April 2025 Education Meeting

FREE TO FPA MEMBERS ($65 for non-members)

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TOPIC #1: Why Consider Alternative Investments?
SPEAKER: Jared Abert, CFA®, CAIA®, CFP®

About the presentation: We will explore the value and versatility of alternative investments, and examine how they can help in achieving client goals and objectives, including enhanced returns, increased income, diversification and inflation hedging. 

About the speaker: Jared serves as Director of Alternative Investments at Franklin Templeton. He leads the alternative fundraising efforts for RIAs, MFOs & Bank Trusts in the Midwest, supporting strategies at Franklin Templeton’s wholly owned subsidiaries: Benefit Street Partners (private debt & credit), Clarion Partners (private real estate), Lexington Partners (secondary PE and co-investing) and K2 (hedged strategies & FOFs). Prior to joining Franklin Templeton, Jared he was with Goldman Sachs where he most recently worked in business development for Goldman Sachs RIA Custody. He started with Goldman Sachs in Asset Management focused on Alternative Investments before becoming an Equity Derivatives and Structured Products specialist in Global Markets. Prior to that, he worked with Apex Oil Company as a Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA) and started his career on the trading floor at BP. Jared earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois where he was also accepted into the Hoeft Technology and Management Engineering program. Jared currently resides in Chicago with his wife and daughter. He spends his free time getting tackled by his daughter, working in the yard and reading historical non-fiction. Jared also enjoys playing golf, soccer, tennis, softball and pickleball.

TOPIC #2: High Net Worth Client Acquisition and Retention: Executing on a Growth Mindset and a Referable Client Experience
SPEAKER: Mike Biondo

About the presentation: This program’s goal is to help financial professionals expand their business by creating an elevated experience for current clients as well as prospective clients. This program focuses on ideas on how teams are bringing on and retaining  high net worth clients, cultivating a prospective client pipeline tailored to your ideal client profile, rolling out the red carpet to provide an exceptional client experience, and leveraging digital resources to enhance your brand. (Please note, this session will not qualify for CE.)

About the speaker: Mike Biondo is a Senior Vice President for First Eagle and has managed the state of Ohio since 2012. He works with financial advisors at all firms across the state. He joined First Eagle in 2010 and managed the Pacific Northwest for the firm. Mike started his career in 2004 at Lord Abbett and managed Oregon and Alaska for them. Mike lives in Cincinnati with his wife and three children.

Continuing Education: FPA NEO will request credit for the first program, which will total one hour of CE from the CFP® Board of Standards for CFP® designation holders. A general certificate of completion and one for CPA designees who feel the program satisfies their continuing education requirements will also be available.

Reservation Policy: All attendees are encouraged to register in advance before noon 04/16/25 and walk-in reservations will be accepted on a space-available basis only. In person meeting cost is free for FPA members and $65 for non-members. If you reserve and are unable to attend, please call the office or email admin@fpa-neo.org to cancel by noon 04/16/25 to avoid a no-show reservation billing of $10.00.