Scott Franzblau

COO

Scott has over 30 years of experience in investment management and product development specific to alternative investments.  Prior to co-founding Benchmark Plus, Scott founded Parkway Capital Corporation, an NASD registered broker/dealer organized to originate, structure and distribute private equity and hedge fund offerings to institutional investors.  The firm offered its products internationally with a primary focus on domestic institutions, including state and corporate pension plans, endowments, foundations, financial institution and family offices.  Prior to forming Parkway Capital, Scott served as a Senior Vice President with CIBC/Oppenheimer where he was responsible for alternative investment strategies and services for US institutional investors and high net worth families.

Scott earned a BA in Economics and a BS in Political Science from Rutgers University, where he currently serves as a member of the Rutgers University Board of Overseers.

Director, Research

Matthew has over 17 years of experience as a trader and portfolio manager in the fixed income and derivatives markets. Matthew began his career in the trading pits of the Chicago Board of Trade as an option market maker. After a brief stint in the agricultural options markets, Matthew was assigned to initiate his firm’s entrance into the Treasury options markets where he led a team in building the market making and risk management operation in the interest rate quadrant. He later joined a firm arbitraging S&P 500 Options between the CBOE and CME contracts. Following business school, Matthew served as Deputy Director at the State of Tennessee’s Consolidated Retired System (TCRS) where he and his team oversaw $14 billion in fixed income and derivative assets. During his six years with TCRS he conducted trading, research, and asset allocation across fixed income and currencies. As part of his efforts to enhance the fixed income product group, Matthew initiated and helped to build an interest rate derivative overlay program used to adjust interest rate and spread duration profiles and to hedge downside risks. 

Matthew holds an MBA from Vanderbilt University and a BA in Economics from Oregon State University. He earned his Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 2006 and CAIA in 2014.                                                

Scott Thompson

Director, Research

Scott has over 20 years of experience in alternative investment management ranging from portfolio management to operations and compliance. Scott began his career as a Treasury Analyst at Nike where he was responsible for a short-term investment portfolio as well as daily cash reconciliations and wire activity. After Nike, he went on to co-found a Xerox Sales Agency, Document Solutions Inc., where he had the role of Chief Financial Officer. Then, in 1996 Scott joined Common Sense Investment Management, LLC, a Portland, OR based fund of funds firm. During Scott’s tenure at Common Sense, he served as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, Portfolio Manager and ultimately, Chief Investment Officer. While at Common Sense, Scott helped grow the firm from $179 million in assets under management to peak assets of $4.8 billion.

Scott received an MBA with Beta Gamma Sigma honors from Portland State University and graduated with high scholarship honors from Oregon State University with a BS in Finance.

Greg Eyerly

Greg joined Benchmark in 2014 as Director of Business Development.  He brings 14 years of experience in the investment industry, including roles in business development, relationship management, operations, and compliance.  Prior to Benchmark, he served as High Net Worth and Family Office Specialist for Common Sense Investment Management (CSIM).  In that role, Greg led the insurance dedicated fund (IDF) and private placement focus. He also served as a member of the investment team and contributor to the team charged with launching a 1099 RIC product.  Prior to CSIM, Greg spent 10 years serving in senior roles in the institutional private placement life insurance market.

Greg earned a BSBA in Marketing from Bowling Green State University.  

Michael Kondas, CFA           

Mike joined Benchmark in 2012 and manages the Operational Due Diligence and Investor Relations teams.  He brings 14+ years of experience in the investment industry, including roles in portfolio management, derivatives trading and structured equity finance.  Prior to Benchmark, he was a product manager for the fixed income index business at S&P Indices.  In that role, Mike was responsible for the growth of new fixed income index products.  Prior to S&P, Mike was a Senior Portfolio Manager with Morgan Stanley Investment Management where he was responsible for the architecture, structuring and trading of their Portable Alpha Funds, LDI solutions, and synthetic Beta Overlay positions.  Mike also managed all trading for client portfolios and fund products for the Fund of Hedge Funds team.  Prior to that, Mike was a member of the Equity Prime Services business development team at Deutsche Bank concentrating on derivative based solutions for hedge fund clients.

Mike earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon.  Mike also served as an officer and nuclear engineer in the US Navy.  Mike also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

Steven Carroll,     CFA,CPA

CFO & CCO

Steven currently serves as the firm's Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer and has over ten years of experience in the investment industry. He initially began his career working in the back office of the firm, gaining exposure to multiple aspects of the business including accounting, finance, and compliance. He was responsible for administration of the Benchmark Plus Partners Fund and was the primary liaison between the firm and service providers including auditors, banks, compliance consultants, and outside administrators. Outside of his professional career, Mr. Carroll serves on the Board of Directors at Leadership Foundations, a non-profit organization with global reach and a primary focus on making a difference in the lives of at-risk youth

Steven holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Washington and has been a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Washington State since 2007. In 2012, he earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.