Guardians of Finance with Matt McLaughlin

Our guest today is Andrew Medvedev, Dean of the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.

Andrew has a fascinating story. He was born in Russia, eventually made his way to Cleveland, and took a path that was anything but straightforward. We talked about how he once imagined a future in law or medicine before finding his way into finance, how he got his start in investment banking, and how those experiences shaped the leader he is today.

We also spent time on what’s happening at Case Western and Weatherhead, and the opportunities he sees ahead for students, the university, and the broader Cleveland business community.

Connect with Andrew here:

Andrew Medvedev 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 LinkedIn

We'd like to thank the CFA Society Cleveland's 2026 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 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 LinkedIn

We'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 LinkedIn

We'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 LinkedIn

We 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 LinkedIn

We 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 LinkedIn

We 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 LinkedIn

We 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 LinkedIn

We 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 LinkedIn

We 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 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 LinkedIn

We 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.