2025 Elite Private Wealth CIOs Part 3

Jeffrey Garden is the Chief Investment Officer at Lido Advisors, where he leads investment strategy, portfolio construction, and risk management. As Co-Chairman of the Investment Committee, he plays a key role in shaping investment policies and risk management strategies to align with client objectives. Garden specializes in evaluating opportunities across equities, debt, and alternative assets, leveraging both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to optimize tactical and strategic asset allocations.

Before joining Lido in 2014 as a Senior Research Analyst, Garden served as Lead Investment Consultant at Union Bank of Israel’s flagship Diamond District International Private Banking branch. There, he managed the largest private client portfolios, overseeing asset allocation, portfolio construction, and risk management across global markets.
Garden holds an MBA from The Open University of Israel, a Master of Applied Data Science from the University of Michigan, and a bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University.
He is a CFA charterholder and previously served as a Captain in the IDF Combat Intelligence Corps.

Rafia Hasan is the Chief Investment Officer at Perigon Wealth Management, where she leads the firm’s investment strategies and provides critical support to its growing advisor team. She chairs Perigon’s Investment Committee and oversees the investment and trading team, ensuring advisors have the resources necessary to deliver best-in-class investment solutions to clients. Prior to joining Perigon, Hasan served as Chief Investment Officer at Wipfli Financial Advisors and previously worked at Dimensional Fund Advisors, where she advised RIA firms on portfolio construction and asset allocation. Her experience also includes investment roles at Citibank’s Emerging Markets Corporate Bank and Credit Suisse’s Alternative Investments Division. Hasan holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and math from Wellesley College and an MBA from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.

Andrew Mehalko is the Chief Investment Officer and a partner at FFT Wealth Management, where he leads the firm’s investment strategy with a focus on serving the complex needs of ultra-high-net-worth families. With more than 30 years of experience in investment management, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the firm's objective, high-value investment culture.

Before joining FFT, Mehalko was the Founder and CIO of AM Global Family Investment Office. Previously, he spent 12 years at GenSpring Family Offices, where he served as CIO and helped grow assets under advisement from $450 million to over $20 billion. During his tenure, he developed and managed the firm’s discretionary investment philosophy, helping to establish GenSpring as a leader in the family office space.

Mehalko is a Chartered Financial Analyst and has served on the Investment Committee Board for the University of North Carolina Greensboro Endowment Investment Fund. He is a member of The Economic Club of New York and holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

Michael Crook is the Chief Investment Officer at Mill Creek Capital Advisors, where he oversees the firm’s investment strategy and leads the Investment Committee. He is responsible for guiding asset allocation decisions, managing the investment team, and overseeing manager due diligence.

Prior to joining Mill Creek, Crook was a Managing Director at UBS, where he led the Investment Strategy team, providing asset allocation and market insights to clients. He previously held investment roles at Lehman Brothers and Barclays and worked as a research fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research.

An active voice in the investment community, Crook regularly shares insights through industry publications, conferences, and media appearances. His research has been featured in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Wealth Management and the Journal of Investing, and he has also served as an adjunct professor of economics.
Crook holds an M.S. in Economics from New York University and a B.S. from the University of Georgia. He is a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst and volunteers as a mentor for veterans and college students.

Alan McKnight is an Executive Vice President and serves as the Chief Investment Officer for Regions Asset Management. In this role, he is responsible for overall investment strategy, portfolio and risk management, portfolio construction, and oversight for approximately $70BN in assets under management and $150BN in assets under advisement. In addition, he is responsible for the development and execution of investment policies, strategy, and tactics, chairman of the Investment Working Group and a member of the Asset Liability Committee. He also serves as the chief spokesperson on portfolio strategy, asset allocation and overall markets for Regions.

Prior to joining Regions in 2015, McKnight was a managing director and Head of Institutional Investments for Truist, where he led the investment team associated with all institutional clients including foundations, endowments, defined benefit and 401K plans. He also previously served as the Chief Investment Officer for SunTrust Institutional Investment Advisors, as well as a portfolio manager with Equitable Asset Management and Morgan Stanley Asset Management.

