Loring Ward Investment Committee

For over two decades, Loring Ward has provided portfolio management and back-office services to a select group of America’s most knowledgeable and successful Independent Financial Advisors and their clients. Loring Ward helps Independent Wealth Management Groups like Taylor Stephens Inc. manage more than $16.6 billion in assets as of December 2017. Loring Ward is headquartered in San Jose, California.


Harry M. Markowitz, PhD

Harry M. Markowitz is best known for winning the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 1990 for his work on portfolio selection. In his distinguished career, Dr. Markowitz has served in various academic posts at many universities, including Rutgers University and UCLA. Recognized as the father of Modern Portfolio Theory, Dr. Markowitz is a professor of finance in the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego. He received his PhD in Economics from the University of Chicago.

Meir Statman, PhD

Meir Statman is the Glenn Klimek Professor of Finance at the Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University. His research focuses on how investors and managers make financial decisions and how these decisions are reflected in financial markets. His research has been published in many publications, including The Journal of Finance and The Journal of Financial Economics. Dr. Statman received his PhD from Columbia University.

Larry Swedroe

Chief Research Officer

Larry Swedroe is the Chief Research Officer for Buckingham and has authored or co-authored over a dozen books and is regularly published on ETF.com and Advisor Perspectives. Larry also regularly reviews the findings published in dozens of peer-reviewed financial journals, evaluates the outcomes and uses the results to inform the firm’s formal investment strategy recommendations. Larry holds an MBA in finance and investment from New York University, and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Baruch College in New York.

Alex Potts

Chairman, Advisor Services

Alex Potts is the Chairman of Advisor Services for Loring Ward and BAM Advisor Services. Previously, he was President and CEO of Loring Ward and before that, he was the COO of LWI Financial, Inc. Potts earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from Santa Clara University.

Jared Kizer, CFA

Chief Investment Officer

Jared Kizer is the Chief Investment Officer for BAM Advisor Services and he collaborates daily with advisors and clients, helping investors better understand the complicated concepts that can have a tangible effect on their financial lives. Jared and his team evaluate findings from academic research and apply that learning to develop investment strategy recommendations. Jared holds a master’s degree in finance from Washington University in St. Louis.

Kevin Grogan, CFA, CFP®

Director of Investment Strategy

Kevin Grogan is the Director of Investment Strategy for Buckingham. He analyzes the latest research in investment and finance to draw practical applications and apply findings to help clients improve the structure of their portfolios and achieve their goals. He has co-authored two books about investing and holds an MBA from Saint Louis University and a Bachelor’s of Science in Finance from Missouri State University in Springfield.

Sheldon P. McFarland

Vice President, Portfolio Strategy & Research

Sheldon McFarland serves as Vice President of Portfolio Strategy & Research at Loring Ward. His responsibilities include management of the Portfolio Strategy Group, oversight of the Investment Planning Center and development of tools to support Advisors. McFarland earned his MBA from Santa Clara University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Brigham Young University.

Jonathan Scheid

CFA, AIF, Vice President, Portfolio Strategy & Education

Jonathan Scheid is Vice President of Portfolio Strategy & Education at Loring Ward. He is responsible for developing and implementing investment research in a way that helps communicate the merits of our investment philosophy to advisors and investors. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business, with an emphasis in Finance, and a minor in Computer Engineering from Santa Clara University. Jonathan also has earned his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Accredited Investment Fiduciary® designations.