Michelle Seitz
Michelle Seitz | |
---|---|
Born | [1] | July 9, 1965
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | Indiana University's Kelley School of Business |
Occupation | Chairman and CEO, Russell Investments |
Michelle Seitz is an American business executive and investor. She is the chairman and chief executive officer of Russell Investments. Seitz is one of few women in the world leading a global asset management firm.[2][3] She is, according to Barron's, one of the "most influential women in U.S. finance".[4] American Banker lists her as one of the "most powerful women in finance."[2] Prior to her role at Russell Investments, she served on the board of William Blair & Company and as chief executive of William Blair Investment Management.
Early life and education[]
She decided to pursue a career in finance while on a high school class trip to the Chicago Board of Trade.[1] She graduated from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University in 1987 with a B.S. in accounting. Seitz became a Chartered Financial Analyst in 1990.[1]
Career[]
Seitz began her career in 1987 as a portfolio manager at NationsBank in Charlotte, North Carolina.[2] She received the firm's "rookie of the year" award in 1988 for best performance.[2] From 1992 to 1996, she was a senior portfolio manager at Concord Investment Company.[1]
Seitz joined William Blair & Company as a senior portfolio manager in 1996 and was promoted to partner in 1999.[1][5][6] In 2001, Seitz was named CEO of William Blair Investment Management (WBIM), which she grew to become the company's largest division.[7] Serving as WBIM's CEO for 16 years, Seitz ran the institutional, mutual fund, and private wealth management businesses.[2] She also served on the executive committee and corporate board of William Blair and as the chairman and president of William Blair Funds.[1][8] To increase diversity at the firm, Seitz instituted a policy requiring at least half of all interview candidates must be either women or ethnic minorities.[6]
In September 2017, Seitz left William Blair in Chicago to join Seattle-based Russell Investments as CEO.[9] She was appointed chairman of the board the following January.[4] She hired a new chief operating officer,[10] and global chief investment officer,[11][12] and invested heavily in technology to reduce inefficiencies, with a goal of lowering costs and improving returns for clients.[2][13]
Seitz is the seventh CEO and the first woman chief executive since Russell Investments' founding in 1936.[1][14] She is one of few women leading global investment firms worldwide.[2][14][3]
In 2019 and 2020, Seitz was featured on American Banker's "Most Powerful Women in Finance" and "Most Powerful Women in Banking" lists.[15][16][17] She was named to Puget Sound Business Journal's 2019 "Power 100" list of top business leaders in the Puget Sound region.[18] Barron's named Seitz one of the "100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance" in 2020.[4]
Other roles[]
Seitz is a founding member and donor to All In Seattle, a fund supporting nonprofit organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a founding co-chair of the Chicago Council's Women and Global Development Forum, which encourages "inclusive global development practices" and supports women "advancing into leadership roles".[17]
Seitz serves on the boards of the Washington Roundtable and Indiana University Kelley School of Business.[14] She has served on the Board of Trustees of the Financial Accounting Foundation and chaired the organization's Finance and Compensation Committee.[19]
Personal life[]
Seitz relocated from Chicago, Illinois to Seattle, Washington with her family in 2018.[1] She is married and has five children.[2]
References[]
- ^ a b c d e f g h Mooney, Attracta (December 12, 2017). "Russell's new chief says it's time to get 'personal'". Financial Times. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Kline, Alan (September 22, 2019). "Most Powerful Women in Finance: No. 18, Russell Investments' Michelle Seitz". American Banker. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
- ^ a b Wigglesworth, Robin (November 13, 2018). "Asset managers warned over costs as pressures grow". Financial Times. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
- ^ a b c Fortuna, Nick (April 10, 2020). "100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance". Barron's. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
- ^ Palmer, Ann Therese (March 25, 2007). "Nearing graduation, student didn't settle for unwanted job". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
- ^ a b Mooney, Attracta (May 26, 2016). "Demographic shift stunts fund industry's growth". Financial Times. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- ^ Marek, Lynne (March 22, 2014). "Cranking up Blair's megaphone". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
- ^ McElhaney, Alicia (September 5, 2017). "Russell Investments Names Michelle Seitz CEO". Institutional Investor. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- ^ "CORRECTED-MOVES-Russell Investments names new CEO". Reuters. September 5, 2017. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- ^ Banerjee, Arunima (July 20, 2018). "Russell Investments names Rick Smirl chief operating officer". Reuters. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
- ^ Butera, Chris (January 31, 2019). "Russell Exec to Steer CIO Ship Once Again". Chief Investment Officer Magazine. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
- ^ McElhaney, Alicia (November 1, 2018). "Russell Investments Hires New CFO Amid C-Suite Shakeup". Institutional Investor. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- ^ Platt, Eric; Fontanella-Khan, James; Walker, Owen (November 18, 2019). "Asset manager Russell Investments put up for sale". Financial Times. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- ^ a b c Garnick, Coral (January 3, 2020). "Investment firm's first female CEO reflects on 'rarity and responsibility' of her position". Puget Sound Business Journal. ISSN 8750-7757. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- ^ "Women in Banking: The Most Powerful in 2019". American Banker. September 22, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- ^ "The Most Powerful Women in Finance". American Banker. 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- ^ a b Laurent, William (September 28, 2020). "Most Powerful Women in Finance: Michelle Seitz, Russell Investments". American Banker. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
- ^ Lambert, Ryan (October 7, 2019). "The inaugural PSBJ Power 100 features leaders who define the region (Photos)". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
- ^ "Michelle R. Seitz Board of Trustees". Financial Accounting Foundation. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
- Living people
- 20th-century American businesswomen
- 20th-century American businesspeople
- 21st-century American businesswomen
- 21st-century American businesspeople
- American women chief executives
- American women investors
- 1965 births
- Kelley School of Business alumni