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Dec.8, 2011 – Thursday, 5:00 – 7:00 pm, CFA Exam Study Group Kick-off Party

CFA Exam Study Group Kick-off Party

The June 2012 CFA exams will be here before you know it! You are invited to join leaders from CFA Society of Chicago and members from Kaplan Schweser to find out how to best prepare for the CFA exam. Those in attendance will have an opportunity to win a scholarship for a prep-course study package awarded by Kaplan Schweser!

Date: Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011
Time: 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Location: UBS Tower, One North Wacker Drive, 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL

You will:
· Find out more about CFA Society of Chicago study groups and how to sign up
· Hear about discounts available for CFA Review programs from Kaplan Schweser
· Learn information about CFA exam scholarships and eligibility requirements
· Receive tips from Charterholders on how to study most efficiently for the CFA exam
· Meet other active candidates who are preparing for next year’s exam
· Enter into a drawing to win Schweser’s Chicago Weekly Class with Study Materials (retail value $1,349)
· Hear all about Schweser’s weekly classes

Fee: This event is FREE (but you must register to attend)!!!

Attire: Business Casual

Menu: Light snacks and refreshments

Registration:

Online: http://www.cfachicago.org/apps/eve_detail.asp?eve_ID=572
Phone: 312-251-1301

Agenda:

5:00 – 5:45 pm: Registration/Networking
5:45 – 6:30 pm: Formal Remarks by CFA Society of Chicago (includes a Q&A panel of CFA Charterholders and recent candidates) and Kaplan Schweser
6:30 – 7:00 pm: Informal Networking

Prior attendees have raved about the value of these kick-off parties and study groups:

“You make a commitment to study with other people and are more likely to attend the essions because you don’t want to let others down.”

“It helps keep people motivated throughout the long study period.”

“Found a good group of people to study with, and we were able to effectively work together and use various study techniques.”

To sign up for a study group online, please visit: http://www.cfachicago.org/studygroups_signup.asp
To learn more about the CFA Scholarships, please visit: http://www.cfachicago.org/candidate_scholarship.asp

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Nov.3, 2011 – Thursday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. University of Illinois Alumni Job Fair

Date: Thursday, Nov.3, 2011
Time: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Location: UIC Forum (725 W. Roosevelt Road, Chicago)

Job candidates: If you’re looking for job opportunities, the Nov. 3 Alumni Job Fair provides a great venue to personally meet with top employers. Illinois, UIC and UIS graduates are exclusively invited to attend. A $10 nonrefundable fee and preregistration are required. REGISTER

Employers: Are you seeking top-tier talent? The Alumni Job Fair provides an outstanding opportunity to gain intimate access to today’s brightest and most experienced job candidates. Registration rates range from $350 to $600, and several sponsorship rates are available. Register before Oct. 14 to receive a 20 percent discount. REGISTER

For more information, contact Julie Hays Bartimus at the Alumni Career Center at jlhays@uillinois.edu or Alysa Perry at MyWorkster at alysa@myworkster.com or 917/310-1974.

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Sep 22, 2011 – Thursday, 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m ASCEND Signature Series for Professionals, SESSION 3: Developing Executive Communication Skills

Date: Thursday, Sep 22, 2011
Time: 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m
Location: Dearborn Room, The Metropolitan Club, 67th Floor, Willis Tower
Fee: $35/Session for Members, $50/Non-Members
RSVP: Sign up for the event through the ASCEND website by 9/15/2011. Sessions are intended for experienced professionals and participation is limited (to a maximum of 15 people).

The ASCEND Signature Series for Professionals concludes its landmark first season with a highly interactive session of Developing Executive Communication Skills held in the scenic Dearborn Room of The Metropolitan Club on the 67th floor of the Willis Tower, which has a spectacular view of Lake Michigan.

Every professional should communicate differently with their family and friends than they do at work. However, few of us know how to do that. We assume how we talk with family members is fine for work as well.

Unfortunately, that is not true. The higher we move in our professions, the more time we spend communicating either with clients or executives in our own company; yet…

* We often don’t know that what we say might offend or irritate them;
* We are frequently aware that we don’t have strong professional relationships with clients but don’t understand why;
* We see other colleagues move ahead of us and are baffled as our talent is just as good, if not better, than theirs.

In this final session, Patricia Smith-Pierce, Ph.D. and Founder and CEO of The Insight Communication Group, will help everyone understand what their communication style is. In addition, Dr. Smith-Pierce will help each person learn how to recognize and adapt to differing styles. Finally, she will each attendee how to maximize his or her communication style to be as effective as possible.

With more than 23 years of teaching, administrative and consulting experience, Dr. Smith-Pierce has led many group and one-on-one sessions for major tax and accounting firms such as Deloitte, Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and West Monroe Partners. She has authored numerous newspaper and journal articles and has been a frequent speaker at local, regional, and national conferences.

Join us for Developing Executive Communication Skills and learn how to develop YOUR skills.

