Jerome L. Dodson
President, Portfolio Manager
Jerome Dodson is the Founder and President of Parnassus Investments. He is the lead
Portfolio Manager of the Parnassus Fund and the Parnassus Small-Cap Fund and is
the Portfolio Manager of the Parnassus Workplace Fund and the Parnassus Asia Fund. Prior
to founding Parnassus Investments in 1984, he served as President and Chief Executive
Officer of Continental Savings of America from 1976 to 1982 where he started the
"Solar T-Bill" program to finance solar energy installations and also developed
innovative programs to finance low and moderate income housing. Mr. Dodson received
his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley
and his master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School.
Todd C. Ahlsten
Chief Investment Officer, Portfolio Manager
Todd Ahlsten is the Chief Investment Officer and the lead Portfolio Manager of the
Parnassus Equity Income Fund. He joined Parnassus Investments in 1995 as a Research
Analyst and was previously a Parnassus research intern. In 1998, Mr. Ahlsten was
promoted to Director of Research and subsequently became Portfolio Manager of the
Parnassus Equity Income Fund in 2001. He became Chief Investment Officer in 2008.
Mr. Ahlsten received his bachelor's degree in business administration from the University
of California, Berkeley with an emphasis in finance and accounting.
Benjamin E. Allen
Director of Research, Portfolio Manager
Benjamin Allen is the Director of Research and a Portfolio Manager of the Parnassus
Equity Income Fund. He joined Parnassus Investments in 2005 as a Senior Research
Analyst and was previously a Parnassus research intern. Prior to joining the firm,
Mr. Allen worked at Morgan Stanley in New York, first as an Investment Banking Analyst
and later in the firm’s venture capital group. Raised in Massachusetts, he is an
alumnus of the Boston Latin School. Mr. Allen graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna
cum laude from Georgetown University with a bachelor's degree in government, and
completed the general course in philosophy at the London School of Economics. Mr.
Allen received his master's degree in business administration from the University
of California, Berkeley.
Matthew D. Gershuny
Portfolio Manager, Senior Research Analyst
Matthew Gershuny is the lead Portfolio Manager of the Parnassus Mid-Cap Fund and a
Senior Research Analyst. He joined Parnassus Investments in 2006 as a Senior Research
Analyst and was previously a Parnassus research intern. Prior to joining the firm,
Mr. Gershuny was a Vice President of Equity Research at Cowen and Company; formerly
SG Cowen Securities Corporation. Prior to that, he held various equity research and
asset management positions at UBS Securities. Mr. Gershuny received his bachelor's
degree in philosophy from Cornell University and his master's degree in business
administration from the University of Michigan.
Lori A. Keith
Portfolio Manager, Senior Research Analyst
Lori Keith is a Portfolio Manager of the Parnassus Mid-Cap Fund and a Senior Research Analyst.
She joined Parnassus Investments in 2005 and was previously a Parnassus research intern.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Keith was a Vice President of Investment Banking at
Deloitte & Touche Corporate Finance LLC and was a Senior Associate in Robertson Stephens
& Company's investment banking division. Prior to that, she worked in the management
consulting practice at Ernst & Young. Ms. Keith received her bachelor's degree in economics
from the University of California, Los Angeles and her master's degree in business administration
from Harvard Business School.
Ryan S. Wilsey
Portfolio Manager, Senior Research Analyst
Ryan Wilsey is a Portfolio Manager of the Parnassus Small-Cap Fund and a Senior
Research Analyst. He joined Parnassus Investments in 2009 and was previously a Parnassus
research intern. He has been a professional investor in both public and private
equity since 2001. His prior experience includes work at Summit Partners, Greylock
Partners and Scout Capital. Before he began his investment career, he worked at
Opsware Inc., a software company that was later sold to Hewlett-Packard. Mr. Wilsey
graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in engineering
from Princeton University and received his master's degree in business administration
from Harvard Business School.
Ian Sexsmith, CFA
Portfolio Manager, Senior Research Analyst
Ian Sexsmith is a Portfolio Manager of the Parnassus Fund and a Senior Research
Analyst. He joined Parnassus Investments in 2011 and was previously a Parnassus
research intern. Prior to joining the firm, he worked for Scotiabank and for TD
Bank Financial Group in Toronto. Mr. Sexsmith received his bachelor of commerce
degree from the University of Manitoba, Canada and his master’s degree in business
administration from the University of California, Berkeley. He holds the CFA designation
and is a member of the CFA Society of San Francisco.
