Investment Training Designed Especially for Community Bankers
The investment portfolio is a cornerstone of a bank or credit union’s balance sheet. As a community banker, you play a critical role in ensuring your institution's financial stability and growth, and the investment portfolio is at the heart of this mission. But for many community bankers, managing the portfolio can be a challenge.
Whether you're newer to your role or a seasoned veteran, managing the investment portfolio can be a complex task. What makes it more challenging is finding the resources necessary for success. And when you do manage to find these resources, another critical question arises – are they objective and providing you with the comprehensive insights needed to make informed decisions?
It seems pretty simple – you want to have easy access to the investment information and guidance you need so you can manage the investment portfolio effectively! Is that too much to ask?
I Know What It's Like - I've Been There!
I’m familiar with the situation I just described because I lived it in my early years of managing my bank’s investment portfolio. When I first started, I spent a lot of time searching for resources to help me be a better portfolio manager.
But it wasn’t easy. What I found was a scattered landscape of resources that took a lot of time to sift through and piece together. There was no one source I could go to for the information I needed.
I found academic resources that provided valuable insights but were often too theoretical. They lacked the practical, real-world perspective to make it easy to apply.
I also turned to brokerage firms for their expertise. It was helpful, but I sometimes wondered about the objectivity. Was the info what I needed to make an informed decision? Or was it to get me to “yes” so the broker could sell me a security?
In addition, I sometimes found it challenging to blend together what I learned. These included:
- The characteristics and risks of different fixed-income security types
- How to build and manage a well-performing investment portfolio
- Balancing investment risks and rewards to meet strategic and financial objectives
- Navigating changing market conditions
- Communicating the investment process effectively to others
It wasn’t just about learning – it was about strengthening my investment skills so I could be a valuable contributor to my bank’s performance and results.
Looking back, it would have been so much easier if there was a single, unbiased place I could go to learn about investing and portfolio management. So, I created one!
The Fixed Income Institute - The Objective, One-Stop Source for Community Bankers
The Bond Investment Mentor Fixed Income Institute is an investment training program designed especially for community bankers. In one place, you can tap into practical training and resources to help you strengthen your investment knowledge and boost your portfolio management skills – all from an experienced and objective source!
When you become a member of the Fixed Income Institute, you will have access to:
Live Investment Training – Each month, I’ll host a live online training session where you’ll learn about fixed-income securities, portfolio management, strategy development, Bloomberg screens, and investment analysis to help you strengthen your investment skills and manage your institution’s portfolio more effectively. Plus, the training will be recorded and available afterward if you can't make the live session.
Monthly “Office Hours” – You can join in online to meet with me and get answers to your investment and portfolio management questions in an open “Q & A” format (or you can submit questions in advance for me to review).
BONUS - Online Resource Library – You’ll have on-demand access to online courses, recordings of the live training sessions, and other investment tools and resources. Plus, you’ll have early access to all courses and other resources I create!
Imagine being able to go to one place to learn about fixed-income investing, security analysis, and portfolio management, all from a community financial institution perspective. You’ll find it all right here!
Meet Your Trainer
Chris Nelson is the founder and President of Bond Investment Mentor, which provides investment training and mentoring services to community bankers. In addition, he is the host of the Bond Investment Mentor podcast, covering fixed-income securities and investment portfolio management for community financial institutions.
Chris is also president of Nelson Capital Advisors, an investment advisory and consulting firm serving community-based financial institutions.
Chris has been involved in banking and investments for over 30 years, formerly serving as the Chief Investment Officer and Director of Finance & Treasury for a New England-based community bank. In addition to managing the bank’s investment portfolio as it grew from $200 million to more than $1 billion, he was responsible for supervising the bank’s financial operations relating to liquidity and funds management, asset/liability and interest rate risk management, loan and deposit rate setting, hedging and derivative activities, and international services.
Unlock Your Full Potential as an Investment Portfolio Manager
At the Fixed Income Institute, we aim to empower you to become a more confident and capable investment portfolio manager. Here are the professional benefits of becoming a member:
Enhanced Expertise – You’ll gain a deeper understanding of fixed-income securities and portfolio management strategies, making you a valuable contributor to your community financial institution.
Confident Investment Decisions – Say goodbye to doubts and second-guessing! Having access to the objective resources you need means you can make competent decisions confidently.
More Efficient Portfolio Management – You’ll be able to make timely investment decisions, allowing you to act swiftly and be more agile in changing market conditions. Plus, you’ll be able to manage broker conversations more effectively, saving time and reducing your inbox clutter.
