New York (HedgeCo.Net) – The State of Texas is now home to the 18th and newest chapter of the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association. Initially, the CAIA Texas chapter will have leadership committees in Dallas and Houston, with plans to expand to Austin and San Antonio in the coming months.
“Interest in alternative investments is strong and growing, with nearly $2 trillion invested in hedge funds alone,” said Matt DenBleyker, who will head the Dallas chapter of CAIA. “In Dallas, we are home to a dynamic regional financial hub with industry professionals who could benefit greatly from the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst program as they look to meet the investment needs of their clients.”
The Texas launch kicked off with education and networking events in both Dallas and Houston on October 28th and 29th, respectively, and featured William (Bill) Kelly, chief executive officer at CAIA. The Dallas presentation was highlighted by a panel discussion on asset allocation and alternative investments. Participants included Lee Partridge, chief investment officer at Salient Partners; Dory Wiley, president and chief executive officer at Commerce Street Capital; Nowlin Randolph, managing director/head of research at Crestline Investors, and Keith Black, managing director for curriculum and exams at CAIA.
The Houston event focused on alternative investing in energy with a presentation on the “Current State of the MLP Marketplace” and featured panelists including Steve Bender, senior vice president and CFO at Westlake Chemical Corporation; E. Ramey Lane, an attorney with Vinson and Elkins, LLC; and Gregory A. Reid, managing director of Salient Partners and president and CEO of Salient’s MLP business.
“Study after study has found that education is critical for advisors working with alternative investment products,” said Keenan Carstens, head of CAIA’s Houston chapter. “CAIA is committed to excellence in education and the CAIA designation is recognized across the globe as the industry standard.”
There currently are more than 200 CAIA members in Texas. CAIA Texas will promote ongoing continuing education, professional development and networking opportunities for investment professionals across the state.
Editing by Alex Akesson
For HedgeCo.net
alex@hedgeco.net
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