Dan is responsible for institutional business development and client services with an emphasis on public funds and Taft-Hartley plans. Prior to joining Ariel, Dan served three terms as Illinois State Comptroller from 1999 through 2011 where he was a leading voice for fiscal responsibility and ethics reform. He narrowly lost a primary for Governor in 2010. In addition to his tenure as Chief Fiscal Officer of the state, Dan served as Chairman of the State Employees’ Retirement System as well as a trustee of the Illinois State Board of Investment. After leaving government, Dan worked as a principal at Foster & Foster Actuaries and Consultants representing public, non-profit and Taft-Hartley clients. Having served as a hands-on fiduciary, he brings unique industry experience and adds a rich, nuanced perspective to Ariel’s marketing and client servicing efforts. Beyond Ariel, Dan serves on the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) Board which oversees Chicago’s premier convention facility, McCormick Place. He was also named by President Barack Obama to serve as a United States Observer to the International Fund for Ireland which makes investments in Northern Ireland for the purpose of promoting peace and stability in the region. Dan graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in economics and earned a J.D. with honors from Loyola University School of Law.

Gary is responsible for business development and client servicing for Ariel’s institutional accounts, financial advisors and investment consultants across the West Coast. Prior to joining the firm in 2006, Gary spent over five years with Rydex Investments. During this time, 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 chairman of the board of trustees for Chicago State University, vice-chairman of the board of Inner Voice, Inc., and a committee member for the East Bay Regional Parks Foundation in Oakland, California. In 2011, Gary was named a fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago. He earned a BA in economics from the University of Maryland.

Roopa leads and oversees the day-to-day operations of our institutional client servicing team, which handles client and consultant reporting, new business proposals, contracts, board reports and marketing materials. In addition to serving as a client liaison for our institutional portfolios, Roopa also works closely with our international and domestic portfolio managers. In 2012, Roopa graduated from the Fellowship Program of Leadership Greater Chicago, an initiative which educates and connects emerging leaders to support and strengthen the Chicago region. 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 serves on the advisory boards of the Gene Siskel Film Center and the River North Chicago Dance Company and is a member of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Fashion Committee. She graduated with honors in her double major from Lake Forest College where she obtained a BA in French and psychology.

Peter is responsible for cultivating and managing Ariel’s consultant relationships. Prior to joining the firm, Peter spent eight years in institutional sales and marketing with J.P. Morgan Asset Management, most recently as vice president of business development. In this capacity, he supervised client relationships across six states in the Midwest Region and worked with numerous corporations, municipalities, non-profits, health care companies as well as over 100 J.P. Morgan commercial bankers. Peter graduated with a BA in economics from Northwestern University and received his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management in June of 2012.

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.

Patrice plays an integral role with our client and consultant relationships, and her scope of responsibilities extends across multiple facets of our internal client servicing efforts. Specifically, she directly serves our clients by completing standardized and ad hoc reports and oversees our consulting reporting and Request for Proposal (RFP) process. Prior to joining the firm in 1999, she worked as a quality service assistant for Northwest Airlines. Patrice is 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.