View from the Boardroom

Carolyn McPhillips is President of the Mutual Fund Directors Forum.  Carolyn joined the Forum's staff in July 2005. She was the Forum's Senior Counsel until June 2020, when Carolyn became the President of MFDF. Immediately prior to joining the Forum, she lived in Naples, Italy. She was an associate in the Financial Services Group of Dechert LLP from 2000 to 2003.

Barry Benjamin is an independent trustee on the Morningstar Funds Trust board and chairs the board's audit committee. He is also an Affiliate Instructor in Loyola University Maryland’s Sellinger School of Business and chairs the Sellinger Management and Organizations Department’s advisory board.  He retired as a partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in 2018. During his 37-year career with PwC, Barry served in several leadership roles, including Global Asset and Wealth Management sector leader, US Asset and Wealth Management sector leader, and the Baltimore, Maryland office managing partner. He also served as lead engagement partner, overseeing teams providing assurance, tax and advisory services to many of the firm’s largest asset management clients in Boston, Kansas City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. 

Barry was the chair of the board of Business Volunteers Maryland, a non-profit organization seeking to strengthen the Baltimore community by making strategic connections between people, businesses and non-profits. He also served on the board and as treasurer of NICSA.

Maureen Leary-Jago is an independent trustee on the Edward Jones Bridge Builder Funds and the Edward Jones Money Market Fund boards.   Maureen retired from MFS Investment Management Company as a Senior Global Advisor providing executive oversight and strategic counsel regarding operations, technology and systems.   During her time at MFS, she also served as President of the MFS Investment Service Company, responsible for all aspects of the business, including domestic and international operations, technology, customer experience and strategic development.  Prior to MFS, Maureen held senior management positions at EquiServe (now Computershare), PPFC Global Fund Services and 440 Financial Group.      

Maureen was the past Lead Independent Trustee of the Edward Jones Money Market Fund, Past Chairman and Vice Chairman of NICSA and past Chairperson of the International Operations Advisory Committee. She has also served as a past member of the MFS Heritage Trust Board, the New England College of Business and Finance Industry Advisory Board and the ICI Operations Committee.  

Maureen is a past recipient of the Money Management Executive Magazine Top Women in Asset Management Award, the NISCA Nova Visionary Leadership Award, and the Expect Miracles Inspirational Contributor Award.

Fred Naddaff has a proven track record of leadership success in both executive management and board level environments spanning a career of over 40 years. He is knowledgeable in all aspects of fund operations, including transfer agency, fund accounting, administration, technology and regulatory and compliance. Fred currently serves as Lead Independent Trustee of the Symmetry Panoramic Funds Board of Trustees.

Before retiring, Fred served as Chief Operating Officer of Transfer Agency and Investor Services at FIS Global. Prior to FIS Global, Fred joined Citi Investor Services as part of the BISYS acquisition in 2007 and assumed the role of North America Business Head for Citi Fund Services. He also served as President of Citi Fund Services, Inc. and provided executive oversight of Citi’s North America outsourcing services. Pre-Citi, Fred was President of BISYS Fund Services, Inc., responsible for all aspects of the business, including domestic and international operations, technology, and strategic development. Before joining BISYS, he spent 10 years with First Data Investor Services Group (now BNY Mellon Asset Servicing), serving the last three years of his tenure in the role of Chief Operating Officer, managing all aspects of the operation. In addition, he previously held senior management positions at State Street Bank and Boston Financial Data Services.

Fred is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and is widely quoted in areas of asset management. He has authored numerous published articles and papers on a wide range of industry topics. He is actively involved in industry groups including previously serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nicsa. He is also a member of the Independent Directors Council, as well as the Expect Miracles Foundation Leadership Council, an industry- based cancer charity. Fred was the recipient of the 2016 Robert L. Gould Award which recognizes outstanding achievement by an individual who has helped the mutual fund industry better serve its investors by improving the quality of customer service, providing thought leadership in the areas of regulation and compliance, and reducing shareholder expenses through implementation of technology and back office streamlining.