Investment Team

Our Investment Team is solely focused on navigating the financial markets and determining the optimal investments to meet your goals, and our dedicated Portfolio Managers help oversee management of investment portfolios. Our highly skilled and motivated investment professionals are committed to actively monitoring your portfolio—managing assets for families, endowments, foundations and corporations. Many of our team members hold advanced designations, including Chartered Financial Analyst® charterholders, CPAs, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioners and MBAs.

Investment Portfolio Team

Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer

Executive Vice President,
Executive Managing Director

Senior Vice President,
Investment Portfolio Manager

Senior Vice President,

Investment Portfolio Manager

Senior Vice President, Investment Portfolio Manager

Solution Specialist

Senior Vice President, Managing Director Private Wealth Advisory

Assistant Vice President, Implementation Specialist

Zachary E. Hillard, CFA, MBA

Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer | 217.351.6639

Zach is directly responsible for the investment process and performance of clients' fixed income portfolios. Zach has 20 years of investment experience, over half of which have been at Busey. Prior to Busey, Zach worked at Brinson Partners/UBS Global Asset Management where he helped in managing portfolios for Fortune 500 companies.

Zach received his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Masters in Business Administration from the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business at DePaul University in Chicago. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder and a member of the CFA Society Chicago.

Zach also serves on the CFA Society Chicago Board of Directors for 2020-2021. He is active in the community, serving on various boards including the Monticello CUSD #25 Board of Education, the University of Illinois System’s Investment Advisory Council and the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Robert J. Ballsrud, CPA, CFA

Executive Vice President, Executive Managing Director | Work 217.351.2707 | Mobile 217.377.8026

Bob is a Certified Public Accountant and a Chartered Financial Analyst® charterholder who has more than 25 years of experience in investment management, over 20 of which have been at Busey. He works with high net-worth individuals, families and organizations through complex financial planning and investment management issues.

Bob leads the Busey Wealth Management advisory team where he strongly believes clients deserve better. He previously led the Busey Wealth Management 8-member Investment Team. He believes integrating clients' tax and financial planning objectives with a robust portfolio construction process in a highly customized and personal manner gives them the best opportunity for long-term financial success. Bob's experience gives him confidence that this can only be done well by building a team of experts around a client to ensure all aspects of their financial affairs are planned and accounted for properly.

Bob is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a B.S. in Finance, as well as a member of the Investment Analyst Society of Chicago, the CFA Institute and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and is a Personal Financial Specialist. He believes strongly in supporting our local communities as exhibited by his involvement with numerous local not-for-profits through the years including the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, The University of Illinois Japan House, the Crisis Nursery, Champaign Parks Foundation, Developmental Services Center, Rotary International and the Carle Foundation to name a few.

Email:
Robert.Ballsrud@busey.com

Aaron Sutton, CFA

Senior Vice President, Investment Portfolio Manager | 217.365.4813

Thaddeus Yasunaga, CFA, MBA

Senior Vice President, Investment Portfolio Manager |
217.351.6603

Grant McKay, CFA, MBA
Senior Vice President, Investment Portfolio Manager | 630.328.8504

Christopher Jordan, CFA, CFP®, CAIA, FRM
Senior Vice President, Investment Portfolio Manager | 314.317.4861

Christopher provides high net worth and institutional clients with comprehensive solutions to achieve their financial objectives. As an active member of the Investment Team, his primary focus is on asset allocation, portfolio construction, risk management, and alternative investments. Christopher has been in the finance industry since 1998, and in that time, has acquired an impressive list of specializations including high net worth advisory, institutional consulting, portfolio construction, and alternative investments.

Christopher holds a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology, as well as an MBA with an Investment Finance emphasis from St. Louis University. He and his wife, Donna, and their five children, Emily, CJ, Patrick, Maggie, and Caroline, live in St. Louis. Christopher is affiliated with the St. Louis Society of Financial Analysts, Financial Planning Association of Greater St. Louis, Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association, and Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP).

Aron McDonald, CFP®, CTFA, AEP®
Senior Vice President, Managing Director Private Wealth Advisory | 309.495.4238

Rory Mammano
Assistant Vice President & Implementation Specialist | 217.365.4881