Menu
Garda Capital Partners was founded by Jeff Drobny in January 2015. He is the chief investment officer, a position that requires him to provide strategic direction on investment strategies to clients, as well as provide leadership over the whole firm. When Jeff Drobny is not working or enjoying his homes in Minnesota and Arizona, Mr. Drobny spends his time off travelling. With summer fast approaching, travel experts have released a list of useful tips for tourists who want to travel on a budget. First, they advise people to sign up for fare alerts and fare-tracking websites for better deals. Another way to save money when planning a trip is to consider booking one-way tickets. Experts suggest that a traveler will not only get a better itinerary by scheduling their own departure times, but also save a significant amount of money. They say that a one-way ticket from different airlines will usually cost less than a round-trip fare from the same airline. Budget carriers offer discount rates, but some airlines are matching these prices by removing extra fees for carry-on bags and additional luggage. Experts also suggest looking for flight and hotel vacation packages. Lastly, travelers can check to see which day of the week flights are cheaper. Often times it cost less to fly on the weekdays rather than the weekend. But when booking on a budget experts want travelers to consider all of their needs and to take their time.
0 Comments
Jeff Drobny is the founder and chief investment officer of Garda Capital Partners, a global alternative asset management firm based in Minnesota. He established the company, in January 2015, along with two partners committed to a common goal for investors. Outside of work Jeff Drobny has lavish interests that include Italian history, travel, wine and vintage cars. Vintage car connoisseurs may take interest in the contents of the British Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) on the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean. Hundreds of cars, motorcycles, and buses are stored in a compound in Episkopi. They have been there since 1975, when the Turkish invasion of the island forced thousands of residents to abandon their homes, as well as their vintage vehicles, when relocating across the border. Each vehicle is has been photographed and uploaded online with a description. Officers for the SBA Administration are hoping that the owners will be able to find their vehicles so that they can be returned. Unfortunately, many of them are now rusty and in need of major repairs. A part-time resident of Scottsdale, AZ, Jeffrey Steven “Jeff” Drobny is the founder, managing partner and chief investment officer of Garda Capital Partners in Minneapolis, MN, bringing his over twenty years of experience in the financial services industry to bear in managing a firm that has been named three times as one of the top hedge funds. While Garda Capital began as a part of Cargill subsidiary Black River Asset Management, on February 1, 2016, Black River Asset Management “spun off” Garda Capital. Jeff Drobny remains as managing partner; Garda Capital retained all its investors and continues to manage about $2 billion in assets. So, if very little changed apart from the company’s independence what does it mean when a company is “spun-off,” and why does it matter? A spin-off occurs when a firm divests itself of a portion of its business, say a specific department or a specific line of products. Typically, the value of the new company created is distributed among the former parent company’s shareholders as a stock dividend, though the company may also offer to exchange shareholders’ shares in one company for another. Spin-offs matter because the parent company and the newly independent company tend to be valued higher independently than they were together. This is, in part, due to the fact that each can better specialize. Furthermore, the parent company has fewer liabilities and therefore experiences an increase in stock value. In general, the company that is spun-off experiences a stronger increase in value than the parent company. A veteran financial professional with significant risk management experience, Jeffrey (“Jeff”) Steven Drobny oversees operations at Garda Capital Partners, the Minneapolis, MN-based company he cofounded in 2015. Jeff Drobny also maintains an interest in the Scottsdale, AZ, area where he has a second home. Financial risk management professionals rely more and more on computing power and technology each year, allowing algorithms to assist them as they review data and attempt to mitigate or encourage risk. Machine learning describes a category of computerized data analysis in which a computer or program appears to be learning. Instead of programming it to complete very specific functions, developers create complex algorithms that allow the machine to compile, analyze, and make use of new inputs on its own. These algorithms are especially valuable in risk management because of their capacity to recognize patterns and predict future behavior. Several large banks in Europe have already shifted from traditional statistical analysis to machine-learning based modeling. Thus far, results indicate a substantial increase in new product sales and an impressive 20 percent decline in capital expenditure. Jeffery “Jeff” Drobny, a former resident of Scottdale, AZ, currently serves as a managing partner and chief investment officer at Minneapolis, MN company Garda Capital Partners. Jeff Droby supports several charitable organizations, include Sharing and Caring Hands. Sharing and Caring Hands is a safety-net organization founded in 1985 to provide help to those who are unable to receive help from the welfare system. One of Sharing and Caring Hands’ largest programs is called Mary’s Place, which offers transitional apartments for homeless families. The apartment complex was built using private donations, and includes 100 safe, fully-furnished apartments. Mary’s Place includes 68 large apartments for families of 5-12 people, and 32 smaller apartments for families of 3-5 people. Each of these apartments includes a bathroom, a kitchen, a phone with voicemail, and a television, among other amenities. The complex, which can house at least 500 people at one time, is made fully secure with a 24-hour staffed lobby and ID card entry. In addition to living quarters, Mary’s Place includes a free laundry facility, a playroom for children, a computer room, meeting spaces, a chapel, and a medical clinic. There are also several outdoor facilities, including a playground and basketball courts. Mary’s Place has two large classrooms within the complex where residents can receive tutoring each afternoon. They also provide residents with access to five full-time family advocates, who can assist families with goal planning and help them to obtain housing outside of Mary’s Place. In addition, Mary’s Place offers residents a tenant-training course and budgeting information to help struggling families improve their lives. Jeff Drobny is a managing partner and chief investment officer for Garda Capital Partners in Minneapolis, MN, and is a former resident of Scottsdale, AZ. Jeff Drobny is a supporter of various charitable organizations within his local community, including Abbey’s Hope Charitable Foundation, which works to prevent dangers to community members, especially children, associated with swimming.
