A "W" crest on a banner outside of Bascom Hall

WISIMCO Team

Leadership

WISIMCO’s leadership team is a group of dedicated professionals committed to maximizing the financial sustainability of the University of Wisconsin Foundation’s endowment. With a diverse range of expertise in asset management, financial analysis, and strategic planning, we work collaboratively to ensure the growth and stewardship of our resources, supporting the university’s mission for generations to come.

Michael Stohler

Chief Investment Officer

  • Michael became the WISIMCO’s Chief Investment Officer in 2021. Prior to that, he was a managing director of investments at Washington University in St. Louis, where he invested capital across all asset classes. Previously, Michael was a managing director and international head of portfolio construction for J.P. Morgan’s Wealth Management unit. Michael also served as the chief risk officer for the division’s alternative investments platform. He has a BA from St. Olaf College, an MBA from New York University, and a PhD in physics from Purdue University.

Michael Knetter

Chief Executive Officer

  • Mike joined the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association as president and chief executive officer in 2010 after eight years as dean of the Wisconsin School of Business. Prior to joining UW–Madison in 2002, he was associate dean and professor of international economics in the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. He also served as senior staff economist for the Council of Economic Advisers for former presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

Katherine Wyble

Managing Director of Investments

  • Katherine joined WISIMCO in 2022 and serves as a Managing Director of Investments. Prior to this, Katherine most recently served as Director of Investments for Pomona College. Earlier in her career, she held positions at the University of Southern California and Boston University investment offices, and at Cambridge Associates. Katherine received an MBA from Harvard Business School, awarded with Distinction, and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Scripps College.

Chris Moore

Deputy Chief Investment Officer

  • Chris joined WISIMCO in 2021 and serves as the Deputy Chief Investment Officer. Previously, he served as the Chief Investment Officer for Not-for-Profit at Mercer. Prior to Mercer, Chris had various roles in consulting and fixed income portfolio management. Chris holds an MBA from the John M. Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis and a bachelor’s degree in biochemical engineering from University of Missouri. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations.

Richard Shepley

Senior Managing Director of Investments

  • Richard joined WISIMCO 2015 and serves as a Senior Managing Director of Investments. Richard has over 20 years of investment experience as a portfolio manager and senior investment analyst at Oppenheimer Funds, Deutsche Asset Management, Scudder Investments and Newton Investment Management. Richard holds an MA in politics, philosophy and economics from Oxford University, is an associate of the institute of Chartered Accountants and is an associate for Investment Management and Research.

Sean Arp

Chief Operating Officer of Investments

  • Sean Arp serves as Chief Operating Officer of WISIMCO Investments. Prior to joining WISIMCO in 2022, Sean spent eight years at Washington University in St. Louis Investment Management Company (WUIMC) where he served as Chief Operating Officer overseeing investment operations, analytics, reporting, technology, personnel and strategic initiatives. Before WUIMC he was Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer at Temujin Fund Management and a Director at Thales Fund Management. Sean holds a bachelor’s degree in Literature, Science and the Arts from the University of Iowa.

Michele Bernius

Director of Investments

  • Michele joined WISIMCO in 2012 as an investment analyst and currently serves as a Director of Investments. Prior to her roles at WISIMCO, she was a Vice President at BlackRock in Boston, responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with institutional investors, including public and private pension plans, foundations and endowments. She has over a decade of experience in financial services and started her career in Tokyo, Japan working for Lehman Brothers. Michele graduated from Cornell University with a degree in economics and is a CFA charterholder, as well as a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA).

John Norton

Director of Investment Operations

  • John joined WISIMCO in 2006 managing responsibilities across investments operations. Prior to this, John worked as an investment analyst with the organization focusing on the private markets including private equity and real estate. In addition, John’s career has included time with the State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB) where he served in a variety of roles with increasing responsibility including as an analyst focused on private equity as well as investment operations relating to performance and compliance. John holds a BBA degree with an emphasis on finance from Edgewood College.

