Current role

Michael Westphal, CFA, serves as Director of Investments at Foster Group. He oversees trading and portfolio management operations, leads the firm’s investment research, and plays a key role in shaping Foster Group’s investment philosophy and strategy. Michael enjoys digging into the complexities of investing and translating research and ideas into thoughtful strategies designed to support clients’ long-term goals.

What motivates you in the work you do each day?

I’ve explored many different areas of the financial markets throughout my career, and that experience has only deepened my curiosity about investing. I’m motivated by the opportunity to keep learning, challenge my thinking, and use that knowledge to help our clients make wise financial decisions.

Experience & Community

Michael brings broad investment experience spanning public equities, asset allocation, risk management, hedge funds, private equity, fixed income, and credit default swaps. He began his career on a credit default swap trading desk during the 2008 financial crisis and later spent more than five years as an equity portfolio manager. He is a member of the CFA Society of Iowa and graduated summa cum laude from Iowa State University with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematic

Beyond the Office

Outside of work, Michael enjoys golfing, reading, listening to podcasts at 2x speed, and cheering on the Iowa State Cyclones. He has played courses including Pebble Beach, Whistling Straits, Erin Hills, Torrey Pines, Sand Valley, and Bandon Dunes, which he calls his favorite place on earth.