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Workshops
Workshops
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Delivering Alternative Investment Strategies for the Next Generation of Sophisticated Investors
Aleto partners with RIAs to integrate a high-performing, alternatives-based return stream into their clients’ existing portfolios. The Aleto Market Neutral Fund provides a sophisticated, diversified fund-of-funds solution designed specifically for the RIA community, with a strategic focus on alternative-based trading methodologies. The result is institutional-quality hedge fund exposure delivered at a lower cost. By addressing long-standing structural barriers to alternative investment access, Aleto empowers RIAs to strengthen their clients’ portfolios, enhance diversification, and deliver more consistent long-term performance.
Workshop Objective: Demonstrate how the Aleto Market Neutral Fund employs a diversified, market-neutral approach designed to deliver a stable and consistent return profile uncorrelated with broader risk assets.
Company Profile: Aleto bridges the gap between Wall Street innovation and investor accessibility. Founded to empower independent RIAs, Aleto delivers institutional-grade investment products through transparent, fee-based structures designed for fiduciary alignment. Aleto’s Market Neutral Fund combines quantitative rigor with deep manager due diligence to deliver consistent, risk-adjusted performance. By removing structural conflicts, Aleto enables advisors to enhance portfolio diversification, preserve client trust, and strengthen their firm’s economics. Aleto’s mission is to democratize sophisticated investing—bringing the advantages of modern alternative strategies to qualified investors through the advisors they rely on most.
Speakers
Dave Jordan
CIO
Dave is the Chief Investment Officer at Aleto. He brings nearly two decades of investment management experience having managed various multi-strategy, fixed income portfolios. Most recently, Dave was the Global Head of Leveraged Finance at the State of Wisconsin Investment Board, where he managed over $10bb in assets across high yield bonds and leveraged loans. Prior to SWIB, Dave was a Credit Portfolio Manager at Balyasny Asset Management and UBS O'Connor, where he established a proven track record of outperformance in a variety of market conditions. Dave holds a BA in Economics from The University of Chicago and a MS in Computational Finance from Carnegie Mellon University.
Representatives
Gershie Vann
Founder & CEO
Gershie Vann is the Founder and CEO of Aleto, an alternative investments platform built for RIAs. He has raised over $35 million in capital to create a new model of advisor-aligned investing. A graduate of Touro University with a degree in Finance, Gershie combines entrepreneurial vision with deep financial insight. Outside of work, he enjoys running, reading, and mentoring emerging entrepreneurs.
Katherine Doxon
Director of Go-to-Market Strategy
Katherine Doxon leads Aleto’s go-to-market strategy, shaping how the firm communicates its mission to advisors, investors, and partners. With experience in technology, brand development, and client acquisition, she brings a data-driven approach to strategic storytelling and growth. Katherine focuses on strengthening Aleto’s market presence through clear messaging, digital engagement, and advisor education initiatives designed to build trust and credibility across the independent wealth ecosystem.
Free Cash Flow as a Compass: Navigating Quality in Value Investing
In certain markets, avoiding the “proverbial falling knife” requires more than caution—it requires clarity. This session explores how a disciplined focus on Free Cash Flow can serve as a compass in identifying high-quality opportunities within the value investing universe. Learn how a quality-oriented approach can not only help mitigate risk but also help uncover resilient, industry-leading companies poised for long-term growth.
Company Profile: Brown Advisory is a global, independent investment management firm with over 25 years’ experience, committed to first class performance and service. We offer a broad range of actively managed equity and fixed income investment solutions and believe a disciplined, bottom-up fundamental research approach, high conviction ideas, and a focus on long-term risk-adjusted returns, has the potential to drive attractive performance results over time. We have a culture and firm equity ownership structure that help us attract and retain professionals who share those beliefs, and we follow a repeatable investment process that helps us stay true to our philosophy.
Speakers
Mike Poggi, CFA
Portfolio Manager
Mike is the portfolio manager for the Large-Cap Sustainable Value Strategy. He joined Brown Advisory in 2003 as an equity research analyst and has covered multiple sectors and industries with a primary focus on value companies across the market cap spectrum. For the past 13 years, Mike has also been dedicated to the Small-Cap Fundamental Value strategy as an associate portfolio manager while covering the industrial, material and energy sectors.
Representatives
Katie Erich, CIMA
Regional Investment Consultant
Katie is a member of the US Institutional Sales team focused on building relationships with RIAs, Private Banks, Family Offices, and large Broker Dealer Consultants in the Southeast. Prior to joining the firm, Katie was a Vice President, Regional Sales Consultant at T. Rowe Price. She also spent time as a District Manager with ADP.
Sean McTernan
Regional Investment Consultant
Sean is a partner and member of the U.S. Institutional Sales and Service team. Sean is responsible for the team focused on building relationships with RIAs, Family Offices, Private Banks, and large Broker Dealer Consultants. Prior to joining the firm, Sean was the Director of Business Development at Penn Mutual Asset Management where he was responsible for business development efforts with family offices, insurance company general accounts and institutional consultants, while overseeing and managing new and existing client relationships. Sean was also a Managing Director at Third Avenue Management and a Regional Vice President at Columbia Threadneedle.
