RICHARD A. DEFUSCO, CFA, is an Associate Professor of Finance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). He earned his CFA charter in 1999. DeFusco is a member of the Omaha-Lincoln Society of Financial Analysts, and completed his bachelor's degree in management science at the University of Rhode Island and doctoral degree in finance at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

DENNIS W. MCLEAVEY, CFA, is Head of Professional Development Products at CFA Institute. During his twenty-five year academic career, he has taught at The University of Western Ontario, the University of Connecticut, the University of Rhode Island (where he founded a student-managed fund), and Babson College. McLeavey completed a doctorate in production management and industrial engineering at Indiana University in 1972, and earned his CFA charter in 1990.

JERALD E. PINTO, CFA, is Director in the CFA and CIPM Programs Division at CFA Institute. Before coming to CFA Institute in 2002, he consulted to corporations, foundations, and partnerships in investment planning, portfolio analysis, and quantitative analysis. He has also worked in the investment and banking industries in New York City and taught finance at New York University's Stern School of Business. He holds an MBA from Baruch College, a PhD in finance from the Stern School, and earned his CFA charter in 1992.

DAVID E. RUNKLE, CFA, is Vice President and Research Manager at U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray. He has been an adjunct professor of finance in the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota since 1989. Runkle received a BA in economics from Carleton College and a PhD in economics from MIT.