Milken Institute Named Best Top Performing Cities in 2018

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An experienced finance executive, Thomas Finke serves as the chairman and chief executive officer of Barings, LLC, an international investment management firm with an active presence in the United States, Europe, Southeast Asia, and Australia. Thomas "Tom" Finke was instrumental in the continuous growth of the company, which now has over $300 billion in assets under management.

Barings maintains a strategic partnership with Milken Institute, a nonprofit think tank that conducts independent and data-driven research, as well as engages in productive meetings and policy initiatives to contribute to global prosperity and economic growth. On January 24, 2019, Milken Institute released its annual ranking of the best performing cities in America, the results of a survey regarding the economic growth, wage gains, job creation, and technology advancements of 401 large and small cities.

For the second time in a row, Utah’s Provo-Orem won the top spot and outperformed several metropolitan areas in the United States. The city’s growing high-tech sector, job growth, and business-friendly taxes and regulations were the main driving forces behind its win. Meanwhile, five California cities made it to the top 25 with San Francisco holding the fourth place once again. The Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ontario, area in Southern California, jumped five places to No. 15, mainly due to Amazon’s continuous investment in the area.

Visit http://www.milkeninstitute.org/ to see the full report.

The Milken Institute’s Annual Global Conference

Investment banking professional Thomas “Tom” Finke serves as the chairman and chief executive officer of Barings LLC, a financial services firm with a strong global presence in over 16 countries. As a figure of authority in finance, Thomas Finke supports organizations that tackle economic, health, and social issues facing the world today.

Founded in 1991, the Milken Institute is nonprofit think tank that promotes real-world initiatives and encourages collaborative solutions to address society’s challenges, which include access to capital, job creation, and health. One of the most anticipated events that Milken Institute host is the annual Global Conference.

Currently at its 21st year, Milken Institute has invited more than 4,000 industry experts and leaders in academia, business, government, philanthropy, and science to participate in its flagship event, Global Conference to identify solutions to the issues and challenges in the current economy. Policymakers, CEOs, innovators, and philanthropists discussed a broad range of industry topics including artificial intelligence, health innovations, blockchain, global markets, and financial regulations.

Some of the notable speakers include Jane Goodall, primatologist and anthropologist, who shared her research and experience on chimpanzees in Tanzania, and Tom Brady, five-time football champion, who talked about his family and the future of the sport.

Milken Institute has announced the 22nd Global Conference which will be held from April 28 - May 1, 2019 in Beverly Hills California.

Davidson College Event Raises More Than 1.8 Million Dollars

The former chief investment officer and executive vice president of MassMutual, Thomas Finke oversaw the merger that created Barings LLC. Now the CEO and chairman of Barings, Mr. Finke and his investment team manage more than $300 billion in assets. Dedicated to helping his community, Thomas (Tom) Finke belongs to the capital campaign committee of Davidson College.

A liberal arts college in North Carolina, Davidson initiated “The Game Changers: Inspiring Leaders to Transform the World” in 2014. The campaign’s goal was to raise $425 million by June 2019. 

As of June 2018, the college's goal has been met. However, three of the campaign’s goal categories are still lacking. These categories are community of excellence, which has been 96-percent funded; scholarships, which has been 90-percent funded; and preparing students to lead, which has been 65-percent funded.

One of the college’s recent fundraisers, #AllInforDavidson, brought more than $1.8 million in donations. The event was held April 18, 2018, for a total of 18 hours and 37 minutes. This amount of time was set to mark 1837, the year in which Davidson College was founded.

The Five Common Types of Mergers

For more than three decades, Thomas Finke has been working in the investment and banking industries. He previously worked as the vice president of Bear Stearns and as the chief investment officer of MassMutual. Now the CEO and chairman of Barings LLC, Thomas (Tom) Finke was instrumental in the successful merger that created Barings several years ago.

Company mergers come in five common types:

1. Conglomerate - When two companies that operate in completely different industries merge. Mixed conglomerates involve companies that seek market or product extensions, while pure conglomerates involve firms with nothing in common.

2. Vertical - When the companies involved work within the same supply chain but at different levels of the supply chain. For example, one company handles production while the other handles distribution.

3. Market extension - When the purpose is to give the merging companies a larger client base and market. The companies usually sell the same product but to different markets.

4. Horizontal - When the companies involved are in the same industry, are in direct competition, and offer the same product or service.

5. Product extension - When the companies involved operate in the same market. The products or services they offer are different but related.

The University of Virginia McIntire Center for Financial Innovation

Thomas Finke leads as the chairman and CEO of investment management firm Barings LLC. The recipient of an MBA from the Duke University Fuqua School of Business, Thomas (Tom) Finke earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia McIntire School of Commerce.

A premier business school, the McIntire School of Commerce has trained managers and executives for some of the world’s biggest companies. The school offers students a range of undergraduate majors, graduate degrees, and international study options led by well-known academics and business theorists. Additionally, the McIntire School maintains a number of research centers in which scholars and students perform cutting-edge business research. 

The school’s Center for Financial Innovation stands out for its groundbreaking research on corporate finance and financial markets. The unique program brings together students, faculty, alumni, and prominent figures in the financial community for research projects, conferences, and workshops. 

Over the years, researchers at the center have focused on topics such as the operation of private equity funds during financial crises and the relationship between the mortgage industry and the subprime market. Through this research, those at the center hope to provide new tools and strategies for both policymakers and financial practitioners.

Davidson College Dedicates New Student Resource Center

Thomas “Tom” Finke leverages nearly 30 years of experience in the banking and investment industries to serve as chairman and CEO of Barings LLC in Charlotte, North Carolina. Alongside his work as an investment executive, Thomas Finke serves as a member of the Capital Campaign Committee for Davidson College. 

As part of its efforts to meet the wide-ranging needs of all students, Davidson College recently opened Lula Bell’s, a new campus gathering spot that will serve as a resource for food, clothing, textbooks, and items such as toothpaste and shampoo. Named in honor of longtime Davidson employee Lula Bell, who worked at the school laundry for more than 60 years, the facility will also feature educational programming on interviewing, money management, and other life-skills topics. 

Lula Bell’s was launched with the support of a gift from Decker Anstrom and Sherry Hiemstra. The Washington, DC, residents donated the money in memory of their son Tom Anstrom, a 2004 Davidson graduate. They and Lula Bell were among those who attended the October 2017 dedication of the new campus resource center.

Davidson College's Civic Engagement Center Expands Education Access

Thomas Finke is chairman and CEO of Barings Asset Management, LLC, an institutional asset management company overseeing more than $2 billion in funds. In addition to his chief executive role, Tom Finke has served as a member of the capital campaign committee for Davidson College.

One of the programs Davidson College raises money for is its Center for Civic Engagement. The Center is dedicated to improving K-12 education and increasing access to higher education. One of the Center’s programs is a project-based internship for Davidson students in the Charlotte education system, affording them the chance to get hands-on experience developing solutions for the complex problems facing the education system.

The Center also helps to coordinate the College Advising Corps, which places college-educated full-time advisors in high schools to encourage and support students in the college application process, as well as a federal work-study program, which places students in a non-profit setting to gain relevant community service experience.