In 2018 Hazem took over the SME Forum and focuses most of his efforts there. Since its founding more than 15 years ago, The Forum has been a growing dynamic community of practitioners from the Asset Management industry who have roles in supporting the Sales, Marketing, Operations and Technology departments of their respective organizations.  The deep degrees of trust in sharing best practices, avoiding pitfalls, and learning from one another are hallmarks of how valuable this community continues to be for each firm and the individual employees.

As one of the original members, he has been a continual driver of the Forum’s growth and maturity since its inception in 2003.  Initially the senior representative for OppenheimerFunds, he grew to be a leader in the development of the CRM Forum,  providing  guidance,  mentorship,  facilitation  and participation in various aspect of the organization’s events over the years.  Hazem took over ownership and primary responsibilities for running the organization in 2018.  He also continues to provide consulting services to the industry under his Thoth Advisory Services organization.

Prior to the Forum, Hazem spent more than fifteen years at OppenheimerFunds in several different roles, always as a proven change agent to help define and implement appropriate and necessary improvements to propel the business.  He worked  most closely with the sales and marketing divisions directing their technology needs and adoption, onboarding third-party services, in addition to portfolios such as data management, reporting and analytics, business continuity and disaster recovery, among other responsibilities.

Tim Kresl is a Principal of the Distribution Insight team at Broadridge. Tim has spent his career partnering with leading financial services providers to help translate data and research into meaningful actions that improve business outcomes.

Tim co-founded Atom Analytics in January 2018 with the goal of helping financial services providers use their existing data more effectively and systematically to drive distribution effectiveness. In July 2018 Atom Analytics joined Broadridge as part of the Data & Analytics group. Broadridge’s new Distribution Insight team now combines in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, an unmatched distribution dataset, cutting-edge data science techniques, and their unique view of the customer landscape with clients’ business goals and data to create bespoke segmentation strategies and client journey maps.

Prior to starting Atom Analytics, Tim was a Principal of Market Metrics and subsequently a Strategic Advisor to Strategic Insight. In these roles he became a recognized leader in the industry for utilizing data to drive distribution effectiveness. He has worked with a range of asset managers to design sales territories, develop optimal rotations, implement data-based solutions, and train end users to drive adoption.

In addition, Tim has worked extensively with senior managers to develop management tools that measure the effectiveness, productivity, and improvement of their distribution organizations. Tim completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Vermont, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

Scott is the Manager of Client Engagement Practice for Olmstead. He joined Olmstead in May 2021 and focuses on engaging Olmstead clients about their business operations, sales enablement tools, information management and improving user adoption. 

Scott has 30 years of experience in the mutual fund distribution industry.  His time at Ivy Investments and American Century afforded Scott opportunities in sales, marketing, and business operations. 

Scott is from Kansas City, an active leader in Boy Scouts and professional percussionist.  Scott and his wife, Beth, have three grown children, all who are also musically inclined.  

With over 20+ years working with financial services clients, Bill knows the most effective data-driven sales and marketing approaches for banking and investment clients.

Prior to rejoining MarketBridge, Bill was the Chief Solutions Officer at Angoss Software, with overall responsibility for the design, development and deployment of predictive analytic solutions within major financial services accounts, including Great West, MetLife, Oppenheimer, Allianz, and Alliance Bernstein among others.

Recently Bill has been helping investment firms navigate the changing distribution landscape and align sales and marketing teams in digitally focused initiatives. 

Lee Kowarski is a Vice President with SS&C Technologies, overseeing the firm’s Distribution Solutions products and services, including data management (SalesConnect), analytics (WalletShare), research, and consulting.  This team is focused on helping asset and wealth managers find opportunity amongst disruption. 

A graduate of New York University’s Stern School of Business, Lee entered the asset management industry as part of RSM McGladrey’s consulting practice before co-founding kasina in 1999, which was subsequently acquired by DST Systems’ in 2015 and then a part of SS&C’s acquisition of DST in 2018. 

Lee and his wife, Melinda Miller, live on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and are active in the hospitality world, including supporting Rethink Food and the James Beard Foundation.

Marianne is a recognized thought leader in digital marketing trends and an implementer of marketing programs, practices and organizations. Her career includes Fortune 100 manufacturing, insurance and high tech positions in marketing, sales and IT. Ms. Hewitt is a member of and blogs for the CDP Institute.

For this presentation, Hugh Massie will be your “Chief Behavioral Officer” showing you the future world of operational and tech tactics that unleash the secret weapon of behavior and money energy mastery for achieving optimization of organizational performance. 

Hugh is known as the Money Energy Pioneer. He is a “reformed accountant” who has become a high-stakes decision orchestrator, behavioral finance  innovator, identity podcaster, boys without father’s mentor, devoted dad and keen golfer. In 2001, Hugh founded the Atlanta-based DNA Behavior International as “The Behavior and Money Insights Company.” His “understanding people before numbers” approach empowers people to firstly discover their inherent DNA Behavior style hard-wired from early in life prior to analyzing the hard data and also to build an enhanced relationship with money.

