James K. Schmidt

JAMES K. SCHMIDT is an Executive Vice President and head of John
Hancock Funds’ financial industry portfolio management team. He
manages several funds, including the John Hancock Regional Bank
Fund, John Hancock Financial Industries Fund and John Hancock
Real Estate Fund. He also manages the John Hancock Bank and
Thrift Opportunity Fund and John Hancock Financial Trends Fund,
Inc., both closed-end funds. He is also a member of the
company’s investment policy committee. Mr. Schmidt, who joined
John Hancock in 1985, has been in the investment business since
1979. He is a graduate of Brown University and holds a Master’s
degree from the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is also a
Chartered Financial Analyst and past President of the Bank
Analysts Association of Boston.