Today we spoke about investing wisely — our money, our people, our planet:
Adrian J. Cronje, CFA®, Ph.D, Partner and Chief Investment Officer, Balentine
Adrian Cronje is Balentine’s Chief Investment Officer, and Chair of the Investment Strategy Team. He is a founding partner of Balentine, and a member of the Management Committee.
As Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Strategist at Wilmington Trust, he chaired the firm’s Investment Strategy Team. Adrian also previously served as Director, Deputy Head of Quantitative Equity Products at Schroders in London, where his team managed more than $3 billion across global equity markets for institutional and private investors.
Adrian holds a Ph.D. in Macroeconomics and Econometrics and a master’s degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, where he served as Assistant Director of Studies at King’s College. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics, with honors, from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Adrian has served on and moderated many panels of industry experts, and he has addressed diverse groups including the CFA Institute’s Annual Conference, CFA Society of Philadelphia, the Boston Security Analysts Society, the Georgia Tech MBA program, the Southern Federal Tax Institute, the Southeastern Council of Foundations, and the Georgetown University Law Center’s Continuing Legal Education program.
He volunteers as a member of the Endowment Committee of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta and teaches CFA Review courses for the CFA Society of Atlanta. Adrian was awarded The Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Top 40 Under 40 Award in 2011, an honor designating the region’s up and coming business and community leaders.
Karen Carlisle,Vice President, Corporate Communications & Development, Nobis Works (formerly Tommy Nobis Center)
Karen Carlisle joined the Nobis Works staff five years ago, after serving on the organization’s board of directors for five years. She leads the corporate communications, fundraising and vehicle donation programs.
Karen’s background includes heading public relations & government affairs for the U.S.headquarters of Solvay Pharmaceuticals and Randstad Staffing. She served previously for nine years as head of marketing and public relations at Atlanta’s Northside Hospital.
An Atlanta native, Karen holds a master’s degree in Public Relations from Georgia State University and a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Auburn University (War Eagle!). Her civic affiliations include the Leadership Cobb and Honorary Commanders Alumni Associations, YWCA Tribute to Women of Achievement Award, Cobb Jury Commission, Marietta Kiwanis Club, and Chairing the Marietta 1st United Methodist Church Council.
Karen and her husband Kee live near the Marietta square. They have four children and a new granddaughter. Karen enjoys exploring Georgia backroads with Kee to discover unique folk artists and their work, and taking their chocolate lab Sam on walks at nearby Kennesaw Mountain.
