Conference to Include Stock-Picking Panels

Investors looking for individual stock ideas can hear some of the nation’s leading portfolio managers and analysts share their picks at The Times’ third annual Investment Strategies Conference, May 22-23 at the L.A. Convention Center.

Stock-related panels among the 42 panels offered at the conference will include:

* “Picking Blue Chip Stocks” (May 23, 10:15 to 11:30 a.m.). Panelists will be Robert Bissell, head of Wells Capital Management; Roger Engemann, founder of the Engemann mutual funds; Fred Reynolds, manager of the Reynolds Blue Chip Growth fund; and Judith Jones of Key Asset Management and most recently manager of the Victory Value fund.

* “Growth Stocks for the New Decade.” Two separate panels will focus on some of the best growth-stock ideas looking to the new millennium.

The May 22 panel (2:15 to 3:30 p.m.) will feature John Schroer of the Invesco Health Sciences fund; Ron Ognar of the Strong Growth fund; and Garrett Van Wagoner of the Van Wagoner funds.

The May 23 panel (3:15 to 4:30 p.m.) will feature Kim Goodwin of the American Century Growth fund; Jeffrey Van Harte of the Transamerica Premier Equity fund; and Jim Callinan of the Robertson Stephens Emerging Growth fund.

* “Picking Technology Stocks,” two separate panels (3:45 to 5 p.m. on May 22 and 1:45 to 3 p.m. on May 23) will assess prospects for major tech shares as well as Internet stocks.

Panelists on May 22 will be Andrea Williams of Volpe Brown Whelan, Dennis McKechnie of the Pimco Innovation fund and Michael Murphy of California Technology Stock Letter.

Panelists on May 23 will be Williams, Alan Harris of the Munder NetNet fund and Kevin Landis of the Technology Value fund.

The cost of the conference is $45 for one day or $55 for both days.

To register, call (800) 350-3211 or go to The Times’ Web site at: https://www.latimes.com/isc. Specific panel descriptions are available on the Web site.