Our StoryA History of Continuity and Innovation
Columbus Macro, LLC was formed in 2017 when our firm's founding members left their asset management leadership roles at one of the nation's largest independent broker dealers to create a boutique asset manager. Our core team has worked closely since 2005, and the ties between our firm's CEO Craig Columbus and President Lon Gerber date back more than 30 years to their time together in graduate school. In the same vein, we have proudly enjoyed longstanding advisor relationships across our careers.
Columbus Macro is a specialized investment management firm that partners with financial professionals and institutions seeking to leverage our dividend income and thematic strategies across prominent industry platforms and income planning programs. Our investment process blends top-down strategic macro intelligence with bottom-up fundamental security selection.
We believe that skilled financial stewardship not only helps our clients fulfill commitments and fund their goals but also promotes the greater good through philanthropy and entrepreneurial creation. Access to our leadership team as well as transparency into our investment process and internal controls are at the heart of our client-centric culture. Finally, our firm is committed to ongoing research and expert discourse, continually looking for ways to enhance our investment decision-making.
Craig Columbus
Chief Executive Officer
Our firm is guided by Craig Columbus, a veteran Wall Street strategist and “big picture” thinker. He oversees investment decision-making and sets the strategic direction of our firm. Mr. Columbus is a popular speaker, known for identifying key macro trends and distilling complex analysis in an accessible manner. He also frequently shares his insights across a variety of prominent media platforms.
Mr. Columbus has held a variety of CEO roles over the last twenty years, leading Cetera’s Tower Square Investment Management, First Allied Asset Management, and the financial algorithm provider Scorelab, Inc. He became a recognizable figure on financial television during his tenure as market strategist for Primark Corp. and Thomson Financial.
Mr. Columbus previously served as both a professor and department chair at Grove City College (Grove City, Pa.). During this time, he co-authored the popular financial ethics and reform book, "God and Man on Wall Street: The Conscience of Capitalism.” In 2007, Mr. Columbus received the Achievement Award by Penn State’s Smeal College of Business for contributions to the field of finance.
He earned his BA in economics from Loyola University, an MBA from Penn State University, a JD from Indiana University (admitted Pennsylvania bar), and an MA in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy from Arizona State University. Committed to community service, Mr. Columbus is the chair of the non-profit eCenter at Linden Pointe and Pennsylvania Cyber Security Center.
Lon Gerber
President
As the president of Columbus Macro, Lon Gerber oversees the firm’s business, finance, operations, and compliance activities. Mr. Gerber previously served as the COO for Tower Square Investment Management and First Allied Asset Management. He also led analytical product development for Thomson Financial’s wealth management division and served as an analyst at Citibank. He earned a Bachelor of Science in finance from Binghamton University and an MBA degree from Penn State University. Mr. Gerber and Mr. Columbus met on their first day of graduate business school over 25 years ago, and the two men have worked closely together for most of their professional careers.
Brian Wright
Chief Investment Officer
Brian Wright serves as Chief Investment Officer guiding portfolio construction, capital market forecasting, and security selection. He brings specialized expertise in building proprietary processes to identify mispricings relative to fundamental fair value. Mr. Wright previously served as a Senior Portfolio Manager at Tower Square Investment Management and First Allied Asset Management, overseeing several long-tenured strategies. He honed his fundamental skills in both the hedge fund and institutional research spaces, serving as an analyst conducting earnings-quality and forensic accounting investigations. Mr. Wright graduated magna cum laude from Boston University and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Steve Comes
Managing Director, Head of Sales & Distribution
As head of sales and distribution for Columbus Macro, Steve Comes is responsible for all aspects of sales and distribution within our High-Net Worth Client, Sub-Advisory, and Model Provider channels. Prior to joining Columbus Macro, Mr. Comes held various management positions within the private client group at Boenning & Scattergood where he contributed to the growth of the firm’s wealth management business. Steve worked closely with financial advisors throughout his tenure at Boenning. He earned a BA in Business Administration / Economics from Western Maryland College (McDaniel) and his MBA from LaSalle University.
Ryan Zippie
Director of Operations
Ryan Zippie serves as Director of Operations overseeing all facets of our firm’s investment operations including client and platform support, performance reporting, and marketing distribution. Prior to joining Columbus Macro, Ryan worked as a Staff Accountant focusing on tax preparation for a Western Pennsylvania public accounting firm. Mr. Zippie graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University.
Owen Haney
Portfolio Manager/Research Analyst
Owen Haney serves as Portfolio Manager/Research Analyst, conducting analysis and developing models. He also screens for potential investment ideas, participates in security selection, and monitors portfolio holdings and exposures. He also oversees our artificial intelligence engineering. Mr. Haney graduated from West Chester University with a degree in Finance.