Elizabeth Cheval, Financial Leader, Dies at 56

Elizabeth Cheval, 56, of Lake Forest, the founder and chairman of Bannockburn based EMC Capital Management, Inc., and one of the leaders in the managed futures industry died March 9, according to Wenban Funeral Home. 

Cheval died from a brain aneurysm while in Beijing, China, on business.

Cheval founded EMC in 1988. At EMC, Cheval established herself as one of the top trading advisors in the industry both in terms of her success and the longevity of her company.

Under her leadership, EMC has a portfolio in excess of $100 million with an annualized return of 21 percent, according to the firm’s website. Based on that information, she had a knack for profiting in a down market.

Cheval was born Nov. 1, 1956, in Wheaton to Joseph W. and Ann N. Mack, the fourth of five children.  She graduated from Lawrence University with a degree in Mathematics.

After graduation, Cheval began her career working at the Chicago Board of Trade. In 1984 she was selected to participate in an elite investment management training program offered by Richard Dennis and William Eckhardt, known as the “Turtle” program.

“Liz (Cheval) was one of those rare individuals to achieve wealth both material and spiritual,” a release from Wenban said. “Her sharp instincts as a trader were paired with a kind and sensitive spirit culminating in the compassionate, generous and funny Liz that graced the lives of her family and friends – both human and canine.”

Cheval is survived by her mother Ann Mack, brother Michael Mack and his fiancé Shelley Bergstrom, sister Joan Mack and her partner Ellen Sikorski, sister Susan Mack and her husband Bill Hans and brother Joe Mack and his wife Kerry Roesch, as well as nieces Logan Mack, Amara Hans and Brianne Hans, her nephews Mack Hans, Bill Hans and Beau Dimos, her second family at EMC, and her Labrador retriever, Stanley.

Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the Village Presbyterian Church, 1300 Shermer Road, Northbrook, with visitation starting 30 minutes before at the church.

For more information, contact Wenban Funeral Home, 320 Vine Avenue, Lake Forest, www.wenbanfh.com or 847-234-0022.   In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Anti-Cruelty Society of Illinois, 157 W. Grand Avenue,  Chicago, IL 60654.