NAPERVILLE, Ill., Feb. 5, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- John P. Calamos, President and Chief Investment Officer of Calamos(r) Asset Management, Inc., has announced that Dino Dussias and Jeff Scudieri have attained the CFA(r) (Chartered Financial Analyst) designation.
Constantine (Dino) Peter Dussias, CFA, Portfolio Administrator/Junior Analyst, is responsible for evaluating convertible security investment opportunities and assisting in portfolio construction for various strategies at CAM. He holds both an M.B.A. (finance) and a B.B.A. (marketing) from Western Michigan University. He joined CALAMOS in 1995.
Jeff Scudieri, CFA, Research and Strategy Analyst, is responsible for portfolio assessment and development for a range of CAM accounts, with special attention to international opportunities. He is also involved in evaluating companies and investigating investment opportunities consistent with the firm's overall strategies for recommendation to senior staff. Prior to joining CALAMOS in 1997, Mr. Scudieri worked in Shareholder Services at Zurich Kemper Investments. He holds an M.B.A. in Finance from DePaul University and a B.A. in Finance from Northern Illinois University, as well as Series 6 and 63 licenses.
The CFA designation is widely considered the most rigorous and globally accepted professional standard in the investment industry. The CFA charter is awarded only to candidates who have passed three exams; in 200 the pass rate for the Level III exam was approximately 65%. Additional CFA requirements of the awarding organization, the Association for Investment Management and Research, include completion of at least three years of professional investment experience and submission of a statement committing to adherence to the Association's code of ethics and standards of professional conduct.
Commenting on the achievements of Mr. Dussias and Mr. Scudieri, Calamos said, "Calamos Asset Management utilizes a sophisticated, proprietary investment process to develop portfolios customized to diverse client objectives. Our discipline requires extensive quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the companies and issues we consider, and the professional stature and depth of knowledge of our staff are vital to their professional judgment. We encourage our research staff to pursue the CFA designation and value Dino and Jeff's demonstration of professional commitment and financial knowledge."
About Calamos Asset Management, Inc.
Calamos Asset Management, Inc. is an independent asset management firm specializing in convertible bond research and management. Headquartered in Naperville, Illinois, CALAMOS provides professional money management services to clients that include major corporations, public and private institutions, pension funds, insurance companies and individuals. The firm has experience in convertible bonds since 1977 and currently manages approximately $6.2 billion in assets. The firm also is investment advisor to a family of seven mutual funds.
RE: CALAMOS Convertible Fund (CCVIX)
CALAMOS Convertible Growth and Income Fund (CVTRX)
CALAMOS Market Neutral Fund (CVSIX)
CALAMOS Growth Fund (CVGRX)
CALAMOS Global Convertible Fund (CVLOX)
CALAMOS Convertible Technology Fund
CALAMOS High Yield Fund
For a prospectus containing more information including fees and expenses, call CALAMOS FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC., the Funds' distributor, at 1-800-582-6959. Please read it carefully before investing.