Greg Elkins

Director of Investments

  • Greg joined WISIMCO in 2019 and serves a Director of Investments. Greg previously served as a senior investment manager for a health insurer and as an associate portfolio manager for Brown Advisory. He began his career in institutional investing with Cambridge Associates. Greg graduated with a BA from Washington & Lee University and earned his MBA with a concentration in finance from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. Greg holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

Dana Serwe

Investment Office Chief of Staff

  • Dana joined the WISIMCO team in 2023 and serves as the Investment Office Chief of Staff. In this role, she acts as the principal support figure for the Chief Investment Officer (CIO) and the senior investment team. Prior to this role, Dana spent 15 years in the field of K-12 public education. Dana holds a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, awarded with distinction, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Investment Committee

WISIMCO is tremendously fortunate to benefit from the insight, experience, and dedication of members of the UWF Investment Committee, whose support for the UW is exceptional.

The Investment Committee has the authority and responsibility for oversight and stewardship of the endowment investment portfolio (EIP). The committee is responsible for setting investment objectives, approving strategic asset allocation, and recommending the EIP’s spending policy for approval.

Todd Pulvino

Investment Committee Chair

  • Todd is co-founder and principal at the investment firm CNH Partners, an affiliate of AQR Capital. He co-founded CNH’s arbitrage investment business and has served as a lead manager of arbitrage strategies since 2001. He previously served as a tenured Associate Finance Professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and as a visiting professor at Harvard Business School. He began his career as a project engineer at The Aerospace Corporation. He was also a consultant at two fund-of-fund firms, Collins Associates and Grosvenor Capital Management.

    While at Northwestern, Todd received two Journal of Finance Smith Breeden prizes for his research and the L.G. Lavengood Outstanding Professor of the Year Award in 1999.

     Education

    1984; BS; Mechanical Engineering; UW-Madison

    1986; MS; Mechanical Engineering; California Institute of Technology

    1994; AM; Business Economics; Harvard University

    1996; PHD; Business Economics; Harvard University

Louis Holland, Jr.

Investment Committee Member

  • Lou has spent thirty-seven years in the asset management and investment business, primarily in management, sales, marketing, and strategy roles. He worked at Oppenheimer Capital/Quest for Value, the John Hancock Funds and Nuveen Investments. At Oppenheimer, Hancock and Nuveen, Lou focused on separately managed accounts, mutual funds, closed end mutual funds, ETF’s, ETN’s, and retirement accounts across all asset classes. Lou’s roles included leadership positions as Managing Director running all sales and service, including e-commerce and marketing, SVP Organization Management, National Sales Management, Division Sales Management, and Sales and Wealth Management.

    Today he serves as President and CFO of his own family office, CUMOTA LLC. The family office has stakes in privately held companies and real estate properties, where Lou is often on the board. In addition, he currently sits on the board of The E-Valuator Risk Managed Strategy Funds (Current Chair), TNE Management, LLC, Schmaltz Restaurant Group, LLC, and Adam’s Street Partner's, LLC. He currently serves on the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association Board, the UW Letters and Science Board of Visitors (Current Chair). Previously Lou served the board of Holland Capital Management, LLC, the Forum for Investor Advice (merged into the Managed Money institute), the UW School of Medicine and Public Health’s Initiative to End Alzheimer’s Board of Visitors (Past Chair), the National Alzheimer Association Board, and the National Kidney Foundation Board of Illinois.

    Education

    1986; BA; Economics; UW-Madison

Jeffrey Diermeier

Investment Committee Member

  • Jeff is a retired finance and investment executive. He is the former co-owner and chair of L.B. White Company, LLC, a manufacturer and marketer of propane, natural gas and kerosene heaters (2010-2017). Prior to that, he served as president and CEO of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute, a nonprofit educational organization for investment professionals. Earlier, he served in numerous finance and investment executive roles at UBS Global Asset Management and predecessor organizations such as UBS Brinson, SBC Brinson, and Brinson Partners. He left UBS as global chief investment officer in 2004. He began his career at First Chicago, where he served as vice president from 1975 to 1989.

    Jeff serves as a director of Adams Street Partners, Guitars Over Guns, Uhlich Children's Advantage Network (UCAN) Governing Board, and Janus Henderson Group Plc. He previously served as chair of the L.B. White Company, LLC, and Hinsdale Hospital Foundation Board of Directors and was also chair of the Financial Accounting Foundation Board of Trustees. Jeff is co-founder and co-trustee of the Diermeier Family Foundation.

