Craig Connors

Craig brings extensive expertise in accounting, operations, and compliance within the private fund management and family office sectors. His career began as an Equity Trader at Neuberger Berman, and he later transitioned to the alternative investment space with quantitative pioneer Vector Capital. Craig’s ascent in the industry includes key roles at renowned hedge fund managers Straus Asset Management and Charter Oak Partners. Prior to launching cLution, he served as Managing Director at a confidential family office, where  he managed accounting, operations, and compliance for public and private equity partnerships and activist investments. His responsibilities also extended to early-stage investments across diverse sectors including cannabis, education, fintech, fit-tech, food & beverage, health & wellness, and SaaS. 

Craig is a former licensed commodities trader with the NFA and a securities principal with the NASD. He has served as a registered fund director with the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority and held board positions with several privately-held companies and not-for-profit organizations. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Management from Plymouth State University.

Tom is a certified public accountant with extensive expertise in tax reporting, financial filings, budgeting, forecasting, cash-flow analysis, risk management, internal controls, payroll, and banking for smaller businesses. 

He began his career at JPMorgan, where he focused on capital markets consulting and hedge fund administration. Tom then advanced to a Senior Audit Manager role at Sax LLP, working with privately held companies, family-owned businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and high-net-worth individuals. Following this, he served as the Financial Manager for the Institute of International Education, overseeing comprehensive financial reporting and filings. In his role as Tax Manager with the Family Office Practice, Tom developed and implemented complex tax strategies. Most recently, he was the Accounting Manager at Madison Company, where he managed financial operations and accounting initiatives. Tom holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Villanova University and a Master’s degree in Accounting from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Chris, a highly regarded expert in accounting, operations, legal, and compliance, joined us in 2023 with over 25 years of experience. His career began at PriceWaterhouseCoopers, and he has since held Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer roles within the investment banking and alternative asset sectors.

Chris founded CT Pullen Consulting, a firm dedicated to enhancing financial efficiencies for both established companies and start-ups. He is also a founding member of several investment funds, an energy trading company, and an eCommerce merchant. Chris holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance from Iona University, where he serves on the advisory board of the LaPenta School of Business.

Brendan is a seasoned leader with extensive experience in business development and customer service within the alternative investment sector. He began his career as a trader at Investment Technology Group, where he was instrumental in developing and implementing groundbreaking execution software. His success led to his promotion to Director of Sales & Trading.

Brendan then joined CRT Capital as Managing Director, overseeing the program trading desk. Prior to joining us in 2022, he led Institutional Sales at FactSet Research Systems, focusing on cloud-based integrated solutions. Brendan is a licensed securities principal and equity trader with the NASD. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics from the University of Massachusetts and an MBA from New York University.