Howard Punch
Chief Investment Officer
Years at Punch:
22
Years in the Industry:
40
Firm Activities:
- Board of Directors, Chair
- Chief Investment Officer
- Investment Committee
- Compliance Committee
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 NYC 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.
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Linnea Åkesson
Associate Research Analyst
Years at Punch:
2
Years in the Industry:
2
Personal Interests:
- Traveling
- Yoga
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.
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Anthony Perala, CFA
Research Analyst
Years at Punch:
2
Years in the Industry:
9
Personal Interests:
- Traveling
- Hiking
- Reading
- Baseball
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.
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James Hannack
Research Analyst
Years at Punch:
2
Years in the Industry:
5
Personal Interests:
- Running
- Reading
- Outdoor activities
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.
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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.
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Paul Dwyer, CFA
Managing Partner & Director of Research
Years at Punch:
6
Years in the Industry:
16
Personal Interests:
- Skiing
- Fishing
- Reading
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.
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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.
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John Carraux, CFA, CIC
Managing Partner & Portfolio Manager
Years at Punch:
21
Years in the Industry:
21
Personal Interests:
- Reading
- Traveling
- Curling
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 4th NFL Championship well before “the Queens” saw their 5th Superbowl.
CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute.
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