John W. Rogers, Jr.
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Ariel Investments John’s passion for investing started when he was 12 years old when his father bought him stocks every birthday and every Christmas instead of toys. His interest grew while majoring in Economics at Princeton University. After graduation, he worked as a stockbroker for 2½ years at William Blair & Company, LLC—a regional investment banking firm. In 1983, John founded Ariel Investments to focus on undervalued small and medium-sized companies. Patience served as the cornerstone of a disciplined approach that still drives the firm today. Beyond Ariel, John currently serves as a board member of Aon Corporation, Exelon Corporation and McDonald’s Corporation. Additionally, he is chairman of the Economic Club of Chicago, a director of the Chicago Urban League, a trustee of the University of Chicago and a member of the board of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, where he chairs the investment committee. In 2008, John was awarded Princeton University’s highest honor, the Woodrow Wilson Award, presented each year to the alumni whose career embodies a commitment to national service. Following the election of President Barack Obama, he served as co-chair for the Presidential Inaugural Committee 2009. In 2010, John was named an Outstanding Director by the Outstanding Directors Exchange for his leadership on governance, management and diversity in the boardroom. He received an AB in economics from Princeton University where he was also captain of the varsity basketball team.
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Charles K. Bobrinskoy
Vice Chairman, Director of Research
Co-Portfolio Manager
Ariel Focus Fund and Ariel Focused Value Product
Charlie manages Ariel’s investment and trading teams and also serves as the firm’s director of research. Additionally, he is co-portfolio manager of Ariel Focus Fund and the Ariel Focused Value Product, concentrated portfolios investing in mid-to-large cap companies. Charlie brings more than two decades of investment experience to the firm. Prior to joining Ariel in 2004, he spent 21 years as an investment banker at Salomon Brothers and its successor company, Citigroup, where he held many leadership positions, most recently managing director and head of North American Investment Banking Branch Offices. Beyond Ariel, Charlie is active in the Chicago community, teaching monthly investing classes at two Chicago inner-city schools and serving on the boards of the Museum of Science and Industry, La Rabida Children’s Foundation, After School Matters, the Big Shoulders Fund and the Juvenile Protective Association. He is also a member of the Duke University Trinity Board and a director for InnerWorkings, Inc., a publicly traded print procurement company. Charlie graduated from Duke University with an AB in economics and earned an MBA from the University of Chicago.
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Dr. James E. Bowman
Professor Emeritus
The University of Chicago
Dr. Bowman is professor emeritus, Departments of Pathology and Medicine, Committee on Genetics, Committee on African and African American Studies, and a senior scholar, MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics. He has authored over ninety scientific publications and two books in the fields of human genetics. He served the U.S. Department of State, Committee for Science Cooperation between the United States and Iran, was a consultant to the Department of Education, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Defence Forces, Laboratory Program. Additionally, he was an external examiner, the Department of Pathology, University of Lagos, Nigeria. Dr. Bowman received both his undergraduate and medical degrees from Howard University. He was a fellow in Genetics, Galton Laboratory, University College London and a fellow, Advanced Studies in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford, CA.
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Barbara Burrell
President
Burrell Realty
Barbara established Burrell Realty, a Chicago-based residential and commercial real estate brokerage firm in 1996. Prior to her real estate career, she spent more than 15 years with Burrell Communications Group, a leading advertising and public relations company. As a principal of the firm and eventually its vice chairman, Barbara was instrumental to the company’s significant growth and outreach nationwide. In addition to her professional leadership, Barbara is involved in various civic organizations and has been an active volunteer in the Chicago Public School system for a number of years. Barbara graduated from Northern Illinois University with a BS in education.
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Mellody Hobson
President
Ariel Investments
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Ariel Investment Trust
Mellody is responsible for firm-wide management and strategic planning, overseeing all operations outside of research and portfolio management. Additionally, she serves as chairman of the board of trustees for Ariel Investment Trust. Beyond her work at Ariel, Mellody has become a nationally recognized voice on financial literacy and investor education. Specifically, she is a regular financial contributor on Good Morning America, the featured consumer finance expert on Tom Joyner’s Money Mondays radio program and a regular columnist for Black Enterprise. In addition, she is a spokesperson for the 2009 Ariel/Hewitt Study: 401(k) Plans in Living Color and the Ariel/Schwab Black Investor Survey, both of which examine investing patterns among minorities. Mellody is a director of three public companies: DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc., Estée Lauder Companies, Inc. and Starbucks Corporation. In addition, she serves on the boards of various civic organizations including the Chicago Public Library and its foundation, The Field Museum, The Chicago Public Education Fund and the Sundance Institute. She is also on the board of governors of the Investment Company Institute. Mellody earned her AB degree from Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of International Relations and Public Policy. She also received an honorary doctorate degree in humanities from Howard University.
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Henry B. Pearsall
Former Chairman
Sanford Corporation
From 1969 to 1994, Hank worked for Sanford Corporation in a variety of capacities, including president, chairman and chief executive officer. Prior to his career at Sanford, Hank was president of Ovaltine Products in the Philippines; former counsel for The Wander Company in Chicago and an attorney at the firm of Hopkins and Sutter. He serves as a director and chairman emeritus of the board of Oak Park River Forest Bankshares, a one-bank holding company; principal and director of Pearsall et Pere, a real estate development company in Chicago; and a trustee of The Morton Arboretum. Hank earned a BA degree from Amherst College and a JD degree from the University of Michigan Law School.
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Robert I. Solomon
Senior Vice President and General Manager
Ariba, Inc.
As a senior vice president for Ariba, Inc., Bob reports to Ariba’s CEO and is responsible for the company’s Ariba Network. Prior to joining Ariba, he served as senior vice president of corporate services at Silliker Laboratories Group, Inc. In this capacity, Bob was responsible for corporate marketing, sales, information technology, and human resources. He also served as vice president of sales and marketing for the Food Ingredients Division of The NutraSweet Company, a division of Monsanto Corporation. Additionally, Bob was an associate consultant with the Boston Consulting Group. He received his MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar. Bob graduated from Princeton University with an AB in economics.
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David J. Vitale
Retired Chief Administrative Officer
Chicago Public Schools
David is the former chief administrative officer, senior advisor to the CEO of the Chicago Public Schools. Previously, he was president and chief executive officer of the Chicago Board of Trade and a former vice chairman and director of Bank One Corporation. David also serves in the following capacities: trustee of the Glenwood School for Boys; trustee of the Museum of Science and Industry; trustee and vice chairman of the board of The Art Institute of Chicago; and member of the board of managers of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago. He is a graduate of Harvard University and earned an MBA from The University of Chicago.
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Paula Wolff
Senior Executive
Chicago Metropolis 2020
Paula serves as senior executive at Chicago Metropolis 2020, a civic organization implementing policy initiatives and programs for regional action. Formerly, she served as president of Governors State University and director of policy for Governor James R. Thompson. She has taught public policy at Northern Illinois University, Governors State University and Irving B. Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. Paula has a BA from Smith College, as well as an MA and a PhD from the University of Chicago in political science. She serves on various boards including the Illinois Tollway (as chair), The University of Chicago Medical Center, The University of Chicago, the Johnson Foundation, the Metropolitan Planning Council and the Joyce Foundation.
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