Laura Hebzynski

Senior Data Analyst

Years at Punch:

2

Years in Data and Project Management:

9

Personal Interests:
  • Biking
  • Swimming
  • Coaching

Laura joined Punch & Associates in January 2022 as a Systems Analyst. She brings over seven years of professional experience in data validation, research, and analysis. She will be using her skills to work closely with our Wealth Strategies Group to effectively manage data across several platforms. Laura will maintain client and account information, facilitate internal processes to support the Administrative Group, and monitor 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.

Leah Delich

Marketing & Events Manager

Years at Punch:

3

Years in the Industry:

12

Personal Interests:
  • Yoga
  • Reading
  • Cooking

Leah joined Punch & Associates in the fall of 2021 as our first Marketing Coordinator. She has over a decade of marketing, communications, and brand management experience in the financial services industry. She uses her skills to manage our marketing initiatives and events, create client communications, and design newsletters and firm materials.

Leah graduated with a B.A. in Communications/Public Relations and a minor in Spanish from Northwestern University – St. Paul. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, reading, and sipping a cup of tea or a fine glass of wine.

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:

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 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:

7

Years in Financial & Estate Planning:

21

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.

Paul Dwyer, CFA

Managing Partner & Director of Research

Years at Punch:

8

Years in the Industry:

18

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:

22

Years in the Industry:

22

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 the investment team to manage several investment strategies at the firm. He joined Punch shortly after its inception in 2002 as a research analyst and became a Managing Partner and Portfolio Manager in 2013. He holds both the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) and Chartered Investment Counselor (CIC®) designations.

John lives in the Twin Cities with his wife, Anne, and four children. He graduated Magna Cum Laude and with Delta Epsilon Sigma honors from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and enjoys reading, boating, and skiing with his family.

 

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

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