bio

Steve's 30+ years in financial services have given him a depth and breadth of knowledge across all organizational areas and asset classes.

He has co-founded two investment firms, been COO of two multi billion-dollar institutional boutiques, took a venture capital fund public, consulted to Fortune 100 companies, served as a pension and endowment fiduciary, and led a product launch for one of the largest money managers on the planet.

Steve is a subject matter expert who provides perspective with objectivity, integrity and candor.

Stephen D. Bard, CFA

strategist + COO

From 2017 to 2021 Steve was the Chief Operating Officer of Zazove Associates, a multi billion-dollar institutional investment boutique and a leading manager of convertible securities portfolios. His charter was to conduct a broad and deep examination of the entire organization and he subsequently recommended sweeping changes to enhance and optimize the organization. Those recommendations have been implemented and today Zazove is well-positioned and enjoying the benefits of Steve's counsel.

From 2001 to 2009, Steve was the Chief Operating Officer of Fuller + Thaler Asset Management, a multi billion-dollar institutional investment boutique that pioneered the application of behavioral finance to the investment process. There he built out and managed the non-investment team and infrastructure. He marketed to some of the world’s most sophisticated institutional investors, and helped close hundred million dollar mandates, and one exceeding a billion dollars. Steve was a member of the Board of Directors, serving with industry leaders, including Nobel Prize winners Daniel Kahneman and Richard Thaler.

entrepreneur, VC + public company CFO

In 2010, Steve co-founded GSV Asset Management, a growth-oriented equity firm. From 2010 to 2014 he served as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, Secretary, and member of the Investment Committee of GSV Capital, a publicly traded late-stage venture capital fund that he also co-founded (dba SuRo Capital, NASDAQ: SSSS). Steve successfully managed the IPO as well as four subsequent equity and debt offerings, raising nearly $400 million. Notable pre-IPO investments during his watch included Coursera, Facebook, Palantir and Twitter.

He was also an advisor at Incline Fund Management, a firm he helped launch in 2009 that was the first to invest using marketplace lending platforms. The firm was acquired by FinEX Asia in 2018.

board, committee + community service

CFA Society of San Francisco - Board of Directors, Strategic Advisory Board, FinTech Committee
ConnectUp, Inc. - Advisory Board
Crystal Springs Uplands School - Trustee, Member of Investment Task Force
Dianrong.com - Board Observer
Duke University Pratt School of Engineering - Capital Campaign Committee
Fuller + Thaler Asset Management - Board of Directors of the firm and its hedge funds
GSV Capital (dba SuRo Capital) - Member of Investment Committee
Hillsborough Schools Foundation - Board of Directors, Investment Committee Chair
Incline Fund Management - Advisory Board
Material Innovation Initiative - NextGen Materials Investment Committee
The Olympic Club - Investment + Endowment Committee Chair, Ski Team Captain
Washington University in St. Louis - Parents Council

management consultant + business developer

From 1998 to 2001, Steve was a senior vice president at Fidelity Institutional Asset Management. He was responsible for West Coast business development and relationship management, and led the launch of a pioneering bundled pension platform that raised over $3 billion during his tenure and was a precursor to the outsourced CIO model.

From 1988 to 1998, Steve held senior consultant and business development roles at Hewitt Associates (dba Aon Hewitt) and New York Life Investment Management. At Hewitt he advised plan sponsors on both the asset and liability sides of the pension plan balance sheet.

education + credentials

Steve earned his BS from Duke University, and his MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. He also attended the CFA Institute's Investment Management Workshop at the Harvard Business School. Steve holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.