Virtus Investment Partners Leadership

Hills, who has two decades of business and legal experience in the asset management industry, most recently as executive vice president, chief legal officer, general counsel and corporate secretary at Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc., will be the company's chief legal officer, responsible for developing and guiding the strategic direction of the legal, regulatory and compliance functions. She also will act as corporate secretary providing counsel to the Board of Directors on corporate governance matters.

Mardelle Peña is executive vice president, human resources at Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. She is responsible for developing human resources strategy and implementing critical policies, processes and programs in areas such as talent and performance management, training and development, diversity, and compensation and benefit plans. She also supports the activities of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, and is a member of the company's senior management team. Ms. Peña joined Virtus in 2010 from the Hartford Financial Services Group, where she was vice president of human resources supporting property and casualty insurance business segments. Prior to joining Hartford Financial in 2001, she was senior vice president and chief human resources officer at ADVO, a direct marketing company. She started with ADVO as the regional HR manager in Houston and Dallas. She began her career with a Houston-based high-end specialty retail store. Ms. Peña graduated from the University of Houston with a B.A. in industrial psychology and personnel management, and later earned a master's degree in human resources management from Houston Baptist University.

Rick Smirl is executive vice president and chief operating officer of Virtus Investment Partners, Inc., and a member of the senior management team. He leads product management, oversight and development activities as well as investment operations and information technology. He also works closely with the company’s affiliated managers and unaffiliated subadvisers to support the continued growth of the business by developing and introducing new products and further optimizing business support services.

Mr. Smirl joined Virtus in 2021 from Russell Investments, where he was COO and oversaw all facets of the company’s global operations, including information technology, operations, fund services, legal, compliance, risk management, internal audit, project management, reporting and analytics, corporate services, sourcing and procurement, and government and community relations. Prior to Russell Investments, he was COO at William Blair Investment Management, where he led the firm’s operations, product development, fund services, finance, business analysis, risk management, and technology teams. He joined William Blair Investment Management as chief legal counsel after serving as chief legal officer at Strong Capital Management. He began his career as an attorney specializing in securities law.

Mr. Smirl holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of California at Irvine and a J.D. from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.

Hills, who has two decades of business and legal experience in the asset management industry, most recently as executive vice president, chief legal officer, general counsel and corporate secretary at Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc., will be the company's chief legal officer, responsible for developing and guiding the strategic direction of the legal, regulatory and compliance functions. She also will act as corporate secretary providing counsel to the Board of Directors on corporate governance matters.

Mardelle Peña is executive vice president, human resources at Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. She is responsible for developing human resources strategy and implementing critical policies, processes and programs in areas such as talent and performance management, training and development, diversity, and compensation and benefit plans. She also supports the activities of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, and is a member of the company's senior management team. Ms. Peña joined Virtus in 2010 from the Hartford Financial Services Group, where she was vice president of human resources supporting property and casualty insurance business segments. Prior to joining Hartford Financial in 2001, she was senior vice president and chief human resources officer at ADVO, a direct marketing company. She started with ADVO as the regional HR manager in Houston and Dallas. She began her career with a Houston-based high-end specialty retail store. Ms. Peña graduated from the University of Houston with a B.A. in industrial psychology and personnel management, and later earned a master's degree in human resources management from Houston Baptist University.

Rick Smirl is executive vice president and chief operating officer of Virtus Investment Partners, Inc., and a member of the senior management team. He leads product management, oversight and development activities as well as investment operations and information technology. He also works closely with the company’s affiliated managers and unaffiliated subadvisers to support the continued growth of the business by developing and introducing new products and further optimizing business support services.

Mr. Smirl joined Virtus in 2021 from Russell Investments, where he was COO and oversaw all facets of the company’s global operations, including information technology, operations, fund services, legal, compliance, risk management, internal audit, project management, reporting and analytics, corporate services, sourcing and procurement, and government and community relations. Prior to Russell Investments, he was COO at William Blair Investment Management, where he led the firm’s operations, product development, fund services, finance, business analysis, risk management, and technology teams. He joined William Blair Investment Management as chief legal counsel after serving as chief legal officer at Strong Capital Management. He began his career as an attorney specializing in securities law.

Mr. Smirl holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of California at Irvine and a J.D. from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.