Snacks and soft drinks will be provided.
Please contact Kevin Yu or Lily Yang if you have any questions.

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Aug 4, 2011 – Thursday, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m Launch Event of the Wokai Chicago Chapter

Date: Thursday, Aug 4, 2011
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m
Location: Omni Hotel overlooking Michigan Avenue

Wokai is a non-profit organization committed to helping to those in rural China lift themselves out of poverty through micro-finance. While China is growing at a rapid rate – unfortunately, the socio-economic gap is ever-widening and many people are still living in third-world poverty.

Wokai is a way to help those in rural China help themselves – in a measurable and sustainable way. It is an online micro-finance platform which allows you to designate where your donations go. Simply go online and browse the list of potential donees (www.wokai.org). It is the gift that keeps on giving – once your donated amount is returned, you can continue to re-designate/recycle donation(s) to other donees!

The Launch Event will be a great time – there will be an open bar and three gourmet food stations! We will show a mini documentary on poverty and micro-finance in rural China and have a special guest speaker.

This is a great opportunity to network and a meaningful cause to support.

*All proceeds from the event will go toward Wokai’s mission of helping those in rural China. *

Tickets can be purchase in advance for $25 or for $30 at the door. You can purchase your ticket(s) now by visiting the following link:

PURCHASE MY TICKET!

Wokai is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to alleviating poverty in China through microfinance. Wokai’s approach uses the internet to allow contributors around the world to provide loan capital to borrowers in rural China , empowering them to lift themselves from poverty. Through www.wokai.org, contributors loan as little as $20 to a borrower, stays updated with the borrower’s progress and, at the end of the loan cycle, redistributes the capital to a new borrower and a new business. Since the website launch in November 2008, Wokai has raised over US$300,000 in loan capital, attracted 6,500 users, and empowered more than 490 borrowers. Wokai has been featured in CNN, Time, MSNBC, CNBC, Newsweek, CCTV, Phoenix TV, 三联生活周刊, and Bloomberg.

我开”是一个在美国拥有501(c)(3)资格的非营利性机构，并一直致力于通过小额信贷的手段在中国进行扶贫的工作。“我开”专 注于通过网络的形式将全世界的捐款者与中国的小额信贷借款者联系在一起，并帮助这些借款者走出贫困并最终自力更生。在www.wokai.org ， 捐 款者可以提供最低20美元的捐款给借款者，通过借款者更新随时了解借款者的动向，并且在贷款季结束时用这些资金去支持一名新的借款者。自从我开的网站于 2008年11月运行以来，我开已经筹集了超过30万美元的信贷资金并吸引了六千五百名用户帮助了超过490名客户。我开已经被以下 媒体报道： CNN, Time, MSNBC, CNBC, Newsweek, 中央电视台, 凤凰卫视, 三联生活周刊, 和 Bloomberg

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May 18, 2011 – Wednesday, 1:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m “SO, YOU THINK YOU MAKE GOOD INVESTMENT DECISIONS?”

Date: Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Time: 1:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Union League Club, 65 W. Jackson Boulevard

Program Description:

What do we know about investors and their decision making capabilities? Come to the 20th anniversary of “Decision Theory,” the Investment Analyst Society of Chicago’s 1991 ground-breaking financial analyst seminar. Spend an afternoon hearing what we have learned about decision-making over the last two decades from the renowned 1991 presenters, what we are learning today from the burgeoning field of neuroscience, and a few perspectives from an experienced practitioner.

Topic Highlights Include:
· Asset Price Bubbles
· Psychology, Neurology… How Your Biology Impacts Your Investment Decisions
· Behavioral Decision Theory: Past, Present, Future
· Psychology and Regulation: A 20-Year Update
· Risk, Rationality, and Homo financicus

Panelists:

· Werner F. DeBondt
Director, Richard H. Driehaus Center for Behavioral Finance – DePaul University

· Michael S. Falk, CFA
Founder – Michael S. Falk Asset Consulting

· Paul J.H. Schoemaker
Founder & Executive Chairman – Decision Strategies International, Inc.
Research Director, Mack Center for Technological Innovation – Wharton School , Univ. of Pennsylvania

· Hersh Shefrin
Mario L. Belotti Professor of Finance – Santa Clara University

· Angela A. Stanton
Visiting Scholar, Center for Neuroeconomics Studies – Claremont Graduate University
Member, Behavioral Finance Working Group – Cass Business School , City University London
External Research Fellow – Max Planck Institute ( Jena , Germany )

Moderator:
· Luke Knecht, CFA
Partner & Managing Director – Dearborn Partners, LLC

Target Audience:
· Anyone who is responsible for other people’s money…
· Anyone who has ever regretted a decision they have made…
· Anyone who wants to better understand the “human” obstacles to making good, self-interested decisions

Fee:
Members – $125
Non-Members – $175
(payable by cash, check or credit card)*

CFA Institute Qualified Activity:
Eligible for 4.5 credit hours

Attire:
Business Casual

Registration:
Online: http://www.cfachicago.org/apps/eve_events.asp
Phone: 312-251-1301

