About 2,000 investment industry folks flocked to the 2014 Morningstar Investment Conference in Chicago this week, eager to network and hear some of the brightest minds in the industry speak.
But networking was not limited to face-to-face during the massive three-day event, as hundreds flocked to Twitter and other forms of social media to share conference happenings.
We rounded up a selection of the top tweets from Morningstar 2014 by tracking the conference-branded hashtag #MICUS. We started with early arrivals and followed the event through to Friday's closing.
While some experienced a rocky arrival due to inclement weather, conference attendees eventually arrived in Illinois as the Morningstar Investment Conference began:
#MICUS We are ready to welcome #financialadvisors #assetmanagers #media to the Morningstar Investment Conference! https://t.co/6jN9vdI8tA
— Morningstar Advisor (@MStarAdvisor) June 18, 2014
Skies are clearing to the West as we look out over McCormick place! Wouldn't be an MIC without a little rain! #MICUS pic.twitter.com/pToCHMvcqV
— Scott Burns (@MStarScottBurns) June 18, 2014
Kicking off the conference was Franklin Templeton Executive Vice President and CIO of Global Bonds Michael Hasenstab:
Michael Hasenstab @FTI_US discussing opportunities in emerging markets. #MICUS #investing pic.twitter.com/9crOcWUrfq
— Morningstar, Inc. (@MorningstarInc) June 18, 2014
Hasenstab from @FTI_US: "If you're at all concerned about U.S. debt levels...you should be petrified about the Japan debt levels." #MICUS
— Pat Allen (@RockTheBoatMKTG) June 18, 2014
Later in day one, a group of Morningstar investment analysts came together for a roundtable panel discussion, including Russ Kinnel, David Needham, Michael Holt and Bob Johnson:
.@morningstar research panel: Bob Johnson – We underestimate the effect of the natural gas boom in the U.S... “Life changing.” #MICUS
— WealthManagement.com (@wealth_mgmt) June 18, 2014
Day two brought a quirky appearance from Bill Gross of Pimco, who referenced everyone from World War II Gen. George Patton to pop star Justin Bieber in his presentation. Here, a photo was snapped during his session:
Bill Gross sporting some fun shades for his #MICUS session. pic.twitter.com/iX3OyHSbUC
— MichaelKitces (@MichaelKitces) June 19, 2014
Gross recommends book Triumph of The Optimist “You can get into this book like I did with the bible when I was a child.” #MICUS
— WealthManagement.com (@wealth_mgmt) June 19, 2014
Michael Kitces was busy at Morningstar. Not only was the financial planning guru attending sessions throughout the week, but he also gave his own session on day two, which saw a popular turnout:
Standing room only at @MichaelKitces @Dull_Investing & David Blanchett retirement planning session #MICUS #MICUS pic.twitter.com/FJfgZhGcSU
— Samantha Allen (@sallendigital) June 19, 2014
Rick Ferri, founder of Portfolio Solutions, also appeared on day two in a panel on smart beta:
In a panel on smart beta at #MICUS. @Rick_Ferri says he puts enough in smart beta to make difference, but not enough to make it risky.
— Charles Rotblut, CFA (@charlesrotblut) June 19, 2014
A panel of star bond managers came together on Thursday, including William Eigen, the head of J.P. Morgan Asset Management's Absolute Return and Opportunistic Fixed Income Group:
Live tweeting #MICUS unconstrained #bonds w/@MstarEJacobson; Mohit Mittal, @PIMCO; Egan, Scout; Bill Eigen @JPMorgan http://t.co/cH3b4GIBAn
— Justin Breitfelder (@jbreitfelder) June 19, 2014
.@Jpmorgan Bill Eigen on opportunities in bonds: “I pretty much like nothing.” #MICUS
— WealthManagement.com (@wealth_mgmt) June 19, 2014
In perhaps one of the biggest moments of the second day, the conference-branded #MICUS hashtag became one of the top trends worldwide, bested at one point only by the England vs. Uruguay World Cup match in Brazil.
Hey hey hey - #MICUS is trending on http://t.co/Kfk9mMZadI now!! Talk about engagement in financial services. cc: @LeslieAMarshall
— Blano (@blano) June 19, 2014
But perhaps it was the conference inclusion of FIFA World Cup action that helped make #MICUS part of the global conversation:
#MICUS Make sure to stop by MFS booth no. 641 for a fun treat and live #WorldCup games.
— MFS (@followMFS) June 19, 2014
#MICUS day three included a presentation from Cliff Asness of AQR Capital Management:
#MICUS underway on day 3. Cliff Asness, AQR Capital Management, answering the question: Are the markets efficient? pic.twitter.com/hlgDVVpGlQ
— Morningstar, Inc. (@MorningstarInc) June 20, 2014
Asness: anomalies (value, momentum) work part of the time because of market inefficiencies, but it's not obvious or easy to exploit #MICUS
— Trevor Hunnicutt (@trhunnicutt) June 20, 2014
Michael Aronstein of Marketfield Asset Management also took to the stage:
Marketfield's Aronstein: We're in the midst of the most radical monetary experiment since the #fed was founded #MICUS
— WealthManagement.com (@wealth_mgmt) June 20, 2014
One of the most popular attractions on #MICUS day three may have been this booth:
How companies attract folks in the exhibition area... candy (!) at MorningStar investment conference. #MICUS pic.twitter.com/Bw8qMkCXym
— SunStar Strategic (@sunstarstrategy) June 20, 2014
But alas, after hosting thousands of asset managers, advisors, strategists, executives and media, the conference eventually cleared out:
Great "after the show" photo. RT @sunstarstrategy: Getting quiet at the Morningstar investment conference. #MICUS pic.twitter.com/Osi9YoHdPq
— Leslie A. Marshall (@LeslieAMarshall) June 20, 2014
