"This is not your grandfather's recession"

Presented by the Business Leadership Council.

With interest rates at historic lows and the stock market experiencing heart-stopping gyrations, what is an intelligent investor to do?

• Will the forces of deleveraging continue to frustrate fiscal and monetary attempts to fuel the economy?
• Should we fear the collapse of the euro? What about the falling dollar?
• How much exposure should investors have in emerging markets?
• What companies, sectors, and asset classes will do well in this environment?

PANELISTS

Matthew K. Berler, President, Osterweis Capital Management, Chief Executive Officer & Portfolio Manager

Prior to joining Osterweis Capital Management in early 2003, Mr. Berler was a managing director at Morgan Stanley in the Equity Research Division. He served as the senior analyst covering the North American Paper and Forest Products Industry and as team leader of both the Global Paper Research Team and the North American Basic Materials Team at Morgan Stanley. He joined Morgan Stanley in 1994 as a principal and was elected managing director in 1998. Prior to his employment at Morgan Stanley, he worked at Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette from 1987 to early 1994, where he was a vice president. 

Mr. Berler graduated from Cornell University and Harvard Business School. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the CFA Society of San Francisco. Before attending Harvard, he was a research associate at the Institute for Defense Analyses in Alexandria, Virginia from 1983 to 1985 conducting national security studies for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Mr. Berler is a past treasurer and director on the Board of Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco.  He currently serves as the treasurer and a trustee of the Contemporary Jewish Museum and as a trustee of the Shalom Hartman Institute. LinkedIn
 

Sarah E. Stein, Managing Director and Co-Director of Research, Hall Capital Partners

Ms. Stein joined Hall Capital Partners in 2002 in the Portfolio Management practice. She was promoted to Managing Director in 2006, Deputy Director of Research in 2007, and most recently to Co-Director of Research in 2009. Ms. Stein's prior experience includes working in the Investment Management Division at Goldman Sachs & Co., the Fisher Family Foundation, and teaching English in Guangzhou, China.

Ms. Stein graduated cum laude from Princeton University with an A.B. in History. She also earned an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and an M.A. from the Stanford School of Education. Ms. Stein is involved in a volunteer capacity at Crystal Springs Uplands School, the Foundation for California Community Colleges, and The San Francisco Foundation. Ms. Stein serves on the Endowment Committee of the Jewish Community Endowment Fund. She previously served as a trustee of Princeton University, the Breakthrough Collaborative, and KIPP Bayview Academy.LinkedIn
 

Jamie M. Weinstein, Co-Head of Special Situations Investing; KKR Asset Management, LLC
Mr. Weinstein joined KKR in 2005 and is the co-head of special situations investing, which includes the firm's activities in public and private distressed, rescue and structured investments on a global basis. Previously he was a portfolio manager with responsibility for KAM's investments in the consumer goods and retail, financial services, healthcare and commercial real estate sectors. He also has extensive experience as a research analyst on the credit investment team at KAM. Prior to joining KKR, he worked at Tishman Speyer Properties as Director of Acquisitions for Northern California. He also worked at The Boston Consulting Group as a strategy consultant. Mr. Weinstein holds a B.S.E. degree in civil engineering and operations research and graduated cum laude from Princeton University. He received his M.B.A. from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar. LinkedIn
MODERATOR
Michael L. Alpert, CFA, Head of Asset Allocation, Wetherby Asset Management
Michael chairs Wetherby's Asset Allocation Committee and serves on the firm’s Investment Committee. As a wealth manager, he focuses on investment and financial planning needs of his clients, and brings an extensive fixed income background to the firm. Prior to joining Wetherby Asset Management in 2008, Michael was a vice president at Goldman Sachs where he managed client portfolios and investment implementation for high net worth clients. Michael served in a high yield fixed income and equity analyst research capacities at Putnam Investments and CSI Capital, respectively.
Michael received an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and a BS in Commerce from the University of Virginia. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and is a member of the Chartered Financial Analysts Society of San Francisco. He currently serves on the Advisory Committee of the McIntire School of Commerce (UVa). Michael is an active member of the Business Leadership Council of the Jewish Community Federation and serves as a professional advisor for the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford. LinkedIn