Brad Meeks Part of Select Alumni at CFA Round Table
Brad Meeks, Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Senior Portfolio Manager at Madison, recently participated in a CFA Round Table hosted by Miami University’s Farmer School of Business. Brad was part of select alumni and executives who provided an introduction and overview of the CFA Institute and path toward becoming a CFA charterholder – the preparation and study involved, the costs, and potential career paths. The Round Table discussion included key faculty members from the Department of Finance, students, and the Dean’s staff. The day culminated in Brad guest-lecturing two investment and securities classes to undergraduates in the Farmer School of Business.
Brad is one of four on the Madison team who has earned the right to use the CFA designation CFA. Most of our professionals have attained either the CFA or CFP® (Certified Financial Planner) designation. What is involved with getting your CFA certification and passing all three Levels of the CFA? Quite a lot.
The CFA Institute has strict requirements that every candidate must meet. In fact, the process is so difficult that only 1 in 5 prospective candidates are expected to earn the respected title of Chartered Financial Analyst.
The CFA Institute requires candidates pass three, six hour exams, with each of the levels of the CFA Program requiring 300-plus hours of preparation via a challenging self-study curriculum. Upon passing all three exams, candidates also must accrue four years’ of acceptable professional work experience in an investment decision-making capacity. A candidate must then join the CFA Institute, where they can receive continuing education and become an affiliate of a local chapter.
Brad believes, and Madison agrees, that earning a CFA “gives you a strong foundation of advanced investment analysis and portfolio management skills for the benefit of your clients.” Moreover, CFA charterholders recognize that trust is key to building a strong client-adviser relationship and are bound by the highest ethical standards — the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct. Simply put, our clients’ interests come first.