MDT US Equity, applying predictive modeling to deliver alpha consistency across market environments
The MDT Team deploys a strategy that seeks to achieve above-market returns using an active, systematic investment approach that is equipped with an analytical edge, which confers the advantages of discipline, testability, and repeatability. Utilizing advanced modelling techniques, which harness the benefits of machine learning, the Team’s investment approach can identify a diverse range of unique alpha opportunities that drive differentiated active performance outcomes independent of the market environment, while limiting unintended risks.
Workshop Objectives: At a time when the utilization of active management to gain exposure to the US Equity Market is being
re-assessed, we explain the benefit of an “all-weather”, unique range of active equity strategies that provide the
potential for outperformance across many market environments
Company Profile: MDT offers the local governments of Massachusetts two investment options for their operating capital and bond proceeds: MMDT cash and bond portfolios. Both operate in a fully compliant and transparent framework, with a dedicated service team, customizable reporting and smartphone trading capabilities, each readily accessed at MyMMDT.com. Assets are managed by Federated Hermes, Inc., one of the largest managers of local government investment pools in the country. To learn more please call 1-888-965-6638.
Speakers
Daniel Mahr
Head of MDT Group
Daniel Mahr is the head of the MDT Group for MDT Advisers, a Federated Advisory Company. He joined MDT Advisers in 2002 and Federated Hermes in 2006. He has more than 20 years of investment experience.
Daniel has a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and master’s degree from Harvard University. Daniel is a CFA® charterholder.
Middle Market Private Companies as the Growth Engine of the US
Daniel Wilk will discuss how the US middle market is shaping private equity in 2025. He will highlight why middle market firms are proving resilient in the face of higher interest rates and policy uncertainty, and how operational improvements are replacing financial engineering as the main driver of value. The session will cover current trends in deal flow, liquidity, and fundraising, and highlight the factors that set middle market strategies apart from megafunds. Daniel will address portfolio construction, the increasing relevance of secondaries, and practical approaches to navigating sector and segment differences, all with an eye toward building durable value in today’s evolving private equity landscape.
Workshop Objectives: Explore how U.S. middle market companies have contributed to the growth of private equity in 2025 through operational improvements, resilient strategies, and thoughtful portfolio construction amid rising rates and shifting market dynamics.
Company Profile: Future Standard is a global alternative asset manager serving institutional and private wealth clients, investing across private equity, credit and real estate. With a 30+ year track record of value creation and over $86 billion in assets under management, we back the business owners and financial sponsors that drive growth and innovation across the middle market, transforming untapped potential into durable value.1
1. Total AUM estimated as of March 31, 2025.
Speakers
Dan Wilk
Senior Vice President, Head of Private Equity Solutions
Daniel Wilk, CAIA, is the Head of Private Equity Solutions at Future Standard, where he is responsible for supporting investor diligence regarding the firm’s middle market private equity initiatives. He serves as a key resource for private equity across transaction types, including primaries and secondaries (both LP-led and GP-led), and direct equity co-investments. He received his BA in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania.
Representatives
Kirsten Pickens
Co-Head US Distribution
Kirsten Pickens serves as Managing Director and Co-Head of U.S. Distribution at Future Standard. Ms. Pickens is responsible for overseeing the distribution strategy for the U.S. Private Wealth Channel, and directly overseeing all U.S. Wealth Platforms across Wirehouse, RIA, Private Bank and Independent Broker-Dealer channels. Ms. Pickens holds a BA from Arizona State University and her Executive IQ certification from the University of Virginia, Darden School of Business.
Andrew Kennedy
Managing Director, Head of RIA Channel
Andrew Kennedy serves as Managing Director, Head of RIA Channel for Future Standard where he oversees the development and maintenance of the firm’s relationships with RIAs, family offices and other types of investment advisory firms by providing education and support relative to the firm’s alternative investment strategies. Mr. Kennedy received his BA in Economics from the Pennsylvania State University. He holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) designation.
Regime Change – The Resurgence in International Value
As global markets evolve, international equities are experiencing a significant resurgence. In 2025 alone, international value stocks have outperformed the S&P 500 by over 15%, signaling a meaningful shift in market leadership. After years of disappointing results, diversification is once again delivering real value for investors. In this session, we will explore why we believe this is not another short-lived international “head-fake”, but rather the beginning of a sustainable trend. We will also highlight the Hartford Schroders International Contrarian Value Fund and delve into our high-conviction, deep value investment approach. Join us to gain timely insights and strategies for strengthening global portfolios today.
Performance data quoted represents past performance and does not guarantee future results.
Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal.
Mutual funds are distributed by Hartford Funds Distributors, LLC (HFD), Member FINRA. Advisory services are provided by Hartford Funds Management Company, LLC (HFMC). Certain funds are sub-advised by Schroder Investment Management North America Inc (SIMNA). Schroder Investment Management North America Ltd. (SIMNA Ltd) serves as a secondary sub-adviser to certain funds. HFMC, SIMNA, and SIMNA Ltd. are all SEC registered investment advisers. Hartford Funds refers to HFD and HFMC, which are not affiliated with any sub-adviser.
FOR FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL OR INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR USE ONLY—NOT FOR USE WITH THE PUBLIC
Speakers
Liam Nunn
Fund Manager and Head of Value Equity Research
Liam Nunn is a Fund Manager and Head of Value Equity Research in Schroders Global Value team who manage income, recovery and sustainable strategies across five geographies: UK, European, Global, Emerging Markets and International. Liam co-manages Global and International Value strategies. He joined the Global Value team in January 2019 as an analyst and has managed portfolios since 2020. His investment career commenced in 2011 at Schroders as a Pan European sector analyst. He previously moved to Merian Global Investors (formerly Old Mutual Global Investors) in 2015 as an equity analyst/fund manager.
Qualifications: CFA Charterholder; Degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics, Durham University.
Representatives
Curtis Ranta
Head of RIA Sales, Hartford Funds
As Hartford Funds’ Head of RIA Sales, Ranta is responsible for increasing the breadth and depth of client relationships and oversees a salesforce focused specifically on this channel. He joined Hartford Funds in 2012 with responsibility for the Greater Boston region. Prior to joining the firm, Ranta held sales and marketing roles with Sun Life Financial and AIG SunAmerica. He studied Marketing at Providence College.
Julia Dempsey
Regional Director, Institutional Consultant
Julia Dempsey is a regional director, institutional consultant for Hartford Funds. She is aconsultant to fiduciary advisers and professional buyer clients, working with RIAs, family offices, ETF strategists, aggregators, banks, and trust departments. Julia is a resource and business partner to clients while representing solutions within mutual funds, systematic ETFs, and active fixed income ETFs from Wellington Management and Schroders.
Julia joined the organization as a sales coordinator in October 2016. Prior to joining the
company, she worked for Citizens Commercial Banking. Julia is a registered representative of Hartford Funds Distributors and is FINRA Series 7 and 63 registered.
Originally from Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, Julia received her bachelor’s degree in business management from Loyola University New Orleans, where she ran track and cross country.
HPS Corporate Lending Fund (HLEND)
The presentation explores a differentiated approach to private credit, emphasizing the strategic sourcing of deals outside traditional private equity channels. By focusing on direct origination through propriety networks, the firm accesses less competitive, higher-quality opportunities, with stronger structures and better risk-adjusted returns. A disciplined capital deployment strarty limits fund inflows to align closely with a robust, pre-identified deal pipeline, ensuring investor capital is efficiently and effectively deployed. This measured approach reduces cash drag and enhances portfolio performance. Historically, the firm has maintained an exclusive institutional client base, reflecting a strong commitment to long-term partnerships and alignment with sophisticated investors. The presentation outlines how these core principles drive consistent performance across market cycles while maintaining strict underwriting discipline and downside protection.
Workshop Objectives: The presentation explores a differentiated approach to private credit, emphasizing the strategic sourcing of deals outside traditional private equity channels. By focusing on direct origination through propriety networks, the firm accesses less competitive, higher-quality opportunities, with stronger structures and better risk-adjusted returns. A disciplined capital deployment strarty limits fund inflows to align closely with a robust, pre-identified deal pipeline, ensuring investor capital is efficiently and effectively deployed. This measured approach reduces cash drag and enhances portfolio performance. Historically, the firm has maintained an exclusive institutional client base, reflecting a strong commitment to long-term partnerships and alignment with sophisticated investors. The presentation outlines how these core principles drive consistent performance across market cycles while maintaining strict underwriting discipline and downside protection.
Company Profile: HPS Investment Partners, a part of BlackRock, is a leading global, credit-focused alternative investment manager that seeks to provide creative capital solutions and generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for our clients. We manage $280B in various strategies across the capital structure, including privately negotiated senior debt; privately negotiated junior capital solutions in debt, preferred and equity formats; liquid credit including syndicated leveraged loans, collateralized loan obligations and high yield bonds; asset-based finance and real estate. The scale and breadth of our platform offers the flexibility to invest in companies large and small, through standard or customized solutions. At our core, we share a common thread of intellectual rigor and discipline that enables us to create value for our clients.
Speakers
Jordan Sale
Product Specialist
Jordan Sale is a Product Specialist on the HPS Direct Lending team, based in New York City. Prior to joining HPS three years ago, Jordan worked as an Investment Banking Analyst at Castle Placement and as an Institutional Consultant at the Gerson Lehrman Group. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Tulane University.
Strategizing for Success: North Haven Private Asset Fund’s Differentiated Investment Approach
Hosted by Chris Wasilewski, the goal of the session is to educate investment professionals on how the North Haven Private Assets fund offers institutional quality private equity exposure via co-investments and secondaries in an investor-friendly format. Attendees will gain insights into the fund’s differentiated and time-tested investment approach.