Agenda:
1:30 – 1:45 p.m.: Registration
1:45 – 3:45 p.m.: 1st Round of Presentations & Q&A featuring Paul Schoemaker & Werner DeBondt
3:45 – 4:00 p.m.: Break
4:00 – 6:30 p.m.: 2nd Round of Presentations & Q&A featuring Hersh Shefrin, Angela Stanton, and Michael Falk
6:30 – 7:30 p.m.: Reception/Networking

Panelists’ Background Information

Werner F. DeBondt
Director – Richard H. Driehaus Center for Behavioral Finance – DePaul University
Title of Presentation: “Asset Price Bubbles”

Dr. DeBondt is Director of the Richard H. Driehaus Center for Behavioral Finance at DePaul University in Chicago . He studies the psychology of investors and financial markets, and is one of the founders of behavioral finance. Dr. De Bondt is a frequent speaker to academics and investment professionals. In past years, he was a member of the faculty at various universities in Europe . Between 1992 and 2003, he was the Frank Graner Professor of Investment Management at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. DeBondt holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration from Cornell University .

Michael S. Falk, CFA
Founder – Michael S. Falk Asset Consulting
Title of Presentation: “Psychology, Neurology. How Your Biology Impacts Your Investment Decisions”

Mr. Falk is the Founder of Michael S. Falk Asset Consulting. The practice was founded on the singular principal of providing value-added asset consulting. The asset consulting perspective acknowledges that the wisdom of crowds can denigrate into madness at times. Assets should be managed with the serenity to accept the market’s realities; the courage to pursue its opportunities; and the ongoing pursuit of wisdom to understand the difference. Aside from his Asset Consulting work, Mr. Falk is part of the CFA Institute’s Speaker Retainer Program, a contributing member of the PDDARI group within the Financial Management Association (FMA), the Vice Chair of the Profit Sharing 401(k) Council of America’s Investment Committee, and teaches as an adjunct professor at DePaul University in their Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Certificate Program, as well as on behalf of the CFA Society of Chicago. Mr. Falk holds a B.S. degree in Finance from the University of Illinois . He is also a CFA Charterholder, a member of CFA Institute and CFA Chicago, and holds the Certified Retirement Counselor (CRC) designation.

Paul J.H. Schoemaker
Founder & Executive Chairman – Decision Strategies International
Research Director, Mack Center for Technological Innovation – Wharton School , University of Pennsylvania
Title of Presentation: “Behavioral Decision Theory: Past, Present, Future”

Dr. Schoemaker is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Decision Strategies International, a consulting and training firm specializing in strategic management, executive development, and multi-media software. He also serves as Research Director of the Mack Center for Technological Innovation at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where he teaches decision-making and strategy as a part-time professor. For over twelve years, he was a full-time professor in the Graduate School of Business at the University of Chicago specializing in strategy and decision sciences. Dr. Schoemaker has also been a Visiting Professor with Cedep at Insead (France). He took an extended sabbatical with the scenario planning group of Royal/Dutch Shell in London , and has since worked with over a hundred organizations around the world. Dr. Schoemaker has written more than 100 academic and applied papers, including multiple articles in the Harvard Business Review. He is the (co)-author of several books including: Decision Traps; Decision Sciences: An Integrated Perspective; Wharton On Managing Emerging Technologies; Winning Decisions; Profiting from Uncertainty; and Peripheral Vision. His article “Scenario Planning” was the second most re-printed publication in the 42 year history of MIT’s Sloan Management Review, and he is listed among the most highly cited scholars in terms of academic publications in business and economics. Dr. Schoemaker is also an active private investor in new technology-based ventures and serves on the Board of Directors for several of these, including the Decision Education Foundation.

Hersh Shefrin
Mario L. Belotti Professor of Finance – Santa Clara University
Title of Presentation: “Psychology and Regulation: A 20-Year Update”

Professor Shefrin is the Mario L. Belotti Professor of Finance at Santa Clara University . His book, Beyond Greed and Fear, provides a comprehensive approach to behavioral finance, and, in 2009, was recognized by J.P. Morgan Chase as one of the top ten books published since 2000. Among Professor Shefrin’s other works are: A Behavioral Approach to Asset Pricing; Behavioral Corporate Finance; and Ending the Management Illusion. According to a 2003 article that appeared in the American Economic Review, he is one of the top 15 economic theorists to have influenced empirical work. His work has been in the all-time top ten downloads from the Social Science Research Network. Professor Shefrin holds a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics, as well as an honorary doctorate from the University of Oulu, Finland. He is also an honorary guest professor at Central-South University in Changsha , China .

