[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22.3″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.22.3″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_post_title author=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”3.2.2″ title_font=”|700|||||||” title_font_size=”37px”][/et_pb_post_title][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.22.3″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_image src=”https://todayswomannow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/1T3A2116.jpg” align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Featured Image” _builder_version=”3.23.3″][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Image Caption” _builder_version=”3.23.3″ text_font=”||on||||||” text_text_color=”#6d6d6d” text_font_size=”10px” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”90%” module_alignment=”center” saved_tabs=”all”]“The most significant change in my career was taking the leap to interview for a position on the investment team. Pitching a stock to a group of investment professionals that I deeply respected was one of the most difficult professional experiences of my life,” says Ashley L. Abney, 38, winner in the Professional category. Nominations were sent in by Today’s Woman readers.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.22.3″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.23.3″]
The 2021 Way to Go Woman! honorees prove that they are inspired and inspiring others to make Kentuckiana a better place for all of us.
Making positive community change happen through activism, professionalism, entrepreneurial innovation, or leadership takes heart and hard work, and these women under age 40 have energy, enthusiasm and passion for everything they do.
Professional
Ashley L. Abney, 38
Job: Associate Portfolio Manager, Derived Strategies, River Road Asset Management (RRAM)
Family: Husband P. Stewart Abney; Children Eleanor (9), Lawson (7), Jack (3)
Entering the professional world can be difficult when you have a strong desire but no experience or connections. Ashley Abney was taking courses to prepare for the CPA exam when an opportunity presented itself at River Road Asset Management. “The firm was a year old, and the position was entry-level, but it was an opportunity to get my foot in the door,” Ashley says. She took the position and continued her studies but also accepted additional responsibilities in order to learn as much as she could. Ashley has since become the first female Associate Portfolio Manager and one of the first female firm shareholders.
Dynamic and interesting roles
As an analyst, I enjoy the research process, which includes a lot of reading and valuation modeling for the companies in which we invest. As a member of the Focused Absolute Value (FAV) team, we debate the risk reward of investment opportunities for the Portfolio. I also serve as Associate Portfolio Manager of Derived Strategies and have been fortunate to work closely with our CEO in developing client communication pieces, which has been an invaluable experience.
Building on her skills
On a personal level, I spent years working on improving verbal and written communication to effectively explain performance trends during quarterly client reviews. I’ve had the chance to watch and learn from excellent communicators, investors, and portfolio managers and am thankful I continue to do so today.
Professional and personal goals
I enjoy bringing new products to market and serving on a committee at RRAM that is focused on increasing our community involvement and creating more ways our organization can give back to the city we all love. Perhaps my greatest task at hand, along with my husband, is raising three tiny humans to be good, happy, healthy and productive members of society.
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