2007-2008 Haslam Torch Fund Manager Profiles

Benjamin Craven

Benjamin is originally from Bethlehem, PA.  After graduating from McDaniel College in 1999 with a degree in Business Administration, Benjamin entered the U.S. Army as a Infantry Officer.  Benjamin served nearly eight years in the Army, splitting time between the 1st Armored Division and the 101st Airborne Division.  His service includes mulltiple tours in Iraq and Kosovo.  Benjamin has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantryman's Badge, and Army Commendation Medal.  Benjamin completed his military service in 2007, achieving the rank of Captain.  Benjamin is currently a first year MBA student at the University of Tennessee and will graduate in Dec 2008. 

Thomas Joseph Jensen

Thomas is a graduate from Samford University with a degree in management and concentration in finance. Professionally, he has worked at Amerprise Financial for two years gaining thorough knowledge of the finanical planning planning industry. During this time, he worked as an associate advisor in an Amerprise franchise assisting in the management of ten million investable assets. He has obtained the Series 7, Series 66, and Certified Finanical Retirement Planner designation. Currently, he is working on his MBA degree with a degree in finance. Additionally, he has obtained sales skills and become proficient in matching financial products to individual needs. He is strong believer in value investing and hopes to gain further knowledge to pursue a career in investment banking.

Alan Richmond

Alan earned his BBA from Mississippi State University with Cum Laude honors in 2007 with a major in finance and a minor in economics. He is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society and the Financial Management Association national honors society. Prior to entering the MBA program he completed summer internships for Stanford Group Company and Trustmark National Bank in Memphis, TN. At Stanford he executed trades to meet customer's investment strategies while working on the fixed income trading desk. He worked in the private wealth management division at Trustmark. Through these experiences he learned the importance of building relationships and providing value for the client. Alan plans to pursue a career in investment management.

Justin Wax

Justin earned his undergraduate degree in history and political science from Middle Tennessee State University. He has five years of experience in inside sales at his family's company, Wax Family Printing, where he managed two of the company's top three accounts. In 2006, the company recorded extraordinary increases in profitability and sales revenue. In addition to pursuing his MBA in Finance and Marketing at the University of Tennessee, Justin is currently serving as an intelligence analyst in the U.S. Army National Guard.   He enjoys hiking, military history and politics.

Joshua White

Joshua graduated first in his class as an undergraduate at The University of Tennessee where he majored in finance.  His professional experience includes several years as a finance and sales manager in the automotive industry, including a management position with a Fortune 500 company.  Joshua also interned with the Department of State at the American Embassy in Nicosia, Cyprus.  In addition to being a Torch Fund manager, Joshua is an MBA Chamber Ambassador and a Graduate Assistant in the Department of Finance.