Guardians of Finance with Matt McLaughlin

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 LinkedInWe'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.  

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 LinkedInWe 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 LinkedInWe 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 LinkedInWe 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 Nick Raich, Founder & CEO at The Earnings Scout.  Nick was born and raised in Youngstown before his career journey took him to Chicago and then back to NE Ohio where he now lives on the west side of Cleveland.  After working for several large organizations, he founded The Earnings Scout in 2013, using his background in analyzing publicly traded companies to help his clients navigate company earnings and different economic environments.  Nick talks about his motivation for starting his own company, the potential impact of AI on analyzing companies, and much more.  Thanks for listening, and we hope you enjoy this episode with Nick Raich. Connect with Nick here: Nick Raich LinkedInHost 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

In this episode, we talk with Andrew Newsome, Director at the Ohio Minority Business Development Agency, where he specializes in Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships.  Andrew grew up in Seattle and lived in several different parts of the country before putting roots down here in Cleveland.  He has a wide range of experiences, from management consulting to operations, venture capital, and even lemonade stand management.  Andrew talks to us about some of the skills and knowledge he's acquired in those roles and how he uses those to help small businesses in his current role.  Thanks for listening, and we hope you enjoy the episode with Andrew Newsome.  Connect with Joe here: Andrew Newsome LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He serves as Programing Director & Vice President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn

In this episode, we talk with George Mateyo, Chief Investment Officer at the KeyBank.  George has worked for several prominent organizations in the NE Ohio investment community and he shares his career journey with us.  George also talks about his background and expertise in implementing alternative assets into portfolios as well as Key's current market outlook.  Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy this episode with George Mateyo.  Connect with George here: George Mateyo LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He currently serves as Programing Director & Vice President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn*The following contains the thoughts and opinions of George Mateyo, Chief Investment Officer of Key Private Bank. Any opinions, projections, or recommendations contained herein are subject to change without notice, are those of the individual author(s), and may not necessarily represent the views of KeyBank or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates. The Key Wealth Institute is comprised of financial professionals representing KeyBank National Association (KeyBank) and certain affiliates. This material presented is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be an offer, recommendation, or solicitation to purchase or sell any security or product or to employ a specific investment strategy. KeyBank, nor its subsidiaries or affiliates, represent, warrant, or guarantee that this material is accurate, complete or suitable for any purpose or any investor and it should not be used as a basis for investment decisions. It is not to be relied upon or used in substitution for the exercise of independent judgment. It should not be construed as individual tax, legal or financial advice.

In this episode, we talk with Russell Moenich, Executive Chairman & Investment Analyst at North Beach Holdings, LLC.  Russell is a lifelong Clevelander, a Buffet/Munger disciple, and an extreme sports enthusiast.  We dive into all of those interests and more in this conversation that starts with a lawn care business and ends with mentions of the 1995 Cleveland Grand Prix.  Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy this episode with Russell Moenich. Connect with Russell here: Russell Moenich LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He currently serves as Programing Director & Vice President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn

In this episode, we talk with Lauren Rich Fine, CFA and Senior Managing Director at Greis Financial.  Lauren has a long a disguised career in financial services that took her to Wall Street for a time before she returned to her roots here in Cleveland.  Lauren is also a woman of many passions outside of the workplace.  We talk about challenges early in her career and why she moved back to Cleveland as well as her passion for the arts, service on numerous non-profit boards, and much more in this wide-ranging conversation.  Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy this episode with Lauren Rich Fine. Connect with Lauren here: Lauren Rich Fine LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He currently serves as Programing Director & Vice President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn

In this episode, we talk with Michael McKeown, CFA, CPA and Chief Investment Officer at Marcum Wealth.  If you've been involved in the CFA Society Cleveland over the past few years, you probably know Mike as he was formerly Society President and has always been very active in the community.  What you may not know is Mike's story.  How he got started in the businesses and how he became Chief Investment Officer of one of Cleveland's most prominent registered investment advisers.  We talk with Mike about his professional background, other organizations he's involved with, and a couple of his personal passions.  Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy this episode with Mike McKeown. Connect with Mike here: Michael McKeown LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He currently serves as Programing Director & Vice President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn*The following contains the thoughts and opinions of Michael McKeown, of Marcum Wealth, LLC. Marcum Wealth is an investment adviser registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. The statements herein are intended as brand and general educational and informational content only, and no viewer/listener should construe any statements as an offer of Marcum Wealth’s advisory services. Viewers/Listeners are encouraged to discuss the content of this broadcast with, and direct any questions to, the financial professional of their choosing.

In this episode, we talk with Dave Fulton, CFA, Co-Chair and CEO of Clearstead.  Dave has a long and distinguished career in Northeast Ohio.  We talk about his career progression and work at both big and small firms around Cleveland, we go into detail about Clearstead's past, present and future, and also dive into Dave's personal life passions where he stays active on multiple fronts.  Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy this episode with Dave Fulton.  Connect with Dave here: Dave Fulton LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He currently serves as Programing Director & Vice President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn

This is the second episode in a series where we talk with the leadership of CFA Cleveland.  We talk today with Sam Wass, Career Services Chair, and Colby Krahe, Membership Chair.  In their professional life outside of CFA Cleveland Sam is an Investment Analyst at RIK Enterprises and Colby is and Institutional Investment Advisor with PNC Institutional Asset Management.  We talk with Sam & Colby about their backgrounds and current responsibilities for CFA Cleveland and also stumble upon an interesting parallel in their backgrounds that the listeners should reach out and thank them for.  Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy this episode with Sam Wass and Colby Krahe. Connect with Sam & Colby here: Sam Wass LinkedInColby Krahe LinkedInHost Matt McLaughlin, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Specialist at Diamond Hill Capital Management. He currently serves as Programing Director & Vice President for the CFA Society of Cleveland. Connect with Matt here: Matt McLaughlin LinkedIn