    Education

    1974; BBA; Finance, Investment & Banking; UW-Madison

    1975; MBA; Finance, Investment & Banking; UW-Madison

Ted Kellner

Investment Committee Member

  • A Chartered Financial Analyst with 47 years of investment experience, Ted is a retired founder and portfolio manager with Fiduciary Management Inc., an investment management firm established in 1980. The firm currently manages approximately $25 billion in assets, in pension and profit-sharing trusts, Taft-Hartley and public funds, endowments, and personal trusts throughout the United States. Ted also founded and serves as Executive Chairman and Treasurer of Fiduciary Real Estate Development, Inc., also in Milwaukee, which owns and manages over $750 million in multi-family residential units. Ted and his wife, Mary, reside in Mequon, Wisconsin and have three adult children and five grandchildren.

    He served as Vice President and Research Analyst for Brittingham, Inc. of Wilmington, Delaware, from 1969-1973; and as Vice President of Milwaukee-based Nicholas Company, Inc., from 1973-1980.

    Education
    1969; BBA; Finance, Investment & Banking; UW-Madison

David Nicholas

Investment Committee Member

  • Dave joined Nicholas Company as an investment analyst in 1986. He serves in a leadership position for the company as CEO and President, while primarily focusing his efforts day- to-day on investments as a Portfolio Manager and the Chief Investment Officer. Dave has developed his philosophy and skills over the past thirty years under the guidance of the long-held investment philosophy and process developed by Albert O. Nicholas, the founder of Nicholas Company. This opportunity has allowed Dave to gain a deep experience and knowledge analyzing companies and the equity markets.

    Dave’s approach is aligned with the Nicholas core investment philosophy and process, while adjusting it to meet the characteristics of various capitalization growth companies. Core elements to the philosophy include identifying companies with secular growth capabilities, consistent earnings growth, strong balance sheets and solid management teams. Dave also shares a preference for non-consensus strategies when market opportunities arise.

    Dave is the lead portfolio manager of Nicholas Fund, Nicholas II and Nicholas Limited Edition, while serving as co-manager for Nicholas Equity Income Fund. As Chief Investment Officer he guides the firm’s investment process and the investment team on a day-to-day basis.

    Dave is a member of the UW-Milwaukee’s Business School Advisory Board. He has earned the right to use the CFA designation and is a member of the CFA Society Milwaukee.

    Education

    1983; BBA; Finance; UW-Madison

    1986; MS; Finance and investments; UW-Milwaukee

John Oros

Investment Committee Member

  • John is an operating partner at J.C. Flowers & Co., a private equity firm with offices in New York and London. From 2006 to 2018, he served as managing director of the firm and was a member of their Management Committee. He is also chair and CEO of Financial Guaranty Advisors, LLC, a Delaware registered business. Before joining J.C. Flowers, he held a number of executive positions at Enstar Group Limited, including the role of executive chair from 2000 – 2010. Prior to that, John was an investment banker in the Financial Institutions Group of Goldman Sachs for almost 20 years, where he became a general partner in 1986. In addition, he was appointed chair of the Federal Savings and Loan Council in 1987, where he served for two years.

    John serves as a director of Island Finance, Jefferson Capital, iLendingDIRECT, and National Guardian Life Insurance Company. He is also a member of the Children's Aid and Family Services of New Jersey Investment Committee. He previously served as a director at Cabot Credit Management, Encore Capital Group, Fairstone Financial, and OneWest Bank. He served as a lieutenant in the United States Army and Army Reserves from 1968-1974. He and his wife are the governing trustees of the John and Anne Oros Foundation.

    Education

    1971; BBA; Marketing; UW-Madison

Stephen Petersen

Investment Committee Member

  • Steve is the managing partner and a wealth advisor at Prio Wealth (formerly Seaward Management LP), where he’s worked since 2013. He was an executive in residence at Babson College from 2013 until 2016. Previously, Steve worked in numerous roles at Fidelity Investments from 1980 until 2012, including as senior vice president of investments and earlier as an equity analyst and portfolio manager.

    Steve is the co-chair of the Catholic Schools Foundation Executive Council and member of the Four Springs Capital Trust Board of Trustees. He is a former member of the Allele Fund Advisory Board and the CFA Society of Boston Board of Directors.

