Experts in Computing Architecture, Machine Learning and Financial Services
Our seasoned technology experts bring extensive domain expertise in machine learning, mathematical modeling, and optimization in the asset management industry.
We have successfully built award-winning systems, models, engines, and processes that underpin the high-performance mechanics of portfolio management.
After holding a variety of leadership roles in asset management and software development, we collectively understand in depth the challenges of portfolio management that led us to develop our premier software solutions and computing platform.
Company Values
Our company values are the foundation for everything we do.
- Knowledge – We incorporate verifiable data and quantifiable evidence into our product development.
- Ingenuity – We embrace creative solutions in overcoming challenges, while being masters of legacy systems and methods.
- Tenacity – We face our challenges head on and with determination.
Our team brings a drive for performance, learning and service excellence. We look forward to working with you.
Team
Heather Claus
Heather Claus, Co-Founder and CEO. She has over 25 years of experience in large scale software deployment and consulting in the asset management industry starting with her tenure at Barclays Global Investors. Heather has led numerous projects focusing on software implementation across various asset management portfolios, including fixed income and equity strategies. She has provided consulting services to government and institutional investors, including RIA’s, on capital market dynamics, systems research, and software deployment strategies.
As CEO of Flex Axion Heather is instrumental in shaping Flex Axion’s long-term strategic goals, building the firms’ culture of innovation and client service, as well as meeting interim key targets, removing impediments to success, and managing resources.
Heather holds a Master of Science in Applied Economics and Finance from the University of California Santa Cruz where she studied applied mathematics and Econometrics and specialized in real options logic applied to capital investment. Additionally, she has passed the Series 7 and 66 FINRA exams.
James Claus, PhD
James Claus, PhD, Co-Founder and CTO has spent his career pushing the bounds of computing possibilities for research and trading in the global capital markets. He was recruited to Columbia University to pursue his doctorate degree and upon completion he was recruited to innovate and transform the legacy systems at Barclay’s Global Investors (now Blackrock Scientific).
At Flex Axion James has continued to innovate and further refine his ideas and technology from academic and industry settings where he has combined advances in machine learning, optimization, and computing architecture that produces results that are hundreds of times faster and more cost-effective than generic cloud and traditional software solutions. The Flex Axion technology platform is the result of over 25 years of research and experimentation at the most extreme edges of computing and asset management.
James is published in the Journal of Finance, has received numerous academic and industry awards. He completed his PhD at Columbia University Business School in Financial Engineering and Accounting. James has taught at Columbia University, UC Berkeley, and the University of Utah where he created the Computational Finance Lab.
Hal Tolley
Hal Tolley is Co-Founder and Head of Engineering and has worked with James previously in both business and academia. He has been the lead engineer on numerous large scale computing projects for both the government and private businesses including Vhayu, a trading platform startup sold to Thomson Reuters, as well as Fusion IO. Throughout his career he has substantially contributed to the libraries of numerous software languages and open-source initiatives
Hal is a full stack engineer as well as a hardware/software expert who is the authority on solving I/O bottlenecks and improving performance of Flex Axion’s software and hardware integrations as well as refining the optimization engine and software OSI compliance. Hal built the original hardware prototypes and is the engineer of the proprietary computing architecture that underpins Flex Axion’s powerful software performance. Hal also oversees all aspects of development from hardware to interface design.
Hal received his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University and has served an Executive in Residence at the University of Utah.
Advisors
Emil Polito
Emil Polito has been working in investment management for over four decades and has a diverse background in operations and technology at some of Wall Street’s largest firms such as PaineWebber, UBS and Citi. He has held senior management roles in the back and middle office areas, as well as holding the titles COO and CTO at prominent asset management companies and has an extensive background in the application of technology solutions in asset management.
His leadership roles in Product & Business Development and Client Relationships have led to a natural progression in taking on a more consultative role on Advisory and Corporate boards. Emil aids CEOs with strategic and tactical plans, using his industry knowledge and network contacts to assist boards in achieving their firm’s strategic growth opportunities. Emil’s experience also allows him to provide a critical eye with respect to risk management and best practices in both asset management and for Fintech and Wealth Tech firms.
Emil has worked with boards of large corporations, such as Mitch Hutchins Institutional Investors on the board of PaineWebber’s mutual funds; non-executive chairman at Edan LeadGen LLC, as well as COR Financial Solutions and Archer Investment Management Solutions. Committees include ICI-Operations, SIA-Operations, NICSA-Distribution Channel. Emil is also a frequent speaker at industry conferences and received his MBA from The Wharton School.
Frank Vallario
Frank’s experience includes Relationship Manager at MSCI providing investment solutions using MSCI Barra’s fundamental models and portfolio construction tools; partner in a start-up asset management firm; and over a decade at UBS Global Asset Management in various quantitative portfolio management equity roles.
Frank received a B.S. in Finance from Lehigh University and an M.B.A. with a concentration in Finance from Rutgers University.