UniFi by CAIA™

When I set out to write The Allocator's Edge, my primary inspiration was to help solve what I perceived to be a critical education gap that exists between alternative investments, individual investors, and the financial professionals who serve them.

As I sought feedback on early drafts of the book, near the top of my list of folks to reach out to was Bill Kelly, President & CEO of the CAIA Association. Other than mutually following one another on Twitter, we didn't really know each other until we connected via Zoom and I explained what I was trying to achieve with my book. From there, Bill was kind enough to share some valuable insights as well as provide an endorsement for the book jacket. 

But it didn't end there.

Those early conversations with Bill (and other leaders at CAIA) only served as a launching pad for additional opportunities to collaborate with one another - guest blog posts, webinars, etc. It became abundantly clear how much philosophical alignment there was between CAIA's mission and my own personal conviction around education, transparency, and putting the client first. 

As alternative investments continue to broaden in their accessibility and play a more meaningful role in the portfolios of the future for individual investors, financial advisors will by necessity need to develop their competencies in this arena. It is with that notion in mind that I am proud to announce I will be serving on the advisory council of UniFi by CAIA™, a just-announced learning platform dedicated to educating the private wealth management industry on alternative investments.

UniFi is designed to be self-paced, customizable and flexible, offering a range of education options - from broad-based certificates to micro-credentials and individual modules. You can think of UniFi as a "choose your own adventure" form of learning about alternatives. Here is a brief overview video from Aaron Filbeck, managing director and head of UniFi by CAIA at CAIA Association:

As part of the advisory council, along with some of the leading alternatives-focused wealth and asset management industry executives, I'll have the opportunity to help shape the future of this exiting new program. I can't wait to witness firsthand the benefits that UniFi by CAIA™ brings to our profession in the years ahead!