CHICAGO, IL – The Becker Friedman Institute for Economics (BFI) at the University of Chicago is pleased to announce it has appointed two new members to its Advisory Council – Ted Brandt (Booth ‘87) and Jason Tyler (Booth ’99). The Advisory Council, comprised of a prestigious group of business and academic leaders with a range of backgrounds, plays a guiding role in setting the goals and direction of the Institute.
“Ted and Jason bring tremendous experience to our Advisory Council that I’m confident will help us increase our global impact and promote the University’s frontier economics research,” said Michael Greenstone, BFI Director and the Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor in Economics and the College, and the Harris School. “Having known both Ted and Jason professionally and personally for some time, I’m honored to have them join BFI’s leadership team and look forward to working together to support our work.”
Brandt and Tyler are leaders in the financial services and investment industries, bringing deep understanding of the real-world applications and impact of economics research.
Brandt is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Marathon Capital, an investment banking boutique focused on the global energy and infrastructure markets. The firm provides financial advice in the areas of M&A, re-structuring, project financing, and raising private capital.
“In our banking business we are always struggling to understand when a new development in a large transaction is simply a random event or a real trend,” said Brandt. “BFI uses solid research and analytics to ask and gain important insights into many of our most important societal challenges. I wanted to be a part of an organization that is making a difference in the world.”
Tyler is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Northern Trust’s Wealth Management business, a global financial services provider with nearly 20,000 partners across offices in 20 states and Washington, D.C., and 23 international locations.
BFI serves as a hub for cutting-edge analysis and research across the entire University of Chicago economics community, uniting researchers from the Booth School of Business, the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics, the Harris School of Public Policy, and the Law School in an unparalleled effort to uncover new ways of thinking about economics. BFI puts those ideas into action by translating rigorous research into accessible and relevant formats, and proactively disseminating it to key decision- makers around the world.
“I am thrilled to welcome both Ted and Jason to our Advisory Council,” said Erik Hurst, BFI Deputy Director and V. Duane Rath Professor of Economics at the Booth School of Business. “Our Advisory Council plays an integral role in helping the Institute reach its ambitious goals, and we’re grateful to have such accomplished business leaders join us in that pursuit. We value their ongoing commitment to the University of Chicago and to BFI.”