Marian Miner Cook
Athenaeum

A distinctive
feature of social and
cultural life at CMC

 

Market Neutral Equity Investing 101 - A Brief History of the Multi-PM long/short equity Business Model

Thu, February 12, 2026
Dinner Program
Todd Barker '01

Todd Barker '01 will cover the historical evolution of the hedge fund industry that started out with funds holding long and short positions to cancel out the risk exposure to systematic market movements and has now transformed into the modern “pod shops” where multiple portfolio managers operate within a centralized framework consisting of guardrails around risk, capital allocation, leverage constraints, and the use of technological infrastructure. Students will learn how market-neutral equity investing strategies generate alpha by controlling factor exposure and how the pod-shop model allows for more efficiency in capital allocation, better risk management, and improved return performance over time. 

Todd Barker '01 is the co-founder, chief executive officer, and chief investment officer of Freestone Grove Capital, formed in February 2023. Prior to founding Freestone Grove Partners, Mr. Barker spent 17 years at Citadel. He joined the $38 billion firm in 2004 as an analyst and was appointed head of global equities primary strategies in 2005. In 2009, he was promoted to portfolio manager, and in 2012 was named regional co-head of global equities, San Francisco. Barker joined Surveyor Capital in 2016 and led the business for five years.

Prior to joining Citadel, Mr. Barker served as a financial analyst for the investment banking and equity capital markets divisions of Goldman, Sachs & Co. 

Barker earned a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from CMC and was  elected to CMC’s Board of Trustees in December 2022.

The panel discussion from 6:30 to 7 pm will focus on "Public vs. Private Markets" and the following panelists:

 

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Ben Herrick '04

Ben Herrick '04 is an associate portfolio manager on the Artisan Partners International Value Team. In this role, he oversees the research process and conducts fundamental research as a generalist. Prior to joining Artisan Partners in December 2015, Mr. Herrick was a senior equity analyst for Del Rey Global Investors. Earlier in his career, he was an equity analyst at Relational Investors, LLC, and started out his career as an equity analyst at TCW. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from CMC, an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, and is a CFA. He is a member of the FEI’s Board of Associates.

 

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Issac Richard III

 

Isaac Richard III is CEO of Mavros, a multi-family office and strategic advisor to some of the world’s most accomplished and influential entrepreneurs, visionaries, athletes, families and institutions. Mavros integrates a platform of family office, asset management and investment banking solutions continuing to shape the future of how significant wealth is managed, how capital is deployed and how legacies are extended across generations. Isaac manages the firm’s strategic direction and continues to serve select single-family office and UHNW clients. He earned his BA in Economics from Pitzer College and currently resides in Los Angeles. 
 

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Valay Shah '08

Valay Shah’08 is the Chief Financial Officer at C3 Industries, overseeing finance, treasury, accounting, corporate development, and investor relations. Prior to joining C3, Valay was a partner at Apollo Global Management, where he led industrial sector coverage for the Hybrid Value team and executed structured investments in companies such as Cimpress, MFA Financial, and WR Grace. He also helped form Venerable Holdings and previously held roles at Moelis & Company as an investment banker. Valay earned his BA in Mathematics and Economics with a concentration in Finance from Claremont McKenna College, graduating summa cum laude. He is a member of Board of Advisors of FEI and RLCIE.

 

Please note special schedule for this event:

5:30-6:00 p.m. Networking Reception
6:00-6:30 p.m. Dinner
6:30-7:00 p.m. Panel Discussion on "Public vs. Private Markets"
7:00-7:15 p.m. Q&A with the panelists
7:15-7:45 p.m. Keynote by Todd Barker '01
7:45-8:00 p.m. Q&A

Registration

Please login with your CMC account to sign up for this event.

Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum

Claremont McKenna College
385 E. Eighth Street
Claremont, CA 91711

Contact

Phone: (909) 621-8244 
Fax: (909) 621-8579 
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