History

1999

The Center for Portfolio Management was formally founded in the Fall of 1999 by Dr. David Sauer, Dean Sam Gould, Inaugural Manager Adam Molina, and the University of Dayton Administration. There were originally 27 additional members of the “Core” team that launched the Center and laid the foundation for years to come. These individuals, along with Dr. Sauer, created the backbone of the Center during the 1998-1999 academic year to prepare for the grand opening in the Fall of 1999. The policies, procedures, and structure of the organization were built during the year.

Beginning in the Fall of 1999, the Center for Portfolio Management was formally open to the University community. The Center staff, all undergraduate students, was arranged into teams to allow for focused programs and individual responsibility. The teams included: Professional Relations, Undergraduate Outreach, Community Outreach, Development, Operations & Logistics, and Management. Each team created programs designed to further the goals of The Center in reaching to students throughout the University as well as members of the community.

2000

Following the inaugural year, new programs were developed and old ones were improved in order to create an innovative and interactive financial learning environment. New accomplishments during the year include the introduction of Finance 101 classes where UD students were taught the basics of a variety of finance-related topics. Additionally, The Center was formally recognized as an attraction exclusive to the University.

2001

In April 2001, the Center introduced the R.I.S.E. (Redefining Investment Strategy Education) Symposium. R.I.S.E. is a first-of-its kind symposium bringing together students, professionals, and academics in a learning and sharing environment where investment education is linked with investment strategy. More about the history of R.I.S.E. and the upcoming R.I.S.E. 2005 can be found at the R.I.S.E. site.

2002

The manager position became established as a one-year commitment. There was the beginning of a Center internship program focusing on the East Coast, especially in New York City, where the staff went through a rigorous preparation process. The Center software programs were upgraded to include three new software programs; Research Insight, BondEdge, and ValueLine. Other accomplishments for the year included many high-profile public relation wins including an appearance on CNNfn, a radio presence on PBS, and multiple articles published in the Associated Press.

2003

The most visible change was the renaming of The Center for Portfolio Management to The Richard P. and Susan P. Davis Center for Portfolio Management (The “Davis Center”) after a generous gift by the Davis family, who are long-time Center and University supporters. In addition, staff members oversaw the initial creation of The Davis Center Alumni Association, the increased coverage of the internship program, and benefited from the addition of a databoard to compliment the stock ticker already present in The Davis Center.

Since the beginning in 1999, there have been many great achievements from numerous students that have left a lasting impression on the program. The work that each of them accomplished during their time at The Davis Center has set the stage for many years of continued success.