Thome named WARF’s director of investments

Carrie J. Thome has been named director of investments at the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF).

Thome has served as interim director of the group since April. She joined WARF in 2001 as associate director of investments. In her new position, Thome manages a diverse investment portfolio worth an estimated $1.8 billion. Income and gains from the portfolio are gifted to the University of Wisconsin–Madison to support research on the campus.

Thome works closely with WARF Managing Director Carl E. Gulbrandsen and the WARF Board of Trustees to obtain the highest return for the adjusted risk in the portfolio, assuring the portfolio continues to perform well, regardless of economic conditions.

"We’re delighted with Carrie’s performance as associate and then interim director of our investment portfolio," says Gulbrandsen. "WARF is very fortunate to have such a highly skilled and committed director of investments to manage our portfolio."

Prior to joining WARF, Thome was assistant portfolio manager at the State of Wisconsin Investment Board, where she managed a $3 billion private equity portfolio, and served as a financial analyst with Heartland Properties of Madison. Thome holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and real estate, as well as a master’s degree in finance from UW–Madison and is a chartered financial analyst.

In 1925, WARF was established as the world’s first university-based technology transfer office. It supports world-class research at UW–Madison by funding research, protecting the intellectual property of university faculty, staff and students, and by licensing inventions resulting from their work to benefit the world.