Industry Honors Forum Family

We are pleased to announce that Professor David Ruder, the Forum's Chairman, will receive a lifetime achievement award at this year's Mutual Fund Industry Awards.  Professor Ruder has been instrumental in the Forum's growth and success over the past ten years.  At the request of then-Chairman of the SEC, Arthur Levitt, Professor Ruder initially convened the Mutual Fund Directors Education Council in 1999 to develop and provide educational programs for independent fund directors.  Thereafter, he was instrumental in the formation in 2002 of the Mutual Fund Directors Forum, the Council's successor organization. Since that time, he has not only served as Chairman of the Forum, but has played a central role in nurturing the Forum's growth and development.  Without the generous gifts of his time, energy and intelligence and his commitment to improving the fund industry, the Forum would not have succeeded in becoming the strong, independent voice on behalf of independent directors that it is today.

We are also pleased to note that all four of the nominees for Trustee of the Year -- Stephen Lewis of RiverSource Funds, John Hill of Putnam Funds, J. Atwood Ives of MFS Funds and Faith Colish of Neuberger Berman -- are active members of the Forum. In addition, independent chairs and Forum members, Michael LeRoy of the Bjurman Barry Funds and William Givens of The Japan Fund (Nomura Funds), are nominees for Small Board Trustee of the Year.  We wish each of them luck at the March awards ceremony in New York City.