The team at a 21-year-old mutual fund and ETF firm in the Southeast is preparing to say goodbye to its president as another exec rises and a distribution leader joins. After five years of serving with the company, president Bill Martin is retiring from Rosewell, Georgia-based Howard Capital Management. Chris Ferguson, who most recently served as HCM’s controller, will replace Martin.

William Francis Martin

Zachary Stout has also joined HCM as managing director of sales and distribution. He will lead internal and external distribution teams to build partnerships with financial advisors. Stout will also lead all sales-related ventures for HCM.

Stout most recently served as southeast regional director at Needham, Massachusetts-based Beaumont Capital Management.

Dave Haviland, managing partner at BCM, did not return calls for comment.

"I want to express my gratitude to our CEO, Vance Howard, for giving me the opportunity to work with so many talented colleagues over the past five years," Martin states.

"Through his leadership, Bill has taken this firm to new heights, and he will be missed dearly by all of us," states Vance Howard, CEO of HCM, "We're looking forward to Chris Ferguson continuing the standard of excellence that Bill set. Chris is a tremendous asset for our team, our clients and overall investment prowess."

Ferguson first joined HCM in 2018 as a controller. Prior to that he worked in accounting roles at Powerco Federal Credit Union, RETI Recycling, and Dance Stop Studios. He is an alumnus of the University of West Georgia.

Martin joined HCM in 2015 after spending more than 17 years at Westminster, Inc., where he served as operations manager.

Stout joined BCM in 2017. Prior to that he worked with EQIS Capital Management, Curian Capital, and Jackson. He is an alumnus of Colorado State University.

As of HCM's most recent form ADV, filed last month, the firm has 35 employees (not counting clerical staff) and $1.433 billion in AUM. The tactical asset manager was founded in 1999. 

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