Romahlo I. Wilson
Portfolio Manager, Senior Research Analyst
Romahlo Wilson is a Portfolio Manager of the Parnassus Fund and a Senior Research
Analyst. He joined Parnassus Investments in 2011 and was previously a Parnassus
research intern. Prior to joining the firm, he worked for Cleantech Approach and
in Houlihan Lokey's Mergers & Acquisitions Practice. Raised in New York, he is an
alumnus of Stuyvesant High School. Mr. Wilson received his bachelor’s degree from
Stanford University with concentrations in computer science and imaging technology.
He received his master's degree in business administration from The Wharton School,
University of Pennsylvania with concentrations in finance and public policy.
Samantha D. Palm
Portfolio Manager
Samantha Palm is the Portfolio Manager of the Parnassus Fixed-Income Fund. She joined
Parnassus Investments in 2013. Prior to joining the firm, she was a Vice President
within Wells Fargo Securities' fixed income group. Previously, Ms. Palm was at Robert
W. Baird & Co. where she was an equity research analyst. Ms. Palm graduated with
honors from the University of Wisconsin, Madison with a bachelor's degree in agricultural
and applied economics.
Maria Kamin
ESG Research Manager
Maria Kamin is the ESG Research Manager. Prior to joining Parnassus Investments
in 2010, she was the Research Product Manager and Sustainability Analyst at MSCI,
Inc.; formerly KLD Research & Analytics, Inc. In 2008, Boston College recognized
Ms. Kamin as a Sustainability Fellow in the Leadership for Change program. She received
her bachelor's degree in political science from Tufts University, and a master's
degree in Pacific international affairs from the University of California, San Diego.
As part of an academic focus on the region during graduate and undergraduate studies,
Ms. Kamin has also worked with the U.S. Department of State and WorldTeach in Latin
America.
Minh T. Bui
Senior Research Analyst
Minh Bui is a Senior Research Analyst. He joined Parnassus Investments as a Research Analyst in 2005 and was previously a Parnassus research intern. His prior experience includes work at Lombard Odier & Cie, a private bank in Geneva, and at Merriman, Curhan Ford & Co., an investment firm in San Francisco. Mr. Bui received his bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland and his master's degree in business administration from Golden Gate University.
Billy J. Hwan, CPA, CFA
Senior Research Analyst
Billy Hwan is a Senior Research Analyst. He joined Parnassus Investments in 2012
and was previously a Parnassus research intern. His prior experience includes equity
research at Dodge & Cox in San Francisco and at the Government of Singapore Investment
Corporation. Mr. Hwan received his bachelor's degree in engineering from Stanford
University and a master's degree in accountancy from the University of Houston.
He graduated with honors from the University of California, Berkeley with his master's
degree in business administration. Mr. Hwan holds the CPA and CFA designations,
and was a former Blakemore Freeman Fellow.
Robert J. Klaber
Senior Research Analyst
Robert Klaber is a Senior Research Analyst. He joined Parnassus Investments in 2012
and was previously a Parnassus research intern. His prior experience includes work
at Neuberger Berman and City Light Capital. Mr. Klaber graduated Phi Beta Kappa
and magna cum laude from Brown University where he was a recipient of the
Joslin Award for his commitment to leadership and service. Mr. Klaber received his
bachelor's degree with concentrations in public & private sector organizations and
sociology. He earned a master of philosophy degree from the University of Cambridge
as a Craig Cambridge Scholar, and received his master's degree in business administration
with honors from Harvard Business School.
Iyassu Essayas
Senior Research Analyst
Iyassu Essayas is a Senior Research Analyst and joined Parnassus Investments in
2010. He specializes in integrating environmental, social, and governance research
into the firm's investment process. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Essayas was a
Parnassus research intern. He received his bachelor's degree in biology from the
University of San Francisco.
Rachel X. Tan
Research Analyst
Rachel Tan is a Research Analyst and joined Parnassus Investments in 2012. She specializes
in integrating environmental, social, and governance research into the firm's investment
process. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Tan was a Parnassus research intern. She
received her bachelor's degree in economics with a minor in environmental studies
from the University of California, Los Angeles where she was a member of the Responsible
Investment Action Research Team and BGreen Consulting.
