Morningstar's CEO loves investing, but he's got other interests, too.
Morningstar's CEO loves investing, but he's got other interests, too. Here are five questions he answered for InvestmentNews senior columnist John Waggoner.
John Waggoner: You and your family go to fairly exotic places on vacation, such as the Amazon and the Galapagos Islands. What's the most interesting place you've visited?
Kunal Kapoor: I am not sure about 'exotic' but we do enjoy nature and try to teach our kids about nature in an experiential fashion. In that vein, we were just on the Big Island in late March and hiked around the volcano. So, as the recent events are unfolding there, the context we gained from being there just recently has been super helpful and a source of discussion at the family dinner table.
JW: You're very active in the Nature Conservancy. What is your role on the Nature Conservancy board?
KK: The conservancy is a terrific organization that fosters thoughtful dialogue between the causes and the economic realities of the communities it works with. I'm a staunch supporter of the conservancy and its board members, though I'm currently not as active as I would like to be.
JW: Do your children share your interest in investing? What advice do you give them?
KK: We buy them a stock each year for their birthday and I certainly try to get them to think like value investors. It's a work in progress, let's just say. With kids, though, getting them to understand saving is likely equally critical at this juncture in their lives, and we try to focus on that as much as anything.
JW: How often does Joe Mansueto check in with you? What do you talk about?
KK: Joe and I generally touch base over email almost daily and in person every week to 10 days. We talk about the business, our families and stocks we are investing in. He is my primary sounding board.
JW: Cubs or White Sox? Or neither?
KK: How about both? Anything that is good for the city, I'm behind.
