Websites
Summary
Work History
Overview
Education
Skills
Certification
Community Focus
Timeline
Generic
Serina Copanas

Serina Copanas

Baldwin,MD

Summary

A seasoned financial services leader, I possess extensive experience in managing business lines and large teams. My background includes entrepreneurial ventures where I oversaw product development, pricing, financial reporting, governance, marketing, sales, operations, and staff management.


I am frequently sought after to establish new business lines or revamp existing ones, covering areas such as college savings, fund board relations, retail SMA, CLOs, product governance, subadvisor and intermediary oversight, RFP processes, third-party trading, and model delivery.


I excel in symphonic leadership, adept at orchestrating chaos and complexity into streamlined harmony. My advanced degrees and over 18 years in varied business line management roles provide me with unique insights and a dedication to enhancing the customer and investor experience across different markets.

Work History

Head of College Savings Product & Platform

T. Rowe Price
04.2021 - Current
  • Responsible for maintaining and growing $19 billion in assets for two state sponsors
  • I manage a team responsible for a broad range of duties, including the development, pricing, and implementation of investment products, the enhancement of digital experiences and offerings, oversight of intermediaries, as well as regulatory and business reporting, and spearheading thought leadership initiatives.
  • Implemented substantial process enhancements across various verticals, resulting in a 40% reduction in required headcount.
  • Collaborated with the multi-asset investment team to revamp the College Savings enrollment glide paths, enhancing downside protection while minimizing the sacrifice of potential upside.
  • Created and established a distinctive Stable Value separate account with 5% equity to fulfill the client's need for an investment option that emphasizes principal preservation and liquidity, while delivering consistent, positive returns.
  • Reduced servicing costs and greatly enhanced the client experience by outsourcing plan servicing and digital experiences to a third party.

Vice President, Fund Product Management

T. Rowe Price
02.2019 - 04.2022
  • Tasked with overseeing the product approval process, which involves creating and presenting product proposals to the T. Rowe Price Senior Management team and the Fund Board of Directors.
  • Developed a comprehensive infrastructure for T. Rowe Price's inaugural North American thematic mutual fund, which included creating the prospectus, establishing performance metrics, developing client collateral, and formulating policies and procedures.
  • Launched six unique mutual fund strategies, five active ETFs—both non-transparent and transparent—and a TALF 2.0 private fund, executed four mergers and the liquidation of two mutual funds.
  • Served on the following governance committees: Social Impact Investing, Liquidity Review, Dividend Policy, and Disclosure Review Committee.
  • Managed the T. Rowe Price Funds proxy vendor agreement and relationship, guaranteeing top-tier customer experiences at a reasonable cost.
  • Actively mentoring in various financial services industry groups, such as Women in ETFs and NISCA.

Vice President, Product Development & Program Management

OppenheimerFunds
12.2014 - 02.2019
  • Led a team in developing customer-focused products and executing various investment strategies across multiple vehicles, such as variable annuities, mutual funds, UCITS, private funds, and collective investment trusts.
  • Guided cross-functional teams in creating detailed business cases and implementation strategies for the expansion of various business lines, such as managed account solutions, UCITS, insurance-linked securities, and collateralized loan obligations (CLOs).
  • Employed a human-centered design methodology to develop and execute the relaunch of the retail separately managed account and model delivery business line. This included product rationalization, financial modeling, platform improvements, communication strategies, training for portfolio managers and advisors, implementation of trade rotation policies, client reporting, and oversight and governance.
  • In my role as a business manager for third-party trading services, I was responsible for conducting annual business reviews, establishing and maintaining SLA reporting, and overseeing contract negotiations.
  • Conducted thorough and comprehensive annual due diligence on sub-advisors.

Assistant Vice President, Product Implementation & Program Management

OppenheimerFunds
12.2012 - 12.2014
  • I led a product management team overseeing the complete business management of specialized financial products, including Exchange-Traded Notes (ETNs), 529 college savings plans, and Collateralized Loan Obligations (CLOs).
  • Assembled a cross-functional, company-wide, geographically diverse team of officers to evaluate, assess, and prioritize corporate initiatives and revamp implementation strategies, leading to a 40% boost in pipeline activity while adhering to quality, budget, and schedule targets.
  • Established a product design laboratory, which created career prospects for investment analysts and enabled the marketing of new strategies with a proven track record.
  • I collaborated closely with the Complex Instruments Committee to obtain approval and support investments in tangible assets such as gold bullion, along with unique derivative overlays, including total return swaps on affiliated funds.

Assistant Vice President, Transfer Agency Oversight

OppenheimerFunds
12.2009 - 12.2012
  • Oversaw a team of approximately 60 associates focusing on risk mitigation, external audits, board relations reporting, and shareholder reporting.
  • Rebranded and reorganized the department, moving from authoritative oversight to a consultative partnership approach while empowering and inspiring team members to think and act as leaders of the organization.
  • Achieved a 20 percent reduction in turnover, with 95 percent of departures being due to promotions into new roles.
  • Formulated policies and programs designed to encourage managers and employees to report any suspected fraud and improprieties, ensuring they can do so without fear of retaliation.

529 Client Services Business Manager

OppenheimerFunds
12.2005 - 12.2009
  • Managed a cross-functional client service team comprising more than 170 agents, dedicated to supporting 529 shareholder and participant state programs.
  • Served as the Relationship Manager for five distinct 529 plans.
  • Achieved industry-leading quality outcomes from 2005 to 2008, as gauged by NQR and Foresee metrics.
  • Developed and implemented innovative client service approaches, including a hybrid model combining phone and processing responsibilities, along with an associate-driven workforce management strategy.

Overview

18
18
years of professional experience
5
5

Certifications

Education

MBA -

University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire
01.2021

BS in Business Administration -

University of Denver
01.1995

Skills

  • Client service
  • Fund operations
  • Relationship management
  • Product development and implementation
  • Product pricing
  • Investment strategies
  • Mutual funds, CIT, ETF, SMA, Private fund, VA, UCITS, CLO, ETN, Models
  • Alternatives
  • Project management
  • Collaboration
  • Strategic, transformational, and coaching leadership
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Problem-Solving
  • Communication
  • Compliance and risk
  • Due diligence
  • Vendor oversight

Certification

  • FINRA Series 6
  • FINRA Series 26
  • FINRA Series 51
  • FINRA Series 63
  • Fitch ESG Fundamentals Certificate

Community Focus

Northwest Hospital, Board Member, July 2021, current, audit committee, service and oversight committee

Timeline

Head of College Savings Product & Platform

T. Rowe Price
04.2021 - Current

Vice President, Fund Product Management

T. Rowe Price
02.2019 - 04.2022

Vice President, Product Development & Program Management

OppenheimerFunds
12.2014 - 02.2019

Assistant Vice President, Product Implementation & Program Management

OppenheimerFunds
12.2012 - 12.2014

Assistant Vice President, Transfer Agency Oversight

OppenheimerFunds
12.2009 - 12.2012

529 Client Services Business Manager

OppenheimerFunds
12.2005 - 12.2009

MBA -

University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire

BS in Business Administration -

University of Denver

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