Founder & CEO
Craig Eppler founded Eppler Capital Funds in March of 2023, and has served as its Chief Executive Officer since its inception. With a decade of investment experience, he brings deep knowledge and understanding of the asset management space.
Craig started his career at Vanguard as a Derivatives Analyst, working on the trading desk with domestic equity futures, cleared swaps, and various other derivative products. He then joined Hoover Financial Advisors (later merged with Wealth Enhancement Group) and was promoted to Senior Portfolio Manager. Craig was a key member of the investment committee and developed strategies for both public and private markets. Stephen and Craig worked closely during this time to expand the firm’s use of private investments.
Craig has been investing in private assets personally as well. Since 2019 his real estate holding company has purchased more than 40 rental properties across south-central Pennsylvania. He has also made numerous direct investments in private companies. Craig is a graduate of the York College of Pennsylvania, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Finance as well as an MBA with a Finance concentration.
Managing Director
Stephen Gibson is a recognized leader in asset management, with a career spanning four decades. In the late 1980s, Stephen led Chicago’s Kemper Financial product group into the top ten for mutual fund managers, variable annuities, and unit investment trusts. In the 90s, he was the number two executive at Putnam Mutual Funds, which, with $100 billion in assets, became the nation’s leading growth fund manager,. Based on that success, Stephen became president of Liberty Mutual’s financial division, including more than $60 billion in assets. Colonial Funds, a Liberty subsidiary, won Barron’s “Fund Group of the Year” in 1996.
Stephen became an advisor to the SEC product committee and FINRA in 2000. In 2007, he joined the Registered Investment Advisory business of Gladstone Associates as an investment banker consultant. This led to Stephen joining Affinity Wealth Management as Chairman of the Investment Committee in 2013. In 2020. Stephen joined Hoover Financial Advisors (later merged with Wealth Enhancement Group) as Chief investment Officer. He joined Eppler Capital Funds in April of 2024.
Stephen has led investment teams that outpaced industry results at five successive firms. He is recognized for innovation in tax-managed funds, high-yield investing, international fixed income, and option strategies for market declines. At Affinity and Wealth Enhancement Group, Stephen expanded the use of private investments. These proved crucial in avoiding the market declines of 2022. Stephen is a graduate of the University of North Carolina and has an MBA in Finance and Banking from Duke University. He is the co-author of Management Science in Banking, a graduate level textbook.
Managing Director
Michael is a finance and fintech professional with deep experience across asset management, direct indexing, and private markets. At J.P. Morgan’s 55ip platform, he managed relationships with top-tier wealth management firms and was responsible for growing the model portfolio and direct indexing strategies. His prior roles include business development and advisory positions at Refinitiv, Columbia Threadneedle, and BlackRock. Michael holds a BA from Saint Anselm College and an MBA from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
Investor Relations Intern
University of North Carolina, Business Administration & Finance
Private Credit Analysis Intern
University of North Carolina, Economics & Business Administration
Social Media Marketing Intern
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Advertising
Investor Relations Intern
University of Pittsburgh, Finance
Private Credit Analyst Intern
University of North Carolina, Business Administration
Social Media Marketing Intern (Spring 2025)
Rutgers University, Communications
Marketing and Research Intern (Spring 2025)
University of Pennsylvania, Economics
Private Credit Analyst Intern (Summer 2024 to Spring 2025)
Brown University, Astrophysics
This Offering is only available to “accredited investors,” as defined by Rule 50l(a) of Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. This Offering is being conducted pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) and/or Rule 506(c) of Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and pursuant to applicable state laws that provide an exemption for limited private offerings. This Offering is not generally available to the public nor may any offers be made in states or jurisdictions that do not recognize such an exemption.
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