|
|
|
Venado's Three Qs:
Quality Service, Quality Investments, and Quality Business
Quality Service, Quality Investments, and Quality Business
Quality, at its core, means more than performance — it means resilience. We invest in strategies designed not only to withstand challenging conditions, but to adapt and thrive through them. We're building a resilient business — one that aims to navigate cycles, manage risk, and stay true to its purpose over time. This resilience allows us to deliver what matters most to our clients: long-term confidence, stability, and peace of mind.
Venado manages investment strategies for individuals, families, businesses, and non-profits. Our founder, Greg Toppe, has been in the investment business for over three decades and founded Venado in 2023 as a reflection of these core beliefs and principles that continue to guide the firm’s mission and culture:
Venado manages investment strategies for individuals, families, businesses, and non-profits. Our founder, Greg Toppe, has been in the investment business for over three decades and founded Venado in 2023 as a reflection of these core beliefs and principles that continue to guide the firm’s mission and culture:
- Desire to Serve Others – As a fiduciary, our commitment is to putting clients first, always.
- Passion for the Craft – A deep respect for the discipline of investing and the pursuit of excellence.
- Intellectual Curiosity – A relentless drive to learn, question, and grow in a constantly evolving investment landscape.
- Independent Mindedness – The courage to think differently and act decisively, even when it's not the popular path.
|
Gregory Toppe, CFA
|
Greg brings over 25 years of extensive finance and investment expertise to the table. His diverse background encompasses research and portfolio management, investment counseling, mergers and acquisitions, as well as institutional sales and service.
A pivotal part of Greg's career includes his role as an analyst and subsequently as a portfolio manager at Kayne Anderson Rudnick. There, he successfully managed a portfolio exceeding $800 million, covering large, small, and mid-cap stocks. Greg also served as a portfolio manager at Trivant Portfolio Group, an analyst, and assistant portfolio manager at Mt. Eden Investment Advisors, and an analyst and Senior Vice President/client portfolio manager at Fisher Investments.
Greg holds an MBA from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and a BA from Marquette University. Greg also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. While originally from Wisconsin and having left a piece of his heart in San Francisco, he proudly calls Thousand Oaks home. Here, together with his wife, Kristine, they are raising their three children and a rescue dog.
In his leisure time, you can find Greg coaching youth basketball, casting a fly line in the Sierra’s, or engrossed in a history book at his favorite coffee shop.
A pivotal part of Greg's career includes his role as an analyst and subsequently as a portfolio manager at Kayne Anderson Rudnick. There, he successfully managed a portfolio exceeding $800 million, covering large, small, and mid-cap stocks. Greg also served as a portfolio manager at Trivant Portfolio Group, an analyst, and assistant portfolio manager at Mt. Eden Investment Advisors, and an analyst and Senior Vice President/client portfolio manager at Fisher Investments.
Greg holds an MBA from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and a BA from Marquette University. Greg also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. While originally from Wisconsin and having left a piece of his heart in San Francisco, he proudly calls Thousand Oaks home. Here, together with his wife, Kristine, they are raising their three children and a rescue dog.
In his leisure time, you can find Greg coaching youth basketball, casting a fly line in the Sierra’s, or engrossed in a history book at his favorite coffee shop.
|
Joyce Ezaki
|
Joyce is the Director of Marketing and Operations at Venado Investment Advisors, where she is responsible for implementing and developing firmwide marketing and communication strategies. Prior to joining Venado, Joyce held a similar position at American Realty Advisors, where she oversaw a team responsible for marketing the firm’s real estate investment vehicles as well as providing client service to the firm’s institutional investors. Joyce started her career at Wilshire Associates, where she provided clients with an array of investment consulting services including: asset allocation studies, investment manager monitoring, RFP analysis, and benchmark analysis. She has over a decade of experience working with institutional investors spanning the range from large public pension funds and Taft-Hartley plans to foundations and endowments. Joyce holds a B.A. degree in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles. She currently lives in Thousand Oaks with her husband and two sons.
Aside from work, Joyce is an avid volunteer and has served as an Executive Board member, School Site Council Parent Representative, and GATE-DAC Parent Representative for her children’s elementary school. She also volunteers at the San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center, where she is a parent representative and has co-chaired multiple events to raise funds for their youth basketball program. Joyce first crossed paths with Venado founder Greg Toppe when she served as team manager for Greg’s son’s soccer team.
Aside from work, Joyce is an avid volunteer and has served as an Executive Board member, School Site Council Parent Representative, and GATE-DAC Parent Representative for her children’s elementary school. She also volunteers at the San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center, where she is a parent representative and has co-chaired multiple events to raise funds for their youth basketball program. Joyce first crossed paths with Venado founder Greg Toppe when she served as team manager for Greg’s son’s soccer team.
Advisory Board
James Fletcher, CFA
James is the founder and chief investment officer of Ethos Investment Management, a Utah based money manager focused on small cap emerging markets equities. Prior to founding Ethos, he was a portfolio manager at APG Asset Management, one of the largest public pensions in the world. James and Greg previously worked together at Kayne Anderson Rudnick where he developed the firm’s emerging markets strategy.
James is also the founder of Young Investors Society, a global non-profit that enhances financial literacy of high school students around the world. James lives in Park City, UT with his wife and five children. |
Matt Kelly, CFA
Matt founded and has served as portfolio manager at MRKF Capital, an investment management firm, since May 2020. Previously he was a director and trader at First Eagle Investment Management (formerly THL Credit Inc.) from 2017 to May 2020 and a vice president and senior credit analyst from 2006 to 2017. In addition, he currently serves on the board of directors of Lendway, Inc., a publicly held company with operations in in-store advertising and non-bank lending. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Miami University and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin. Matt and Greg are long-time friends having sharpened their analytical tools together in Madison.
|