Distinguished Alumni Award

Curtis K. Lane, 73BBA, has a head for business and the heart of a Hawkeye—and he has used this skill and passion not only to excel in the world of portfolio management, but also to open doors for other UI entrepreneurs.

After earning a bachelor of business administration degree from the UI in 1973 and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska in 1974, Lane embarked on a highly successful career managing institutional performance portfolios.

He spent eight years on Wall Street, overseeing proprietary trading portfolios at the Union Bank of Switzerland and Schroeder and Company, and he eventually founded Disciplined Growth Investors in Minneapolis in 1993. By the time Lane sold his shares in 2000, this start-up had grown to $1.5 billion in assets.

Following that sale, Lane moved to Omaha, where he became the co-founder and portfolio manager of the long/short hedge fund Concordant Partners—and also became actively involved in the Omaha Riverfront Development Corporation, a group focused on revitalizing downtown Omaha.

Lane's vital investment experiences have helped him guide his alma mater. He is a member of the Henry B. Tippie College of Business Board of Visitors and its Finance Advisory Council, and he also serves on the investment committee for the UI Foundation Board of Directors. In this role, he has skillfully assisted in the oversight and management of the foundation's investments.

Along with his role as an astute financial advisor, Lane has also been a mentor for students following in his footsteps. Not only has he spoken to the Tippie College's students about finance careers and his industry experiences, he also has hired UI students as interns. In addition, Lane has partnered with Creighton University in Omaha to mentor its business and finance students, and he is president of his hometown's Senior Alumni Scholarship Foundation, which awards scholarships to graduating high school seniors in Atlantic, Iowa.

Lane and his wife, Carol, have given generously to a number of areas within the UI. In 2003, they established the Curt and Carol Lane Faculty Fellowship Fund in the Tippie College of Business. This valuable recruitment and retention tool provides $20,000 in annual support for the faculty advisor who oversees the Henry Fund and the Krause Fund—two student-run, real-money funds that provide stellar experience in managing investment opportunities and are crucial to the college's continued excellence.

A lifelong Hawkeye fan, Lane has been a loyal member of the I-Club and the Kinnick Society—the UI Athletic Department's highest annual giving level—and he sits on the board of directors for the Iowa Scholarship Fund, which oversees all student-athlete scholarships.

It is no surprise that Lane's colleagues refer to him as a "treasure," a "tried-and-true alumnus," a "well-respected businessman," and a "wonderful friend to the UI." Curtis K. Lane knows what it takes to succeed in business—and he's devoted his time, energy, and resources to helping UI students do the same.

Lane is a member of the UI Alumni Association's Old Capitol Club and a member of the UI Foundation's Presidents Club.