Team
Amy Bush, CFA
Chief Investment Officer
Amy Bush, Chief Investment Strategist, brings over 25 years of investment management experience to Tandem. She spent most of her career with Victory Capital Management in various functions including performance analytics, credit analysis, trading, portfolio management and as a fixed-income product specialist. Focusing on the convertible securities market, she co-managed a $1.5 billion portfolio for both institutional and retail clients, including a mutual fund that earned a Lipper award for 5-year performance. Managing this hybrid asset class for nearly 20 years gave her the unique opportunity to study both the US equity and fixed-income markets throughout her career. Bush’s objective is to utilize her experience investing through multiple market cycles to help clients safely and soundly reach their investment goals. She holds a BS in Business with a concentration in Finance from Miami University and an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Case Western Reserve University. Additionally, she is a holder of the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation.
C. Angus Schaal, CFP®
Senior Managing Director
C. Angus Schaal, Founder and Senior Managing Director, has over 20 years of investment management experience. A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, he is an honors graduate of Marlboro College, with additional studies at Cleveland State University and Arizona State University. Schaal worked with Victory Capital Management, a former investment subsidiary of Key Bank, where he administered portfolios for individuals, businesses and non-profits. Schaal specializes in streamlining complex investment situations and integrating client values and goals with the most appropriate investment strategies to create low-cost, efficient portfolios. His objective is to preserve, protect and grow the capital of clients so they have the ability to sustain their standard of living during retirement. Schaal has been published in the Journal of Financial Planning and quoted on Forbes.com, InvestmentNews.com, and USAToday.com.
Professional Designations
The Certified Financial Planner™ and CFP® (collectively, the “CFP® marks”) are professional certification marks granted in the United States by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (“CFP® Board”). The CFP® certification is a voluntary certification; no federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners to hold CFP® certification. The CFP® is recognized in the United States and a number of other countries for its (1) high standard of professional education; (2) stringent code of conduct and standards of practice; and (3) ethical requirements that govern professional engagements with clients. To earn the credential, each CFP® candidate must have a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university and three years of full-time personal financial planning experience. In addition, candidates must take the CFP® Certification examination and complete a CFP® -board registered program or hold an accepted designation, degree, or license. Every two years, CFP® certificate holders must complete a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education. More information regarding the CFP® is available at http://www.cfp.net.
The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter is a globally respected, graduate-level investment credential established in 1962 and awarded by CFA Institute—the largest global association of investment professionals. There are currently more than 107,000 CFA charterholders working in 135 countries. To earn the CFA charter, candidates must: 1) pass three sequential, six-hour examinations; 2) have at least four years of qualified professional investment experience; 3) join CFA Institute as members; and 4) commit to abide by, and annually reaffirm, their adherence to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct.
High Ethical Standards
The CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct, enforced through an active professional conduct program, require CFA charterholders to:
• Place their clients’ interests ahead of their own
• Maintain independence and objectivity
• Act with integrity
• Maintain and improve their professional competence
• Disclose conflicts of interest and legal matters
Global Recognition
Passing the three CFA exams is a difficult feat that requires extensive study (successful candidates report spending an average of 300 hours of study per level). Earning the CFA charter demonstrates mastery of many of the advanced skills needed for investment analysis and decision making in today’s quickly evolving global financial industry. As a result, employers and clients are increasingly seeking CFA charterholders—often making the charter a prerequisite for employment.
Additionally, regulatory bodies in 23 countries/territories recognize the CFA charter as a proxy for meeting certain licensing requirements, and more than 125 colleges and universities around the world have incorporated a majority of the CFA Program curriculum into their own finance courses.
Comprehensive and Current Knowledge
The CFA Program curriculum provides a comprehensive framework of knowledge for investment decision making and is firmly grounded in the knowledge and skills used every day in the investment profession. The three levels of the CFA Program test a proficiency with a wide range of fundamental and advanced investment topics, including ethical and professional standards, fixed-income and equity analysis, alternative and derivative investments, economics, financial reporting standards, portfolio management, and wealth planning.
The CFA Program curriculum is updated every year by experts from around the world to ensure that candidates learn the most relevant and practical new tools, ideas, and investment and wealth management skills to reflect the dynamic and complex nature of the profession.
To learn more about the CFA charter, visit www.cfainstitute.org.
Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist (CRPS®)
Minimum Qualifications for the Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist (CRPS®) Designation
Individuals who hold the CRPS® designation have completed a course of study encompassing design, installation, maintenance and administration of retirement plans. Additionally, individuals must pass an end-of-course examination that tests their ability to synthesize complex concepts and apply theoretical concepts to real-life situations. All designees have agreed to adhere to Standards of Professional Conduct and are subject to a disciplinary process. Designees renew their designation every two years by completing 16 hours of continuing education, reaffirming adherence to the Standards of Professional Conduct and complying with self-disclosure requirements.