McKnight has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Washington and Lee University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas at Austin. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the CFA Institute. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Central Outreach and Advocacy Center. He formerly served on the Board of the Alliance Theatre, Cherokee Garden Library, The New Normal Society (Autism Awareness) and the Investment Committee for the Woodruff Arts Center.

Andrew Kelsen leads the alternative investments strategy at Moneta, serving as the key link between partner teams, operations, and portfolio management. He is responsible for sourcing, conducting due diligence, and overseeing the firm's alternative investment solutions. Additionally, he provides strategic guidance on legacy alternative positions and produces research on evolving market trends. Committed to fostering expertise within the firm, Kelsen plays an active role in mentoring and knowledge-sharing across the investment team.

Susie Wang is a Director on Balentine’s Investment Strategy Team, where she plays a key role in shaping and refining the firm’s investment strategies. With more than a decade of experience in investment management and leadership, she brings deep expertise in portfolio strategy and asset allocation. Before joining Balentine in 2022, Wang served as Chief Investment Officer and Director of Investment Strategy at Dividend Assets Capital, LLC, where she also managed mutual funds for Goldman Sachs Asset Management.

Wang is a graduate of Northwood University in Montreal, Switzerland, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Later, she earned her MBA from Georgia Southern University. Wang holds Chartered Financial Analyst, Certified Sustainability and Climate Risk Professional, and Chartered Investment Counselor licensures.

Oscarlyn Elder is the Co-Chief Investment Officer at Truist Advisory Services, Inc., where she co-leads the Investment Advisory Group, overseeing investment research, sourcing, and allocation across traditional investments, hedge funds, private equity, and private debt. She also spearheads Truist Wealth’s diverse asset manager initiatives and advisor engagement strategies. With over 25 years in financial services, 20 of which have been in wealth and investment management—she has held key roles in equity analysis, portfolio strategy, and investment leadership, shaping the investment experience for Truist clients.

Prior to her current role, Elder led Truist’s wealth investment platform, driving the evolution of the firm’s high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth investment offerings. She also managed a team of investment professionals expanding Truist predecessor SunTrust’s presence in the Northeast and worked directly with clients in portfolio construction and management.

Elder is a member of the CFA Institute and the CAIA Association. She is also actively involved in community organizations, serving on the boards of the Virginia Council on Economic Education and the MCV Foundation, where she is treasurer and investment committee chair. She has held numerous leadership roles in nonprofit organizations, focusing on financial education, workforce development, and community engagement. Additionally, Elder hosts Truist Wealth’s podcast, “I’ve Been Meaning To Do That.”

Jeff Krumpelman is Chief Investment Strategist at Mariner Wealth Advisors and a member of the investment committee. He leads the firm’s equity team, overseeing research, portfolio construction, and security selection for large- and mid-cap equity strategies. He also contributes to asset allocation decisions and tactical investment strategies at the firm.

Prior to joining Mariner Wealth Advisors, Krumpelman was a senior portfolio manager at U.S. Bank, where he worked with private individuals and foundations. He previously served as head of investments at Hilliard Lyons Capital Management, managing a team of investment professionals and overseeing multiple equity strategies, including dividend growth, high yield, large-cap growth, and mid-cap core. Before Hilliard Lyons, he was director of core investment strategies at Fifth Third Asset Management and lead manager of the Fifth Third Dividend Growth portfolio.

Krumpelman holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from DePauw University and a Master’s in Management from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. He is a member of the CFA Society in Cincinnati.

Michael Sluder is the Chief Investment Officer at The Family Office at Synovus, where he leads the firm’s overall investment strategy and chairs the Investment Committee. He oversees all investment functions, including policy development, manager selection and due diligence, risk management, and strategic asset allocation. With a strong focus on customized solutions, he works closely with ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, and single-family offices to design investment strategies that align with their long-term objectives.

Before joining The Family Office at Synovus in 2006, Sluder gained experience in alternative investments, real estate, and multi-generational trust planning at a single-family office. Prior to that, he was a junior bond trader at SouthTrust Bank, identifying fixed-income opportunities for institutional clients.
Sluder holds a Master’s in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Alabama. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) charterholder, a faculty member of The Ultra High Net Worth Institute, and an active member of the Atlanta Society of Financial Analysts. He also serves on multiple limited partner advisory committees and frequently speaks on alternative investments.