Money Management Matters

Broncos Take Second Place at the 2024 CFAOC Competition

The Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) team earned an impressive second-place finish in the Chartered Financial Analyst Orange County (CFAOC) competition November 22, 2024. The competition was exceptionally close, with judges split 3-3 in their votes for first and second place. This achievement highlights the students' dedication, talent, and pursuit of excellence.

The CFAOC competition offers an exciting opportunity for student teams to showcase their skills by preparing and presenting a comprehensive proposal to manage a portfolio averaging $115,000. This dynamic challenge simulates the real-world processes used by institutional asset managers, providing invaluable hands-on experience and a chance to shine in a professional setting.

 A heartfelt acknowledgment goes to finance professor Pawan Tomkoria (’84 master’s in business administration) — also a Distinguished Alumni of Cal Poly Pomona, whose exceptional coaching and mentorship have been instrumental in the SMIF program’s ongoing success. Under his guidance over the past six years, the SMIF team has achieved three first-place finishes, one second-place finish, and two third-place finishes—an extraordinary track record!

“I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to all the faculty members and Dean Krishnamurthy, who took the time to provide feedback during the team’s dry run presentations. Your expertise and guidance were instrumental in helping the team refine their strategies and deliver such a strong performance. Many thanks to the Dean’s Office for supporting our Bloomberg lab, Ms. Kathy Byrum for helping with the event parking, and Ms. Ana Austin for ensuring all event-day logistics ran smoothly.” — Wei Yu, Professor and Chair, Department of Finance, Real Estate and Law

Congratulations to the SMIF team and FRL department for this incredible achievement! Let’s celebrate this moment and strive for more future success! Go Broncos!