For organizational decisions, Hugh focuses on measuring and managing the inherent behavioral variability and diversity, which naturally comes from the many invisible human behavioral differences. With his team, he has led the development of over 100 apps which deploy DNA Behavior’s insights making them actionable on a scalable basis across organizations.

Leon Morales is President and Chief Energy Officer of DNA Behavior International, “The Behavior and Money Insights Company.”

The company pioneers behavioral finance insights for real results in real time, including an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) program for firms.  Leon describes the firm’s “why:” Intensified behaviors caused by money attitudes and other factors like stress can derail individual and organizational performance. He says the company addresses – via an all-in-one, cloud-based plug-and-play platform – the evolving role of leaders and coaches is increasingly called on to be mentors and behavioral coaches. He is a seasoned leader and consultant with deep experience in finance, technology, operations, accounting, and organizational change.

Leon is passionate about assisting organizations in unlocking the power of human behavior acceleration through the practical application of behavioral insights He has a strong passion to help organizations focus on Behavioral Diversity to unlock talent in innovation. Leon is an avid runner and cyclist.

Mario is the founder of a boutique consulting firm MGallotto Consulting LLC. Mario is guiding Asset Managers to leverage their existing data and maximizing sales and marketing distribution and analytics processes. He has over thirty years of experience in Financial Services having held Head of Business Intelligence positions at both State Street Global Advisors and John Hancock. In these roles he has overseen reporting, analytics, and CRM data teams. Mario is always striving to use data and technology that will give clients a competitive advantage.

Mario received a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts in 1985 and his Executive Masters in Business Administration (EMBA) in 1996.

Mario enjoys spending time with his family and friends, playing basketball, golf, and traveling.   He has  been married to his wife Mary for over 20 years and they have three children: Michael, Ana, and Marissa

Inderjit S Chhatwal is a veteran of the Asset Management and Technology domains, with over 30 years of experience in IT, of which about two-third has been in managing IT efforts for Asset/Wealth Management. Inderjit’s broad and deep understanding of mutual funds distribution business, related technologies and data affords him to lend a unique blend of both business and technology perspectives.

Inderjit managed multiple technology teams working on various CRM and data efforts for the Sales and Distribution business line for Oppenheimer Funds, with overall responsibility from inception to adoption. His keen interest in latest technology trends brought Design Thinking approach to Oppenheimer as well as utilization of data science for predictive modeling. Prior to Oppenheimer, Inderjit was leading the Distribution Technology team supporting sales and marketing efforts at Allianz Global Investors.  

Bill Hortz is a business innovation writer, independent business consultant, and Founder/Dean of the financial services business innovation focused Institute for Innovation Development.

Bill has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry including creatively restructuring and developing internal/external sales and strategic account departments for 5 major financial firms; entrepreneurially pioneering new markets in the early days of the financial advisor fee-based movement and financial alliance programs in the US;  and created many non-traditional and engaging advisor educational events with major financial firms including OppenheimerFunds, Neuberger&Berman, Peregrine Asset Management (HK), and Templeton Funds Distributors.

His wide-ranging experiences have led Bill to a strong belief, passion and advocation for strategic thinking, innovation creation, and strategic account management as the nexus of business forces needed to address a business environment challenged by an accelerating rate of change.

Bill loves working with senior executives, sales/strategic account departments, and financial advisor teams in developing effective ways of using innovation resources and developing innovation skills. He considers himself a life-long “student of human nature” and is well known for his enthusiasm, creativity, and resourcefulness.

Bill is married, with two grown children (and 2 grandchildren!), living in the Tampa Bay area. He enjoys reading, engaged conversation, bicycling, spelunking, and traveling with his family.  

Little known facts: Bill worked on the last remaining docks of NYC as an underage teen, worked for the man in Hong Kong that the book Tai-Pan was based on, and constantly seeks out off-off-off broadway theatre, performance art, live music performance, and modern art museums.

Kevin Rosenfeld is a strategic leader with extensive experience in the asset management industry. He is a seasoned professional in all areas of distribution, with a focus on delivering distribution business intelligence. In his recent roles, Kevin was responsible for aggregating and analyzing sales-related data, informing the strategic direction of sales teams, and overseeing the implementation and delivery of business intelligence initiatives. 

Kevin’s background in sales leadership, data analytics, and sales enablement gives him a unique skill set that enables him to understand client needs, analyze industry data to better serve clients, and leverage technology to enhance distribution. Throughout his career, Kevin has worked for top asset management firms including Prudential Financial, AllianceBernstein, and Lazard Asset Management.

He holds a B.A. in Communications from the University of South Florida.

