Golden Griffin Fund (GGF)

GGF Team Picture

Golden Griffin Fund (GGF), CFA Research Challenge Regional winner's 14th year in a row.
 

  • Available to both undergraduate senior finance majors and graduate students in the MS in Finance and MBA Program (MBA program may require additional courses).
  • Real world experience in investment management and equity analysis in a student run, real money investment fund.  
  • Students participating in the GGF have the opportunity to apply and participate on the team for the global Certified Financial Analyst Institute Research Challenge.
  • GGF utilizes a trading room known as the Nelson D. Civello '67 Family Financial Markets Lab. The lab is equipped with Bloomberg Terminals hosting software for Bloomberg Professional Service.  
  • GGF Students secure Bloomberg Certification, the leading information system that enables students to receive updates on the world financial markets in real time.  

 

Meet The Director of the Golden Griffin Fund 

Steve Gattuso

Steven A Gattuso, CFA, CFP, CMA, assistant professor of economics & finance, was named director of the GGF in August 2013. An alumnus of Canisius, Mr. Gattuso is a former assistant vice president and portfolio manager for M&T Bank Corporation/Wilmington Trust. Mr. Gattuso holds certified chartered financial analyst (CFA), certified financial planner (CFP), and certified management accountant (CMA) credentials. Currently he serves as president of the CFA Society of Buffalo.

 

 

2024 CFA Institute Research Challenge Regional Winners, 14th year in a row.
CFA challenge canisius

A four-person team from the Canisius University Golden Griffin Fund (GGF) secured first place in the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute Research Challenge of Western New York, held Saturday, February 10th.  Canisius University has dominated the CFA Research Challenge in Western New York since its inception in 2010.  This year marks the 14th consecutive first-place win for Canisius. 

Congratulations First place 14th year in a row

2019 CFA Institute Research Challenge
CFA 2019

Canisius was one of only five universities, worldwide, to advance to the Global Finals of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute Research Challenge held in New York City on Thursday, April 25. The Canisius team competed against Ateneo de Manila University, Instituto Tecnologico de Mexico, Moscow University and the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. Ateneo de Manila University, our Jesuit partner in the Philippines, won the global competition.

 Congratulations on advancing to the Global Finals

2015 Global Winners - CFA Institute Research Challenge 
CFA 2015

A team of Canisius students won the Global Finals at the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute Research Challenge held in Atlanta, GA, on Friday night.  More than 4,000 students from 865 universities from around the world competed for a spot in the Global Finals to show they have what it takes to be successful investment management professionals.  

Congratulations World Champions! Canisius Wins Global Finals at CFA Challenge 

 

GGF Experience

Current Students - The Application link for the GGF program for the 2024-2025 academic year is below.

Download the 2023-24 GGF application which is due to Professor Gattuso by February 21, 2024.

Apply to the Golden Griffin Fund

 

GGF 2022-2023 Annual Report

The Golden Griffin Fund (GGF) is an investment-management course for both undergraduate seniors and MBA finance majors at Canisius. The fund grew from its initial $100,000 investment from the college’s endowment, and is now valued at more than $400,000. The student-run, real-money investment fund is invested in over 30 individual stocks and three equity Exchange Traded Funds. It is specifically designed to educate students about the inner workings of the capital markets, while providing them with real-world learning experiences in investment management and equity analysis.

Read the 2022-2023 GGF Annual Report 

 

GGF Fund Student Final Presentations

The presentation dates will be Thursday, 4/25/24 (1:00pm-4:30pm) and Friday, 4/26/24 (1:00pm-4:30pm).

These will be in person in Regis on 4.25.24 and in Science Hall Commons on 4.26.24 and we expect to simulcast using Zoom (meeting details are below).
You may join by video and audio through your computer or phone. Please feel free to log in and out as much as you need - you will be admitted before the next presentation begins.

Join Zoom Meeting using the link below.
https://canisius.zoom.us/j/95767286664?pwd=MEpTZTBjY3Q2Tk1JTjdCOThNaWpHQT09

 


Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice

The Golden Griffin Fund requires students to research, create, and manage portfolio holdings (stocks), analyze and recommend companies to add to the portfolio, and grow the fund through the solicitation of new investors.

“The Golden Griffin Fund will help finance students bridge the gap between the classroom and the real investment world,” explains Nelson D. Civello, professor of finance and former professional adviser to the GGF. “Students analyze different business models and market opportunities, apply various valuation techniques, and understand fundamental industry drivers.”

In the fall, students focus on conducting corporate research, development of an investment strategy and potential stock selections. The spring semester concentrates on fundamental stock research that will ultimately compose and shape the portfolio. Full-time faculty advisors and professional mentors empower students to take over the fund and make important management decisions to grow its value.

The GGF operates out of a trading room known as the Financial Markets Lab in Old Main. The lab is furnished with various multimedia equipment including multiple PC workstations, cable-access televisions and data projection screens. In addition, the lab is equipped with eight Bloomberg Terminals which include the software platform for the Bloomberg Professional Service, which is a leading information system that enables students to receive up-to-the-minute information on the world financial markets. Canisius College was the first higher education institution in Western New York to have Bloomberg technology.

 

 

Watch: What is the CFA Challenge? Watch: Research Challenge Wrap-Up