Please join us for an exciting panel discussion on the "State of the Market."

Panelists include:

• Sophia Banar '06, State Street Global Advisors
  
• Benjamin Hesse '05, Fidelity Investments 
• Paul Quistberg, Columbia Management (Division of Bank of America)
  
• Kristina Salen '03, Fidelity Investments
• Peter Saperstone '95, Fidelity Investments

Moderated by Atul Varma '03, CFO, Columbia Management (Division of Bank of America)

A cocktail networking reception will follow the panel discussion.

This event is generously hosted by Fidelity Investments.

Sophia Banar
Sophia Banar is a Securities Analyst and a Portfolio Manager for the Tuckerman Group, a dedicated real estate subsidiary of State Street Global Advisors. In her role, she performs fundamental analysis of the U.S. REIT universe for the Active strategy and manages implementation of US and Global/International Real Estate Index strategies. Prior to joining the Tuckerman Group, Sophia was an Analyst for the State Street Corporation Wealth Manager Services division and a consultant with CSC Consulting Inc., a professional services organization of Computer Science Corporation. 

Sophia received her BS in Management degree from Bentley University, and holds an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Columbia University Graduate Business School.

Benjamin Hesse
Benjamin Hesse is a research analyst and portfolio manager for Fidelity Management & Research Company (FMRCo.), the investment advisor for Fidelity’s family of mutual funds. Fidelity Investments is the largest mutual fund company in the United States, the No. 1 provider of workplace retirement savings plans, the largest mutual fund supermarket, a leading online brokerage firm and one of the largest providers of custody and clearing services to financial professionals. He manages Fidelity Select Brokerage and Investment Management Portfolio, Fidelity Select Financial Services Portfolio, Fidelity Advisor Financial Services Portfolio, VIP Financial Services Portfolio, Fidelity Stock Selector, Fidelity Series Broad Market Opportunities Fund and Fidelity Financials Central Fund. 

Mr. Hesse joined Fidelity in August 2005 as an equity research analyst following the processing and analytics industries.  He assumed responsibility for Select Business Services and Outsourcing Portfolio in March 2006 and managed Fidelity Select IT Services Portfolio from March 2006 until November 2007.   In June 2007, Mr. Hesse began managing Fidelity Select Brokerage and Investment Management Portfolio. He began co-managing VIP Financial Services Portfolio, Fidelity Select Financial Services Portfolio, Fidelity Advisors Financial Services Portfolio and Fidelity Financials Central Fund in October 2008 and assumed full management responsibilities for those funds in February 2009. He began co-managing Fidelity Series Broad Market Opportunities Fund and Fidelity Stock Selector in November 2009.

Previously, Mr. Hesse served as a small cap generalist at Credit Suisse Asset Management in New York in the summer of 2004.

Born in 1977, Mr. Hesse received a bachelor of arts degree in finance from Michigan State University in 1999, a master of arts degree in economics from New York University in 2003, and an MBA from Columbia Business School in 2005.

Paul Quistberg
Paul Quistberg is the Head of Cash Investments for Columbia Management.  In this role, he is responsible for the oversight of a team of portfolio managers, analysts and traders supporting Columbia’s cash mutual fund and separate account investment management platform. 

Mr. Quistberg joined Columbia Management in 2008 and has been a member of the investment community since 1990.  Prior to joining Columbia Management, Mr. Quistberg held several roles at Putnam Investments, including chief operating officer, director of credit research, and credit research analyst.  He also worked as a credit officer at  The Travelers Insurance Company and an audit manager at KPMG Peat Marwick.  

Mr. Quistberg earned a BS, Accounting from The University of Connecticut and an MBA, Finance from The University of Chicago.  He is a CPA and CFA.  In addition, he is a member of the CFA Institute, a board member of The Posse Foundation (Boston), and a board member of UConn’s Accounting Department Advisory Council.

