Alumni Profile: 20 Questions with Jen Dardis (MBA ’00)

Jen Dardis (MBA ’00) celebrated 25 years since graduating from Darden this spring. For much of her time since leaving Grounds, she’s been in Baltimore, Maryland, where she lives with her husband and two children, rising through the ranks of global investment management powerhouse T. Rowe Price. She became CFO and treasurer in 2021 and also serves as a member of the firm’s management committee. Her responsibilities include global oversight for the controller’s group, global tax, procurement, global product, corporate strategy, financial planning and analysis, and investor relations.

She also serves on the Gilman School Board of Trustees and is the former chair of the Maryland Food Bank Board of Directors. Before Darden, she earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the College of William & Mary.

Read on to learn how Dardis manages a complex leadership position, why she’s stayed at T. Rowe Price for two decades and her favorite Darden memories.

What was your first job?

My first unpaid job was making photocopies for our family business. My first two paid jobs were both in high school — teaching horseback riding lessons and working in a frozen yogurt shop.

What’s the best advice you have ever received?

When building your career, raise your hand to take the project or assignment that no one else wants to tackle.

What motivates you?

Working with a team to create opportunities and solve problems.

What is your “superpower”?

Given my role, I have to transition from macro to micro and tactical to strategic and back again. My Darden education trained me well to meet this range and pace.

When and where do you do your best thinking?

Late at night or early in the morning. I like to process out loud first, and then take time to process internally to sharpen my thinking.

What’s been on your mind lately?

The implications of new technologies on how we train and develop the next generation of talent.

What are you reading these days?

Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein. This was given to me by someone highlighting the continued benefits of a liberal arts education.

How do you recharge?

Spending time with my family. These days, that is either traveling or just being Mom at the kids’ sporting events.

How do you deal with conflict?

I prefer to address it head on, preferably once both parties have had a chance to process any initial big emotions.

What characteristics do you look for in people?

Genuine, curious, driven to excellence.

What makes you feel hopeful?

Seeing the innovative ideas and resiliency of the upcoming generation of leaders.

What is your favorite cause to support?

Food insecurity. I served on the board of the Maryland Food Bank, including as its chair for two years. Meeting this basic human need is foundational to addressing any other societal challenges.

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

I love Baltimore, but I also love the South Atlantic Coast (Georgia, Florida) for warmer weather.

What do you lose sleep over?

Trying to separate the things I can control from the things I can’t, and responding accordingly.

Which class at Darden impacted you the most?

First Year Operations. It was a new topic for me, and it gave me a new set of frameworks and an alternate way to approach business opportunities. I love the “a-ha” moments of learning something entirely new.

What’s your favorite Darden memory?

My favorite Darden memories are from working with Learning Team 7 as we navigated First Year.

You’ve served at T. Rowe Price for nearly 20 years. What appealed to you about staying and growing within one organization?

The mission and the people. What we do as a firm matters to our clients. And working alongside people with similar goals and values has been a privilege.

Rowe Price helps people achieve their financial goals. As CFO, you are responsible for T. Rowe Price achieving its financial goals. Does the nature of the business add pressure to your role?

In this business, there is a lot we can’t control that impacts our financial results. That puts increased pressure on managing the things we can control such as strategy, resource allocation and expense discipline.

Looking ahead, what about the investment management field’s future intrigues you most?

The continued evolution from products to solutions, which is being fueled by greater ability to personalize at scale. This creates tremendous possibility for how we can continue to improve client outcomes.

What’s one thing about T. Rowe Price’s business or the investment management industry in general people don’t know that they should know?

Rowe Price is known for our active management of equity, fixed income, alternatives, and multi-asset investment capabilities. We serve millions of clients globally and manage $1.57 trillion in assets under management as of 31 March 2025, about two-thirds of which are retirement-related.