Chris Verbracken

Director of Technology 

Years at Punch:

2

Years in the Industry:

14

Chris Verbracken joins our team as Director of Technology. Chris has spent the last decade helping customers transform their business processes through the use of technology. Over the years, Chris has led dozens of successful implementations with customers big and small, and he holds over 20 professional certifications. He looks forward to leveraging his experience to help take the firm to the next level in our use of technology, with the aim of improving both employee and client experiences. Chris will also serve as the firm’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), ensuring our systems and data are secure. He will also work with our Chief Compliance Officer to ensure we are compliant with accountabilities set forth by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Chris has a B.A. and M.A. in Theological Studies. He resides in Ramsey with his wife and three daughters, and in his free time he enjoys watching football (Go Packers!) and playing board games.

Howard Punch

Chief Investment Officer

Years at Punch:

24

Years in the Industry:

42

Firm Activities:
  • Board of Directors, Chair
  • Charitable Giving Committee
  • Investment Committee, Chair
  • Portfolio Manager

Howard directs all research and investment initiatives at Punch & Associates. Howard honed his investment management skills the old fashioned way: by making a lot of mistakes. Starting his career in the early '80s at Merrill Lynch in New York City and then in Minneapolis, it was normal practice to call clients with one stock at a time, state the case for owning it, and hope for the best. Win, lose or draw, each pick would have to be revisited with each client (talk about transparency!). The end result was a deep respect for risk, a large dose of humility, and a risk-averse investment approach that anticipates what could go wrong before fantasizing about what could go right. After spending nearly 19 years at Merrill Lynch, Howard started Punch & Associates in 2002.

A hopeless research addict and devout student of behavioral finance, Howard actively researches market anomalies and inefficiencies. Howard resides in Eagan, Minnesota with his wife, Julie. He is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Carleton College, enjoys hockey, golf, and believes the Vikings will have the opportunity to lose their fifth Superbowl before he dies.

Carrie Jensen

Executive Assistant to Jessica Johnson

Years at Punch:

3

Years of Professional Experience:

28

 

Carrie Jensen joined Punch & Associates in the fall of 2022. Prior to joining Punch, she enjoyed a 25-year career at Breck school, where she served as a second-grade teacher for 20 years and an administrative assistant for her final five years. Carrie has been enjoying learning about the world of investing and finance since joining the team at Punch.

Carrie graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Minnesota – Duluth, majoring in Elementary Education and minoring in Psychology. Later she earned her Master of Arts in Education from Saint Mary’s University.

Carrie grew up in Minneapolis and now lives in Minnetonka with her husband and daughter. In her free time Carrie enjoys paddle boarding, biking, traveling, and spending time together with family, friends, and her beloved kittens. She has returned to the classroom recently, as a student, to learn more about her passion for the study and teaching of yoga.

Linnea Åkesson

Research Analyst

Years at Punch:

4

Years in the Industry:

4

 

Linnea joined Punch & Associates as an Associate Research Analyst on the Investment team after interning the fall of 2020 and summer of 2021.

Linnea graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Finance and a minor in Accounting. At the University, she participated in the David. S. Kidwell Funds Enterprise as a Fixed Income Analyst specializing in the Consumer Discretionary sector. When Linnea isn’t studying for her CFA® designation exam, she enjoys a good game of squash, visiting her family in Sweden, and yoga.

 

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

Laura Hebzynski

Senior Data Analyst

Years at Punch:

4

Years in Data and Project Management:

11

Laura joined Punch & Associates in January 2022 as a Systems Analyst. She brings over a decade of professional experience in data validation, research, and analysis. She uses her skills to work closely with our Wealth Strategies Group to effectively manage data across several platforms. Laura maintains client and account information, facilitates internal processes to support the Administrative Group, and monitors reconciliation status for all accounts.

Laura graduated with a B.A. in Applied Mathematics from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. In her free time, she enjoys biking, swimming, and coaching.

Anthony Perala, CFA

Senior Research Analyst

Years at Punch:

4

Years in the Industry:

11

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, CFA

Research Analyst

Years at Punch:

4

Years in the Industry:

7

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 became a CFA® charterholder in April of 2025. In his newfound free time, he enjoys triathlon training, reading, and anything outdoors.

 

 

 

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

Candice Larson

Senior Executive Assistant to the CEO

Years at Punch:

6

Years in Administration:

25

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

Managing Director of Human Resources

Years at Punch:

6

Years in Administration:

23

Firm Activities:
  • Compensation Committee
  • Operating Committee

Julie Boehmke is the firm’s Managing Director of Human Resources. Julie oversees much of the behind-the-scenes operations at Punch, particularly the firm’s human resources, benefits, and recruiting needs.

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. Julie also loves to read and travel whenever she can.

Jessica Johnson

Managing Partner, Wealth Strategies Group

Years at Punch:

9

Years in Financial & Estate Planning:

23

Firm Activities:
  • Board of Directors
  • Compliance Committee
  • Charitable Committee

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.

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