    Education

    1979; BBA; Finance, Investment & Banking; UW-Madison

    1980; MS; Finance, Investment & Banking; UW-Madison

Ricky Sandler

Investment Committee Advisory Member

  • Ricky founded Eminence Capital in 1999. Today, Eminence is a ~$6.9B global investment management organization investing client capital across global financial markets. As CEO and CIO of Eminence, Ricky is responsible for setting the firm’s strategic direction as well as directly managing its 20+ person investment team and diversified investment portfolio. Prior to launching Eminence, Ricky was co-founder and co-general partner of Fusion Capital Management, a firm that managed a long/short hedge fund focused on global equity securities. Prior to that he was a research analyst at Mark Asset Management, where he began his investing career in 1991. Ricky received a BBA in Accounting and Finance graduating with honors from the University of Wisconsin. Ricky developed and teaches a capstone Finance course at Wisconsin, Applied Equity Markets Research and launched Badgers in Finance; a professional and recruitment network for UW students and alumni across financial services. Ricky serves as an advisor on the Investment Committee for the University of Wisconsin Foundation and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

    Education

    1991; BBA; Business; Finance; Finance, Investment & Banking; UW-Madison

    1991; BBA; Business; Accounting and Information Sys; Accounting; UW-Madison

Paul Shain

Investment Committee Member

  • Paul is the President, Founder, and CEO of Singlewire Software in Madison, Wisconsin. Withdecadesofexperienceasatechnologyindustryexecutive,PaulleadsSinglewirein innovative software solutions to create safer workplaces.

    Prior to leading Singlewire, Paul served as the Managing Director & Director of Research at Robert W. Baird & Co. He also led Berbee Information Networks Corporation as the CEO and served on executive partner councils for both IBM Corporation and Cisco Systems.

    Paul serves on the board of directors for Fiduciary Management Inc., American Family Insurance Company, the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

    Education

    1986; BBA; MBA; Finance; UW-Madison

Mike Shannon

Investment Committee Member

  • Mike co-founded KSL Capital Partners, LLC in 2005 and co-founded its predecessor KSL Recreation Corporation in 1992, serving as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Since 2005, KSL Capital Partners has raised over $13 billion in equity capital commitments and invests exclusively in travel and leisure businesses.

    Mike co-founded and became Chief Executive Officer of KSL Resorts in 2004 following the sale of KSL Recreation. Prior to establishing KSL Recreation with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, he served as President and CEO of Vail Associates, Inc. (owner of Vail and Beaver Creek Resorts) in Vail, Colorado, from 1986 to 1992.

    Mike is the recipient of the 2016 Horatio Alger Award of Distinguished Americans, the University of Wisconsin’s Distinguished Alumni Award, and

    Northwestern University’s Kellogg Schaffner Award. In February of 2017, Mike and Mary Sue Shannon were named the Vail Valley Foundation’s Citizens of the Year. Mike was named the recipient of the IREFAC C. Everett Johnson Award presented at the New York University Hospitality Industry Investment Conference in June of 2018. He was named recipient of The Wisconsin Real Estate Award in September of 2018.

    Mike currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Northwestern University, and as the Chairman of the Board of the University of Wisconsin Foundation, the Chairman of the Board of Eisenhower Medical Center, and as a member of Board of the Steadman Philippon Research Institute. He is the immediate past Chairman of the Board of Vail Health Services and Vail Health Hospital. He also serves on the Mayo Clinic Global Advisory Council. He is a past Director of Safeway, Inc., ING Direct, Conseco, Inc., TCA Cable TV, Inc., Startek, Inc., ING Americas Holdings and ClubCorp Holdings, Inc., the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation, and the Vail Valley Foundation.

    Education

    1980; BBA; Finance, Investment & Banking; UW-Madison

    1980; BBA; Marketing; UW-Madison

    1983; MM; Accounting; Northwestern University

Thomas Stevens

Investment Committee Member

  • Tom is the chair of global equity firm Los Angeles Capital Management, which he founded in 2002. Previously, he led asset management solutions for large institutional investment organizations at Wilshire Asset Management (a division of Wilshire Associates) from 1986 until 2002, was senior managing director and principal at Wilshire Associates from 1980 until 1986, and was a research analyst and later a portfolio manager at National Bank of Detroit from 1976 until 1980.

    Tom is the chair and member of the Los Angeles Capital Global Funds Board of Directors, first vice president of the Proxy Parent Foundation Board of Directors, and member of the Special Olympics Southern California Board of Directors.

    Education
    1972; BA; Sociology; UW-Madison

    1975; BBA; Business Diversified; UW-Madison

    1976; MBA; Finance, Investment & Banking; UW-Madison