Guardians of Finance with Matt McLaughlin

Today we’re joined by Brad Knapp, CFA, CAIA, President and CEO of Clearstead. Brad began his career in banking, then moved into wealth management at Hawthorn right as the Global Financial Crisis was unfolding. From there, he’s played a key role in the evolution from Hartland to Clearstead, as the firm expanded from its institutional roots into a major presence in private wealth.We’re going to talk about those early experiences, what ultimately drew him into private wealth management, how Clearstead has changed along the way, and his involvement with the CFA Society of Cleveland. We’ll also get into some of the boards and nonprofits he supports here in Northeast Ohio.Connect with Brad here:Brad Knapp LinkedIn Host Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He is a Past President and Board Member of the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedInWe'd like to thank the CFA Society Cleveland's 2025 Annual Sponsors First Trust, Invesco, State Street Global Advisors, BlackRock, Man Group, Avantis Investors and ScaleCo. We'd also like to that our University Partners the Case Western Reserve Weatherhead School of Business and University of Akron School of Business.  The support from these partners and others helps the Society bring engaging content like the Guardians of Finance podcast and other in-person events.  We welcome you to attend an event in the future to network, learn, and stay involved with the investment community in Northeast Ohio. 

Today we’re joined by Brendan Anderson, Founder & Managing Partner of ScaleCo Capital. We kick things off with his jump from banking to buying his first company as we dig into what gave him the courage to make the move and how he made that first deal happen. From there, Brendan breaks down what ScaleCo looks for and how they partner with “lifestyle businesses” to professionalize and grow them without losing the owner’s DNA. We also dig into why, for many entrepreneurs, buying a business can be a smarter on-ramp than starting from scratch. And yes, we wrap with the story behind the T-shirt he owns but can never wear. Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy this episode with Brendan Anderson.Connect with Brendan here:Brendan Anderson LinkedIn Host Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He is a Past President and Board Member of the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedInWe'd like to thank the CFA Society Cleveland's 2025 Annual Sponsors First Trust, Invesco, State Street Global Advisors, BlackRock, Man Group, Avantis Investors and ScaleCo. We'd also like to that our University Partners the Case Western Reserve Weatherhead School of Business and University of Akron School of Business. The support from these partners and others helps the Society bring engaging content like the Guardians of Finance podcast and other in-person events. We welcome you to attend an event in the future to network, learn, and stay involved with the investment community in Northeast Ohio.  

Today, we’re sitting down with Greg Halter, CFA, Director of Research at Carnegie Investment Counsel. Greg’s path through the financial planning side of the business, his formative experience at the Federal Reserve, and his unique insights into Cleveland’s evolving investment landscape give us a lot to unpack.We talk about why the planning side of finance caught his attention, what he saw behind the scenes at the Fed, and the impact of working at Great Lakes Review. We also cover how Carnegie is approaching the rising tide of AI in investment research—an especially timely topic. Thanks for listening, and we hope you enjoy this episode with Greg Halter.  Connect with Greg here:Greg Halter LinkedIn Host Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He serves as President of the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedInWe would like to thank the CFA Society Cleveland's 2025 Asset Manager Sponsors, First Trust, Invesco, State Street Global Advisors, and BlackRock. The support from these and other event sponsors allows the CFA Society to bring engaging content to our members.

In part three of our special series on the history of Cleveland’s investment industry, we're joined by David MacGregor, CFA, co-founder and President of Longbow Research. David first came to Cleveland in the 1990s as a sell-side analyst, and in the early 2000s, he co-founded Longbow Research. Over the past two decades, he's led the firm through multiple market cycles, keeping it independent and steadily growing its presence in the industry. In this episode, David shares what it's like running a sell-side research firm in Cleveland, the big changes he's seen in the financial world, and how Longbow has managed to attract and keep great talent, even during turbulent times. Thanks for listening, and we hope you enjoy this episode with David MacGregor. Connect with David here:David MacGregor LinkedIn Host Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He serves as President of the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedInWe would like to thank the CFA Society Cleveland's 2025 Asset Manager Sponsors, First Trust, Invesco, State Street Global Advisors, Man Group and BlackRock and also our Local Sponsor ScaleCo. The support from these and other event sponsors allows the CFA Society to bring engaging content to our members.  

In part two of our special series on the history of Cleveland’s investment industry, we sit down with Scott Roulston, former CEO of Roulston & Co. Scott’s family has played a central role in Cleveland’s investment industry for more than 50 years, and he shares personal insights from his own journey, including becoming CEO at a young age and making the bold decision in the late 1990s to shift the firm away from sell-side research toward personalized wealth management. Today, Scott serves on several influential boards and joins us to share stories, lessons learned, and valuable perspectives from his experience balancing family legacy, strategic change, and innovation. Thanks for listening, and we hope you enjoy this episode with Scott Roulston. Connect with Scott here:Scott Roulston LinkedIn Host Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He serves as President of the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedInWe would like to thank the CFA Society Cleveland's 2025 Asset Manager Sponsors, First Trust, Invesco, State Street Global Advisors, Man Group and BlackRock and also our Local Sponsor ScaleCo. The support from these and other event sponsors allows the CFA Society to bring engaging content to our members.  