Join us for an informative session hosted by Chris Wasilewski, designed to educate investment professionals on the North Haven Private Assets fund. This session will explore how the fund offers institutional-quality private equity exposure via co-investments and secondaries, all within an investor-friendly format. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the fund’s differentiated and time-tested investment strategy.
Workshop Objectives: This discussion highlights how this innovative vehicle democratizes access to private equity while maintaining disciplined risk management and performance across market cycles.
Company Profile: Morgan Stanley Investment Management, together with its investment advisory affiliates, has more than $1.6 trillion in assets under management or supervision. Morgan Stanley Investment Management strives to provide outstanding long-term investment performance, service, and a comprehensive suite of investment management solutions to a diverse client base, which includes governments, institutions, corporations and individuals worldwide. The combination with Eaton Vance allows the firm to bring even more value to clients through many high quality, complementary investment offerings, delivered with an unwavering commitment to client service. Professionals across the globe draw upon these capabilities to develop strategies that address a wide range of investors’ needs across the public and private markets.
Speakers
Chris Wasilewski
Executive Director
Chris Wasilewski is an Executive Director and Partner with the Private Equity Solutions team, focusing on portfolio management and monitoring. Prior to joining the firm, Chris worked for Och-Ziff Capital Management Group, a multi-strategy hedge fund, and Neuberger Berman. Chris received a B.S in finance from University of Delaware.
Representatives
Will Turner
Executive Director
Will is an Executive Director within the Alternatives distribution arm of Morgan Stanley Investment Management. He is responsible for business development and client service in the RIA, family office and bank trust market. He joined Morgan Stanley in 2021 and has over 13 years of industry experience. Prior to his role within Alternatives distribution, Will was on the Wealth Strategies Group at Parametric where he was responsible for business development and client service of RIAs and Family Offices in the Northeast. Will earned his B.S. in Business Administration with emphasis in Finance from California State University, Chico. A CFA and CAIA charterholder, Will is a member of the CFA Society of New York and Boston.
Ian McGinn
Executive Director
Tax Alpha Amplified: Leveraging Long/Short Extensions
As equity markets climb and portfolios mature, traditional long-only strategies, even when paired with tax loss harvesting, are hitting their limits. Join Nuveen and Brooklyn Investment Group to learn how technology is delivering superior results through Tax Advantaged Long/Short SMA strategies for concentrated positions, low-basis portfolios, and pre-transaction planning. Our scalable technology empowers you to efficiently execute these sophisticated 130/30 extension strategies across your practice—accelerating diversification, offsetting anticipated gains, and resetting cost basis in highly appreciated portfolios or single stocks, without adding operational complexity.
Workshop Objectives: Discover how leading advisors are implementing our Tax Advantaged Long/Short SMA strategies to:
• Accelerate Diversification of Concentrated positions:
o Identify tax efficient pathways to reduce single-stock risk while managing tax consequences
• Strategically offset anticipated capital gains:
o Understand proactive strategies for clients planning liquidity events or facing mandatory distributions
• Reset Cost Basis in highly appreciated portfolios
o Implement sophisticated approaches to improve long-term tax efficiency while maintaining market exposure
Company Profile: Nuveen is a global investment leader, managing $1.4T in public and private assets for clients around the world and on behalf of TIAA, our parent company and one of the world’s largest institutional investors.
With broad expertise across income and alternatives, we invest in the growth of businesses, real estate, infrastructure and natural capital, providing clients with the reliability, access and foresight unique to our 125+ year heritage.
Our prevailing perspective on the future drives our ambition to innovate and adapt our business to the changing needs of
investors — all to pursue lasting performance for our clients, our communities and our global economy.
Nuveen. Invest like the future is watching.
Speakers
Erkko Etula
CEO & Co-Founder
CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Brooklyn Investment Group. Prior to co-founding Brooklyn, Erkko was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, where he gained over a decade of investment experience creating and managing systematic strategies for Goldman Sachs wealth management clients. Erkko earned a Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics from Harvard University where he was a Presidential Scholar. He also holds a B.S. Phi Beta Kappa from MIT.
Representatives
Spencer Williams
AVP, Internal ETF Specialist
Spencer is an Internal ETF specialist for Nuveen. His primary focus is on Nuveen's core suite of ESG ETFs while also aiding in the distribution of the Brooklyn Investment Group's direct indexing capabilities. Prior to joining Nuveen in 2021, Spencer served as a Regional Advisor Consultant at Invesco. Spencer began his career at Raymond James in research, covering ETFs and equities. Spencer graduated with a B.S. in Finance from Florida State University and holds the CIMA® designation.
Ray Olsen
MD, Market Leader
Ray is currently the Market Leader of a five-person team covering South and West Florida. His responsibilities include marketing Nuveen's investment solutions, including alternatives, mutual funds, ETFs, CEFs, model portfolios and separately managed accounts, focusing on developing and managing relationships in the high net worth segment for wirehouse, RIA, financial institutions and regional distribution channels throughout Florida. Ray graduated with a B.S. in Finance from Florida State University and holds the Series 7 and 65 securities registrations. He is a member of the Investments & Wealth Institute and has earned the CIMA designation through the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 2003.