Angela A. Stanton
Visiting Scholar, Center for Neuroeconomics Studies – Claremont Graduate University
Member, Behavioral Finance Working Group – Cass Business School , City University London
External Research Fellow – Max Planck Institute ( Jena , Germany )
Title of Presentation: “Risk, Rationality, and Homo financicus”

Dr. Stanton is a neuroeconomist and visiting scholar at the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies in Claremont , California , as well as an external research fellow at the Max Planck Institute of Economics in Germany . She focuses on the interplay between hormones, environmental stimuli, and economic decision-making. In particular, in her dissertation, including various other publications, she showed that elevated oxytocin levels make people more generous. Currently, Dr. Stanton manages experiments in search of understanding the different brain mechanisms used for solving risky and ambiguous choices using both fMRI and hormonal methods. She has published books and book chapters in edited volumes; the most recen t publication is “Neuroeconomics and the Firm.” Prior to receiving her Ph.D., Dr. Stanton spent many years in the corporate world, with various working experience, including managerial and executive roles. She has taught at the Argyros School of Business and Economics at Chapman University and at the International Finance Diploma Program at UC Berkeley Extension. Dr. Stanton holds a B.S. in Mathematics from UCLA, an M.B.A. from UC Riverside, an M.S. in Management Science of Engineering from Stanford University , and a Ph.D. in Economics from Claremont Graduate University.

Moderator:
Luke Knecht, CFA
Partner & Managing Director – Dearborn Partners, LLC

Mr. Knecht began his career managing fixed income portfolios in 1974 at Colorado National Bank in Denver where he managed both the bank’s reserve portfolio and fixed income trust assets. In 1981, he joined Harris Bank in Chicago managing a variety of portfolios before being named President and Chief Investment Officer of Harris Investment Management in 1992. In 1993, Mr. Knecht joined CSI Asset Management, a subsidiary of Prudential, as President and CIO. In 1997, he moved to San Francisco to serve as head of the Fixed Income division of Dresdner RCM Global Investors. Mr. Knecht returned to Chicago in 2002 as a Managing Director for Deerfield Capital Management, an $8 billion fixed income specialty management firm where he served as Chief Operating Officer from 2004 until his departure in 2010. He is currently a Partner at Dearborn Partners where he manages absolute return bond strategies. Mr. Knecht holds a B.S. degree in Business from the University of Colorado and is a Chartered Financial Analyst. He has been actively involved in managing portfolios his entire career and has had numerous articles and monographs published. Mr. Knecht is a member of CFA Institute and CFA Chicago.

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Dec 17, 2010 – Friday, 12:30pm “The Rise of Chinese Futures and Linkages with OTC and Exchange-Traded Securities”

The Master of Science in Financial Engineering program of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will host an invited speech “The Rise of Chinese Futures and Linkages with OTC and Exchange-Traded Securities”, by Nick Ronalds, President of AsiasMarkets.

Time: Friday, December 17th, 12:30pm
Location: Illini Center, Orange & Blue Room, 200 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL
Lunch refreshments will be available. CFAA members will be admitted for free (mention CFAA during registration).
RSVP by December 15th at http://www.msfe.illinois.edu

Speaker Bio

NICK RONALDS
President, AsiasMarkets
Executive Director, Futures Industry Association Asia

Nick Ronalds, Executive Director, FIA Asia, is responsible for managing the Asian affiliate of the Futures Industry Association. In addition to his work for the FIA, he is President of his firm, AsiasMarkets, which specializes in financial markets consulting and strategic advisory for Asian markets.

Ronalds’ career in the futures industry spans more than 20 years and has included senior positions at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the futures brokerage units of several global banks. In the 1990’s he was the first Managing Director of the joint Asian Representative office of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), based in Tokyo, Japan.

Ronald has advised a wide range of market participants, including central banks, mutual funds, and natural resource companies on the effective use of exchange-traded derivatives for risk management and portfolio enhancement. He was invited to China by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce prior to the launch of China’s first centralized commodity market in 1990 to advise them on the development and management of futures exchanges.

He has published many articles on futures and financial topics in publications as diverse as Futures Industry, Caijing Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal. He is a CFA charter holder and past-Chairman of the CFA Society of Chicago.

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Dec 2, 2010 – Thursday, 5:30pm – 7:15pm U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS AND THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs will host the second annual Dr. Scholl Foundation Lecture: “U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS AND THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC OUTLOOK”, featuring Henry M. Paulson, Jr., former Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Location: The Palmer House Hilton Chicago, 17 East Monroe Street, Chicago , IL 60603

Agenda:

5:30pm, Registration and Cash Bar Reception
6:00pm, Remarks and Q&A
7:15pm, Adjournment

Fee: Members $10, Nonmembers $20, President’s Circle, Corporate Members, and Student Members complimentary
SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP OFFER: Join and attend this event for $40 ($60 value).

