Seattle Now Home to the Newest Chapter of the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association

Global leader in alternative investment education brings together the region’s asset managers, asset owners, consultants and others from the investment landscape AMHERST, MASS. (March 24, 2017) – The Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association, a global leader in alternative investment education, has made Seattle the home of its newest Chapter, it was announced today. With this launch, CAIA now has 29 Chapters worldwide, 11 of which are in the U.S. CAIA Seattle will provide educational and networking opportunities for a wide range of participants in Seattle’s vibrant alternative investment community, including CAIA Members, CAIA Designation Candidates, educational institutions, and other alternative investment industry participants. “Seattle is not only the largest city in the Pacific Northwest but also home to a large, and growing, number of alternative investment managers, as well as major asset allocators, financial consultants and other service providers to the space,” said William J. Kelly, CEO of CAIA. “With CAIA Seattle, alternative investment practitioners of all stripes will have a common meeting ground to share ideas and help further build this community.” CAIA Seattle is led by Geir Watland, CAIA, President of Viking Financial Consulting, LLC, who is joined by Chapter Executives Chris Carley, CAIA, Managing Partner, Keiretsu Capital; Lisa Cavallari, CAIA, Director, Fixed Income Derivatives and Commodities, Russell Investments Implementations Services; Susan Freese, CAIA, Investment Officer, Washington State Investment Board; and Erik Lehr, CAIA, Director of Research, Empirical Wealth Management. “My colleagues and I are looking forward to working with local investment professionals and societies, and to partnering with area educational institutions to serve our local Members and help new candidates learn about the benefits of CAIA Membership,” said Mr. Watland. “We have an exciting calendar of events in the works that we are eager to share with the Seattle marketplace.” The CAIA Association offers the only credential focused on the alternative investment space and has become the global benchmark for alternative investment education. The CAIA Charter, an educational designation uniquely designed for individuals specializing in institutional-quality alternative investments, is granted upon successful completion of two levels of qualifying exams combined with relevant professional experience and joining the Association membership. The Association now supports 29 global Chapters in financial centers in Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America, as well as a Virtual Chapter that brings together members from far-flung locations in more than 60 countries. CAIA sponsors more than 120 educational and networking events each year and has dozens of academic partnerships with leading universities in the Americas, EMEA, and the Asia Pacific region. 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 8,700 alternative investment professionals located in more than 90 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. The CAIA Foundation partners with leading industry organizations to increase knowledge and talent in the field of alternative investing. Please visit http://foundation.caia.org for more information. 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. # # #