KU News Release

May 4, 2007
Contact: Justin Lueger, School of Business, (785) 864-9540.

KU business students’ stock portfolio wins first in national competition

LAWRENCE — For pulling down a nearly 30 percent return on their 2006 stock portfolio, business students at the University of Kansas earned first place in the Redefining Investment Strategy Education portfolio competition, outperforming teams from more than 40 universities across the United States.

The KU students won in the “Hybrid” category of the competition conducted in April at the University of Dayton in Ohio. The Hybrid category is defined as portfolios that include short securities and/or invest in derivative securities, such as options. KU’s Applied Portfolio Management class placed first in the Hybrid category two years ago, as well.

The first-place achievement honors the work of more than 70 students from the spring 2006 and fall 2006 Applied Portfolio Management classes taught by Catherine Shenoy, assistant professor of business and director of Applied Portfolio Management. Three KU students represented the two classes at the event: Douglas R. Goehl of Olathe, Sydney Gilbert Hayes of Topeka and Jonathan David Horne of Richardson, Texas.

The Applied Portfolio Management class manages a real investment portfolio, currently valued at $2.4 million.

“This was a well-earned award for the students in the APM class,” Shenoy said. “They spent countless hours researching companies in our portfolio, meeting with executives and drafting research reports. It’s great to see their hard work pay off in such a big way.”

Stocks with the biggest gains in the students’ 2006 portfolio included a cutting-edge medical device developer, a Chinese provider of low-cost organic fruits and vegetables, a manufacturer and distributor of ceramic tiles and a designer, manufacturer and distributor of innovative global positioning technology.

The KU team was also selected as one of 12 elite teams to present their portfolios to a national panel of senior investment professionals. In his feedback to students, one judge wrote that the KU students “find interesting stocks and do thorough analysis and valuation. I like the global focus.”

The University of Dayton sponsors R.I.S.E., and the portfolio competition is part of a larger conference that brings leading students, faculty and investment professionals together to discuss significant financial issues. This was the seventh annual R.I.S.E. forum.

KU’s Applied Portfolio Management class started in 1993 with a $250,000 gift from Kent McCarthy, an alumnus of the business school. McCarthy retired from Goldman Sachs in 1994 and currently manages several hedge funds. The returns of the portfolio help fund an annual men’s basketball scholarship and an annual master’s student scholarship.

For more information, visit the KU School of Business Web site.

Contributing class members currently enrolled are listed below by hometown, level in school, major, parents’ names and previous schools attended.

BROWN COUNTY
From Hiawatha 66434
Bradford Steven Framke, senior in finance, son of Barb Framke; Hiawatha High School.

BUTLER COUNTY
From El Dorado 67042
Aaron Michael Arnett, master’s student in accounting and information systems, son of Mike and Gayle Arnett; bachelor’s degree from KU; El Dorado High School.

DOUGLAS COUNTY
From Lawrence 66044
Alioune Kane, non-degree-seeking student; bachelor’s degree in business from KU.

Joseph Michael Louis Sicilian, senior in business and finance, son of Joe and Shirley Sicilian; Lawrence Free State High School.

GRAY COUNTY
From Cimarron 67835
Alex Joseph Ketzner, first-year law student, son of Clyde and Mary Ketzner; bachelor’s degree in business from KU; Cimarron High School.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Leawood 66209
Michael Thomas Raupp, senior in management and finance, son of Tom and Karla Raupp; Blue Valley North High School.

From Lenexa 66215
Adrienne Gail Cichelli, senior in accounting and finance, son of John and Carol Cichelli; Shawnee Mission West High School.

From Olathe 66061
Samuel Joseph Klein, senior in finance, son of Dianne Klein; Olathe East High School.

From Olathe 66062
Douglas R. Goehl, master’s student in business administration; bachelor’s degree from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

From Overland Park 66207
Steven L. Baru, master’s student in business administration, son of Gerald and Evelyn Baru; bachelor’s degree from KU.

From Overland Park 66213
Adam Christopher Hall, senior in finance and management, son of Susan Hall; Blue Valley Northwest High School.

From Overland Park 66214
Matthew Benjamin Terrill, master’s student in accounting and information systems, son of William B. and Susan G. Terrill; bachelor’s degree in business from KU; Shawnee Mission South High School.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
From Leavenworth 66048
William Craig McKim, master’s student in business; bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University.

LYON COUNTY
From Emporia 66801
Todd Michael Kitchens, master’s student in accounting and information systems, son of Jim and Lynn Kitchens; bachelor’s degree in business from KU; Emporia Senior High School.

RUSH COUNTY
From LaCrosse 67548
Jared Nicholas Klenda, non-degree-seeking student, son of Mike and Janiece Klenda; bachelor’s degree from KU; Lacrosse High School.

SALINE COUNTY
From Salina 67401
Alexander Ryan Harbin, senior in finance, son of Gary and Elizebeth Harbin; plans to attend KU School of Medicine in fall 2007; Southeast Saline High School.

SEDGWICK COUNTY
From Wichita 67230
Ryan Michael Patton, senior in finance, son of James and Mary Patton; Wichita Collegiate School.

SHAWNEE COUNTY
From Topeka 66617
Sydney Gilbert Hayes, master’s student in business; bachelor’s degree from Wichita State University; Seaman High School.

From Topeka 66611
Joseph Robert Ledbetter III, senior in finance and economics, son of Joseph Ledbetter; Topeka High School.

FLORIDA
From Hollywood 33028
James Robert Whitchurch, master’s student in accounting and information systems, son of Walter and Mary Whitchurch; bachelor’s degree from KU: Wichita Collegiate School.

IOWA
From West Des Moines 50265
Jeffrey Neal Vanhemert, master’s student in accounting and information systems, son of Brian and Joan Comito; bachelor’s degree from KU; Valley High School West.

MISSOURI
From Chesterfield 63005
Scott Patrick Baker, senior in finance, son of Bart and Connie Baker; St. Louis University High School.

From St. Joseph 64506
Jeremy David Simmons, master’s student in business administration; bachelor’s degree from Missouri Western State College.

TEXAS
From Richardson 75081
Jonathan David Horne, master’s student in business administration, bachelor’s and associate degrees from the University of Phoenix.

BULGARIA
From Varna
Stefan Hristov Stoyanov, senior in finance, son of Hristo Borisov Stoyanov.

CHINA
From Shanghai
Guanqun Tao, master’s student in mathematics, master’s degree in business from KU.

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