Robert Burmeister
Equity Trader
Robert Burmeister is an Equity Trader for Parnassus Investments and joined the firm
in 2009. Prior to joining the firm, he was an Analyst at Accenture Consulting where
he specialized in risk management for critical assets. Mr. Burmeister received his
bachelor's degree in economics from Harvard University and was the co-captain goalkeeper
of the water polo team.
Grant T. Cleghorn
Director of Institutional Sales & Marketing
Grant Cleghorn joined Parnassus Investments in 2008 and serves as the Director of
Institutional Sales & Marketing. Prior to joining the firm, he was the Vice President
of Institutional Sales at Wells Fargo Asset Management Group and was responsible
for corporate, public and Taft-Hartley plans, as well as foundations and endowments.
Prior to that, Mr. Cleghorn was an Associate with the equity capital markets group
at OffRoad Capital, a San Francisco-based private equity firm. He holds the Series
7 and 66 securities licenses. Mr. Cleghorn is an alumnus of The Lawrenceville School
and received his bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Tennessee,
Knoxville where he also earned track and field All-American honors as a decathlete.
Nancy Reyes
Director of Advisor Relations
Nancy Reyes joined Parnassus Investments in 2005 and serves as the Director of Advisor
Relations. She has over ten years of experience in the field of responsible investing.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Reyes was with SKBA Capital Management, LLC where
she led the client service and marketing team. She holds the Series 6, 63 and 65
securities licenses. Ms. Reyes is an active member of the Financial Women's Association
of San Francisco, is a member of Spark, a nonprofit organization that addresses
social, political and economic issues by working with grassroots women's groups
worldwide, and belongs to the Bay Area Social Investment Forum. She received a bachelor's
degree in economics from University of California, Santa Cruz.
Vidya Nathu
Senior Associate, Marketing & Sales
Vidya Nathu joined Parnassus Investments in 2008 and serves the Senior Associate
of Marketing and Sales. Prior to joining the firm, she worked for Wells Fargo where
she was responsible for creating personalized financial solutions for private clients.
She holds the Series 7 and 63 securities licenses. Ms. Nathu received her bachelor's
degree in political science from Belmont University and her master's degree in business
administration from Lipscomb University. She is an active member of the Financial
Women's Association of San Francisco.
Alexis Crusey
Institutional Sales & Marketing
Alexis Crusey joined Parnassus Investments in 2011 and serves as the Institutional
Sales Associate. She serves as a contact for external platforms and institutional
relationships. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Crusey was a Parnassus sales &
marketing intern. She holds the Series 7 and 66 securities licenses. She received
her bachelor's degree in psychology from Yale University and was a member of the
volleyball team where she earned First-Team All-Ivy League honors four consecutive
years.
Marc C. Mahon
Chief Financial Officer
Marc C. Mahon is the Chief Financial Officer at Parnassus Investments with responsibility
for accounting, finance, and investment operations. Prior to joining Parnassus Investments
in 2004, Mr. Mahon worked in senior level investment accounting positions for Paul
Capital Partners, Fremont Investment Advisors and Barclays Global Investors. Mr.
Mahon is a registered principal and holds the Series 7, 63 and 27 securities licenses.
He earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Arizona State University
and his master's in business administration from California State University, Hayward.
John V. Skidmore II
Chief Compliance Officer
John Skidmore has over 20 years of experience in the investment management industry,
and joined Parnassus Investments as Chief Compliance Officer in 2008. He began his
mutual fund career with Union Bank of California's HighMark Capital Management subsidiary,
where he rose to the position of Vice President and Manager of Mutual Fund Administration.
He was also a Vice President with Wells Fargo Funds Management, and most recently
was Deputy Chief Compliance Officer at Genworth Financial Wealth Management. Mr.Skidmore
is a registered principal and holds the Series 6, 63 and 26 securities licenses,
and holds the Investment Adviser Certified Compliance Professional ("IACCP") designation
as well as the Certified Securities Compliance Professional (CSCP) designation.
In 2008, Institutional Investor News named him as one of the 20 Rising Stars of
Compliance. He received his bachelor's degree in political science and psychology
from the University of Kansas. He also has earned a Juris Doctorate degree from
Glendale University College of Law, where he was a member of Law Review, and his
master's degree in business administration from California State University, Dominguez
Hills, where he was a member of the Delta Mu Delta Honor Society.
