Guardians of Finance with Matt McLaughlin

Andrew Medvedev, Dean of the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University

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 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-medvedev-56613a/] 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 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewmclaughlincfa/] 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.

Brad Knapp, CFA, CAIA, President and CEO of Clearstead

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  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-knapp-cfa-caia-a4a25a4/] 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 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewmclaughlincfa/] 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.

Brendan Anderson, Founder & Managing Partner of ScaleCo Capital

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  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andersonbrendan/] 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 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewmclaughlincfa/] 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.

Greg Halter, CFA, Director of Research at Carnegie Investment Counsel

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  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryhalter/] 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 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewmclaughlincfa/] 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.

David MacGregor, CFA on the History of the Investment Industry in Cleveland (Part 3)

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  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-macgregor-68137329b/] 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 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewmclaughlincfa/] 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.