The Florida State University College of Business this fall launches executive education in West Palm Beach, Fla., aimed at bolstering skills in the booming field of alternative investments.
“We will be equipping professionals with the expertise they seek to better manage this rapidly growing sector of the finance industry while also planting our physical presence in South Florida,” said Michael Hartline, dean of the College of Business.
Investors are increasingly turning to real estate, private equity, venture capital, private credit and hedge funds, among other asset options, to round out the traditional portfolio offerings of stocks, bonds and cash. In just two decades, alternative investments have grown from 6% of global investible markets to an estimated 24% today, according to the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association (CAIA).
“As more wealth managers choose to diversify their clients’ portfolios with alternative investments, they will need to expand their financial skills accordingly,” said Kelsey Syvrud, assistant chair of the college’s finance department who is directing the new Alternative Investments Series. “They must learn new ways to assess risk, read alternative market trends and analyze private market product structures as they expand client portfolios and seek to gain a competitive edge for their practice.”
The college’s new executive education program starts in September with separate seminars focused on private credit and hedge funds. Each seminar is limited to 50 participants and repeats in October and November. Registrants gain access to online preparation for the seminars and curated instructional materials. Tailored to the busy professional, each seminar starts on Thursday evening with professional networking and a keynote speaker. A full day of instruction on Friday follows as participants delve into detailed and interactive lessons, including a hands-on case study ensuring new knowledge can immediately be put into practice.
Participants completing either seminar earn a certificate of completion from the College of Business and up to 12 hours of CEUs across designations and providers, such as CFP®, NASAA, CPA/NASBA, IWI® (CIMA®, CPWA®, RMA®) and IMDDA. Both seminar modules are under review for the continuing education credit approvals, and attendees will be notified of the approved CEU credit allocations once they are confirmed.
Syvrud said the program’s content is applicable to anyone interested in knowing more about alternative investments, from financial advisers steeped in traditional markets to individuals wanting a better understanding of their own investment options. Among the lessons to master:
- Incorporating alternative investments into a traditional, multi-class portfolio.
- Sourcing these investments from the typical mix of 60% stocks and 40% bonds.
- Choosing the correct managers and vehicle structures for clients.
- Building upon lessons learned to develop beneficial investment products.
Syvrud, who teaches FSU graduate studies in traditional and alternative investments, will be an instructor for both of this fall’s seminars. A former economic consultant with Cornerstone Research, Syvrud also leads investment strategy for boutique firm Fire Capital Management.
Joining her in facilitating the first seminar on private credit will be Jim Ulseth, an accomplished investment executive with a record of developing tailored investment platforms and capabilities. Chief investment officer for Miami-based Elementum Capital, Ulseth has nearly two decades of experience working with ultra-high-net-worth individuals and institutions. Daniel Strachman, a veteran of Wall Street, will co-lead the second seminar on hedge funds. His extensive experience includes all aspects of retail and institutional distribution for traditional and alternative investment products and services. Based in Coral Springs, Fla., Strachman co-founded HEDGEAnswers.com, an online resource for managers, investors and service providers. He also has authored nine books on investment strategies.
A bonus to the college’s executive education experience is its premium location, Syvrud said. “We’ve strategically chosen West Palm Beach, just 70 miles north of Miami, because it is becoming known as ‘Wall Street South,’ drawing a growing number of private equity firms, hedge funds and institutional investors.”
But FSU is not limiting the opportunity to regional residents. The college welcomes financial professionals from anywhere in Florida or beyond who are interested in advancing their alternative investments acumen. “Come learn the latest investment strategies from key industry leaders, then stay and enjoy all that West Palm has to offer on the weekend,” Syvrud said. Visit business.fsu.edu/alts to learn more and register.
This fall’s seminars are just the beginning of more executive education programs offered by the FSU College of Business, said Caroline Poole, director of the college’s strategic initiatives. New seminars for the Alternative Investments Series are in the works for 2026, she said, and the college is determining what other high-demand content it can provide from other disciplines.
Strengthening FSU’s presence in West Palm Beach has been the vision of Benjamin Macfarland III, an FSU business alumnus and real estate entrepreneur. Macfarland believes so much in his alma mater’s potential to contribute to the region’s educational offerings and economic development that he gifted FSU strategic space in the landmark structure minutes from downtown that once housed the Palm Beach Post.
“The business school has identified alternative investments as a high-growth niche within the finance sector and is developing an educational program specifically tailored to this opportunity,” said Macfarland, CEO of SROA Capital, a private equity real estate and technology company. West Palm Beach has become a hot bed for leading financial firms including investment banks, hedge funds, private equity and real estate private equity firms.
“It’s an exciting time for the business school and South Florida,” Macfarland said. “The college’s new presence will showcase FSU’s academic strengths while also providing local companies with a sound professional development resource to support the needs of South Florida’s growing financial hub. SROA is proud to support this program and play a small part in the growth of Florida’s alternative investments industry.”
SROA Capital also is a longtime Legacy Sponsor of The FSU Real Estate Center’s annual TRENDS conference. Visit fsutrends.com to learn more about attending or sponsoring this year’s conference, Oct. 16-17 in Tallahassee.