Mario began his career at Lord Abbett leading the firm’s effort to build Sales & Marketing data analytics functions, develop digital marketing strategies and create a comprehensive client touch point data analysis to facilitate client segmentation, predictive analytics, lead management, and CRM engagement. Through this work, he initiated a wholesaler training program to drive adoption of both the data & technology to help meet business plan goals.

Most recently Mario served as Chief Transformation Officer responsible for leading change management in Lord Abbett’s Technology and Operations areas in an effort to enhance agility throughout the firm. This included overseeing the integration of data management and analytics, reporting, and technology to increase efficiency, create an information advantage, and drive transformation across the organization. In this role, Mario led key initiatives such as; the migration of the firm’s Middle Office platform through a Strategic Partnership with a leading provider in the industry, provided strategic thought leadership, implementation planning & development for the firm’s move to a new Investment Management Solution and the development of a strategic product & client data platform for new product launches, customer acquisition/onboarding, lifecycle, and retention initiatives through interactive data analytics, visualization, & management tools.

Trained in engineering, research, and psychology (B.S. in Psychology, Kansas State University), Todd Neese has worked at a psychiatric research and training hospital (coordinating treatment outcome studies), a variable annuity company (coordinating customer information management), a major research university (coordinating business intelligence for the Vice Provost for Research), an insurance and asset management company, Athene / Aviva / AmerUs (leading business intelligence, sales and marketing related reporting and analytics, and data governance), and for the most recent eight years at Janus Henderson Investors as the Global Head of Business Intelligence and Distribution Operations.  In each of these opportunities, he was responsible for building out and improving business intelligence capabilities.  The central theme of his career has been using information to drive better decision making.

While at Janus Henderson for the past 8 years, Todd has been responsible for building the Business Intelligence and Distribution Operations function globally – transforming the focus from sales reporting of what has happened to suggesting what we could do to acquire more clients, to serve, grow and retain our existing clients, and to enable our sales and marketing teams to optimize their time and efforts by presenting the right idea to the right client at the right time.  His Teams focus on delivering Competitive and Market Intelligence, Data and Solution Driven Selling Opportunities, Outcomes Analyses, Distribution Enablement and Advanced Analytics, CRM Training and Support, AUM & Flows Processing and Reporting, and Sales Reporting.

Career development (his own and those with whom he works), community involvement, and corporate responsibility are extremely important to Todd.  He led the establishment of the Insuring a Future Program at Aviva, which provided two “retroactive life insurance” awards for uninsured or underinsured non-customer recipients in need, through a corporate and community agency team.  He led an enhanced employee leadership development team, which delivered 11 department-wide Finance continuing education sessions, expanded employee recognition, and launched a mentorship program.  His teams are regularly involved in Habitat for Humanity-type events; and he has chaired the Leadership Level Giving effort within the Aviva United Way Campaign for three years.  In the past, he has served as the president of the Board of Directors of a (United Way sponsored) Crisis Counseling Center. 

Todd’s daily goal is to improve the company and his team in everything that he does – with the desired impact being increased collaboration and insight.  Innovation, integrity, fairness, humor, and quality are central values driving his actions.  His Real Deal cards (PEAK Learning) are Being Challenged, Contributing to a worthy cause, Freedom to innovate, Respect, and Humor/Laughter; and his Deal Breaker is Enthusiasm / Passion.  With his roots in academic settings, he views a central part of his role as a leader to help develop the next generation of leaders and to help those on his team achieve their aspirations.

Todd and his wife, Barb, have been married for 15 years and have no children of their own.  However, they have many nieces and nephews whom they adore and spoil.  Outside of work his passions include music, culinary adventures, and art.

Austin has over 16 years of industry experience spanning retail intermediary as well as institutional businesses. He is a business, data strategy, and analytics leader with a deep understanding of asset management and the data-driven processes that are the crux of the industry. He has led global teams supporting the implementation and rollout of CRM systems and integrations, data governance structures, and data and analytics solutions and outputs. 

Bill Finnegan has extensive financial services experience in senior leadership roles within marketing and sales. His more than 30-year career encompasses working in and across the asset management, retirement, insurance, and banking industries. Most recently, Bill was leading global marketing for Seismic software’s financial services business, the firm’s largest vertical.

Before Seismic, Bill was the Chief Marketing Officer for AMG. Prior to that, Bill was Senior Managing Director of Global Retail Marketing at MFS.

As a company spokesperson, Bill has been quoted extensively across consumer and industry publications regarding investor behavior and the application of technology and data to improve outcomes. At Broadridge, Bill is leveraging his integrated digital, data, and technology experiences to guide asset management clients as they apply software and data to improve client engagement.

Bill earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and a minor in economics from the University of Massachusetts. He has held Series 7, Series 24, Series 51, and Series 63 securities licenses as well as state life insurance & annuity licenses.