Pursuing Alpha, Cultivating Resilience: Adaptive US Fixed Income Strategies for Challenging Times
Market volatility has been on the rise with credit spreads moving away from their multi-year tights across fixed income asset categories. Large, bloated asset managers either have to rely on crude beta levers or focus on illiquid, high risk investments to generate returns. In this environment, having a broad toolkit while staying highly nimble is the only way to generate meaningful alpha, in our opinion. Policy and economic data uncertainty remain high, but rather than a reason to step back from investing, we see it instead as a call to arms to take advantage of dislocations as they materialize.
Join us as we share our latest thoughts on the asset class, where we see remaining pockets of value across macro, corporate and securitized markets. We will also highlight ways in which our team offers a differentiated approach to investing, combining clear US focus with benefits of operating within a leading global fixed income platform.
Workshop Objectives:
- Update on the latest macro views (US & global)
- Opportunities within various sub-asset classes in corporate and securitized fixed income
- Intro to our US fixed income team and ways in which RBC GAM BlueBay team uses proprietary technology to give our investment process an edge across multiple cycles
Company Profile:
RBC Global Asset Management (RBC GAM) strives to provide clients an unrivaled experience of investment and service excellence, offering a comprehensive range of solutions and services. We operate as a global firm of specialized investment teams with more than $534 billion* under management. In addition to broad-based capabilities in equities, liquidity management and alternatives, our BlueBay fixed income platform seeks to embody the best aspects of alternative and traditional fixed income investing. We manage more than $143 billion* across a full spectrum of active fixed income strategies—all of which are designed to generate alpha within a capital preservation context. Our platform spans multiple investment dimensions and leverages our collective skill set to create differentiated portfolios. Through this approach, we seek to meet our clients’ risk/return objectives for a specific asset class while providing additional diversification across their overall portfolio.
*as of June 30, 2025
Speakers
Neil Sun, CFA
Portfolio Manager, BlueBay U.S. Fixed Income
Neil is a Portfolio Manager within BlueBay's Investment Grade team and joined the firm in March 2014.
Prior to joining BlueBay, Neil worked at BlackRock in their Client Analytics Group, as an associate. Neil graduated Summa Cum Laude from Baruch College with a BA degree in Finance and Investments. Neil is a CFA charterholder.
Anne Greenwood, CFA
Institutional Portfolio Manager, U.S. Fixed Income
Anne is an Institutional Portfolio Manager at RBC GAM-US, specializing in U.S. Fixed Income. In this role, she leads efforts to position the firm’s fixed income capabilities with investors and supports U.S. Distribution teams in engaging with clients, consultants, and prospects. Acting as a representative for the investment teams, Anne manages internal and external engagements and serves as the primary contact for strategy-related inquiries and initiatives. Before joining RBC GAM in 2025, Anne was an Investment Director at Wellington Management Company, focusing on Liability-Driven Investing and U.S. Investment Grade Credit. Prior to her tenure at Wellington, Anne held various positions at J.P. Morgan Asset Management (JPMAM) from 2010 to 2022. As Executive Director and Global Credit Investment Specialist, she managed JPMAM’s global credit client relationships. Anne holds an A.B. in Sociology from Princeton University. She is a CFA charterholder and holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 certifications.
Representatives
Micah McDonald, CSRIC
Director, Intermediary Sales
Micah is director, intermediary sales for the Southeast region (U.S.) at RBC Global Asset Management (U.S.) Inc. In this role, she is responsible for building and servicing relationships with registered investment advisors, regional bank trusts, financial advisors and multi-Family offices across the region. Prior to joining the firm in 2023, Micah worked as an investment consultant at an independent investment management firm, where she generated new partner leads, focused on client retention, and sourced and onboarded new institutional clients. Her experience also includes working in various consultant and business development roles at leading financial services companies. She started her career in the investment industry in 2013. Micah holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in theatre performance from Baylor University. She also holds FINRA Series 7 and Series 63 licenses, and is a Chartered SRI CounselorSM (CSRIC®).
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Beyond the Ordinary: Expanding Private Credit into Asset-Based Lending
This conversation explores the evolving landscape of private credit by highlighting the strategic shift towards asset-based lending (ABL). It emphasizes how ABL offers enhanced security through collateral, reducing risk for lenders while providing flexible financing solutions for borrowers. The discussion will cover key benefits such as improved cash flow management, access to capital for growing businesses, and diversification opportunities for investors. Additionally, PIMCO will address market trends, regulatory considerations, and best practices for successfully integrating ABL into private credit portfolios. Ultimately, it underscores the potential of asset-based lending to unlock new growth avenues and strengthen financial resilience in an increasingly complex credit environment.
Workshop Objectives: Improve the understanding of ABL to allocators, how to incorporate the sector into private alternatives allocations, and highlight PIMCO’s expertise in the space.
