Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
County Chamber recognizes Vanguard
Mutual fund firm’s Chairman and CEO Bill McNabb and his leadership team given award at business group’s annual dinner
EAST MARLBOROUGH >> The Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry recognized the county’s biggest employer with its Executive of the Year honor.
In a twist on the usual award, Vanguard Chairman and CEO Bill McNabb convinced the chamber to expand the award by naming Vanguard’s senior leadership team as its 2016 Executives of the Year.
More than 500 members of Chester County’s business community attended the chamber’s annual dinner Thursday to witness the award presentation and enjoy networking and food on the lush grounds of Longwood Gardens.
“Vanguard has long been a valued member and partner of CCCB & I,” said Kim Brumbaugh, the chamber’s chairman, in announcing Vanguard’s recognition. “As the largest employer headquartered in Chester County, Vanguard has helped to drive the county’s economic growth. The senior leadership team has been a true supporter of our mission and our board, and the team’s 12 members are leaders within our community.”
Guy Ciarrocchi, president and CEO of the chamber, echoed those sentiments after recognizing the Vanguard executives.
The awards committee picks winners based on the performance of their companies’ performance and their involvement in the community and with the chamber, Ciarrocchi said.
“Vanguard certainly deserves this recognition based on that criteria,” the chamber president said. “In addi-
“The (Vanguard) senior leadership team has been a true supporter of our mission and our board, and the team’s 12 members are leaders within our community.” – Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry Chairman Kim Brumbaugh
tion, they are an international company that has kept Chester County as their home.”
Ciarrocchi noted that McNabb has been a tireless advocate for early childhood education while Vanguard has supplied the chamber with board members and venues for chamber events.
“They give us their expertise,” Ciarrocchi said.
The chamber picked a good year to recognize the mutual fund giant based along Route 202 in Tredyffrin and East Whiteland near Malvern. Through October, Vanguard saw $250.6 billion in new money pour in to its funds, McNabb noted. It now employs some 10,000 people in Chester County and has around $4 trillion under management.
McNabb, who became CEO of Vanguard eight years ago, noted the importance of Chester County to the growth of the company.
“We would not be the company we are if we weren’t located here,” said McNabb, noting the company’s roots with founder John C. Bogle in 1975 structuring Vanguard as a client-owned mutual fund company with no outside owners seeking profits.
The company today benefits from its proximity to top colleges like Villanova, Penn, Drexel, Temple, St. Joe’s, Penn State and the state-run schools.
“There are great secondary schools here as well,” McNabb said. “There’s a great sense of community and education.”
He said the region is one “with a lot of organizations that dream big.”
In addition to McNabb, Vanguard’s senior leadership team that received recognition are:
• Tim Buckley, chief investment officer;
• Kathy Gubanich, managing director of human resources (retiring 2016);
• John James, managing director of human resources (incoming);
• Martha King, managing director of the Institutional Investor Group;
• John Marcante, managing director of information technology;
• Chris McIsaac, managing director of planning and development;
• Jim Norris, managing director of the International division;
• Tom Rampulla, managing director of the Financial Advisor Services division;
• Glenn Reed, managing director of strategy;
• Karin Risi, managing director of the Retail Investor Group;
• Anne Robinson, general counsel (incoming);
• Mike Rollings, chief financial officer;
• Heidi Stam, general counsel (retiring 2016),
Following the presentation, McNabb said the company is “always hiring” and recruits heavily on college campuses.
He noted the company recently opened an office in Philadelphia dedicated to innovation and said the company picked up a lot of office space along Route 202 in recent years. Vanguard continues to own property in north-central Chester County near the Downingtown Interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike but has no immediate plans for it, McNabb said.
“We will continue to hold on to it,” he said.
As for the business outlook following last week’s presidential election, McNabb expressed optimism.
“We’ve just come through a bruising political season,” he said. “It’s from the bottom up that good work gets done. That’s important to remember. I see a lot of energy from all of the people here.”