Investor’s portfolio has grown since he began at age 17

Michael Keegan

Johann Tritthardt started investing at age 17. “I started investing my own money in my father’s account, because you are really not allowed to open an investment account at that age.” He sold one investment the next year “for a handsome profit.” The other is still in his portfolio.

This summer, the Honours student (BComm, Finance) will begin his career as an analyst with Morgan Stanley’s institutional equity division, first in New York and then in Toronto.

After spending his first year at McGill in Economics and Finance, Tritthardt was drawn to the Kenneth Woods Portfolio Management Program (KWPMP) at JMSB.

“It was an opportunity to actually manage money and gain access to an instant network,” he said. “Also, it’s hard to get good internships and the program has a good reputation for that.”

His choice paid off. He was granted an internship at Goodman & Company, Investment Counsel, in Toronto for the summer of 2005.

“I couldn’t ask for better,” Tritthardt said. “It was known as one of the best internships you could get. I got to sit in on partner meetings.” It was a kind of dream come true for the young money manager.

“It was my first time living away from home, and I got to go to Toronto, actually doing analyst work on the 55th floor of Scotia Plaza, on Bay St.”

Tritthardt followed that up with an internship at the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec in the summer of 2006.

He will be graduating with a Calvin C. Potter Fellowship in recognition of his completion of the KWPMP.

Tritthardt also enjoyed the Honours program, and his daily interaction with Imants Paeglis and the faculty, gaining insight into how they work in the discipline.

“The Honours program was academically oriented and the KWPMP was industry-oriented,” he said. “I knew I always wanted both perspectives and I was afforded both.

“My thanks go out to Dr. Abraham Brodt, the director of the KWPMP, and to the very caring professors and faculty people who helped me through this.”