One notable annual event that is held for the benefit of Abbey’s Hope is called The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson, which sought to become a record-breaking event in 2015. The event, held in the month of June, was created to provide as many local residents as possible with information about water safety and drowning prevention. A goal of Abbey’s Hope is to provide the life-saving skill of swimming to as many children as possible. Statistically, drowning is the second leading cause of unintended death in children under the age of 15, and research suggests that children who don’t learn to swim by the third grade may never learn. The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson is meant to be a worldwide event, with waterparks, pools, and other aquatic facilities throughout the world each hosting a simultaneous swimming lesson to break a Guinness World Record. In 2014, the event brought in approximately 500 participants, coming very close to breaking this record. The free swimming lesson is a basic lesson lasting 30 minutes, and teaches both children and adults of all skill levels the basic swimming skills of entering and exiting the water, breathing in water, floating, and kicking. Last year’s WLSL was held on June 18, 2015 at the Edina Aquatic Center and throughout the world. A resident of Scottsdale, AZ, finance executive Jeff Drobny is a prolific philanthropist whose supported charities range from pool safety movements to cancer research. For more information about his professional life, see www.cargill.com. Aside from work, Jeff Dronby donates to the Children's Cancer Research Fund (CCRF), an organization that has pioneered revolutionary childhood cancer treatments through the years.
Founded in 1981, the CCRF invests with the help of its donors and corporate partners in seeking new ways to prevent, treat, and cure cancer. Through its provision of seed funds to a roster of top-brass medical scientists, the organization has helped to introduce several new cancer therapies over the years. The CCRF supports many research focus areas. Foremost is leukemia research, as leukemia is the most common type of cancer among children. Another critical focus area is brain cancer, which is the deadliest type of childhood cancer. Sarcomas form another focus area due to the difficult-to-treat nature of their malignancy. Apart from these specific types of cancer, other research focus areas include epidemiological inquiries, genetic diseases, and cancer survivorship; the latter tackles current health issues that related to the treatment of childhood cancer. While Jeff Drobny retains a residence in Scottsdale, AZ, his primary home is in Minnesota, where he serves as a principal and a chief investment officer at Black River Asset Management, LLC. Working in Hopkins, Minnesota, Jeff Drobny manages hedge fund activities for the investment firm. He also supports the Minneapolis-based Sharing & Caring Hands charity. Sharing & Caring Hands provides a range of services to assist people in need with meals, housing, medical and dental care, and other essentials. The organization serves hot meals Mondays through Thursdays three times a day; two meals are prepared daily on Saturdays and Sundays. Families with children also may collect bags of groceries Mondays and Thursdays. Dental extractions and fillings are offered when dentists are available; patients should call to inquire about dental clinic times. A medical clinic opens on Wednesdays. In terms of housing, assistance in securing apartments is available for families with two or more minor children. In addition, the organization provides beds on a first-come, first-served basis to people who recently have moved into a new home or apartment. The beds are delivered within Minneapolis and some surrounding areas. People not living in the delivery area may arrange to pick up a bed. Jeffrey Steven Drobny serves as chief investment officer and a managing partner of Garda Capital Partners, an internationally focused investment firm he co-founded in 2015. Jeffrey Drobny's direction of the company, headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, is based in part on his extensive experience with previous employer Cargill Inc. Jeff Drobny and his partners at Garda Capital offer a range of fixed-income alternative investment opportunities. Mr. Drobny is also a vintage automobile enthusiast and a dedicated traveler with a love of Italian culture. For any lover of Italian cars, the Maserati is among the most prized luxury brands. In 2014, Maserati celebrated its centennial year in business. The Maserati brothers came from the town of Voghera in Lombardy, Italy. The eldest brother, Carlo, achieved renown as an engine designer and race car driver before his early death. All five surviving brothers made contributions to the development of their brand. Alfieri, Ernesto, and Ettore Maserati set up an office in Bologna in 1914, all three heavily engaged in both the mechanical and commercial sides of their enterprise. When Alfieri died in 1932, Bindo Maserati joined his brothers in the company. Mario, an artist, was the only brother not to maintain an interest in the technical side of the business, although he is usually credited with designing the company’s world-famous trident logo. Graduating with a bachelor’s degree from Union College concentrating in economics and philosophy, Jeff Drobny went on to become a senior financial trader for Cargill’s financial markets group in London, England. After transferring back to the United States, where he owns a home in Scottsdale, Arizona, Jeffrey Drobny began managing Cargill’s risk management directional trading businesses. In September 2015 it was announced that Cargill would split off into separate employee-owned firms that would each concentrate on different line items, such as private equity and emerging-market credit. This announcement came with the idea that with a change in Cargill’s management, employee-controlled firms would be better off directly serving their investors. In early 2016, Minneapolis, MN-based Garda Capital Partners took over the investment management responsibilities of Black River Asset Management LLC with the consent of its investors. Black River was the original spin-off of Cargill, serving as a private equity and hedge fund firm. |
AuthorJeff Drobny serves as a principal and a chief investment officer with Black River Asset Management, an investment company with 13 offices in 11 countries. Archives
September 2017
Categories
All
|