Register now

U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS AND THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

Henry M. Paulson, Jr., former Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury

Chaired by Michael H. Moskow, Vice Chairman and Senior Fellow on the Global Economy, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and former President and Chief Executive Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

This past spring, representatives of President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao convened for the “ China – U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue” in Beijing . This important dialogue was first established in September 2006 by then U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Hank Paulson and China ’s Vice Premier Wu Yi with the goal of creating a mechanism for constructive and cooperative relations between China and the United States . As both countries continue to manage the global economic downturn, the United States and China find themselves inextricably linked and on the verge of a currency policy tipping point. At this second annual Dr. Scholl Foundation Lecture on U.S.-China Relations, Hank Paulson will offer his thoughts for the years ahead.

The Dr. Scholl Foundation Lecture on U.S.-China Relations is made possible by the Dr. Scholl Foundation, seeks to bring to Chicago one high-level, well respected American or Chinese policymaker, government official or thought leader to deliver a major public lecture on key policy issues facing U.S.-China relations.

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October 23, 2010 – Saturday, 1:30pm – 4:00pm Seminar on Long-Term Investment

Chicago Trading Club will host a seminar: “Seminar on Long-Term Investment”.

Location: Stuart Building 104, IIT main campus, 10 West 31st Street, Chicago, IL 60616

Agenda:

1:30 – 2:00pm, Registration and networking

2:00 – 2:35pm, “Understanding Fundamental Investment”, by Vivian Lin

In this session, Ms. Lin will introduce a widely adopted investment methodology both by academia and practitioners — fundamental investment. Her talk will cover investment philosophy of fundamental investment and research, investment process and research methods and career development topics related to fundamental investment.

2:35 – 3:10pm, “Understanding Quantitative Investment”, by Rui Zheng

In this session, Mr. Zheng will introduce another popular approach in the investment world – quantitative investment. His talk will cover portfolio construction and associated risk management, difference between investment and trading, quantitative strategies vs. fundamental strategies, finance and physics. He will also present his personal view of investment in general.

3:10 – 3:25pm, Break

3:25 – 4:00pm, “Value Investing In Emerging Markets”, by Wei Qiao

In this session, Mr. Qiao will cover typical research methods and decision process in alternative asset management world. He will also discuss the challenges and excitement from investing in emerging markets. Lastly, Mr. Qiao will also give an introduction to how to get into the hedge fund industry and make a success out of it.

About the speakers:

Ms. Vivian Lin

Ms. Lin, CFA, is a Senior Investment Analyst at UBS Global Asset Management based in Chicago . Her primary responsibilities include investment research and management on US Consumer Staples sector including food, beverage, tobacco and personal/household care industries. Her prior experience with the firm was as an investment analyst for the consumer sectors in Latin America and EMEA (Emerging Europe, Middle East and Africa ). She was also covering wireless telecom and banking sectors in Latin America at UBS Global Asset Management previously.

Prior to joining UBS in January 1999, Ms. Lin worked for a Chinese trust and investment corporation based in Beijing . Her responsibilities included developing and analyzing financial plans for World Bank’s agribusiness investment projects in China .

Mr. Rui Zheng

Mr. Zheng is a quantitative investment analyst within the Systematic Alpha team, UBS Global Asset Management, responsible for team-wide quantitative research to improve current investment strategies and develop new investment capabilities. He is also assisting the portfolio management, product development, and client services of the US strategies of the SA team, including large-cap long-only, sector funds, and long-short market neutral.

Mr. Wei Qiao

Mr. Qiao has worked as a hedge fund analyst for three years. He has extensive investment experience in emerging markets as well as domestic market. Mr. Qiao had also researched investment-grade corporate bonds prior to that. In his earlier career, Wei had worked as business analyst and project manager in Thomson Reuters for over 7 years.

Other information:

Type: Open to CTC members, IIT Students and members of other Chinese Organizations

Attire: no requirement

Fee: $15 for CTC members, CFAA members and IIT students; $20 for non-members

Parking: nearby street parking and campus guest parking available (map attached). See http://www.iit.edu/~parking/visitor.html for details. Note that campus parking on Saturday is FREE.

Food/drink: beverages will be prepared

Contact: If you plan to attend, please reply to ChineseTradingClub@gmail.com so that we can prepare sufficient seating and beverages.

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September 18, 2010 – Saturday, 1:30pm – 4:00pm Seminar on High Frequency Trading

Chicago Trading Club will host a seminar: “Seminar on High Frequency Trading”.

Location: Stuart Building 104, IIT main campus, 10 West 31st Street, Chicago, IL 60616

Agenda:

1:30 – 2:00pm, Registration and networking

2:00 – 2:35pm, “High Frequency Trading, Good or Evil, You Decide”, by Yuhua Yu
In this session, Ms. Yu will first give a brief introduction to the history of high frequency trading and then discuss the impact it has (or appears to have) on the financial market. She will also present and discuss a few drastically different perspectives about the HFT, and in particular, the controversial role that HFT played in the May “flash crash”. Finally, she will discuss the policy challenges HFT is facing today.

