Panelist Bios for the December 1, 2020 Asset Management Advisory Committee Meeting

Panel on Improving Diversity and Inclusion in the Asset Management Industry

Martin Cabrera

Martin Cabrera is the CEO and Founder of Cabrera Capital Markets and Cabrera 

Capital Partners. 

Cabrera Capital Markets (CCM) provides global investment banking and institutional 

brokerage services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes financial 

institutions, states and municipalities, corporations, unions, foundations and

endowments. CCM has issued over $900 billion in debt and equitiesfor municipalities 

and corporations domestically and internationally. CCM’s taxable fixed income and 

global equities trading desks are transacting over one billion in securities daily.

Cabrera Capital Partners (CCP) provides commercial and residential real estate 

development expertise, investment, and consulting services to a full range of clients in

the public, private, institutional and non-profit sectors. CCP has experience providing 

investment advisory services including development, acquisition and management of 

over $3.5 billion in institutional real estate. CCP’s current real estate development focus 

is the transformation of a thirty-six acre vacant in-fill site on Chicago’s Southwest side 

into a 400+ million mixed income and mixed use community providing essential housing, 

services and jobs.

Martin has over twenty-five years of investment experience. He earned a Bachelor 

of Science degree in Finance from Northern Illinois University and studied at the 

London School of Economics.

Martin currently serves as a Board Member at Chicago Community Trust, Member of the

Archbishop’s Finance Council and Chairman of the Real Estate Committee for the 

Archdiocese of Chicago, Chairman of the Endowment Committee at St. Ignatius 

College Prep, Governing Board Member at Econ Illinois, Board Member of World 

Business Chicago, Board Member of Latino Donor Collaborative, Former Chairman of 

the City Colleges of Chicago and Former Chairman of the Chicago Plan Commission.

John W. Rodgers, Jr., Ariel Investments

John W. Rogers, Jr. is Founder, Chairman, Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chief 

Investment Officer of Ariel Investments. Headquartered in Chicago, the firm offers five 

no-load mutual funds for individual investors and defined contribution plans as well as 

separately managed accounts for institutions and high net worth individuals.

After working for 21⁄2 years at William Blair & Company, LLC, John founded Ariel 

Investments in 1983 to focus on undervalued small and medium-sized companies. 
Patience served as the cornerstone of a disciplined approach that still drives the firm 

today.

John’s passion for investing started when he was 12 years old when his father bought him 

stocks, instead of toys, for every birthday and Christmas. His interest grew while majoring

in Economics at Princeton University. In addition to following stocks as a college student, 

John also played basketball under Hall of Fame coach Pete Carril. He was captain of 

Princeton’s Varsity Basketball Team his senior year. There, Carril’s courtside lessons on 

teamwork profoundly shaped his views of entrepreneurship and investing.

Early in his career, John’s investment expertise brought him to the forefront of media 

attention, including being selected as Co-Mutual Fund Manager of the Year by Sylvia 

Porter’s Personal Finance magazine as well as an All- Star Mutual Fund Manager by 

USA TODAY. 

Ariel Fund, which John started over 30 years ago and still manages today—is the numberone ranked fund among its peer group since the market bottom which followed the Great 

Financial Crisis. It’s a testament to John’s “slow and steady” patient investment approach, 

staying focused, remaining true to his convictions, having a contrarian view and investing 

in great companies that have fallen out of favor. A disciple of Warren Buffett, John 

believes in being, “Fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.”

It’s also why John has been highlighted alongside legendary investors Warren Buffett, Sir 

John Templeton and Ben Graham in the distinguished book: The World’s 99 Greatest 

Investors by Magnus Angenfelt.

A sought after market commentator and speaker, John is regularly featured and quoted in 

a wide variety of financial broadcast and print publications.

Beyond Ariel, John is a board member of McDonald’s, NIKE, The New York Times 

Company and serves as vice chair of the board of trustees of the University of Chicago. 

Nationally, John is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a 

director of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights.

In 2008, John was awarded Princeton University’s highest honor, the Woodrow Wilson 

Award, presented each year to the alumnus or alumna whose career embodies a 

commitment to national service. Following the election of President Barack Obama, he 

served as co-chair for the Presidential Inaugural Committee 2009, and more recently, he 

joined the Barack Obama Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Ruby Dang, Garcia Hamilton & Associates, L.P.

Ms. Dang received a B.A. in Finance from the University of Houston-Downtown in 1994. 

Following graduation, she joined Garcia Hamilton & Associates as a Portfolio 

Administrator. Over the years, she has held a variety of investment positions including 

Equity Trader, Equity Research Analyst and Assistant Equity Portfolio Manager. In 

January of 2014, Ms. Dang was promoted to Director of Marketing and Client Services, 

overseeing a team of fourteen professionals. She was promoted to Partner in 2014.
Ms. Dang and her team are responsible for fulfilling client inquiries and providing 

portfolio information. Additionally, they work closely with the consultant community and 

co-coordinate the firm’s participation in educational forums and conference presentations.

Ms. Dang also served as a Trustee for the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County 

Non-Union Pension Plan & Trust. Furthermore, she has spoken on numerous panels and 

forums related to both market and pension issues. Because education has been so 

important in her life, she devotes considerable time mentoring high school and college 

students. She is active in her kids’ school, volunteering for various activities.

GH&A has received numerous industry recognitions. Most recently in 2019, Pensions & 

Investments ranked the firm among their Best Places to Work in Money Management for 

the fourth year in a row (2019, 2018, 2017, 2016). The firm also received Houston 

Business Journal’s Best Places to Work in 2018. Emerging Manager Monthly awarded 

the firm Fixed Income Manager of the Year for the third time (2019, 2018 and 2010). 

Other past awards include FundMap’s 2018 US Fixed Income Manager, Institutional 

Investor’s Intermediate-Term Fixed Income Manager of the Year in 2016 and 2015, as 

well as their 2014 Fixed Income Investment Grade Manager of the Year.