Russ Wermers, Smith professor and director of Smith’s Center for Financial Policy, introduces the Holding Horizon (H-H) measure, linking mutual fund managers' long-term stock holdings to superior risk-adjusted returns. The research highlights that skilled long-horizon managers outperform, offering insights for individual investors and retirement plans.

Risk events often deemed "unprecedented" are typically extreme iterations of past occurrences, argues Clifford Rossi, Professor of the Practice and Director of the Smith Enterprise Risk Consortium. Comparing these to “Killer Bees,” he emphasizes proactive risk management, urging organizations to anticipate and mitigate low-probability, high-severity scenarios with robust strategies and resources.

Pretrial detention often imposes severe financial burdens on defendants and their households, increasing bankruptcy, foreclosure and insolvency rates, especially during housing downturns. Research by Pablo Slutzky, assistant professor of finance at the University of Maryland’s Smith School, highlights the systemic link between monetary bail, poverty cycles and criminal justice reform.

Poor risk management practices eventually come back to haunt those organizations that fail to take a broad and proactive view at managing risk.

Michael Faulkender, Dean’s Professor of Finance at the Smith School, has been nominated as U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury. A former Treasury economist, he played a pivotal role in shaping COVID-19 relief efforts and is a leading voice in financial policy research. His nomination awaits Senate confirmation.

Three Smith seniors were honored as Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars, recognizing mentorship’s impact. At a Nov. 1 ceremony, Abigail Manga, Adelina Seck, and Grayson Vintz celebrated their achievements alongside K-12 and Smith mentors, highlighting the program’s legacy of excellence.

Risk decisions often falter due to cognitive biases, underdeveloped decision-making processes, and overreliance on models. Clifford Rossi argues that robust frameworks and balanced decision structures are essential to navigate uncertainty effectively and mitigate poor risk outcomes.

The Center for Global Business hosted Raghuram Rajan in a discussion on India's economic growth, human capital needs, and innovation for long-term prosperity. Rajan emphasized job creation, skilled services, and democracy’s role in fostering creativity and economic progress.

The Smith School's Enterprise Risk Consortium introduces two mortgage risk indexes: the Mortgage Credit Risk Index (MCRI) and Mortgage Redtail Risk Index (MRRI). MCRI measures 3-5-year default risk on GSE-eligible loans, while MRRI identifies loans with high-risk factors, aiding lenders, investors, and regulators in assessing mortgage credit risk and adverse selection.