Kristina Salen
Kristina Salen is a portfolio manager for Fidelity Management & Research Company (FMRCo), the investment advisor for Fidelity’s family of mutual funds. Fidelity Investments is the largest mutual fund company in the United States, the No. 1 provider of workplace retirement savings plans, the largest mutual fund supermarket, a leading online brokerage firm and one of the largest providers of custody and clearing services to financial professionals.  Ms. Salen currently manages Fidelity Select Multimedia Portfolio, Fidelity Select Telecommunications Portfolio, Fidelity Advisor Telecommunications Fund, Fidelity Telecom Services Central Fund and Fidelity VIP Telecommunications Portfolio.  She also currently co-manages the Telecommunications sub-portfolios of Fidelity Stock Selector and Fidelity Series Broad Market Opportunities Fund.

Prior to joining Fidelity in 2006, Ms. Salen was an assistant vice president and senior analyst for the Media and Communications Team at Oppenheimer Capital from 2002 until 2005.  From 1998 to 2001, she worked for Merrill Lynch Investment Managers as a vice president and equity analyst.  In 1997 Ms. Salen joined Lazard Freres & Co., LLC working as an equity analyst until 1998. She began her career in 1995 as a research associate in the Latin American retail sector for SBC Warburg, Inc. 

Born in 1971, Ms. Salen received a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Vassar College in 1993, and an MBA in finance from Columbia University in 2003.  In 1993 she was designated a Fulbright Scholar for her work in political science and economics.


Peter Saperstone
Peter Saperstone is a portfolio manager for Fidelity Management & Research Company (FMRCo.), the investment advisor for Fidelity’s family of mutual funds. Fidelity Investments is the largest mutual fund company in the United States, the No. 1 provider of workplace retirement savings plans, the largest mutual fund supermarket, a leading online brokerage firm and one of the largest providers of custody and clearing services to financial professionals.  He manages Fidelity Advisor Mid-Cap Fund, Fidelity Fifty Fund and Fidelity Advisor Fifty Fund.

Mr. Saperstone joined Fidelity in 1995 as a research analyst following the textile and apparel industries.  He managed Fidelity Select Construction and Housing Portfolio from 1996 to 1997, and Fidelity Select Air Transportation Portfolio and Fidelity Select Defense and Aerospace Portfolio from 1997 to 1998.  He also managed Fidelity Select Telecommunications Portfolio, Fidelity Advisor Telecommunications & Utilities Growth Fund and Fidelity Utilities Fund from 1998 to 2000.  Mr. Saperstone managed Fidelity Convertible Securities Fund from November 2000 until June 2001, when he assumed management for Fidelity Advisor Mid-Cap Fund.  He co-managed Fidelity Advisor Global Capital Appreciation Fund from December 2005 until September 2006.  In November 2006, he assumed responsibility for Fidelity Fifty Fund and Fidelity Advisor Fifty Fund.

Prior to joining Fidelity, Mr. Saperstone was with Gabelli & Company, Inc., from 1993 to 1995, where he worked as an equity research analyst following the gaming and lodging industries.  Before that, he was a credit analyst at National Westminster Bank USA, from 1991 to 1993.  From 1989 to 1990, Mr. Saperstone worked for Bankers Trust Company as an account analyst in the corporate trust department.

Born in 1967, Mr. Saperstone earned a bachelor of science degree in industrial economics from Union College in 1989 and an MBA from Columbia University in 1995.

Atul Varma
Atul Varma is the Chief Financial Officer for Columbia Management, an asset management division of Bank of America.  He is responsible for overseeing all finance related activities, including planning and forecasting, reporting and strategy and acts as a trusted business advisor to the President of Columbia Management.  He serves on several committees, including the Operating, Risk and Product Approval Committees.  Atul has held various positions in finance at Bank of America including CFO for the Products Group, Investment Services Group, Banc of America Specialist and Head of Business Planning and Analysis.

Before joining Bank of America, Atul was at Citigroup where he led the Competitive Analysis and Strategy group and planning and forecasting for the Capital Markets and Consumer Finance groups.  Prior to that he was at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Financial Advisory Services area and M.R. Weiser and Co as an auditor.

Atul received his BS in Accounting degree from Binghamton University, holds an MBA from Columbia University Graduate Business School and is a Certified Public Accountant.