Company Profile: PIMCO is a global leader in active fixed income with deep expertise across public and private markets. We invest our clients’ capital in income and credit opportunities that span the liquidity spectrum, leveraging our decades of experience navigating complex debt markets. Our flexible capital base and deep relationships with issuers have helped us become one of the world’s largest providers of traditional and alternative investment solutions and a valued financing partner.
Speakers
Brett Condron
Managing Director, Head of Growth Markets
Mr. Condron is a managing director in the New York office and head of growth markets for the U.S. global wealth management team. Prior to joining PIMCO in 2022, he worked for Blackstone for more than a decade, most recently as a senior managing director and global head of individual investor solutions for the firm’s alternative asset management division, leading efforts to develop and launch innovative solutions for individual investors, family offices, financial intermediaries, and defined contribution plans. Prior to Blackstone, he worked at Putnam Investments in the firm’s global institutional management group. He has 25 years of investment experience and holds an undergraduate degree in finance and marketing from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College.
Representatives
Ryan Keating
Account Manager
Mr. Keating is a senior vice president and an account manager within the private client group, part of the broader global wealth management group. He partners with financial professionals providing updates on PIMCO solutions, the overall marketplace, economic trends, and PIMCO's economic outlook. Previously at PIMCO, he worked as an account manager in field sales and as an ETF strategist, and prior to that, he worked in the investment due diligence group. He has 21 years of investment and financial services experience and holds an MBA with a dual specialization in finance and financial instruments and markets from Stern School of Business at New York University. He received an undergraduate degree from the University of Rhode Island. Mr. Keating holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation.
Small companies, big opportunities
As the global economic landscape shifts and interest rates start to ease, now is a good time to diversify away from what has historically been the most concentrated market in history in Large US tech companies. Polar Capital has launched a new International Small Company Fund to capitalize on an overlooked segment of the market. Against this backdrop, Dan Boston who recently joined Polar Capital to lead a new Global Small Company investment team will discuss how he believes, this, alongside the fact that trading valuations are historically low compared to large caps, could be a compelling opportunity for small-cap investors abroad.
Workshop Objectives: The objective is for delegates to understand why now could be a compelling opportunity for small-cap investors abroad.
Company Profile: Polar Capital is an experienced, investment-led, active fund manager. The company prides itself on its collegiate and meritocratic culture. Since incorporation in 2001, we have steadily grown our range of autonomous investment teams. The business is structured to allow teams to focus on their portfolios while a best-in-class operational structure works on everything else. Headquartered in London and listed on the UK stock market, Polar Capital has a global presence, including offices in New York, Connecticut and Georgia.
Speakers
Dan Boston
Lead Manager, Researcher
Dan joined Polar Capital in September 2024 as Head of the Global Small Company team and Lead Manager on the Polar Capital International Small Company Fund. Prior to joining Polar Capital, Dan worked at Brown Capital Management, where he led the International Small Company strategy, which managed $3.5bn across a mutual fund and various managed accounts.
Representatives
Alastair Barrie
Managing Director – North America
Alastair joined Polar Capital in June 2019 to lead the company’s business development in North America. He has over 25 years of experience in asset management distribution in both wholesale and institutional markets. For the previous 10 years he worked with Martin Currie and has been based in New York since 2014. Prior to Martin Currie, he had a year as Director of Institutional Distribution at RBS Asset Management and spent the previous 13 years at Henderson Global Investors where he originally worked with the founders of Polar Capital. He started his career in 1992 working for Friends Provident, a UK-based life assurer.
Trent Starr
Vice President US Internal Sales
Trent joined Polar Capital in June 2025 to support the company’s business development efforts across the US. Before joining Polar Capital, he spent four years at AllianceBernstein, where he held roles in operational marketing and institutional client reporting. Prior to this, Trent worked in business development for Aetna. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Tennessee, Haslam College of Business.
Multi-Sector Fixed Income – Utilizing the many levers of performance in the Fixed Income Marketplace
Overview of investment process and philosophy - Portfolio Manager Austin Kummer will introduce Ft. Washington and how he and his team utilize the entire firm to outperform with allocation and security selection decisions.
Workshop Objective: To introduce the attendees to the fund and process
Company Profile: Touchstone Investments is a Distinctively Active fund company committed to providing investors with access to strategies sub-advised by institutional asset managers. Touchstone’s diverse but focused product offering gives investors a full breadth of investment options across styles and asset classes, includes U.S. equity, international equity, income and multi-asset funds.
Speakers
Austin Kummer, CFA
Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Manager
Austin Kummer is Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Manager for Multi-Sector Fixed Income, Multi-Strategy, and Dividend Equity strategies. In this role, he is focused on the overall portfolio construction and management of client portfolios. Kummer also contributes to the firm's asset allocation and macro positioning and assists in managing interest rate risk for clients. Kummer joined the firm in 2013. Prior to becoming a portfolio manager, he was primarily focused on investment grade credit research and risk management functions. Kummer received a BBA from Ohio University in Finance and Business Economics and an MBA in Finance from Xavier University. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Representatives
Emily Barnes
V.P. Institutional Business Development East Coast
Emily Barnes is Vice President, Institutional Business Development for Touchstone Investments and has experience in the investments industry since 2012. Ms. Barnes is responsible for the distribution of Touchstone Funds to institutional markets and national partnership programs, focusing her efforts throughout the East. Before joining Touchstone in 2014, Ms. Barnes was a trader at Fidelity Investments. Ms. Barnes earned a BA in History from Duke University.
