community and also leads the firm’s competitive analysis team. She joined Delta from United Airlines, where she was Chief of Staff for the CEO and Managing Director of Investor Relations, and prior to that worked for nine years in equity research at Credit Suisse. She is a member of the Board of Visitors at the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Business, where she earned an undergraduate degree in Business and a Master’s degree in Accounting.

Photo of Jennifer Wallace Jennifer Wallace, Co-Founder, Chief Investment Officer, Summit Street Capital

Ms. Wallace co-founded Summit Street Capital Management, LLC in 2009 and serves as the firm’s Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager. Prior to starting Summit Street, she worked with the Robert M. Bass investment organization where she was manager of Emerald Value Partners and co-manager of Alpine Capital. She earned a B.A. from Columbia College and an M.B.A. from the Columbia University Graduate School of Business, where she serves on the Advisory Board of The Heilbrunn Center for Graham & Dodd Investing.