AMHERST, MASS. and SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO (August 6, 2015) - This week, William Kelly, Chief Executive Officer of the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association (CAIA), lead a delegation to Puerto Rico to personally welcome the first-ever CAIA Charter recipients from the island.
“We are thrilled to welcome our first two CAIA Members who call Puerto Rico home,” said Kelly. “As a young organization, we still have many firsts ahead of us, and celebrating important milestones like this is something we’re proud to do — whether that means welcoming the first Member in a new market such as Puerto Rico, establishing partnerships with some of the finest universities in the world, or collaborating with regulatory agencies striving to raise the bar for alternative investment education.”
Enrique “Quique” Martí Ruiz, CAIA, VP Senior Analyst with Santander Securities, and Paul Hopgood, CAIA, President of Atlas Asset Management LLC, both completed the rigorous two-part CAIA Charter exam earlier this year and are now part of a global community of Charterholders numbering more than 7,700.
“CAIA has been bringing together the diverse field of alternative investments and setting a standard of excellence,” said Martí Ruiz. “It is an honor to become a CAIA Member and help bring its presence to Puerto Rico, a region where the alternative investments are growing rapidly.”
The CAIA Association offers the only professional designation uniquely designed for individuals specializing in institutional-quality alternative investments. The CAIA Charter, which is granted upon successful completion of two levels of qualifying exams combined with relevant professional experience and membership in the Association, is the global benchmark for alternative investment education.
“It is a privilege to be a part of a leading global educational organization in the field of alternative investments,” said Hopgood. “There has been significant growth in alternative investments, both in Puerto Rico and around the world, in recent years, and the need to establish a benchmark for education and knowledge along with high ethical standards has become increasingly important.”
The CAIA Association has grown rapidly since its inception in 2002 to Members in 80+ countries. The Association supports Chapters in financial centers around the world. In just the last several months, new Chapters have been launched in China, Cayman Islands, Australia and Texas, as well as in the form of a Virtual Chapter that brings together more than 2,000 Members from far-flung locations in more than 60 countries that do not have a physical Chapter.
In addition to Chapter activities, CAIA sponsors more than 120 educational and networking events each year and has 32 academic partnerships with leading universities, including 13 in the Americas, 10 in EMEA, and nine in Asia Pacific.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos of Mr. Kelly with the CAIA Charter recipients are available.
About the CAIA Association
The CAIA Association is the world leader in alternative investment education, offering the only education pro-gram uniquely designed for individuals specializing in institutional-quality alternative investments. The Association is best known for the CAIA Charter, an internationally recognized credential granted upon successful completion of a rigorous two-level exam series, combined with relevant work experience. Earning the CAIA Charter is the gateway to becoming a Member of the CAIA Association, a global network of more than 7,700 alternative investment professionals located in more than 80 countries. CAIA also offers the Fundamentals of Alternative Investments Certificate Program (Fundamentals), an introductory-level online course, designed to provide a foundation in the core concepts in alternative investing. This program represents a natural extension of CAIA’s mission to provide solutions to specific market needs for alternative investment education.
To learn more about the CAIA Association, contact Deborah McLean (413) 253-7373 or dmclean@caia.org. For more information on the CAIA Charter, please visit caia.org.
