Partner
Mr. Varner is a partner for Investment Research Partners and has nearly 15 years of investment management experience.
Derek holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of Pittsburgh and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)1 designation. He is a volunteer for CFA Institute and a member of the CFA Society of Pittsburgh. Derek resides in State College, PA with his wife and three daughters. Derek is also a volunteer member of the investment committee of Centre Foundation, a community-focused foundation supporting Centre County.
Derek’s experience includes management of the endowment fund and excess working capital for Bucknell University as the Associate Director of Investments. This role included conducting research on financial markets, asset classes, as well as public and private investment opportunities. He also participated on the University’s retirement plan oversight committee, and regularly presented to students on the topics of investment & endowment management. Derek also participated on panel discussions at institutional investment conferences to discuss investment management topics on behalf of the University.
Prior to joining Bucknell, Derek served as Portfolio Manager and Investment Committee member with Aris Wealth Services, which is currently a division of AssetMark, Inc., from 2008 to 2014. At Aris, he participated in all aspects of management of the firm’s investment strategies, including total return, absolute return, values-based and income-oriented portfolios, and he worked directly with clients and their financial advisors in order to achieve client-specific goals and objectives.
1Learn more about the Chartered Financial Analyst designation