The board of directors at Ivy Funds' [profile] parent, Waddell & Reed, has gained a new member, a mutual fund distribution veteran. Jim Jessee began working with the Overland Park, Kansas-based firm in July.

James Andrew Jessee Waddell & Reed Board Member

A spokesperson from Waddell confirmed that Jessee took over from James Raines, who retired from Waddell's board in April.

Prior to joining the board at Waddell & Reed, Jessee spent 31 years with MFS Investment Management. He worked in dealer relations and fund distribution, served as the president in the early 2000s, and as co-head of global distribution and then as a strategic advisor until his retirement in 2018.

Jessee joins Thomas Godlasky, Kathie Andrade, Sharilyn Gasaway, Alan Kosloff, Dennis Logue, Michael Morrissey, Philip Sanders, and Jerry Walton on the Waddell & Reed board. He will work with his fellow corporate directors to support the firm as a representative of shareholders.

"This is an industry that I have a lot of passion and excitement about," Jessee told MFWire. "I'm happy to be affiliated with the firm and watch it grow."

Jessee holds a BS in business administration from the University of Richmond. 

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