In this episode, we begin our series diving into Cleveland's investment history—where it's been, how it's evolved, and the influential figures who've shaped it. I'm thrilled to kick off this series by sitting down with a true industry pioneer, Nancy Benacci. Nancy has built a distinguished career here in Cleveland, witnessing firsthand the transformation of the investment landscape over the decades. We'll dive into her journey, discuss her pivotal role throughout the years, and gain valuable insights into the driving forces behind the evolution of our vibrant investment community. Thanks for listening, and we hope you enjoy this episode with Nancy Benacci. Connect with Nancy here:Nancy Benacci LinkedIn Host Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He serves as President of the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedInWe would like to thank the CFA Society Cleveland's 2025 Asset Manager Sponsors, First Trust, Invesco, State Street Global Advisors, Man Group and BlackRock and also our Local Sponsor ScaleCo. The support from these and other event sponsors allows the CFA Society to bring engaging content to our members.  

In this episode, we're joined by Ryan McGovern, Managing Director at Star Mountain Capital. Originally from the West Coast, Ryan's educational and career journey took him around the world before he eventually landed in Cleveland, where he has now lived for over a decade. Ryan has extensive expertise in private markets, having transitioned early in his career from public market investing to private equity and credit. We dive into his professional path, discuss how the private markets landscape has evolved, and explore the areas Star Mountain Capital focuses on for its investments. Thanks for listening—we hope you enjoy our conversation with Ryan McGovern. Connect with Ryan here: Ryan McGovern LinkedIn Host Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He serves as President of the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedInWe would like to thank the CFA Society Cleveland's 2025 Asset Manager Sponsors, First Trust, Invesco, State Street Global Advisors, Man Group and BlackRock and also our Local Sponsor ScaleCo. The support from these and other event sponsors allows the CFA Society to bring engaging content to our members.  

In this episode, we talk with Craig Cimoroni, Head of Business Development and Investor Relations at Elizabeth Park Capital Management. Craig was born and raised on the east side of Cleveland and returned to the area immediately following college. He's worked for several well-known companies in Northeast Ohio and is very active in his local community and with the CFA Society Cleveland, where he is a past President. We dive into all of these experiences and more during the podcast. Thanks for listening, and we hope you enjoy the episode with Craig Cimoroni. Connect with Craig here: Craig Cimaroni LinkedIn Host Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He serves as President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedInWe would like to thank the CFA Society Cleveland's 2025 Asset Manager Sponsors, First Trust, Invesco, State Street Global Advisors, and Blackrock. It is the support from these and other event sponsors that allows the CFA Society to bring engaging content to our members.  

In this episode, we talk with Andrew Rising & Mike Nieset of Encore Venture Labs.  Both Andrew and Mike were born and raised in NE Ohio before exploring other parts of the US and then brought their experiences back to Cleveland.  We talk about these experiences and what led them back to Cleveland as well as what they are doing at Encore Venture Labs in this wide-ranging but informative conversation about venture capital and startups.  Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy this episode with Andrew Rising & Mike Nieset. Connect with Andrew and Mike here: Andrew Rising LinkedIn Mike Nieset LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He serves as President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedInWe would like to thank the CFA Society Cleveland's 2025 Asset Manager Sponsors, First Trust, Invesco, and State Street Global Advisors. It is the support from these and other event sponsors that allows the CFA Society to bring engaging content to our members.  

In this episode, we talk with Nick Raich, Founder & CEO at The Earnings Scout.  Nick was born and raised in Youngstown before his career journey took him to Chicago and then back to NE Ohio where he now lives on the west side of Cleveland.  After working for several large organizations, he founded The Earnings Scout in 2013, using his background in analyzing publicly traded companies to help his clients navigate company earnings and different economic environments.  Nick talks about his motivation for starting his own company, the potential impact of AI on analyzing companies, and much more.  Thanks for listening, and we hope you enjoy this episode with Nick Raich. Connect with Nick here: Nick Raich LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He serves as President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn

In this episode, we talk with Michael Murphy, Co-Founder and CEO of Cleveland Professional Soccer. Michael is a St. Ignatius graduate and has lived in several different parts of the country before returning to Cleveland. He has a wide range of experiences, from law to the military and even film production. We discuss his connection to Cleveland, his winding journey to his current role in sports business, and go in-depth as to why Cleveland is ready for professional women's soccer.  Thanks for listening, and we hope you enjoy the episode with Michael Murphy. Connect with Michael here: Michael Murphy LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He serves as President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn

In this episode, we talk with Andrew Newsome, Director at the Ohio Minority Business Development Agency, where he specializes in Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships.  Andrew grew up in Seattle and lived in several different parts of the country before putting roots down here in Cleveland.  He has a wide range of experiences, from management consulting to operations, venture capital, and even lemonade stand management.  Andrew talks to us about some of the skills and knowledge he's acquired in those roles and how he uses those to help small businesses in his current role.  Thanks for listening, and we hope you enjoy the episode with Andrew Newsome.  Connect with Joe here: Andrew Newsome LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He serves as Programing Director & Vice President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn

In this episode, we talk with Joe Koster, Founder & Co-Owner of Sorfis Investments.  If you're a fan of Berkshire Hathaway or Buffet/Munger investment disciple, you may know Joe from his poplar Substack newsletter Value Investing World.  What you may not know is that Joe resides right here in NE Ohio.  After being born and raised here, Joe moved to the Carolinas where he lived through college and early in his career before returning.  We talk with Joe about the origins of his Substack newsletter, how he integrates security selection into portfolios as a registered investment advisor, and some of his favorite golf courses in the area.  Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy this episode with Joe Koster. Connect with Joe here: Joe Koster LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He currently serves as Programing Director & Vice President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn

In this episode, we talk with George Mateyo, Chief Investment Officer at the KeyBank.  George has worked for several prominent organizations in the NE Ohio investment community and he shares his career journey with us.  George also talks about his background and expertise in implementing alternative assets into portfolios as well as Key's current market outlook.  Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy this episode with George Mateyo.  Connect with George here: George Mateyo LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He currently serves as Programing Director & Vice President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn*The following contains the thoughts and opinions of George Mateyo, Chief Investment Officer of Key Private Bank. Any opinions, projections, or recommendations contained herein are subject to change without notice, are those of the individual author(s), and may not necessarily represent the views of KeyBank or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates. The Key Wealth Institute is comprised of financial professionals representing KeyBank National Association (KeyBank) and certain affiliates. This material presented is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be an offer, recommendation, or solicitation to purchase or sell any security or product or to employ a specific investment strategy. KeyBank, nor its subsidiaries or affiliates, represent, warrant, or guarantee that this material is accurate, complete or suitable for any purpose or any investor and it should not be used as a basis for investment decisions. It is not to be relied upon or used in substitution for the exercise of independent judgment. It should not be construed as individual tax, legal or financial advice.

In this episode, we talk with Tony Gattuso, Senior Director, Investments at the Cleveland Foundation.  The Cleveland Foundation is one of Cleveland's most prominent foundations and has a long and storied history.  Tony takes us through his career path, what he sees as the benefits of having an in-house investment function, and the origins of his nickname (one of the best we've heard on the podcast).  Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy this episode with Tony Gattuso. Connect with Tony here: Tony Gattuso LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He currently serves as Programing Director & Vice President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn

In this episode, we talk with Russell Moenich, Executive Chairman & Investment Analyst at North Beach Holdings, LLC.  Russell is a lifelong Clevelander, a Buffet/Munger disciple, and an extreme sports enthusiast.  We dive into all of those interests and more in this conversation that starts with a lawn care business and ends with mentions of the 1995 Cleveland Grand Prix.  Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy this episode with Russell Moenich. Connect with Russell here: Russell Moenich LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He currently serves as Programing Director & Vice President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn

In this episode, we talk with Matt Rodak, CEO and Founder of Upright.  Upright, formerly Fund that Flip, is a technology platform used to invest in and obtain loans for renovating residential real estate.  Matt was born and raised in Northeast Ohio and it's where he discovered his passion for real estate investing.  Despite living somewhere else now, we talk about his still strong connection to Cleveland, leaving his career path to start a business, and why sleep is classified as a hobby.  Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy this episode with Matt Rodak. Connect with Matt here: Matt Rodak LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He currently serves as Programing Director & Vice President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn

In this episode, we talk with Lauren Rich Fine, CFA and Senior Managing Director at Greis Financial.  Lauren has a long a disguised career in financial services that took her to Wall Street for a time before she returned to her roots here in Cleveland.  Lauren is also a woman of many passions outside of the workplace.  We talk about challenges early in her career and why she moved back to Cleveland as well as her passion for the arts, service on numerous non-profit boards, and much more in this wide-ranging conversation.  Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy this episode with Lauren Rich Fine. Connect with Lauren here: Lauren Rich Fine LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He currently serves as Programing Director & Vice President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn

We continue our Meet the Board Series with Cara Wood, CFA, CAIA and Suzana Vujasin, CFA, CAIA.  Cara currently serves as Committee Chair for the Women's Committee while Suzana serves a Treasurer for the Board.  We talk with both of them about their backgrounds and roles on the Board.  Have you ever wondered which CFA Cleveland Board member was once on Oprah and which one is the likely winner of a spelling bee?  Listen in and find out on this episode with Cara Wood and Suzana Vujasin. Connect with Cara & Suzana here: Cara Wood LinkedInSuzana Vujasin LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He currently serves as Programing Director & Vice President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn