Derek Kreifels is the CEO of Prospr Aligned, where he leads the firm’s mission to empower institutional investors by ensuring their assets and proxy votes align with their values. Under his leadership, Prospr Aligned provides proxy consulting and corporate engagement strategies that help clients take direct ownership of their influence in the market.
Derek is the co-founder, board member, and former CEO of the State Financial Officers Foundation (SFOF), where he spent 12 years working alongside state treasurers, auditors, and financial officers to promote free-market principles and fiscal responsibility at the state level. Prior to SFOF, he served as Assistant State Treasurer of Kansas, overseeing the state’s college savings plan, pension investments, and bond management, while managing a $3.5 million budget and processing over $21 billion annually.
An outspoken advocate against politicized investing, Derek has spent the past year speaking at conferences, national media outlets, and podcasts, including an appearance on Dr. Jordan B. Peterson’s internationally acclaimed podcast. In 2022, he led SFOF’s “Our Money Our Values” campaign, reaching over 32 million Americans in just 10 weeks.
In addition to his work at Prospr Aligned, Derek was appointed to the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) Board, overseeing a $30 billion pension fund.
Derek Kreifels attended Kansas State University, received his undergraduate degree from Wichita State University, and his Master’s degree from Friends University in Wichita. He lends his leadership to several boards and nonprofits. He and his wife Melanie are diehard Kansas City Chiefs fans, enjoy excellent Kansas City BBQ, and love spending time with family.
