Reflections on the World of Investments, Finance, and Wealth Management.

Monthly Archives: June, 2012

Emergency Reserves

Posted on June 20, 2012 — Leave a Comment

Last week the Federal Reserve Board of Governors released the results of its triennial “Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF).” Last conducted in 2010 and published every three years, the SCF offers a fascinating look at changes in household income and net worth. Officially titled, “Changes in U.S. Family Finances from 2007 to 2010: Evidence from the [...]

Category: Wealth Management

My $3,456,789 Lunch

Posted on June 11, 2012 — Leave a Comment

Over the weekend it was reported that this year’s charity auction for the opportunity to have lunch with investor Warren Buffett fetched a record $3,456,789. This was a 31% increase in the cost for the lunch compared to the record winning bid from 2011 of $2.63 million. In February of 2010, I had the opportunity [...]

Category: Life at Tippie, MBA

College of Our Brightest Days…

Posted on June 11, 2012 — Leave a Comment

Earlier this spring, I was nominated for a position to serve on the on Board of Regents for my alma mater, Wartburg College. At its May meeting, the Board approved the nomination and elected me to a three-year term which officially begins June 1, 2012. I will also serve as chair of the College’s endowment [...]

Category: Announcements

Ciao, CIMBA!

Posted on June 8, 2012 — Leave a Comment

The final exams have been graded, and the students are departing from campus today. It has been a truly wonderful month for our family in Paderno del Grappa. It will be with great sadness that we say goodbye to all of our friends and colleagues in Italy as we depart for home. I would like [...]

Category: CIMBA, Travel

Climbing Via Ferrata on Monte Grappa

Posted on June 7, 2012 — Leave a Comment

Yesterday, my wife and I had the opportunity to experience our first via ferrata climb on the slopes of Mt. Grappa. The term “via ferrata” is Italian for “road of iron,” which is a mountain trail or route that is scaled with fixed cables, ladders, or bridges. We ascended the slope with seasoned guide Jimmy [...]

Category: CIMBA, Travel

End of CIMBA Summer Classes

Posted on June 7, 2012 — Leave a Comment

This morning marked the end of the four-week CIMBA summer classes. Students will take final exams in their courses this evening and tomorrow morning. The summer session has certainly passed by very quickly, and it is hard to believe that we have been in Italy for one month already. This evening the faculty and their [...]

Category: CIMBA, Travel

CIMBA Student Gourmet Dinner

Posted on June 7, 2012 — Leave a Comment

On Tuesday evening, the CIMBA students were invited to a six-course gourmet dinner at the Hotel Fior in Castelfranco. It was a great opportunity for students and faculty to put on the formal attire and enjoy a great meal in a beautiful setting. Before we sat down to dinner, we took a group photo. Rounding [...]

Category: CIMBA, Travel

Lost in Translation

Posted on June 4, 2012 — Leave a Comment

My family discovered this sign while touring the Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome, Italy last weekend. Either some things just get lost in translation, or we really did need to be careful of the tortoises.  We were a little disappointed not to encounter any in the 1500-year old structure. Perhaps they were Ninja Turtles.

Category: CIMBA, Travel

When In Rome…

Posted on June 4, 2012 — Leave a Comment

Yesterday our family returned from a great 3-day weekend in Rome. We were able to visit most of the major sights. On Friday, we toured the Coliseum, Roman Ruins, Trevi Fountain, and Spanish Steps. My son had studied the Roman Empire in his elementary class last year, so it was great that he could experience [...]

Category: CIMBA, Travel

World’s Fastest Man

Posted on June 1, 2012 — Leave a Comment

Yesterday evening, our family arrived in Rome, Italy for the three-day CIMBA weekend. After checking in to our apartment, we asked the owner how to navigate quickly to Olympic Stadium – site of the 1960 Olympic Games. It turns out that she lives very close to the stadium and volunteered to drive us there on [...]

Category: CIMBA, Travel
Death Valley

Todd Houge

Todd Houge is the Curt and Carol Lane Faculty Fellow in the Tippie College of Business. He teaches applied equity valuation, applied portfolio management, and wealth management courses to undergraduate and MBA students. Todd also supervises the department’s award-winning Henry Fund and Krause Fund programs, which provide a real-world, money-management opportunity for UI students.

Todd received a Ph.D. in Finance and an MBA from the University of Iowa. He also earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Wartburg College and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation from the CFA Institute.

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