New Hire Roundup: American College Names Linda Need Board Chairwoman

Loper, who most recently was deputy chief of staff to House Speaker John Boehner, is currently senior vice president of government affairs for American Express. He also has served as Republican staff director for the House Committee on Ways and Means; both chief of staff and deputy chief of staff in the House Majority Leader’s Office; and, early in the George W. Bush administration, as a deputy associate director for the White House Office of Management and Budget.

Hartford Funds Names Walia Head of Internal Sales

Hartford Funds announced that it has named Amrit Walia SVP and head of internal sales. She reports to Jac McLean, head of distribution at Hartford Funds, and is based out of the firm’s Radnor, Penn. headquarters.

Walia brings more than 18 years of financial services industry experience to the company, most recently serving as national sales manager of the Merrill Lynch private banking and investments group. Previously, she has held various roles at Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, Gartmore Global Investments, Groupama Asset Management and American Express Financial Advisors, holding key leadership roles in investment management and distribution, banking and lending distribution, corporate strategy and business development, marketing, communications and field training.

American Independence Funds Announces Haas Elected Chair, Carter is Trustee

American Independence Funds Trust and American Independence Funds Trust II have announced that Professor Jeffrey Haas has been elected chairman of the board of trustees. Also, Terry Carter has been elected independent trustee of American Independence Funds Trust II.

Haas, who has been an independent trustee of the American Independence Funds since July 2005 and previously served as an independent trustee of the HSBC Funds from 1999 to 2002, brings more than 26 years of legal and business experience to the position. He has been a professor of law at New York Law School since 1996. From 1988 to 1995 he was a corporate attorney first with Cravath, Swaine & Moore and later with Latham & Watkins.

Carter, who has served as an independent trustee of American Independence Funds Trust since its inception, served as an independent trustee to the predecessor American Independence Funds since their inception in November 1996. He also served as an independent trustee for the Bank IV Funds. Currently retired, Carter previously served 26 years as SVP and chief financial officer for a privately held food and gasoline retailer where he continues to serve as a borad member.

Read the Feb. 5 New Hire Roundup at ThinkAdvisor.