William C. Fraser
Director of Shareholder Services
William Fraser began his career at Thomas James & Associates as a stockbroker in
1992 in San Francisco. In 1993, he joined Parnassus Investments as an operations
and shareholder services representative. He became the Director of Shareholder Services
in 2004 and is responsible for operations and client service. Mr. Fraser is a registered
principal and holds the Series 7, 63 and 26 securities licenses. Mr. Fraser received
his bachelors degree in economics from the University of Texas at Austin.
Mark Lee
Director of Technology
Mark Lee joined Parnassus Investments in 2005 and is the Director of Technology.
He directs all technology endeavors for the firm and brings expertise in enterprise
software, systems integration, web technologies and database applications. His previous
experience includes multiple senior consultant and engineering roles in the semiconductor,
healthcare and academic industries. He is a proponent for open source projects and
a contributor to multiple Java and .NET development groups. Mr. Lee received his
bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and materials science engineering from
the University of California, Davis.
Donald V. Potter
Independent Trustee
Donald Potter serves as Trustee of the Parnassus Funds Trust and the Parnassus Income
Funds Trust. Donald is currently President of Strategystreet.com. His previous experience
includes over thirty years of strategy consulting experience with McKinsey & Company
and Windermere Associates, and several years as a financial executive with Exxon
Corporation. He received his bachelor's degree in arts and letters from the University
of Notre Dame and a master's degree in business administration from Harvard Business
School.
Herbert A. Houston
Independent Trustee
Herbert Houston has served as Trustee of the Parnassus Funds Trust since 1998 and
the Parnassus Income Funds Trust since inception. He was also the Chief Executive
Officer of the Haight Ashbury Free Clinics, Inc. from 1987 to 1998. He previously
held executive positions with the National Association of Sickle Cell Diseases,
Bay Area Black United Fund and the United Way. Currently, he has a consulting company,
Houston & Associates, specializing in health and human services. Mr. Houston holds
an MPA in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.
Jeanie S. Joe
Independent Trustee
Jeanie Joe has served as Trustee of the Parnassus Funds Trust and the Parnassus
Income Funds Trust since 2004. She was President of Geo/Resource Consultants, Inc.,
a geotechnical and environmental consulting firm with offices in California and
Arizona, from 1995 to 2009; served as board member and Secretary of the Telecommunications
Consumer Protection Fund Oversight Corporation (California) from 2004 to 2006, and
until 2007 as a member of California Employment Development Department's SBEAC (Small
Business Employer Advisory Committee) representing the Asian American Architects
and Engineers. Prior to election to the Parnassus Funds boards, she served as a
consultant to the boards. Ms. Joe has been a L.E.E.D. accredited professional since
2009. She received her bachelor�s degree from the University of California, Berkeley,
a master of public health from the University of California, Los Angeles and an
MDE Certificate (Management Development for Entrepreneurs) from The Anderson School
of Management, UCLA.
Donald J.Boteler
Independent Trustee
Donald Boteler serves as Trustee of the Parnassus Funds Trust and the Parnassus
Income Funds Trust. He retired in March of 2012 from the Investment Company Institute
(ICI), the U.S. mutual fund industry's national trade association in Washington,
D.C., where he served as Vice President of Industry Operations from 1993 until his
retirement. Mr. Boteler also served as Director of Fund Accounting and Compliance
from 1986 to 1993. From 2009 to 2011, he served on the Advisory Council of the International
Accounting Standards Board in London. Prior to his ICI career, he served in various
roles as a member of the staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and
the U.S. Department of Labor. Mr. Boteler received his bachelor's degree in economics
and accounting from the University of Maryland and is a member of the American Institute
of Certified Public Accountants.
Jerome L. Dodson
Trustee, President, Portfolio Manager
Jerome Dodson founded Parnassus Investments in 1984 and has served as Trustee of
the Parnassus Funds Trust and the Parnassus Income Funds Trust since inception.
He is the President of Parnassus Investments and the lead Portfolio Manager of the
Parnassus Fund and the Parnassus Small-Cap Fund. Mr. Dodson is also the Portfolio
Manager of the Parnassus Workplace Fund and the Parnassus Asia Fund. Prior to founding
Parnassus Investments in 1984, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer
of Continental Savings of America from 1976 to 1982 where he started the "Solar
T-Bill" program to finance solar energy installations and also developed innovative
programs to finance low and moderate income housing. Mr. Dodson received his bachelor's
degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley and his
master's degree in business administration from Harvard Business School.