2:35 – 3:10pm, “The “True Fundamental Analysis” – A Framework for Directional HFT ”, by Steven Xu
In this session, Mr. Xu will go in-depth analyzing price formation dynamics. Based on that, he will introduce an alternative framework to theoretically and practically perceive and conduct trading, in contrast to the traditional fundamental analysis and technical analysis.

3:10 – 3:25pm, Break

3:25 – 4:00pm, “Building low latency trading architecture”, by Changzheng Rao
In this session, Mr. Rao will introduce general concepts and important aspects of a HFT architecture which is just as important, if not more than, as building HFT strategies. His talk will particularly focus on issues with exchange connectivity such as Direct Market Access, collocation, native exchange API vs. FIX protocol, market data and order execution gateway, multicast feed, etc.

About the speakers:

Ms. Yuhua Yu is currently the Head of Quantitative Research at DRW Trading Group, overseeing the research projects of all the exchange traded futures and options in the global market for the firm. She joined DRW in 2006 after obtaining a doctoral degree in Mathematics, specialized in computational finance, from Purdue University.

Mr. Steven Xu is a trader and Co-Director of the XM Trading Group in HTG Capital Partners. His main trading markets are equity index futures. He worked in Jump Trading since 2005 until he joined HTG in 2009.

Mr. Changzheng Rao is currently working as a Software Engineer in Nico Holdings LLC. He is currently building market data service and trading architecture for Nico. He has over 10 years experience in system and network programming. With his expertise in exchange connectivity and direct market access, he has helped several companies in the trading and finance industry to design, develop & implement low latency large throughput order execution gateways and market data feed handlers. He also has hands-on experience in building and improving various trading, trading support, back-testing, and batch scheduling systems. Prior to his work in trading and finance industry, he has research and programming experience in areas of high performance computing and telecommunication. He earned his Master of Science degree in Computer Science from Mississippi State University and his Bachelor of Science from Nanjing University.

Other information:

Type: Open to CTC members, IIT Students and members of other Chinese Organizations
Attire: no requirement
Fee: $15 for CTC members and IIT students; $20 for non-members
Parking: nearby street parking (along Michigan Ave.) and campus guest parking available (map attached). See http://www.iit.edu/~parking/visitor.html for details:

Food/drink: beverages will be prepared

Contact: If you plan to attend, please reply to ChineseTradingClub@gmail.com so that we can prepare sufficient seating and beverages.

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September 14, 2010 – Tuesday, 5:30pm – 7:15pm Financial Innovation and the Future of Risk

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2010
CORPORATE PROGRAM
ANNUAL CME GROUP LECTURE ON GLOBAL FINANCIAL MARKETS

FINANCIAL INNOVATION AND THE FUTURE OF RISK

Robert C. Merton, Nobel Prize-winning economist and MIT Sloan School of Management Distinguished Professor of Finance

In the aftermath of the financial crisis, governments, financial institutions, and central banks across the world have examined the root causes of the financial meltdown. Some observers have cited financial innovation as a factor in the housing market bubble and subsequent crash that contributed to the crisis. Others have argued that over the last four decades, financial innovation has driven the global financial system toward greater efficiency, and generated significant economic benefit in the process. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has emphasized risk mitigation and awareness, stating that it would be unwise to stop financial innovation. What is the role of financial innovation and how can it preserve the integrity of the marketplace?

Join us on September 14th, when we host Nobel Prize-winning economist Robert C. Merton, who will deliver the inaugural CME Group Lecture on Global Financial Markets. Dr. Merton will talk on “Financial Innovation and the Future of Risk.” Dr. Merton will offer observations on structural issues contributing to the financial crisis, discuss the role of financial innovation as an engine for global economic growth, examine whether or not financial innovation increases the risk of a crisis, and reflect on the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Robert C. Merton is an internationally renowned economist, financial innovator, and recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1997 for his work on a new method to determine the value of derivatives. He is currently the MIT Sloan School of Management Distinguished Professor of Finance.

The Annual CME Group Lecture on Global Financial Markets was established to promote understanding of the role of markets in the aftermath of the financial crisis.

University Club of Chicago
76 East Monroe Street
Chicago, IL 60603
Business attire is required.

5:30 p.m. Cash bar reception
6:00 p.m. Lecture and discussion
7:15 p.m. Adjournment

Individuals $10
President’s Circle, Corporate Members, Young Professionals, and Student Members complimentary

For registration, visit the event page.

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June 12, 2010 – Saturday, 2:00pm – 4:00pm    Floor Trading, Manual Trading and Program Trading

Chicago Trading Club will host a seminar: “Floor Trading, Manual Trading and Program Trading”.

Location: McCormick Tribune Campus Center, Ballroom, IIT main campus, 3201 South State St, Chicago, IL 60616

Agenda:

1:30 – 2:00pm, Registration and networking

2:00 – 2:35pm, “Floor Trading”, by Nan Zhu
In this session, Mr. Zhu will give a general introduction to floor trading – the original and still prevailing way traders trade. His talk will cover the history, floor structure, participants, transaction process, discussion of merits and drawbacks as well as the future of floor trading.

