At Ariel, we understand that it takes more than excellent performance to win the race – it also requires outstanding service. We strive to provide both to each and every client, big or small. This means that as hard as we work to uncover value in our investment process, we are equally determined to deliver value through superior, individualized service.
Ariel’s manageable client roster certainly plays a role in our superior service; it enables clients to receive the personal attention they deserve.
Our clients deserve to fully understand the reasons behind our investment decisions – that’s true for institutional clients and mutual fund investors alike. We provide monthly and/or quarterly performance results and unique market reports on a quarterly basis. In addition, we make ourselves available to meet with institutional clients to discuss our investment strategies as frequently as requested.
Perhaps the greatest advantage to our client stems from the fact that each and every Ariel employee holds a financial stake in our firm. Moreover, by investing the majority of our own savings, profit sharing, and retirement dollars in both our firm and our mutual funds, our personal financial success is squarely aligned with that of our clients.
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Mellody Hobson
President
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Ariel Investment Trust
As president of Ariel Investments, Mellody is responsible for firm-wide management and strategic planning, overseeing all operations of Ariel’s business outside of research and portfolio management. Additionally, she serves as chairman of the board of trustees for Ariel Investment Trust. Mellody has become a nationally recognized voice on financial literacy and investor education. She is a regular financial contributor on ABC’s Good Morning America, a featured columnist in Black Enterprise magazine as well as a spokesperson for both the annual Ariel/Schwab Black Investor Survey and the 2009 Ariel/Hewitt study, “401(k) Plans in Living Color.” Beyond her work at Ariel, Mellody is a director of three public companies: DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc.; The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. and Starbucks Corporation. She also serves on the Investment Company Institute’s board of governors and the SEC Investor Advisory Committee, and is a director of various professional and civic organizations. Mellody earned her undergraduate degree from Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of International Relations and Public Policy and is a former trustee of the University.
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Krista Rivers, CFP®
Senior Vice President
Director, Institutional Marketing & Client Services
Krista oversees Ariel’s national sales efforts for the institutional marketplace. In this capacity, she is responsible for cultivating corporate, public, Taft-Hartley, endowment and foundation clients as well as managing the firm’s consultant and advisor relationships. She joined the firm in 1993, and during her tenure at Ariel, Krista has worked in all facets of the company, including the retail, institutional and advisory lines of business. In 1999, she formed the Advisory Services practice to extend Ariel’s outreach to financial advisors and high-net-worth individuals. Krista is a director of the After School All Stars as well as an advisory board member of the Ariel Education Initiative. She graduated from Ohio University with a BA in business administration. Additionally, she earned the Certified Financial Planner designation.
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Roopa Weber
Senior Vice President, Institutional Marketing & Client Services
Roopa oversees Ariel’s client servicing efforts for institutional investors, handling everything from quarterly statements and communications to all customized requests. Additionally, she manages the day-to-day operations of our client servicing team. More specifically, she is responsible for developing monthly and quarterly client and consultant reports, client statements, board presentation materials as well as new business proposals. Prior to joining Ariel in 1997, she worked in the non-profit arena for a Chicago-based fundraising consulting firm and at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Roopa graduated with honors in her double major from Lake Forest College where she obtained a BA in French and psychology. She serves on the advisory boards of the Gene Siskel Film Center and the River North Chicago Dance Company.
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Gary L. Rozier
Senior Vice President, Institutional Marketing & Client Services
Gary is responsible for business development and client servicing for Ariel’s institutional and advisor accounts across the West Coast. Prior to joining the firm in 2006, Gary spent five years with Rydex Investments. He held multiple positions within shareholder services and financial advisor sales before being promoted to regional vice president where he oversaw product development and distribution across nine states in the Midwest region. Gary is a frequent conference speaker for the Financial Planning Association and the National Association of Active Investment Managers. Additionally, he is a trustee for Chicago State University and a committee member for the East Bay Regional Parks Foundation. He earned a BA in economics from the University of Maryland.
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Patrice L. Scelzo
Vice President, Institutional Marketing & Client Services
Patrice is responsible for managing and executing all aspects of Ariel Investments’ request for proposal (RFP) process. Additionally, she plays an integral role in maintaining our client and consultant relationships by completing monthly and quarterly reports. Her scope of responsibilities also extends across multiple facets of our internal client servicing efforts. Prior to joining the firm in 1999, Patrice worked as a quality service assistant for Northwest Airlines. Patrice serves as an Associate Board Member of Gilda’s Club Chicago, and earned a BA in international business-Spanish intensive from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.
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Malik Murray
Vice President, Institutional Marketing & Client Service
Malik works on Ariel’s business development and client servicing efforts across the Eastern Region. He joined the firm in 2004 as a senior associate with the firm’s Advisory Services Team. Previously, Malik spent eight years with Bank One Brokerage, most recently serving as the lead broker on the European Shift for their International Exchange Traded Products Group. Outside of Ariel, Malik serves on the school boards of the Ariel Community Academy and the St. Philip Neri School. He is also a director for the Chicago Minority Business Development Council and a member of the National Association of Securities Professionals. Malik earned a BA in finance from DePaul University and an MBA from DePaul’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business.
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