Dan Rappucci, CFA
Vice President, Institutional Business Development
Dan Rappucci is Vice President, Institutional Business Development for Touchstone Investments and has experience in the investments industry since 2007. In his current role, Mr. Rappucci is responsible for the distribution of Touchstone Funds to institutional markets and national partnership programs focusing his efforts throughout the Upper Midwest and Southeast regions of the U.S. Mr. Rappucci earned a BS in Finance from Virginia Tech. He is a CFA charterholder and is a member of the CFA Society of Cincinnati.
Free Cash Flow Investing: How Incorporating Free Cash Flow May Improve Portfolio Outcomes
This material focuses on free cash flow (FCF) as a superior investment metric compared to traditional value measures, like price-to-book, and introduces three VictoryShares ETFs—VFLO, SFLO, and GFLW—that leverage FCF metrics for different investment styles. VFLO uses FCF yield for large-cap value, SFLO applies similar methodology to small caps, while GFLW focuses on FCF profitability for growth investing.
Historical data shows these strategies have outperformed their respective benchmarks, with FCF-based approaches demonstrating resilience across market cycles. Key advantages include capturing intangible assets ignored by traditional metrics, combining quality characteristics with value, and using forward-looking FCF metrics rather than trailing data alone. The methodology includes growth filters to eliminate slower-growing companies, enhancing returns in both value and growth market environments.
Workshop Objectives:
• Explore FCF fundamentals
• Learn about FCF investing approaches that can help effectively manage valuation and concentration risks
• Discover why Quality as an investment factor has become tied to high FCF in companies
Company Profile: Victory Capital is a diversified global asset management firm with $171.4 billion in total client assets as of March 31, 2025. The Company employs a next-generation business strategy that combines boutique investment qualities with the benefits of a fully integrated, centralized operating and distribution platform.
Victory Capital provides specialized investment strategies to institutions, intermediaries, retirement platforms and individual investors. With 12 autonomous Investment Franchises and a Solutions Business, Victory Capital offers a wide array of investment products, including mutual funds, ETFs, separately managed accounts, alternative investments, third-party ETF model strategies, collective investment trusts, private funds, a 529 Education Savings Plan, and brokerage services.
Victory Capital is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, with offices and investment professionals in the U.S. and around the world.
Speakers
Lance Humphry, CFA
Head of Portfolio Management
Lance Humphrey, CFA, is head of portfolio management with the VictoryShares and Solutions team. In this role, he oversees the team’s investment capabilities and portfolio management processes to ensure alignment with client needs. Mr. Humphrey is also responsible for leading the firm’s multi-asset, rules-based products, and Victory Capital Solution's active equity platforms. Mr. Humphrey joined Victory Capital in July 2019, with Victory Capital’s acquisition of the USAA Asset Management Company. He joined USAA in 2007 where he was a portfolio manager. Prior to this, Mr. Humphrey was a research analyst for the USAA Global Multi-Assets Team, focusing on asset allocation research, quantitative investment strategies, risk management and manager research. Mr. Humphrey graduated from Texas State University with a BBA in finance and the University of Texas San Antonio with an MBA in finance. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation and is a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of San Antonio.
Representatives
Bret Solnoki, CIMA®
RIA, Bank Trust & Multi Family Office
Bret Solnoki, CIMA® is responsible for expanding the distribution of Victory Capital’s asset management solutions with RIAs, Multi-Family Offices and Bank Trust’s for the firms Central Region. Previously, Mr. Solnoki held similar positions with Calamos Investments and BMO Global Asset Management.
Mac Peeler
Internal Sales Director
Mac Peeler supports Victory Capital’s RIA, Multi-Family Office, & Bank Trust team partnering with firms nationwide. He joined Victory Capital in 2025 through the Pioneer Investments merger, bringing a broad range of sales and investment experience. Prior to joining Victory Capital, Mac spent eight years at Amundi Pioneer covering the Wirehouse, Independent, & RIA channels across the Midwest. Mac has earned the CFA charter and studied Economics at The George Washington University.
Speakers
Ed Friedman
Ed Friedman is a Strategic Revenue Officer at Summit Financial LLC.
Ed is a financial services industry veteran with decades of experience in advancing advisor’s practices and supporting their growth. He works closely with the executive management team and reports to the CEO of Summit Financial, Stan Gregor. Prior to Summit, Ed Friedman ran his own consulting business, providing consulting services including operational, business, growth and technology strategies to Independent Wealth Management firms and the strategic vendors that support them.
At Dynasty Financial Partners, Ed was the National Director of Practice Management and former Director of the Enterprise Group with a focus on wealth management firms in excess of $1 Billion in assets. Ed was also part of the founding management team at HighTower Advisors heading up business development and advisor development. Before the launch of HighTower, Ed had a 22-year career at Morgan Stanley and its predecessor firm with roles as a financial Advisor, branch manager and senior executive management.