2:35 – 3:10pm, “Trader Psychology ”, by Bruce Mao
In this session, Mr. Mao will mainly focus on an ultra-important but often omitted part of trading – trader psychology. His talk will first give a brief introduction to manual trading, then go in depth analyzing the interaction between human nature and trading, the psychological qualities a trader must have and general trading disciplines.

3:10 – 3:25pm, Break

3:25 – 4:00pm, “Introduction to Program Trading”, by Mike Ouyang
In this session, Mr. Ouyang will introduce the new frontier of trading –program or algorithmic trading. His talk will introduce the origin and development of program trading, major categories of program trading algorithms, merits and drawbacks of these programs. He will also discuss causes and role of program trading associated with the May 6th markets crash.

About the speakers:

Mr. Nan Zhu is a floor trader in MYJ Trading. His main trading markets are Eurodollar options and Eurodollar futures.

Mr. Bruce Mao is a trader and Co-Director of the XM Trading Group in HTG Capital Partners. His main trading markets are equity index futures.

Mr. Mike Ouyang is a senior developer in Citadel. His work focuses on trading strategy design and implementation.

Other information:

Type: Open to CTC members, IIT Students and members of other Chinese Organizations
Attire: no requirement
Fee: $15
Parking: nearby street parking (along Michigan Ave.) and campus guest parking available (map attached). See http://www.iit.edu/~parking/visitor.html for details:

Food/drink: beverages will be prepared

Contact: If you plan to attend, please reply to ChineseTradingClub@gmail.com.

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May 17, 2010 – Monday, 3:30pm – 5:00pm    Global Focus: Building BRICS Part I – China

China continues to be the world’s fastest growing economy. Rising per capita income combined with its traditional export driven growth suggests that investors should continue to factor the China phenomenon into portfolio strategies. But threats loom as well. The politics of protectionism are always rumbling in the background and China’s own internal imbalances add uncertainty to the sustainability of its remarkable rise. Join us as we examine (1) the macro case for China as an investment opportunity and (2) specific ways the investor can include exposure to the China effect in a diversified portfolio.

Moderator:
Karim Pakravan, Visiting Associate Professor of Finance, DePaul University

Panelists:
John L. Rogers, Founder and Former President, Midwest US-China Association
Robert Gernstetter, Founder and Director, Mastholm Asset Management,

More: Drinks and Networking 5:00-5:30 PM

Location: 1 E. Jackson, DePaul Center, Room 8005, Chicago, IL

The event is free of charge but space is limited; Register at cfs@depaul.edu

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May 15, 2010 – Saturday, 8:30am    China and the Future of the Global Economy (中国和世界经济的未来)

“China and the Future of the Global Economy” (中国和世界经济的未来) will be the second China Conference planned and hosted by the Chicago Society, a premiere event-hosting student organization at the University of Chicago, and co-hosted by Culture and Career Club and Moneythink.

Agendas include Keynote Speech featuring Justin Lin(林毅夫), Chief Economist of World Bank, and Discussion Panels attended by noteworthy speakers from the academic world, the political sphere as well as industry professionals.

Location: International House, Assembly Hall, University of Chicago, 1414 East 59th Street, Chicago, Illinois 60637 USA

For detailed agenda, registration and general information, please visit www.globalchinaconference.org/.

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May 15, 2010 – Saturday, 7:30pm-9:00pm     Prospect of China Capital Market

The Greater China Club of the Booth School of Business will host the next GCC Speaker Event Featuring Dr. Bin Qi, Director-in-General of Research Center for China Securities Regulatory Commission. Dr. Qi will share his prospects of capital market in China .

Dr. Bin Qi is the Director-in-General of Research Center , the think-tank of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC). Prior to his current position, Dr. Qi was a Deputy Director of the Fund Supervision Department of CSRC for five years, supervising mutual fund industry and QFII’s in Chinese capital market. Dr. Qi joined CSRC in 2000 as a member of its Strategy and Planning Committee. Before joining CSRC in 2000, Dr. Qi was a partner of a New York-based venture capital firm. Prior to that, Dr. Qi worked with Goldman Sachs Asset Management and Paribas Capital Market in New York and London.

Dr. Qi holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Tsinghua University, an MBA from the University of Chicago and an MS in Biophysics from the University of Rochester . In 2005, Dr. Qi translated “The Great Game, The Emergence of Wall Street as a World Power,” into Chinese, which became a best-seller in China and has been reprinted more than 20 times since then. In 2007, Dr. Qi led a team of CSRC and The World Bank and drafted China Capital Markets Development Report, the first of the sort, which provides a comprehensive review of the history of Chinese Capital Markets and full analysis of the challenges of the market, and development strategies for the years to come (till 2020).

