10 Years Ago: Money Fund Symposium
Ten years ago, Crane Data entered the conference business with our first Money Fund Symposium in Providence, Rhode Island. Back then, we wrote the update, "MMF Pros Arrive in Providence for Crane's Money Fund Symposium." The August 24, 2019 story tells us, "Approximately 150 money market mutual fund managers, marketers, suppliers, servicers, investors, and regulators descended on Providence, Rhode Island this weekend for the inaugural Crane's Money Fund Symposium at the Renaissance Hotel, which began Sunday afternoon. Speakers, sponsors and attendees will undoubtedly spend much of their time discussing the SEC's Money Market Fund Reform proposals, as well as a host of challenges, including ultra-low interest rates, potential consolidation, and competition from bank and other fixed-income products. But while participants have concerns, money fund managers will also just be happy to be there, still very much alive at $3.6 trillion in assets, following what was no doubt their most traumatic year in history. "Best of Times, Worst of Times" was an understatement for money funds in 2008." The piece adds, "Sunday's kickoff featured 'Welcome to Money Fund Symposium' comments from host Peter Crane, then a series of sessions, including: 'Washington & Money Market Funds' with Federated Investors' Eugene Maloney." (See our July 24, 2019 Link of the Day, "Federated's Gene Maloney Passes.") We'd like to thank our speakers, sponsors and attendees for their support of our events this past decade, and remind you below about our latest schedule of events. Our next event is the upcoming European Money Fund Symposium, which will take place Sept. 23-24 in Dublin, Ireland. We're also starting to prepare for our next "basic training" event, Money Fund University., which will take place at the Renaissance Providence Downtown Hotel in Providence, R.I., January 23-24, 2020. Crane's Money Fund University is designed for those new to the money market fund industry or those in need of a concentrated refresher on the basics. The event also focuses on hot topics like money market regulations, money fund alternatives, offshore markets, and other recent industry trends. The affordable educational conference (see the agenda here or e-mail us to request our brochure) features a faculty of the money fund industry's top lawyers, strategists, and portfolio managers. Money Fund University offers attendees a 2-day course on money market mutual funds, educating attendees on the history of money funds, the Fed, Rule 2a-7, ratings, rankings, money market instruments such as commercial paper, CDs, CP, ABC, repo, plus portfolio construction. At our Providence event, we will again feature a segment on ultra-short bond funds, and we'll also host a tutorial on Crane Data's money fund statistics and products (free for anyone who wants to "crash"). Crane Data will also soon be preparing the preliminary agendas for its next Bond Fund Symposium (March 23-24, 2020, at the Hyatt Regency Boston), and our "big show," Money Fund Symposium, which will be held June 24-26, 2020, at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. Let us know if you'd like to speak or sponsor, and let us know if you'd like to see us add any future events! (We're currently thinking about Money Fund Symposium Asia, but don't expect this to launch until 2021 at the earliest.)
