Anthony Perala, CFA

Research Analyst

Years at Punch:

3

Years in the Industry:

10

Anthony knew the right opportunity to pursue his passion for small and microcap equity investing was out there but it required a little patience. After seven years honing his research skills for two different fixed income asset managers, he joined Punch & Associates as a Research Analyst.

Anthony graduated from The College of St. Scholastica with a B.A. in Economics and Villanova University with a M.S. in Finance. He lives in Plymouth with his wife and son. He is very thankful he doesn’t have to juggle chasing around a toddler and studying for the CFA exams, having become a CFA® charterholder in 2018. He enjoys traveling and hiking with his family, reading, and baseball.

 

 

 

CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute.

James Hannack

Research Analyst

Years at Punch:

3

Years in the Industry:

6

James joined Punch & Associates in September 2021 as an Associate Research Analyst. Previously, he worked as an analyst at a publicly traded regional bank where he assessed overall portfolio credit risk.

A Marquette University alumnus, James graduated with a double major in Finance and Accounting. He was a student analyst for Marquette’s Applied Investment Management Program covering the financial services sector. James completed Level One of the CFA® Program in early 2022 and Level Two in early 2023. He is currently studying for Level Three of the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. In his free time, he enjoys running, reading, and anything outside.

 

 

 

CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute.

Matthew Peterson

Systems Reconciliation Analyst

Years at Punch:

1

Years in Data and Project Management:

1

 

Matthew joined our team in May 2023 as a Systems Reconciliation Analyst. He diligently monitors our data across several platforms to ensure effective data management and integrity.

Prior to starting at Punch, Matthew worked for a local golf company in sales and support, and he also worked as an assistant golf professional. He graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato with a B.S. in Finance. He is currently taking a Google Data Analytics course. He lives in Spring Lake Park and loves living an active and healthy lifestyle. He frequents the gym and plays soccer multiple times a week. If you can’t find him at the gym or soccer field, chances are he is playing pickleball or golf.

Candice Larson

Senior Executive Assistant to the CEO

Years at Punch:

2

Years in Administration:

21

Personal Interests:
  • International Travel
  • Reading
  • Gardening

Candice Larson joins Punch & Associates with over twenty years of administrative experience. She spent seven years within UnitedHealth Group in administrative supervisory roles and as a project manager to the head of marketing at OptumHealth. She then served as the executive assistant to the Chairman & CEO of The Valspar Corporation. Before joining Punch, Candice started Mighty Girl Friday, a virtual executive assistant services LLC.

Candice attended California State Northridge and the University of Arizona where she studied archaeology and design.

Candice loves international travel and has seen much of the globe. She is a voracious reader and enjoys word games, mountain biking, gardening, yoga, music and is passionate about animals. She recently served on the board of directors for Minneapolis Animal Care and Control. Candice lives in Waconia with her husband, Steve and her rescue dog, Starla.

Julie Boehmke

Director of Administration

Years at Punch:

4

Years in Administration:

21

Personal Interests:
  • Cooking
  • Baking
  • Reading
  • Travel

Julie Boehmke is the firm’s Director of Administration.  Julie oversees much of the behind-the-scenes operations at Punch, including human resources and benefits, facilities management, and technology.
 
Julie joins us after many years in firm administration at several local law firms.  She has lots of experience wearing multiple hats and prides herself on adapting to any firm need.  Julie strives to bring a can-do attitude to her daily work and strongly believes the first step to solving any problem is to meet it with a smile.
 
At home, Julie enjoys spending time with her husband, Brian, and their two daughters.  They love living in the country in the south metro, although their farm life is limited to a large dog and two cats.  Julie also loves to cook and bake, read, and travel whenever she can.

Sam Sheldon

Research Analyst

Years at Punch:

8

Years in the Industry:

8

Personal Interests:
  • Boating
  • Packers Football
  • Golfing

Sam Sheldon joined Punch & Associates as an intern in June 2016, while attending the University of St. Thomas. After graduating in May 2018 with a BA in Financial Management, he joined the team full-time as an investment research analyst.

