Matt Chope, CFP® and Investment Research Associate Jaclyn Jackson recently traveled to Chicago for the 2013 Morningstar Investment Conference. This conference is one of the investment industry’s most respected events. Jaclyn called it a wonderful way to gain insight from the diverse perspectives of industry experts.
Matt and Jaclyn spent two days attending educational sessions, keynote presentations and dinner meetings all focused on trending financial topics, investment strategies and perspectives on the economy. According to Matt, who has attended many Morningstar conferences in his career, “Many of the attendees seemed to be finally ready to get over the economic turmoil of the last cycle.”
There were ample opportunities to network with financial advisors, financial analysts, mutual fund managers, and industry experts including managers with 30-plus years of experience. Matt said many of the panelists and speakers indicated that it was one of the hardest times in their careers to allocate capital because all the bargains were gone. Despite those challenges, Jaclyn found practical advice that could apply to every investor. She said, “Focus on what you can control. You can’t control market volatility or the Fed, but you can diligently stick with your financial plan.”