b'EXPERIENCE-CENTERED LEARNINGemphasis in finance and banking, said while much of her education has stressed the importance of crit-ical thinking, AACE has challenged her to balance her emotions with thinking criticallyan interesting juxtaposition she hasnt faced in many other classes. You walk the line between being excited for a start-up company and wanting them to do well and thinking critically about that company and consid-ering whether theyre a good investment, she said. Its a balancing act that is made more urgent because we are dealing with real money.The real deal:Another AACE managing director, Becca May, who is a graduate student in geology, said she has come THE ALLEN ANGEL CAPITALto appreciate how each student has an equal stake in the course, an aspect that has leveled the playing EDUCATION PROGRAM PUTSfield in a way unique to her academic experience. We each have one vote, and we have to come to an STUDENTS IN CHARGE agreement, knowing that you might win some and you might lose some, she said. Its been humbling and eye-opening for me.Kyle Klostermann, Becca May, Grace Demetrician and Yuriy Snyder Because of the responsibility entrusted in themA TRIBUTE TO W.D ALLENduring AACE, the managing directors said theyve grown more confident in their abilities to lead. BY SARA DIEDRICHother students. Being able to have all these differentWhen I got into AACE, I had no business back- It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of W.D Allen, a cherished The stakes are high for students involved in the Allenperspectives to consider before moving on to theground, Snyder said. Just going from science tomember of our Trulaske College of Business family. W.D peacefully left us Angel Capital Education (AACE) Program at thenext step of the process is an amazing opportunity. business, I experienced a terminology gap that I hadSeptember 21, leaving behind a legacy of dedication, kindness and unwavering Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business.Investing In Students to overcome. It was difficult to learn a new style ofsupport.This group of mid-Missouri investors are Universitycommunication, but its been so cool to step intoA true champion of the Trulaske community, W.D touched the lives of countless You walk theThats exactly what W. D Allen was hoping when hea whole other world. Ive developed a confidence of Missouri students dealing with real money andstudents, faculty and staff. His contributions to our college were immeasurable, line betweenreal entrepreneurs. Their decisions to invest in high- and his sister, Pinney, launched the AACE program 12that only comes from learning something completelyand his presence in Cornell Hall made it a brighter place.being excitedgrowth start-up companies are based on long hoursyears ago with donations of $25,000 and $500,000new.The halls of Cornell Hall will never be the same without him, but his spirit and the of cultivating deal flows, performing pre-screeningrespectively. Allen, an adjunct professor, coordinatesLearning By Doingfor a start-upthe AACE program and oversees the course. He isimpact he made on all of us will live on.duties, completing due diligence and structuring company andinvestment contracts.quick to point out, however, that the students are inEach semester, AACE students investigate up toWilliam W.D Allen dedicated much of his life and career to investing in the future wanting themcharge by serving as investment analysts to the fund200 start-up businesses that are looking for inves-both financially and in the lives of others. After earning his B.S.B.A. in 1990 and AACE is a hands-on, learning-by-doing course withby cultivating deal flow, performing pre-screeningtors. However, only a handful of those companiesa Ph.D. in 2006, he carved out a multifaceted career as a fixed-income manager, to do wella twistits real life.duties, completing due diligence, structuring andare pitched to the class where the students pepperreal estate developer and small business owner. But his true calling emerged after and thinkingThis semester, 17 students spanning seven Mizzounegotiating investment contracts, and monitoringthe presenter with questions about the business andearning his doctorate, when he spent 10 years as an assistant teaching professor critically aboutmajors have been managing approximately $700,000portfolio holdings to ultimately drive financial returnswhy they should invest in it. If the group decides aat the Trulaske College of Business. W.D was known not only for his expertise but in assets, most of it deployed to 15 portfolio compa- for the fund. start-up is worth further investigation, then its allfor going out of his way to counsel and support students in need.that companyhand on deck for due diligence, which is a compre-and consideringnies.I sit back and marvel at what they are able to do,hensive investigation of the business. This weeks- Even in retirement, W.D continued to shape future generations. He served as an For some students like Kyle Klostermann, a juniorAllen said.long process involves examining the financials asadjunct faculty member in the Trulaske Department of Finance and as coordinator whethermajoring in accounting, AACE has been an opportu- Other advisors for the group are Kate Holland, anwell as the market, corporate management structure,of the Allen Angel Capital Education Program (AACE), guiding 16 undergraduate theyre a goodnity to learn more about the other side of his entre- assistant professor of finance, and Gene Gerke andproduct and engineering, and competitive landscape.and graduate students from diverse business disciplines as they gained hands-on investment. Itspreneurial dreamthe side of the investor taskedSteve Guthrie, co-presidents of Centennial InvestorsThe result is a rigorous report that is presented to theexperience investing in Missouri startups.a balancing actwith determining whether an entrepreneurial visionAngel Network. class where everyone argues reasons why to investW.Ds legacy extended beyond the classroom. When his sister, Pinney Allen, is worth the investment. For others like Yuriy Snyder,Putting Critical Thinking To Workor why not to invest, said Yuriy Snyder, a doctoraland her husband, Charles Buddy Miller III, approached him with an idea to that is madea doctoral student in biological engineering, AACE student in biological engineering and an AACEsupport higher education and Mizzou, W.D immediately embraced their vision. more urgenthas been an education in how engineers like himselfBefore each semester, the managing directorsThe result was the Allen Access Program, a $5 million initiative designed to provide because we arecan best pitch their ideas to investors and get themof AACE run a three- to four-session bootcampmanaging director. Then we take a vote. under-resourced and underrepresented students at Trulaske with the tools and into the marketplace.for members new to the investment world. Then,An approved investment requires an 80% vote. opportunities they need to succeed. Much of this funding has supported programs dealing with realthroughout the course, AACE advisors work with the Both agree that working alongside students fromTo learn more, contact Sudip Datta, chair of theand scholarships aimed at helping students thrive academically and personally.money.other disciplines has broadened their insights andstudents, who actively learn about angel and ventureFinance Department, at sdatta@missouri.edu.capital investment strategies through a balance ofW.D believed in paying it forward. As he once said, If we can do anything to Graceforced them to think more critically about angel andcase studies, books and deal flow from actual compa- Note: This article was originally published at business. encourage students down the path that leads to a better life, that would be Demetricianventure capital investment strategies.nies seeking funding.missouri.edu on May 13, 2024. W.D Allen passed awaybeneficial to everyone.Everyone is bringing a different perspective to theGrace Demetrician, another AACE managing directoron September 21, after a valiantbattle with cancer.His spirit of generosity will continue to inspire us, and we remain committed to table, said Klostermann, who serves as a managingand junior who is pursuing a business degree with anHis legacy lives on at Trulaske through the AACE andcarrying forward his legacy of kindness, dedication and opportunity for all. director for the group along with Snyder and twoAllen Access programs.10 | TRULASKE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS TRULASKE MAGAZINE 2024| 11'