During his time at St. Thomas, Sam led the University’s Investment Club and is now studying for the CFA exams. Sam completed Level One of the CFA® Program in early 2023, and he is currently studying for Level Two of the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. In his free time, Sam enjoys boating on White Bear Lake, cheering for the Green Bay Packers, and playing an occasional round of golf.

Jessica Johnson

Managing Partner, Wealth Strategies Group

Years at Punch:

7

Years in Financial & Estate Planning:

21

Firm:
  • Photography
  • Biking

Jessica is involved in all aspects of our clients’ wealth planning. She brings a unique perspective to family conversations, having practiced trust, estate, and charitable planning law at a large local law firm for nearly a decade. Jessica is an advisor skilled in both family financial education and navigating complex planning opportunities. Above all, Jessica enjoys helping clients identify goals and feel organized and confident about their plan. 

Jessica received both her BA in Economics and JD from the University of Minnesota with honors.  She has been a frequent speaker at educational events for financial advisors, attorneys, and accountants. Jessica also served as an attorney advisor for the United States Tax Court. In her role at the court, she researched complex tax matters and wrote judicial opinions for estate, partnership, corporate, and individual tax cases. Prior to law school, Jessica began her career with a wealth management group.

Jessica grew up in Iowa and Wisconsin, and she now lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two children. She enjoys photography, foosball, and biking outdoors.

Paul Dwyer, CFA

Managing Partner & Director of Research

Years at Punch:

7

Years in the Industry:

17

Firm Activities:
  • Board of Directors, Secretary
  • Investment Committee

Paul has been investing in and working for public companies for over 15 years. Prior to joining Punch & Associates, Paul worked as a research analyst with another buy-side investment firm in town. He also experienced first-hand the trials and tribulations inherent with small-cap companies while working in corporate development and strategy for a publicly traded renewable fuels and chemicals company.

Paul graduated from Creighton University with a BSBA in Finance and Accounting and is a CFA® charterholder. Paul lives in Mendota Heights with his wife, Jenna, and their three young children. He enjoys reading, skiing, and anything that gets him outdoors.

 

 

CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute.

Bob Lynch

Senior Trader

Years at Punch:

12

Years in the Industry:

12

Personal Interests:
  • Wake Surfing
  • Jet Skiing
  • Snowboarding

The stock market called to Bob at a very young age, which is probably why he hightailed it to an internship at Punch during his collegiate years at the University of St. Thomas, where Bob graduated with a BA in Financial Management. There was something about the breakneck pace of trading and steep learning curve of investing that drew him in and never let go.

Now a full-time head trader, Bob spends the majority of his time monitoring the market and putting cash to work for clients. While many of his professional peers get caught up in the chaos of the trading environment, Bob opts for a cool, calm, and collected approach so he can exert his energies on the small details that can make or break a trade. As a result, clients put their cash in his capable hands with trust and assurance.

During the summer months, Bob spends a majority of his time on Lake Minnetonka. He enjoys doing any outdoor sport that involves a board and tinkering with cars and motors when he’s not on the water.

John Carraux, CFA, CIC

Managing Partner & Portfolio Manager

Years at Punch:

21

Years in the Industry:

21

Firm Activities:
  • Board of Directors, Treasurer
  • Compliance Committee, Chair
  • Compensation Committee, Chair
  • Investment Committee, Member
  • Trade Oversight Committee, Member

John is intimately involved in all aspects of the research and investment process at Punch & Associates, and works closely with our team to manage our investment strategies on a daily basis. John joined the firm shortly after its inception in 2002 and cut his investment teeth doing the basic work of a research analyst: sifting through financial statements, talking to management teams, and developing an eye for value. Today, as then, he still gets excited over the details of investing, and enjoys reading footnotes, listening to conference calls, and stacking up well-worn Annual Reports in his office at home.

John is a CFA® charterholder and is happy that his years of studying for it are behind him.  He lives in Chaska, Minnesota with his wife, Anne, and four children. John graduated Magna Cum Laude and with Delta Epsilon Sigma honors from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and enjoys reading, tennis, and skiing with his family.  As a Wisconsin native, John always knew that “the Pack” would see their fourth NFL Championship well before “the Queens” saw their fifth Superbowl.

 

 

CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute.

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