KU News Release

LAWRENCE — A team of business students from the University of Kansas won the inaugural Kansas City Chartered Financial Analyst Investment Research Challenge, qualifying them for the North and South American finals in April where they will compete against 40 teams to win $10,000 for school programs.

The three students, all studying finance at KU’s School of Business, defeated the University of Missouri, Kansas State University and the University of Central Missouri in a competition that judged teams’ ability to write and present a research report on a specific company.

“I think the team’s win says great things about the School of Business, especially given that the competition was against other regional schools,” said team member Robert Thomas Freeman.

The teams’ final products were a result of multiple months of work. The students worked from October to February with Kansas City Chartered Financial Analyst Society members who helped the teams with their final reports and presentations.

This year’s company was Great Plains Energy Inc., the holding company of Kansas City Power and Light Co. The judges were local financial and investment professionals and Kansas City Chartered Financial Analyst Society members.

“It was interesting to learn more about an area with no previous exposure, in this case the regulated utilities industry,” Freeman said.

Freeman, along with team members David James Larson and Thomas Alan John, were supported by School of Business faculty members Dieter Schrader, the team’s faculty adviser, and Steve Ligget, the team’s presentation coach.

Schrader praised the team’s high-quality sell-side financial report.

“If you told someone that a team of professional financial analysts wrote this report, they would believe you,” Schrader said.

Student competitions that focus on real-world subject matter are one of the many ways School of Business students learn in and out of the classroom.

“It clearly shows how far the School of Business has come over the last five to 10 years,” Freeman said when commenting on his team’s win.

The team members are listed below by hometown, level in school, major, parents’ names and high school.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Overland Park 66213
Robert Thomas Freeman, senior in finance; Rob and Nancy Freeman; Olathe East High School.

SEDGWICK COUNTY
From Wichita 67226
Thomas Alan John, master’s of business administration student; Deborah John; bachelor’s in business from KU, spring 2009; Independent High School.

SHAWNEE COUNTY
From Topeka 66604
David James Larson, senior in finance; John and Susan Larson; Topeka West High School.