Morningstar Announces Speakers and Agenda for 2011 ETF Invest Conference, Sept. 21-23 in Chicago

CHICAGO, Aug. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Morningstar, Inc. (NASDAQ: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment research, announced the speakers and agenda for its second annual ETF Invest Conference Sept. 21-23 at the Swissotel in Chicago. The conference will bring together Morningstar's ETF analysts and investment experts, along with newsmakers in the ETF industry to offer in-depth discussion and debate for financial advisors, money managers, and ETF investors.

"The 2011 ETF Invest Conference will address a broad range of concerns of ETF investors during these volatile markets, from both a strategic and tactical perspective, and provide them with actionable investment ideas," said Scott Burns, Morningstar's director of ETF, closed-end, and alternative research. "Our first conference was a tremendous success, and we've used the feedback we received from attendees to develop this year's agenda."

Brian Wesbury, chief economist, First Trust Advisors, will deliver the opening keynote address on Wednesday, Sept. 21; and Jeffrey Zaslow, columnist for The Wall Street Journal and author of the best-selling book The Last Lecture, will deliver the keynote address during lunch on Thursday, Sept. 22.

General sessions at ETF Invest will feature some of the ETF industry's foremost thought leaders:

• An industry roundtable will kick off the Sept. 22 sessions, featuring Rick Genoni, head of ETF product management, Vanguard; Adam Phillips, managing director of ETFs, Van Eck Global; Anthony Rochte, senior managing director, State Street Global Advisors; and Sue Thompson, managing director, BlackRock; who will discuss the opportunities, risks, and challenges in the current ETF landscape.
• Rob Arnott, founder and chairman of Research Affiliates, who will provide a report card on investment strategies tied to the Research Affiliates Fundamental Index (RAFI), five years after its inception.
• Darrin DeCosta, head of product development, Accretive Asset Management; Matt Tucker, managing director of fixed-income portfolios, BlackRock; and Natalie Zahradnik, senior vice president and ETF strategist, PIMCO, who will separate myth from fact on the subject of fixed-income ETF premiums and discounts.
• On Sept. 23, Michael Iachini, director of investment manager research, Charles Schwab; Paul Justice, director of North American ETF research, Morningstar; and Dodd Kittsley, director and senior product manager, iShares; will join moderator Chuck Jaffe, MarketWatch columnist; for a wide-ranging ETF analysts' roundtable, taking on the tough questions about ETFs and the current state of ETF investing.
• Paul Daley, senior managing director, Fox River Execution Technology; and Ray DeAngelo, director of the ETF group, Knight Equity Markets; will close the conference with a session on best practices for ETF trading.

Breakout sessions covering a number of timely topics facing ETF investors include:
Sept. 22:

• Tim Edwards, vice president of investor solutions, Barclays Capital; Joanne Hill, head of investment strategy, ProShares; and Adam Patti, founder and CEO, Index IQ; will discuss how alternative ETFs can enhance traditional stock and bond portfolios.
• Chris Goolgasian, senior portfolio manager, State Street Global Advisors, will talk about the soaring price of gold and how advisors can help investors find value when investing in this commodity.
• David Abner, director of institutional ETF sales, WisdomTree Asset Management, and author of The ETF Handbook; will provide an overview of how ETFs work and offer insight into advanced ETF mechanics.
• Alex Morozov, director of global healthcare equity research, Morningstar; will focus on the healthcare sector, both the state of the industry and why healthcare mergers, acquisitions, and patents are important for ETF investors.
• Timothy Andriesen, managing director of agricultural products, CME Group; and Geert Rouwenhorst, partner, SummerHaven Commodity Index Management; will examine the best ways to incorporate commodities into an asset allocation strategy.
• Vineer Bhansali, managing director and portfolio manager, PIMCO; Steve Laipply, director of model-based fixed-income portfolio management, BlackRock; and Kenneth Volpert, head of taxable bond group, Vanguard; will explore why it is more critical than ever for investors to understand the credit landscape underlying fixed-income ETF products.
• Jared Watts, senior consultant, Morningstar Investment Management, will offer strategic insights on developing ETF model portfolios within a risk-based framework.
• Rudy Aguilera, chief investment officer, Ironclad Investments; and Kenny Feng, president and CEO, Alerian Capital Management, will discuss ways for investors to capture yield in the current zero-interest-rate environment.

Sept. 23:

• Hal Ratner, senior consultant, Morningstar Investment Management, will provide a look into advanced ETF portfolio strategies, including ways advisors can use ETFs to achieve portable alpha, and manage taxes and cash flow.
• Roger Aliaga-Diaz, senior economist, Vanguard; Rick Harper, director of fixed-income and currency, WisdomTree Asset Management; and Angus Shillington, director of emerging markets investments, Van Eck Global; will dive deep into the tactical fundamentals of emerging-market economies.

Registration Information

The Morningstar ETF Invest Conference costs $495 per person and includes two breakfasts, luncheons, and receptions. Two pre-conference workshops will be held from 12- 4 p.m. Wed., Sept. 21 at the Swissotel. Attendees will be able to choose one of two workshop tracks. The first workshop, "The Practitioner's Guide to ETF Investing," will feature members of Morningstar's ETF research team, who will guide advisors through an introduction to ETFs and how to build a portfolio using them. The session will also outline strategies Morningstar has developed to help investors make the most of these investment tools. In addition, a second workshop, "Alternatives 2.0," will focus on alternative strategies and vehicles and where they fit into a portfolio. Admission to the workshops is included with registration to the ETF Invest Conference (or can be purchased for $99 without conference registration) and participants are eligible for three hours of continuing education credits. To register for the conference or workshop, call toll free at 866-839-9729.

More information about the 2011 Morningstar ETF Invest Conference, including the full agenda, hotel accommodations, and complete registration information, is available at http://global.morningstar.com/2011ETFInvest.

Press Registration Information

Full-time members of the news media may receive complimentary registration to the Morningstar ETF Invest Conference. If you are a journalist and want to attend the conference, please e-mail Shawn Malayter at [email protected].

About Morningstar, Inc.

Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company offers an extensive line of products and services for individuals, financial advisors, and institutions. Morningstar provides data on approximately 400,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles, along with real-time global market data on more than 5 million equities, indexes, futures, options, commodities, and precious metals, in addition to foreign exchange and Treasury markets. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its investment management subsidiaries and has more than $180 billion in assets under advisement and management as of June 30, 2011. The company has operations in 26 countries.

©2011 Morningstar, Inc.  All rights reserved.

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Media Contact:
Shawn Malayter, 312-696-6050, [email protected]

SOURCE Morningstar, Inc.