Municipal Bond ETF Portfolio Manager Transition Plans FAQ>
- Is Municipal Bond Portfolio Manager Jim Colby retiring?
- Who will serve as the Funds’ new portfolio manager?
- Who is on the Investment Team and what are their roles before and after the transition?
- How does Ms. Wang’s promotion to Portfolio Manager change her role or her responsibilities?
- How will elements of the Funds’ investment process differ with Ms. Wang as Portfolio Manager?
Is Municipal Bond Portfolio Manager Jim Colby retiring?
No, Jim is stepping down from his role as Portfolio Manager for the VanEck Short Muni ETF (SMB) , VanEck Intermediate Muni ETF (ITM) , VanEck Long Muni ETF (MLN) , VanEck Short High Yield Muni ETF (SHYD) , VanEck High Yield Muni ETF (HYD) and VanEck Sustainable Muni ETF (SMI) (“the Funds”), effective July 1, 2024. He will continue to be a key part of the team as Senior Municipal Strategist following the transition.
Who will serve as the Funds’ new Portfolio Manager?
Effective July 1, 2024, the Funds’ current Deputy Portfolio Manager, Stephanie Wang, CFA, will assume the role of Portfolio Manager.
Stephanie's transition to Portfolio Manager is a natural step forward in her career, reflecting her increasing involvement and expanding responsibilities in overseeing the management of the Funds. Her leadership is anticipated to further enhance the performance of the Funds, while remaining aligned with investor objectives.
Stephanie has played a vital role within the Municipal Fixed Income Investment Team since 2016, when she began her career at VanEck as a Quantitative Analyst specializing in both tax-exempt and taxable fixed income. With almost eight years of industry expertise, her portfolio management capabilities and insights are strengthened by her academic qualifications, including an MS and BBA from Baruch College.
Who is on the Investment Team and what are their roles before and after the change?
| Team Member | Role Prior to July 1, 2024 | Role as of July 1, 2024 |
| Fran Rodilosso | Head of Fixed Income ETF Portfolio Management | Head of Fixed Income ETF Portfolio Management |
| Jim Colby | Portfolio Manager and Senior Municipal Strategist | Senior Municipal Strategist |
| Stephanie Wang | Deputy Portfolio Manager (tax-exempts) | Portfolio Manager (tax-exempts) |
| Tamara Lowin | Senior Credit Analyst (tax-exempts) | Senior Credit Analyst (tax-exempts) |
| Daniel Cho | Associate Portfolio Manager (taxables) | Associate Portfolio Manager (taxables) |
| Jared Model | Senior Trader | Senior Trader |
| Tucker van Eck | Portfolio Management Associate | Portfolio Management Associate |
How does Stephanie’s promotion to Portfolio Manager change her role and responsibilities?
Stephanie’s promotion to Portfolio Manager significantly expands her responsibilities. Her role will shift from providing critical support to all aspects of the portfolio management process to leading the Funds’ strategic direction and investment decisions, aligning with each Fund’s respective investment objective.
How will elements of the Funds’ investment processes differ with Ms. Wang as Portfolio Manager?
There are no proposed changes to the Funds’ principal investment strategies.
The Funds will continue to seek to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of their respective indices, each of which are intended to track the overall performance of various segments of the U.S. dollar denominated tax-exempt bond market.
