Comedy or Money Management?: Michael Zhuang

Michael Zhuang is founder and principal of MZ Capital, a fee-only registered investment advisor firm located in the Greater Washington D.C. metropolitan area.

Michael earned dual Master Degrees in Mathematics and Quantitative Finance from Carnegie Mellon University. He was also a PhD candidate for Financial Economics. After completing all training and exams, he decided his true calling is not in academia. The PhD training taught him how to think rigorously and research thoroughly.

From 1999 to 2000, Michael worked as a financial engineer for Societe Generale, the biggest French banking group.

From 2000 to 2003, Michael was hired by PG&E National Energy Group to launch their weather derivatives trading business. Within 2 years, he became one of the top 3 traders in the field. Nevertheless, he saw first hand the crooked ways of the financial industry where everything goes to make a buck. That experience motivated him to launch MZ Capital.

Michael is active in the community. He twice sponsored Melodic Impact, a musical fundraiser for kids with cancer. He volunteered as an instructor for Toastmasters International's Youth Leadership Program. He was on the board of Special Love, Inc., a non-profit devoted to kids suffering from cancer. Recently, he also completed Leadership Montgomery.

Michael's investment approach is based on the Nobel Prize winning research of Eugene Fama. He is also deeply influenced by three people: Warren Buffet on value-orientation and patience, David Swensen on multi-asset-class investing and decision framework, and John Bogle on minimization of costs for clients and stewardship of clients' money.

Michael is a regular contributor to Morningstar and Physicians Practice. He also blogs at The Investment Scientist and KevinMD