CAIA Association and IMCA Team To Provide Alternative Investments Certificate For Investment Advisors

AMHERST, Mass., March 13, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In response to the global growth of alternative investment products now available in multiple wrappers, including liquid alternative mutual funds, the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association and the Investment Management Consultants Association® (IMCA®), today launched the Fundamentals of Alternative Investments Certificate Program®.

With alternative investments currently representing $10 trillion in assets under management and liquid alternatives projected to triple by 2017, according to Citi Prime Finance, this online course fills a critical knowledge gap and establishes a benchmark for excellence in alternative investment education. The course is available online to anyone who needs to understand the complexities of alternative investment products.

"The landscape for alternatives has changed dramatically, and it is imperative that the professionals charged with managing, analyzing, distributing, and regulating these products keep pace with a focus that has knowledge and education as its central tenet," said William (Bill) Kelly, CAIA Association CEO.  "The Fundamentals program is meant to be an answer to the continued quest for this knowledge coming from so many newer and more retail-oriented intermediaries and end-clients."

The CAIA Association, the global leader in alternative investment education, created the course in collaboration with IMCA, which delivers investment consulting and in wealth management credentials and education. IMCA hosts the program – a self-paced course consisting of 20 one-hour modules, taught by CAIA's leading experts and authorities in alternative investment education – on its education platform. The program covers an overview of portfolio construction, risk management and due diligence, along with in-depth sections on hedge funds, real assets, private equity, commodities and structured products.

"Alternative investments are going mainstream, and educated investment advisors are critical to ensuring that these products are properly employed in sound investment portfolios," said Sean R. Walters, CAE, IMCA's executive director and CEO. "Earning the Fundamentals of Alternative Investments Certificate® demonstrates a strong understanding of alternative investing and will give advisors greater confidence in positioning alternatives in portfolios."For more information about the Fundamentals of Alternative Investments Certificate Program®, please contact Deborah McLean, Head of External Relations at CAIA Association, at [email protected] or (413) 253-7373 or Morrison Shafroth, [email protected] or (720) 470-3653 at IMCA. To enroll in the course, please visit www.CAIA.org/fundmentals or www.IMCA.org/pages/Fundamentals-Alternative-Investments-Certificate.

About the CAIA Association
The CAIA Association, a non-profit organization founded in 2002, is the world leader and authority in alternative investment education. The Fundamentals of Alternative Investments Certificate Program® is a natural extension of CAIA's mission to provide solutions to specific market needs for alternative investment education. The CAIA Association is best known for the CAIA Charter®, an internationally recognized credential granted upon successful completion of a rigorous two-level exam series, combined with relevant work experience. Earning the CAIA Charter is the gateway to becoming a member of the CAIA Association, a global network of 6,700 alternative investment leaders located in 80+ countries, who have demonstrated a deep and thorough understanding of alternative investing. Having grown rapidly, the CAIA Association now supports vibrant chapters located in financial centers around the world and sponsors more than 120 educational and networking events each year.  For more information, please visit CAIA.org.

About IMCA
Established in 1985, IMCA is a nonprofit professional association and credentialing organization with more than 9,000 individual members. IMCA members collectively manage more than $1.9 trillion, providing investment consulting and wealth management services to individual and institutional clients. Since 1988, IMCA has offered the Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) certification, which earned accreditation by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in April 2011, making it the first financial services credential in the United States to meet international standards (ISO 17024) for personnel certification. IMCA's Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) certification is suited for wealth management professionals working with high-net-worth clients. In 2013, IMCA conferences and workshops hosted more than 4,000 attendees. The IMCA 2014 Annual Conference is scheduled for May 4‒7 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. Visit www.IMCA.org  for more information about the benefits of IMCA membership, conferences, and educational and sponsorship opportunities.

IMCA®  and Investment Management Consultants Association®  are registered trademarks of Investment Management Consultants Association Inc. CIMA® , Certified Investment Management Analyst® , CIMC®, CPWA®, and Certified Private Wealth Advisor®  are registered certification marks of Investment Management Consultants Association Inc. Investment Management Consultants Association Inc. does not discriminate in educational opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Contact:
Deborah McLean, CAIA Association
Head of External Relations
[email protected]
(413) 253-7373
Morrison Shafroth, IMCA
[email protected]
(720) 470-3653

SOURCE CAIA Association