The Robert H. Smith School of Business welcomes John W. Rogers, Jr. as its featured guest for the school’s second Diversity Fireside Chat, presented by the University of Maryland’s Office of Community Engagement. The chat will be led by Smith’s Diversity Officer Hank Boyd. The two will have a one-on-one interview for an event that is free and open to everyone.
Rogers, CEO and chief investment officer for Ariel Investments, has been described as “one of the most powerful” African Americans on Wall Street by Black Enterprise. According to his official bio, Rogers’ interest in equities grew at Princeton University, where he majored in economics and captained of the 1979–80 Ivy League co-champion Princeton Tigers men’s basketball team. Over the two-plus years he worked as a stockbroker for William Blair & Company, LLC. In 1983, he founded Ariel Investments with a philosophy based on patient, value strategy in small and medium-size companies. Today the company is the United States’ largest minority-run mutual fund firm.
According to the Smith school, the Diversity Fireside Chat program is designed to pinpoint how the Fortune 500 can achieve racial diversity in terms of corporate board makeup.
“The discussion will also explore what steps minority candidates can take to position themselves for such coveted spots,” Boyd said in a statement on a press release. “Rogers will share his personal story on his trajectory from a Chicago kid to an investment titan. His firm actively manages over $17 billion in mutual fund assets.”
“We, the Smith community, are eager to host John Rogers because he exemplifies the character and gravitas of a respected business leader,” Boyd said. “Having the sheer courage and conviction to pursue his own shop, Rogers embodies the true spirit of the entrepreneur – unsatisfied with the status quo and willing to change the world.”