Industry Designations

The Equitas staff includes professional designations of: 4 MBAs, 3 BAs, 2 BBAs, 1 CIMA®, 1 QPFC, 3 BSs, 1 MFINs, 1 CMT, and 2 CFA® charterholders.

CIMA®

The designation of Certified Investment Analyst (CIMA®) established by the Investment Management Consultant’s Association (IMCA®), is awarded to those individuals who have completed a rigorous course of study offered through the prestigious Wharton School of business at the University of Pennsylvania. To date the CIMA designation has been achieved by over 7,000 individuals. CIMA practitioners subscribe to a strict Code of Ethics and are required to maintain their designation through continuing education programs.

David Thomas is a member in good  standing  of IMCA, has attained CIMA designation, and adheres to the Code of Ethics.

ASPPA®

The American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries was founded in 1966 and is the premier national organization for career retirement plan professionals. ASPPA offers extensive educational opportunities for its members-from professional credentialing and certificate programs to training and continuing education. The Qualified Plan Financial Consultant (QPFC) designation is the professional credential for financial professionals who sell, advise, market or support qualified retirement plans.

Brandon Grandbouche has earned the professional designation of Qualified Plan Financial Consultant (QPFC) from the ASPPA.

CHARTERED FINANCIAL ANALYST INSTITUTE

CFA Institute is the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence. The CFA Institute is a champion for ethical behavior in investment markets and a respected source of knowledge in the global financial community. The CFA Program includes a series of three exams that are offered in test centers around the world. These three exams must be passed sequentially as one of the requirements for earning a CFA charter. Successful candidates report spending an average of 300 hours preparing for each exam. This information is taken from www.cfainstitute.org.

*Yu Huang and Shepard Buckman are active CFA® charterholders.

*The CFA Institute does not certify, endorse, or sponsor any firm and only an individual may become a charterholder.  The above is for informational purpose only and not an endorsement of the firm.  CFA® is a registered trademark owned by CFA institute.

CMT ASSOCIATION

The Chartered Market Technician® (CMT) designation marks the highest education within the discipline and is the preeminent designation for practitioners of technical analysis worldwide. Our market philosophy is grounded in behavioral economics and extends beyond classical pattern recognition techniques to include quantitative approaches to market research and rules-based trading system design and testing. Technical analysis provides the tools to successfully navigate the gap between intrinsic value and market price across all asset classes through a disciplined, systematic approach to market behavior and the law of supply and demand. Earning the CMT demonstrates mastery of a core body of knowledge of investment risk in portfolio management.

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Finance (MFIN) degrees require hours of intense study focusing on accounting, economics, and finance. Individuals who earn these degrees are learned in valuation and investing practices.

Yu Huang has earned her MFIN degree from Tulane University, Derek Fossier has earned his MBA degree from Tulane University and Shepard Buckman has earned his MBA degree from Johns Hopkins University.