CHICAGO, May 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Morningstar, Inc. (NASDAQ: [ MORN ]), a leading provider of independent investment research, is hosting its 24th annual investment conference for financial advisors Wednesday, June 20 through Friday, June 22, at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago.

This year's keynote speakers are Michael Hasenstab, senior vice president of Franklin Templeton's Fixed Income Group,who will open the conference on June 20; George Gatch, CEO of Investment Management, Americas for J.P. Morgan Asset Management, who will address attendees on June 21; Jeremy Grantham, chief investment strategist for GMO; and William James Adams, Arthur F. Thurnau professor of economics at the University of Michigan and an internationally renowned expert on European economies, both scheduled to speak on June 22.

"With record low interest rates, continued high equity volatility, and the prospect of dramatically higher taxes on investment income, this is an exceptionally challenging time for investors and financial advisors," said Don Phillips,president of fund research for Morningstar. "Each year our goal is to bring together fund managers, investment professionals, academic experts, Morningstar analysts, and financial advisors under one roof to discuss and debate important investing issues."

General sessions feature the following portfolio managers and investing industry thought leaders:

Susan Byrne, founder and chairman, Westwood Holdings; Will Danoff, portfolio manager, Fidelity Investments; and Brian Rogers, chairman, T. Rowe Price; who will share the time-tested wisdom of more than a quarter-century at the helm of their respective funds.
Mark Kiesel, managing director, PIMCO;Meggan Walsh, senior portfolio manager, Invesco; andDon Yacktman, president and co-chief investment officer, The Yacktman Fund; who will discuss investing across sectors and capital structures.
Dan Fuss, vice chairman, Loomis, Sayles & Co.; Penny Foley, managing director, TCW; andSteve Walsh, chief investment officer, Western Asset Management; who will debate where the opportunities are for investors in a challenging global environment for bonds.

Breakout sessions on June 21 include:

Mason Hawkins, portfolio manager, Southeastern Asset Management; Doug Ramsey, chief investment officer and portfolio manager, Leuthold Weeden Capital Management; and Steve Romick, managing partner, First Pacific Advisors; who will explore factors that will influence global equity returns over the next decade.
Ian Lapey, portfolio manager, Third Avenue Funds; Matthew McLennan, portfolio manager, First Eagle Funds; and Guy Pope, senior vice president and senior portfolio manager, Columbia Management; who have all recently replaced popular, longtime fund managers and will discuss what they've learned and how they plan to live up to the legacies their funds have established for investors.
Bob Brown, president, bond group, Fidelity Investments; Jerome Schneider, executive vice president, PIMCO; and Paul Schott Stevens, president and CEO, Investment Company Institute; who will examine cash strategies in the current low-yield, strained liquidity climate.
Jonathan Clark, head of equity trading, Americas, BlackRock; and Bob Deere, investment director and senior portfolio manager, Dimensional Fund Advisors; who will explain how investors can monitor their fund's trading costs, and the effect of those costs on performance.
Ryan Harder, portfolio manager, Guggenheim Investments; Brian Hurst, principal, AQR Capital Management; and Matt Osborne, executive vice president and managing director, Altegris Advisors; who will discuss how managed futures strategies work during the conference's Alternatives Spotlight session.
Eric Biegeleisen, director of research, Windhaven Investment Management; Tom Fox, chief investment officer, Quantitative Advantage; andJames Peters, CEO, Tactical Allocation Group; who will debate tactical asset allocation with ETF managed portfolios, one of the fastest growing areas of finance.

Breakout sessions on June 22 include:

John Carlson, portfolio manager, Fidelity Investments;David Nadel, portfolio manager and director of international research, The Royce Funds; and Matt Ryan, investment officer and portfolio manager, MFS Investment Management; who will shed light on the current risks and rewards in emerging market investing.
John Ameriks, principal, investment counseling and research, Vanguard; Bill Bernstein, founder, Efficient Frontier; and Sue Stevens, CEO and chief investment officer, Stevens Wealth Management; who will discuss the challenges of managing retiree portfolios and assess the current crop of retirement income investments.
James Kieffer, managing director, Artisan Partners; Walter Price, portfolio manager, RCM Allianz Technology Fund; and Zachary Shafran, senior vice president, Ivy Investment Management; who will spotlight the growth prospects and potential risks in technology sector stocks.

In addition, Morningstar's senior fund researchers will hold a roundtable on June 20, moderated by CNBC's Tyler Mathisen, to discuss and debate the current challenges and opportunities for fund investors. On June 21, Morningstar's equity research team will discuss ways to use dividends, economic moats, and risk control to enhance an equity portfolio. On June 22, Morningstar's new municipal credit analysis team will discuss emerging themes in the muni-bond market.

Registration Information
The Morningstar Investment Conference costs $795 per person, which includes two breakfasts, luncheons, and receptions. To register for the conference, advisors may call toll free at 866-839-9729.

More information about the Morningstar Investment Conference, including the full agenda, hotel accommodations, attendee registration, and continuing-education credits, is available at [ http://www.morningstaradvisor.com/MIC2012 ]. Conference updates are also available on Twitter at [ http://www.twitter.com/MStarAdvisor ] or through the conference hashtag: #MIC2012.

Press Registration Information
Full-time members of the news media may receive complimentary registration to the Morningstar Investment Conference. If you are a member of the media and want to register for the conference, visit: [ http://global.morningstar.com/mediaregistration ] or call Shawn Malayter, Morningstar media relations, at 312-696-6050.

Preconference Workshop and Advisor User Forum
All registered attendees to the Morningstar Investment Conference may attend a complimentary preconference workshop on alternative investments at McCormick Place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Central time on June 20. The workshop provides an in-depth look at alternative strategies and vehicles from members of Morningstar's alternatives research team, as well as ideas on how to implement them in a portfolio.

Additionally, Morningstar is hosting its seventh annual Advisor User Forum at its Chicago headquarters, 22 W. Washington St., from 8:30 a.m.– 2 p.m. on June 20. This is an exclusive event for subscribers to Morningstar Advisor Workstation, Morningstar Office, Principia, and QuoteSpeed, which will include hands-on software training, and informational sessions with Morningstar analysts and experts on topics advisors can use in their practice. The Advisor User Forum costs $49 and includes lunch. To register for the preconference workshop or the Advisor User Forum, advisors may call toll free at 866-839-9729.

About Morningstar, Inc.
Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company offers an extensive line of products and services for individuals, financial advisors, and institutions. Morningstar provides data on more than 380,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles, along with real-time global market data on more than 8 million equities, indexes, futures, options, commodities, and precious metals, in addition to foreign exchange and Treasury markets. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its registered investment advisor subsidiaries and has more than $190 billion in assets under advisement and management as of March 31, 2012. The company has operations in 27 countries.

Media Contact:

Margaret Kirch Cohen, 312-696-6383, [ margaret.cohen@morningstar.com ]
Shawn Malayter, 312-696-6050, [ shawn.malayter@morningstar.com ]

SOURCE Morningstar, Inc.

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Morningstar Announces Keynote Speakers, Agenda for 24th Annual Investment Conference

Morningstar Announces Keynote Speakers, Agenda for 24th Annual Investment Conference