Investment Team
Our investment team is led by U.S. Global Investors Chief Investment Officer Frank Holmes. Mr. Holmes leads a unique investment team that brings knowledge and experience in a variety of fields.
Frank E. Holmes
Chief Investment Officer
Frank Holmes is the CEO and Chief Investment Officer of U.S. Global Investors. Mr. Holmes purchased a controlling interest in U.S. Global Investors in 1989 and became the firm’s chief investment officer in 1999.
Under his guidance, the company’s funds have received numerous awards and honors including more than two dozen Lipper Fund Awards and certificates. In 2006, Mr. Holmes was selected mining fund manager of the year by the Mining Journal. He is also the co-author of “The Goldwatcher: Demystifying Gold Investing.”
Mr. Holmes is engaged in a number of international philanthropies. He is a member of the President’s Circle and on the investment committee of the International Crisis Group, which works to resolve conflict around the world. He is also an advisor to the William J. Clinton Foundation on sustainable development in countries with resource-based economies.
Mr. Holmes is a native of Toronto and is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario with a bachelor’s degree in economics. He is a former president and chairman of the Toronto Society of the Investment Dealers Association.
Mr. Holmes is a much-sought-after keynote speaker at national and international investment conferences. He is also a regular commentator on the financial television networks CNBC, Bloomberg and Fox Business, and has been profiled by Fortune, Barron’s, The Financial Times and other publications.
John Derrick, CFA
Director of Research
Portfolio Manager
Funds Under Management
John Derrick joined U.S. Global Investors in January 1999 as an investment analyst for the U.S. Global Investors money market and tax free funds. In March 2004, he was promoted from Portfolio Manager to Director of Research and now manages the day-to-day operations of the investment team. Mr. Derrick monitors Fed policy and other macroeconomic factors affecting the U.S. economy and the broader global landscape. Mr. Derrick also analyzes securities, both stocks and bonds, as co-manager of several U.S. Global equity funds. Prior to joining U.S. Global Investors, Mr. Derrick worked at Fidelity Investments.
Mr. Derrick has developed expertise on the Federal Reserve and interest rates, as well as their impact on the U.S. economy. His specialties lie in U.S. Treasuries, government securities and municipal bonds.
Mr. Derrick also serves on the management team of several equity funds for U.S. Global Investors. Mr. Derrick uses his experience to guide management of the Emerging Europe Fund and MegaTrends Fund.
Mr. Derrick has appeared on CNBC and Bloomberg TV and has also been a guest on Marketwatch Radio and NPR. Mr. Derrick has been featured in stories for BusinessWeek, The New York Times, the Associated Press and USA Today.
A graduate of The University of Texas at Arlington, Mr. Derrick earned a bachelor of arts in finance. Mr. Derrick sits on the board of directors for the CFA Society of San Antonio.
Ralph P. Aldis, CFA
Portfolio Manager
Funds Under Management
Ralph Aldis rejoined U.S. Global Investors as senior mining analyst in November 2001. He is responsible for analyzing gold and precious metals stocks for the World Precious Minerals Fund (UNWPX) and the Gold and Precious Metals Fund (USERX). Mr. Aldis also works with the portfolio management team of the Global Resources Fund (PSPFX) to provide tactical analyses of base metal, paper, chemical, steel and non-ferrous industries.
Previously, Mr. Aldis worked for Eisner Securities, where he was an investment analyst for its high net worth group and oversaw its mutual fund operations. Before joining Eisner Securities, Mr. Aldis worked for 10 years as director of research for U.S. Global Investors, where he applied quantitative skills towards stocks, portfolio tilting, cash optimization and performance attribution analysis.
Mr. Aldis received a Master’s in Energy and Mineral Resources from the University of Texas at Austin in 1988 and a Bachelor of Science in Geology, Cum Laude, in 1981, from Stephen F. Austin University. Mr. Aldis is a member of the CFA Society of San Antonio.
Michael Ding, CFA
Portfolio Manager
Funds Under Management
Michael Ding has more than two decades experience as an investment professional focused on the China region. At U.S. Global Investors he serves as the lead portfolio manager for the China Region Fund (USCOX) and is a co-manager of the Global Emerging Markets Fund (GEMFX).
Along with his deep knowledge of the macro factors affecting the Chinese economy, Michael has extensive experience in equity analysis and portfolio management of China stocks in the energy, mining and basic materials sectors.
Before joining U.S. Global, Michael was director of research and investment management at Altegris Investments Inc. in San Diego, where he managed long/short China and Asia equity hedge funds.
He also worked in Canada as a China and commodity portfolio manager at Abria Alternative Investments Inc., head of proprietary Asia equity trading on the National Bank of Canada’s alternative investment desk in Montreal, and senior equity analyst at Northern Trust Company.
Michael earned a bachelor’s degree in physics at the Maritime University of China in Dalian and an MBA in finance at McGill University. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a certified public accountant.
Brian K. Hicks, CFA
Portfolio Manager
Funds Under Management
Brian Hicks joined U.S. Global Investors in 2004 as a co-manager of the company’s Global Resources Fund (PSPFX). Mr. Hicks is responsible for portfolio allocation, stock selection and research coverage for the energy and basic materials sectors.
Prior to joining U.S. Global Investors, Mr. Hicks was an associate oil and gas analyst for A.G. Edwards Inc., where he covered domestic exploration and production companies, and was responsible for maintaining earnings and cash flow valuation models.
He also worked previously as an institutional equity/options trader and liaison to the foreign equity desk at Charles Schwab & Co., and at Invesco Funds Group, Inc. as an industry research and product development analyst.
Mr. Hicks holds a Master’s of Science degree in Finance, and a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Colorado.
Evan W. Smith, CFA
Portfolio Manager
Funds Under Management
Evan Smith joined U.S. Global Investors in 2004 as co-portfolio manager of the Global Resources Fund (PSPFX). Previously, he was a trader with Koch Capital Markets in Houston where he executed quantitative long-short equities strategies.
Mr. Smith was also an equities research analyst with Sanders Morris Harris in Houston where he followed energy companies in the oil and gas, coal mining, and pipeline sectors. In addition, Mr. Smith was with the Valuation Services Group of Arthur Andersen LLP. Mr. Smith holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas in Austin.
Tim Steinle, CFA
Portfolio Manager
Funds Under Management
Tim Steinle joined U.S. Global Investors in November 2008. Mr. Steinle is co-portfolio manager of the Emerging Europe Fund (EUROX) and Global Emerging Markets Fund (GEMFX).
Mr. Steinle was formerly a risk manager for Valero Energy Corporation from 2001 through 2008. He also managed the development of fixed-income and foreign exchange trading systems at Enron Capital & Trade and served as an analyst at Procter & Gamble for three years.
Mr. Steinle earned an MBA in Computational Finance at the