The Financial Information Services Division of Software & Information Industry Association today announced the nominees for the Market Data Lifetime Achievement Award.
This award recognizes the people who have contributed to the major developments and accomplishments of the financial information industry over the past 20 years. The FISD Market Data Lifetime Achievement Award is presented biennially at the World Financial Information Conference (WFIC). The biennial World Financial Information Conference (WFIC) is the only global conference focused exclusively on the issues associated with the dissemination, management and use of financial information.
To be eligible for the award, candidates must have been in the industry for more than 15 years and have provided a notable contribution to the market data industry. The first award was presented to Bernie Weinstein of Cantor Fitzgerald in 2005.
The 2007 Nominees for the Lifetime Achievement Award are:- Josephy Kasputys, Global Insight – Dr. Kasputys formed Global Insights, which joined together the world's premier economic and financial analysis and forecasting firms: Data Resources DRI and WEFA (formerly Wharton Economic Forecasting Associates), along with Global InTech, a software company specializing in time-series data management and interests in Decision Economics. Dr. Kasputys was previously with Primark Corporation from 1987 to 2000, where he served as chairman, president, and CEO. Earlier, Kasputys served as EVP of McGraw-Hill, responsible for business development and as Chief Economist responsible for coordinating the economic work of all of its businesses.
- Leo McBlain, Financial Information Forum - McBlain has been Chairman of the Financial Information Forum in NY since 1995. The Financial Information Forum is an industry organization that brings together business and technology executives from exchanges, broker-dealers, vendors and other organizations to address issues related to brokerage industry information and processing systems. He spent thirty-five years at ADP Brokerage Services Group in a variety of positions.
- Jean Claude Marchand, Infotec - Marchand has worked throughout his career to spread market data so that financial markets could become more transparent and grow rapidly. As a senior executive, he helped build up Reuters as a world-leading vendor of market data and financial information. In recent years, he also pioneered Internet-based systems that lower the cost of data. He is currently Chairman of Infotec, a Swiss-based market data company. In his early career with Reuters, he helped the development of financial markets in Asia and Central & Eastern Europe by opening up their access to market data for the first time.
- Seth Merrin, Liquidnet - A pioneer in financial services technology, Merrin founded his third company, Liquidnet Holdings, in November 1999 at the age of 41. Liquidnet has since established itself as the world’s largest natural liquidity pool for buy-side institutions. Prior to Liquidnet, Merrin co-founded VIE Systems, Inc., a financial services application integration software company. In 1985, he founded his first company, Merrin Financial, which launched the industry’s first order management, compliance and electronic order routing systems for asset managers.
“FISD is pleased to present these distinguished leaders as candidates for the FISD Market Data Lifetime Achievement Award”, said Tom Davin, FISD General Manager. “Recognizing the contributions of such pioneers allows us to better appreciate the strength of the industry and how far we have come.”
Nominees will be voted upon by FISD members. The winner will be announced at the World Financial Information Conference, September 24 in Newport, Rhode Island.