Funds Enterprise Fundraising Campaign



Media contacts: Dawn Skelly, Carlson School of Management, (612) 624-8770

Alyssa Atkins, Carlson School of Management, (612) 625-3358

Carlson School of Management’s Funds Enterprise Program Initiates

Fundraising Campaign as it Celebrates 10 Years of Strong Performance

Funds Enterprise seeks self-sufficiency and significant financial lab renovations

MINNEAPOLIS—(April 23, 2008)—The Carlson Funds Enterprise at the Carlson School of Management, a program that gives graduate and undergraduate students the opportunity to learn about the investment management business with real money, is seeking to raise $7 million through an endowment fund to put the program on the path to self-sufficiency. Through unique fundraising, the endowment is offering 70,000 shares of common “mock stock” at $100 a share to “investors” who will not get a stock return, but rather a continued supply of well-trained financial analysts and a tax deduction.

The Carlson Funds Enterprise currently has more than $25 million distributed between a fixed income fund and a small capitalization growth fund. In honor of 10 years of impressive success, Carlson Funds Enterprise Director Joe Barsky plans to use the funds raised for lab remodeling, a fellowship program, investments in management and accounting systems and an endowment fund that will cover annual operating expenses. “By creating an endowment, we will be able to run completely on our own and ensure a sound future for the Carlson Funds Enterprise program,” said Barsky, who was a stock analyst and portfolio manager for 24 years at what is now Ameriprise Financial, Inc.

The Carlson Funds Enterprise currently operates as a singular entity from the Carlson School, receiving the majority of its funds from outside investors, and a small portion from the Carlson School’s Office of the Dean. The Carlson program was launched in 1998 with $3 million in initial investments from Alliance Capital Management LP (now Alliance Bernstein LP), Ameriprise Financial, Inc., U.S. Bancorp and Wells Fargo & Co. Since then, the program has gained Securian Financial Group, Inc., Piper Jaffray & Co. and two individuals as participants. Since the inception of the Carlson Funds Enterprise in May of 1998, the enterprise has also received invaluable financial and in-kind contributions from Ameriprise Financial, Faegre & Benson, Kopp Investment Advisors, Alliance Capital Partners, Wells Fargo & Co., State Farm Insurance and 16 individuals. In addition to the generous donations that have aided in the program’s success to date, the capital raised from the proposed plan will pay for yearly expenses and allow the Carlson Funds Enterprise to be entirely self-supported.

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