Ed is a graduate of Rutgers University with a BA in Business and Finance.
Rajini Kodialam
Rajini Kodialam is an accomplished entrepreneur and board director with over 25 years of experience driving growth and innovation in global financial services. Recognized by Crain’s New York Business as one of its Notable Women in Financial Services, she is a frequent industry speaker and thought leader. Her expertise spans M&A, growth transformation, talent strategy, and international expansion.
Rajini is Co-Founder Emerita of Focus Financial Partners (NASDAQ: FOCS), a leading global partnership of independent fiduciary wealth management firms, where she also served as COO and Board Member.
She currently serves on the boards of StubHub (NYSE: STUB), TIFIN AG, and Longmark Group, and on the advisory board of the Langston Wealth Management Center at UT Austin’s McCombs School of Business. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles at American Express and McKinsey & Company.
Ami Vitale
Ami Vitale is a Nikon Ambassador and National Geographic photographer, writer, filmmaker, and speaker who has traveled to more than 110 countries, spotlighting critical issues affecting our world. Her early work in conflict zones revealed how environmental degradation, from climate change to resource scarcity, deepens human suffering. That insight shaped the focus of her storytelling: illuminating the connections between people, wildlife, and our shared planet. Through compelling photojournalism and documentary filmmaking, Ami tells stories of resilience—of individuals on the front lines of extinction, war, and climate change, who are redefining what’s possible.
Vitale is the founder and Executive Director of Vital Impacts, and has raised over $5 million for grassroots conservation efforts around the world. By collaborating with the world’s most influential environmental photographers and mentoring the next generation of global environmental storytellers, they use art to fund on-the-ground initiatives that protect biodiversity and strengthen communities.
She is an honorary fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, a six-time World Press Photo award winner, and has received honors including the Lucie Humanitarian Award and the Daniel Pearl Award for Outstanding Reporting. InStyle magazine featured her alongside Jane Goodall and Ruth Bader Ginsburg in its "Fifty Badass Women" series. Ami serves as Conservation International’s Innovators Fellow and will appear in National Geographic’s Explorer series in late 2025.
Speakers
MODERATOR: Bill Coleman
Ethan D. Berkebile
Ethan Berkebile is a Director of Investment Research in our Pittsburgh, PA office working with the Asset Management Group and Park Shore Partners, a wholly owned subsidiary of HBKS. Ethan contributes to HBKS client portfolio construction by leading the firm’s efforts to source, underwrite, and monitor investment managers across all asset classes. Ethan sits on the investment committee Park Shore’s Strategic Income and Private Equity strategies. He also works with advisors to help customize portfolios for the firm’s largest clients.
Prior to joining HBKS in April 2022, Ethan spent over seven years in portfolio management and investment research where he was responsible for sourcing and underwriting managers and strategies across traditional and alternative asset classes. Ethan is a cum laude graduate of Saint Francis University School of Business where he double majored in finance and economics. He earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 2019 and the Charted Alternative Investment Analyst designation in 2023. Ethan is a member of the CFA Institute, CFA Society of Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania Chapter of the CAIA Association.
Eric Caisse
Eric has been a partner and the Chief Investment Officer of Csenge Advisory Group since 1997. He drives the application of sophisticated risk management and tactical asset allocation techniques to help ensure clients take the least risk possible, while striving to obtain the investment returns necessary to help achieve their financial goals. He created and oversees our proprietary Fusion Analysis research process, which blends fundamental analysis with techncial analysis and behavioral finance. He leads our monthly investment committee meetings with our nationwide network of specialists, spearheads complex client presentations, handles our public speaking engagements and is a frequent CNBC contributor.
Eric is originally from Connecticut where he is a graduate of The Taft School. He further continued his education at Vanderbilt University, earning a degree in Economics with honors. In addition to being a CFP® practitioner, CFA® charter holder, CMT charter holder and an Accredited Behavioral Finance Professional (ABFP), Eric is an Investment Advisor Representative.
Eric serves as a Board Member of the Beat Childhood Cancer Foundation and is the current Treasurer of the CMT Association. His community involvement includes the University of Tampa Board of Fellows, Tampa Connection, Leadership Tampa Bay, the FBI Citizens Academy, and Vistage Florida.
Josh Harlan
Josh Harlan is the co-chief investment officer of LourdMurray. He joined Delphi Private Advisors in 2017 and became the co-chief investment officer of the combined firm of LourdMurray and Delphi Private Advisors in 2021. His role consists of advising many of the firm’s largest clients, leading the firm’s investment committee and portfolio management of client accounts. Before joining LourdMurray, he was a director at a $2 billion alternative asset management firm in San Diego, where he served a client base of high-net-worth and institutional investors globally. He earned a master’s degree in Finance and an undergraduate business degree both from the University of Arizona. He was born and raised in Saint Louis, Missouri but has considered San Diego his home for over a decade.