DATE: May 15th Saturday
TIME: 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Location: Harper Center Room C25, 5807 South Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago , IL

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May 12, 2010 – Wednesday, 5:00pm     AAAIM, TMC and CAF Networking Event

The Association of Asian American Investment Managers (AAAIM), The Marathon Club (TMC), and BAML Capital Access Funds (CAF) are partnering to host a premier networking event for investment managers, middle market entrepreneurs, senior corporate level executives, and professional service providers. AAAIM, TMC, and CAF are collaborating to build bridges, facilitate greater deal flow and highlight the talent and innovation resident within the U.S. Emerging Domestic Market.

Location: Bank of America, 135 South LaSalle Street, 43rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60603

Space will be limited. To register, please visit event webpage and RSVP by May 7, 2010.

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April 20, 2010 – Thursday, 11:00am     The 58th Annual Management Conference 2010

On Thursday, April 29th, 2010, the Booth School of Business of the University of Chicago will host one of the year’s most anticipated events in finance and economics – the 58th Annual Management Conference, at Navy Pier in Chicago.

Agendas include Keynote Panel Presentation, Breakout Sessions, and a special forum featuring Professor Eugene Fama, Dean Edward Snyder and David Booth, Chairman and CEO of Dimensional Fund Advisors.

For detailed agenda, registration and general information, please visit Chicago Booth Management Conference 2010.

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November 20 , 2009 – Friday, 4:00pm    Quantitative Finance on Fridays Seminar Series

“The Puzzle of Index Option Returns” by George M. Constantinides, Leo Melamed Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business — Sponsored by International Center for Futures and Derivatives at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Center for Financial Mathematics at the University of Chicago.

Location: Chicago Mercantile Exchange, 20 South Wacker Drive.

Agenda: 3:30pm Check-in, 4:00pm Seminar Starts

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October 10, 2009 – The Association of Chinese-American Scientists and Engineers (ACSE) will hold its 17th annual conference in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, USA.

The theme of this year’s conference is “US-China Cooperation for Global Economy Recovery” . The conference consists of general session in the morning, three breakout sessions in the afternoon and a job fair in between. Top ranking government officials and corporate executives from both US and China will attend the conference and give speeches. It’s anticipated this event will be a golden opportunity to learn how to deal with economic crisis for both individual and business. Seats are limited, please register at www.acse.org now. Please also view the Chinese version of the event invite here.

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September 14, 2009,  Monday    U.S. – China Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum - organized by The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and The U.S.-China Chamber of Commerce (USCCC)

The global economic crisis has left no country and no market untouched. The crisis is seriously impacting global economic growth and the livelihood of citizens across the world. The United States and China, as two of the world’s largest economies, have a special role to play in advancing global growth and promoting confidence in markets.

The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), together with the U.S.-China Chamber of Commerce (USCCC), will organize a day-long forum in downtown Chicago to advance understanding in both business communities of the opportunities and challenges stemming from the crisis. The 1st U.S.-China Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum will explore critical bilateral trade and investment topics and complement ongoing efforts by the two governments to promote common solutions to global challenges and strengthen relations.

Please see the detailed agenda and registration info here.

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July 18, 2009,  Saturday    “Entrepreneurship and Career Development” Seminar Organized by The Culture and Career Club (CCC) Chicago Chapter

Speaker: David Qu, President and Chief Operating Officer, CellTrak Technologies Inc.

David has 15+ years experience in operating and growing companies in the sectors of Healthcare, Information Technology, Enterprise Software, Software As A Service (SaaS) and ASP business. His talk includes :
- A SWOT Analysis of Chinese IT Professionals
- Path to Career Success
- Entrepreneurship
- One Special Path
- Avoid Common Mistakes
- Next Step – If you are about to graduate
- Next Step – If you are in workforce for 5 years

Time & Location:
07/18/2009, Saturday, 10:30am-1:30pm 10 W 31st St, Chicago IL 60616,
IIT Stuart Building, Room 104

Login to Event Site and Click on the button at the bottom of the event page to Register

Login Note: CCC members use username of “first letter of your first name + your last name”, and password of “temptemp”. Click on “Myself as a member”; Non members use username of “chicagoguest”, and password of “temptemp”. Click on ” Guest without membership”.

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Managing U.S.-China Economic and Trade Relations: Thoughts for the Years Ahead

Ambassador Carla Anderson Hills, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Hills & Company, and Former United States Trade Representative

When United States President Barack Obama met with Chinese President Hu Jintao in early April ahead of the G20 summit, the two leaders agreed to convene the first meeting of the new “China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue” in Washington this summer. This dialogue, which will include topics beyond economics and marks an expansion of the previous dialogue under the Bush administration, is a key signal of the deepening of the U.S.-China relationship. As both countries continue to manage the global economic downturn, the United States finds China funding much of its deficit, while China looks to stimulate domestic consumption in response to lower U.S. and global demand for exports. In short, the two countries are inextricably tied, and leaders of both countries must work to successfully navigate the relationship. At this inaugural Dr. Scholl Foundation Lecture on U.S.-China Relations, Ambassador Carla Hills will offer her thoughts for the years ahead.