Our People
At Hartford Investment Management, our 180 investment professionals comprise a diverse group of global credit analysts, portfolio managers, traders, and risk management specialists, working collectively to generate a continuous flow of investment analysis and insights. Our investment professionals aim to identify strategies that will provide the greatest risk-adjusted return potential. Among our strengths is a willingness to seek to maximize return by structuring portfolios using what we believe to be the most efficient means of implementation. We have developed a culture that fosters debate within a collegial atmosphere, to gain maximum value from each professional’s experience.
| Number of Professionals |
Average Years Experience |
Average Years With Firm* |
|
| Senior Management | 9 | 24 | 8 |
| Portfolio Management | 59 | 19 | 9 |
| Research | 57 | 13 | 6 |
| Trading | 15 | 15 | 9 |
| Risk Management & Quantitative Analysis | 40 | 10 | 6 |
| Total Investment Professionals | 180 | 15 | 7 |
| Total Firm Employees | 402 |
*Years with the firm may also include years of service at affiliates of Hartford Investment Management.
Meet Our Senior Management Team
Our leadership team averages more than two decades of investment industry experience:
Hugh Whelan, CFA
Hugh currently serves as President of Hartford Investment Management. He joined the firm in 2005 as Head of Quantitative Equities and was later named as Head of Investments. Prior to joining the firm, Hugh was the Head of Quantitative Equities at ING Investment Management, where he was responsible for the team managing $16 billion in large cap, mid cap and small cap quantitative equity strategies and for managing the Quantitative Research Group. Prior to 1999, he was a Quantitative Portfolio Manager and Analyst in Aeltus Investment Management’s Fixed Income Group, specializing in corporate securities. Hugh earned his BS in Geology and MS in Petroleum Geology from Stanford University and his MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. He is also a CFA charterholder.
Joseph Portera
Joe is Head of Client Portfolio Management. Prior to joining Hartford Investment Management in 2009, he was a Managing Director and portfolio manager on several funds, including core plus strategies, and a senior member of the Global Fixed Income investment platform at MacKay Shields LLC. Prior to MacKay Shields, Joe was a Vice President with Fiduciary Trust, where he was responsible for Global Developed Bond Market separate accounts. Joe holds an undergraduate degree in Soviet Studies and a Masters degree in International Political Economy and Development from Fordham University.
Mark Niland, CFA
Mark serves as Head of General Account Portfolio Management. Prior to joining the firm in 1989, he worked at Shawmut National Corp. as a credit officer, concentrating on the analysis of highly leveraged transactions. Mark was also responsible for cross-border credit research efforts including Shawmut’s exposure to its emerging market book of loans. Mark earned his BA in History from the University of Connecticut in 1983 and his MIM from Thunderbird, the Garvin School of International Management in 1985. He is also a CFA charter holder.
Michael Gray, CFA
Michael serves as Head of Portfolio Strategy. Prior to joining the firm in 2006, he served as Managing Director and Global Head of Credit Research at Credit Suisse Asset Management, where his responsibilities centered around CSAM’s global credit research platform and managing roughly $3 billion of investment grade credit assets. Michael also served as a member of CSAM’s Core and Core Plus portfolio management team, which managed approximately $8 billion in institutional and retail assets. Prior to CSAM, Michael served in similar capacities at Deutsche Asset Management and UBS Warburg. Michael earned his BA in English from Tufts University and is a CFA charter holder.
Brion Johnson
Brion is Chief Financial Officer and Head of Strategy and Development. He is responsible for directing and overseeing all of the firm’s financial activities, leading monthly and quarterly business reviews, developing business and operating strategy, and participating in the technology strategy. Prior to joining the firm in 2011, Brion was at Prudential, plc, North American Operations, rising through the ranks while working at the company’s affiliates, PPM America, Inc. and Jackson National Life Insurance Company. Most recently, he served as executive vice president and head of portfolio management of PPM America. Brion earned his BA in Economics from the University of Michigan and his MBA from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business. He is also a CFA charterholder.
Ron Mendel, CFA
Ron is Head of Investments, Private Sector. Prior to joining the firm in 2002, he was employed at Allstate Investments LLC for 12 years where he ascended to the position of Managing Director. Ron’s private placement career began as a Securities Analyst at Principal Mutual Life in Des Moines, Iowa. Ron earned his BBA in 1981 and his MA in Finance in 1985, both from the University of Iowa. Ron serves on the investment committee of the Life Office Management Association, is a Fellow in the Life Management Institute and is also a CFA charterholder.
Carlos Feged, CFA
Carlos is Head of Investments, Public Sector. He joined the firm in 2005 as a Credit Research Analyst. Prior to joining the firm, he worked for Hartford Life Insurance Co., where he led the 529 College Savings Program. Prior to that, he worked on strategic initiatives for the annuity product line and served as a business consultant in the International operation. He also has experience in trading foreign currencies and derivatives. He earned his BS in Economics from the Universidad de Los Andes and his MBA from Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. He is also a CFA charterholder.
John Brown
John is Head of Sales, Marketing and Product Development. Prior to joining Hartford Investment Management in 2006, John headed the institutional client service and business development efforts in North America (U.S. and Canada) for Fortis Investments. Prior to his tenure at Fortis, John directed institutional sales at PanAgora Asset Management. Earlier in his career, John was a regional director of institutional sales for Fidelity Management Trust Company and also a regional pension director for Aetna Capital Management. John earned his BA from Wesleyan University and holds the Series 3, 7, 24 and 65 FINRA registrations (held through Hartford Equity Sales Company, Inc.).
Eric Fay
Eric is Head of Business Operations. He is responsible for overseeing the Investment Operations, Valuation, Enterprise Services and Information Technology functions. Prior to joining the firm, Eric served as Senior Vice President of Operations and Administration at The Hartford Bank. Before that he was a Senior Vice President and Chief Trust Officer for Guardian Life Insurance Company. He earned his BA from Western Connecticut State University.
