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Dear Society Members,
I’ve worked in the investment industry for 10 years now. During this time, and even during my years as a student, CFA Society Mississippi helped build my career into what it is today. Back when I was in college, the Society provided the funds for my student team to participate in the Research Challenge. Through this competition and the work it required, I knew this profession was for me and I decided then to pursue a career in investments. Shortly after this, the Society (through my school) awarded me the CFA Student Award. This motivated me even further towards the field. Later, as I was completing my master's degree, one of my teachers received word through the Society’s network of contacts about an open position in the field of investments. This is how I transitioned into working for Mississippi's pension plan. While in this role, I enrolled in the CFA Program and applied for the scholarships offered by the Society and CFA Institute to local students. I attended the Society’s post-testing events where I met Society members – professionals already in the field whom I would have otherwise not met at this point. This is how I ultimately became involved with the Society and was invited to volunteer as a member of the Board after earning the CFA designation. A couple of years later, through another fellow board member, I transitioned into managing funds for an insurance company, a role which I have enjoyed and has helped me grow so much in the last few years.
After having to cancel some of our most successful programs due to COVID over the last two years, under the leadership of the Society's most recent Board President, Ryder Taff, we were able to bring back our very successful Forecast Dinner, restart our Ethics Challenge (with participation from five universities), leverage the relationship we have with other local societies to increase our number of continuing education lunches, and start working toward reinvigorating our university relations.
Over the next two years, I plan to further build upon our recent initiatives and continue to make our Forecast Dinner one the most successful in the region, maintain a regular schedule of continuing education opportunities for our members, expand our Ethics Challenge to more colleges so more students will engage in our programs and pique their interest in the industry, and work hard to strengthen our relationship with our local colleges.
It is my ultimate desire that through the continued work of our Society, we ensure that we are attracting new talent into the field, encourage and support new entrants as they work toward the CFA designation, and continue providing opportunities for our members to expand their networks and stay up to date with industry knowledge and trends. CFA Society Mississippi has given me all of this and more, and I am confident that with your continued involvement and support, we will continue contributing to your careers and to our industry in a meaningful way.
Best,
Paula Nielsen, CFA
President, CFA Society Mississippi
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