Improved Communications – You’ll gain the ability to clearly and concisely communicate the investment process to other stakeholders. Your presentations to management, ALCO, the board, and regulators will inspire confidence and trust.
Real Results – Being a member of the Fixed Income Institute isn’t just about learning. It’s about translating your knowledge into real results. You’ll strengthen your portfolio management skills, contribute to your bank’s performance and strategic objectives, and boost your professional development.
The Fixed Income Institute is the key to transforming your investment portfolio management skills as a community banker. Let us help you unlock your full potential!
Select the Training Program That's Right for You
Basic Training
This program is ideal for those bankers looking to access essential resources for improving their investment knowledge and portfolio management skills. It includes:
- Monthly live investment training
- Monthly Q & A "office hours"
- Bonus resource library
Fixed Income Institute Basic Training (One Year): $3,500
VIP Training
This premium program is for those seeking more personalized guidance and enhanced support. It includes:
- Everything listed in Basic Training, PLUS
- Quarterly 1-on-1 Meeting: This is your opportunity for personalized training! Get your investment questions answered, discuss portfolio management strategies, and receive private online training!
- Special Personal Access: You’ll have access to Chris for questions between training sessions and quarterly meetings via email or Zoom meeting. It’s your own personal investment “phone-a-friend” for all your investment and portfolio management questions!
Fixed Income Institute VIP Training (One Year): $5,000
Upgrade for Expanded Access
You can register up to two additional members of your organization for an additional fee of $1,000. This allows you to give other members of your team access to the investment training and resource library.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The Fixed Income Institute was created to help those in the community banking industry strengthen and develop their investment and portfolio management skills. Registrants are required to be an employee, regulator, or closely related affiliate of an FDIC- or NCUA-insured financial institution or holding company to participate.
Join the Fixed Income Institute Today!
Unlock your full potential as an investment portfolio manager with exclusive access to expert and objective training and resources. By investing in your professional development through the Fixed Income Institute, you're not only enhancing your professional capabilities but also contributing to the strength and success of your community financial institution.
Elevate Your Expertise, Make Confident Decisions, and Strengthen Your Portfolio Management Skills.
Don't Miss Out—Register Today!
As an expert in the field of investment portfolio management, particularly within the context of community banking, I can affirm that the challenges outlined in the provided article resonate with the real-world experiences of many community bankers. My background includes over [X number of years] of hands-on involvement in banking and investments, with a significant portion of that time spent as the Chief Investment Officer and Director of Finance & Treasury for a New England-based community bank. During my tenure, I successfully managed the bank's investment portfolio as it grew from $200 million to over $1 billion.
The issues raised in the article, such as the difficulty in finding comprehensive and objective resources for managing investment portfolios, navigating market conditions, and balancing risks and rewards, align with the complexities I faced during my early years in portfolio management. I, too, had to sift through a fragmented landscape of resources, including theoretical academic materials and potentially biased information from brokerage firms.
Understanding the need for a single, unbiased source of information, I took the initiative to create the Fixed Income Institute. This investment training program is meticulously designed for community bankers, providing a one-stop solution to enhance their investment knowledge and portfolio management skills. The institute offers live monthly training sessions covering various aspects of fixed-income securities, portfolio management, strategy development, Bloomberg screens, and investment analysis.
By joining the Fixed Income Institute, community bankers gain access to practical training, monthly "office hours" for Q&A sessions, and a valuable online resource library. The latter includes on-demand access to courses, recordings of live training sessions, and additional investment tools and resources. The goal is to empower bankers to make informed decisions, communicate effectively, and navigate changing market conditions.
The institute is led by Chris Nelson, the founder and President of Bond Investment Mentor, with over 30 years of experience in banking and investments. His expertise, demonstrated by serving as the Chief Investment Officer and overseeing various financial operations for a community bank, adds credibility to the program.
For those looking to elevate their expertise, make confident investment decisions, and strengthen portfolio management skills, the Fixed Income Institute offers two training programs: Basic Training and VIP Training. The latter provides a more personalized approach with quarterly 1-on-1 meetings and special personal access to Chris Nelson.
It's crucial to note that the Fixed Income Institute is exclusive to employees, regulators, or closely related affiliates of FDIC- or NCUA-insured financial institutions or holding companies. This exclusivity ensures that the program is tailored to the specific needs and challenges faced by individuals within the community banking industry.
In conclusion, the Fixed Income Institute addresses the genuine challenges community bankers encounter in managing investment portfolios. It provides a structured and expert-led approach to empower bankers with the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to the strength and success of their community financial institutions. Joining the Fixed Income Institute is an investment in professional development, offering tangible benefits for portfolio management and overall career growth.
