Morningstar Announces Speakers and Agenda for 2015 ETF Conference, Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in Chicago; Greenwich Associates Founder and Author Charles Ellis and Vanguard Principal Joe Davis to Deliver Keynotes

CHICAGO, Aug. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Morningstar, Inc. (NASDAQ: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment research, today announced the speakers and agenda for its sixth annual ETF Conference, Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers. The conference features experts from across the exchange-traded fund (ETF) industry including Morningstar analysts, who will provide in-depth knowledge and perspective for financial advisors.

"With more than $2 trillion in assets under management in the growing U.S. ETF industry, investors and their advisors face myriad options when it comes to ETF investing," Ben Johnson, CFA, Morningstar's director of global ETF research, said. "Our sixth annual ETF Conference will gather industry experts to discuss and debate three key areas of ETF investing—strategy, tactics, and managed-portfolio solutions—to help investors achieve better outcomes."

Joe Davis, Vanguard principal and chief economist, will deliver the keynote opening address on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Charles Ellis, founder of Greenwich Associates and author of Winning the Loser's Game and Falling Short: The Coming Retirement Crisis and What to Do about It, will give the keynote luncheon address on Wednesday, Sept. 30.

General session speakers on Wednesday, Sept. 30, are Andrea Frazzini, Ph.D., AQR; Jason Hsu, Research Affiliates; and Mark Kiesel, PIMCO. Jim Crowley, Pershing; and Jon Stein, Betterment, will address attendees on Thursday, Oct. 1.

The popular "Meet the Pundits" panel will close the conference on Oct. 1. Morningstar's Johnson, ETF.com's Matt Hougan, and ETF Trends' Tom Lydon will engage in a no-holds-barred discussion of the latest trends in the ETF industry, moderated by author and journalist John Wasik.

The conference offers 15 breakout sessions focusing on strategic, tactical, and managed-portfolio solutions. Speakers from BlackRock/iShares, Eaton Vance, Envestnet, Fidelity, Invesco PowerShares, J.P. Morgan, MSCI, Windham, and WisdomTree, among other firms, will cover an array of timely topics, including:

• Strategic beta abroad;
• Currency-hedged ETFs;
• The active/passive debate and the future of active ETFs;
• Tactical asset allocation;  
• Accessing alternative strategies and niche markets through ETFs; and
• Managing interest-rate risk and the role of fixed income.

Preconference Workshops

Morningstar will offer two preconference workshops from 1-4 p.m. on Sept. 29. Attendees will be able to choose one of two workshop tracks. The first workshop, "The ABCs of ETFs," will cover the evolution of ETFs as an investment vehicle and provide a practical review of ETFs by asset class, along with their benefits and limitations. The other workshop, "An Overview of the Trends Shaping the ETF Market," will offer Morningstar analysts' insights on key topics including strategic beta, active ETFs, and the opening up of onshore Chinese stock markets.

Registration Information

The Morningstar® ETF Conference costs $495 per person and includes a preconference workshop and two breakfasts, luncheons, and receptions. Participants are eligible for continuing education credits. To register for the conference, call toll free at +1 866 839-9729 or visit http://corporate1.morningstar.com/Morningstar-ETF-Conference/.

More information about the 2015 Morningstar ETF Conference, including the full agenda, hotel accommodations, and complete registration information, is available at http://www.global.morningstar.com/etfus. Live updates from the conference will be available on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/MstarAdvisor or through the conference hashtag, #MstarETFUS.

Press Registration Information

Full-time members of the news media may receive complimentary registration to the Morningstar ETF Conference. If you are a journalist and would like to attend the conference, please contact Carling Spelhaug, Morningstar media relations, at +1 312-696-6150 or [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 individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers, and retirement plan providers and sponsors. Morningstar provides data on more than 500,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles, along with real-time global market data on more than 16 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 advisory subsidiaries, with more than $180 billion in assets under advisement and management as of June 30, 2015. The company has operations in 27 countries.

©2015 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Media Contact:
Carling Spelhaug, +1 312 696-6150 or [email protected]

SOURCE Morningstar, Inc.

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