A Note from Wayne Lee About the Garrison Financial Institute
The Garrison Financial Institute is an institute organized within the Sam M. Walton College of Business to advance financial education and knowledge through practice. Its mission is to enhance student learning through experience, foster research that extends and perfects best practices, and contribute to the economic development of the State of Arkansas and the welfare of its citizens.
The institute was founded in 2005 with a $2 million gift from the Garrison Family to help build a nationally competitive financial services industry in the State of Arkansas. An additional $2 million was provided through the Matching Gift Program, made possible by the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation's $300 million gift to the University of Arkansas. Both grants combined to form the $4 million endowment for the Garrison Chair in Finance, which supports investment research and funds the Garrison Financial Institute.
News Headlines
Walton College Students Place First in Global Investment Portfolio Competition
More than 2,300 students from 257 schools in 69 countries attended the eighth annual Redefining Investment Strategy Education (RISE) Forum held at the University of Dayton in Ohio, March 27-29.- University of Arkansas Financial Institute Receives Educational Grant
The Garrison Financial Institute received a grant from the Investor Protection Trust to introduce the basics of investing to University of Arkansas students. - Walton College Announces Alliance With Pitney Bowes MapInfo and Gadberry Group
The Walton College announced that it has formed an alliance with Pitney Bowes MapInfo Corp. of Troy, N.Y., and the Gadberry Group LLC, of Little Rock, Ark. - Portfolio Management Class Update
Ten of the 16 students in the Rebsamen Trust Portfolio Management class have landed top jobs with major investment banks, such as Citigroup, Simmons & Company, Stephens Inc., and Wachovia Securities. - Students, Faculty to Manage $5 Million Fund
Garrison Financial Institute to oversee the Walton College students' and faculty's management of $5 million held in trust by the University of Arkansas Fayetteville Campus Foundation.
Our Fund Management Services
The Garrison Financial Institute will oversee the Walton College students' and faculty's management of $5 million held in trust by the University of Arkansas Fayetteville Campus Foundation. Walton College students already manage a $5 million bond fund for Arvest Bank Group, $1.4 million in the Rebsamen Trust, and $300,000 in the Shollmier MBA Fund. With this additional $5 million, students and faculty will be managing nearly $12 million.
Global Financial Trading Center
Our new (under construction) state-of-the-art Global Financial Trading Center at Willard J. Walker Hall will be a uniquely exciting place to learn about finance and heighten the educational experience of our ever-more technologically astute student population. Using state-of-the-art technology, students will use this facility to prepare for careers in the financial services industry. We expect this center to be completed during the summer of 2007.
Wayne Lee
Professor
Garrison Chair in Finance,
Alice Walton Chair,
Department Chair of Finance