GARY B. RENNIE, CFP®, AWMA® Chief Executive Officer

Gary received a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Accounting from Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA in 1989, graduating Magna Cum Laude.  He began his professional career with Mellon Capital Management Corporation in San Francisco, CA.  At MCM Gary was responsible for managing a large S&P 500 “enhanced” index fund as well as trading equity, fixed income and options trading for the money management company.  He also developed performance attribution reports for management and clients.

In 1994, Gary joined Gifford Fong Associates in Walnut Creek, CA.  Gifford Fong Associates develops proprietary fixed-income modeling software and in addition provides consulting services associated with fixed-income valuation. Here he marketed the proprietary services, provided quality control, and assisted in the modeling of complex fixed-income structures such as CMO’s and other asset-backed securities.  He participated in the preparation of expert testimony in high-profile fixed-income cases such as  Orange County and Gibson Greetings. 

The introduction of a new and innovate risk management technique by JP Morgan called Value-at-Risk led Gary to leave Gifford Fong Associates in 1995 for Financial Engineering Associates in Berkeley, CA led by Mark Garman, Professor Emeritus at UC Berkeley.  FEA was an early innovator in Value-at-Risk as well as being a leading provider of financial engineering services and option valuation models.  Marketing FEA’s services to customers as well as providing quantitative development support, Gary was first to spot the opportunity to tailor the firm’s products to fit the rapidly growing energy trading marketplace.  He worked with developers and led the rollout of FEA’s @Energy, an energy trading-specific suite of option valuation models.

While at FEA, Gary enrolled in the College for Financial Planning’s Certified Financial Planner study program.  He received his certification in 1997.

Because of his strong relationship and reputation with energy trading customers, Amoco asked him to join their Energy Trading group in Houston, TX in 1998.  He began as an electricity trader, but after BP acquired Amoco in 1999, he moved to roles trading natural gas futures and options.  He was then promoted to build and lead a fundamental and quantitative research team in Houston.  The implementation model he developed was used in all BP trading locations.  In 2004, Gary was promoted to Senior Trading Manager, Singapore, and was responsible for multiple trading teams covering all of BP’s activities in gasoline, naphtha, and petrochemicals in the Eastern Hemisphere.  He also successfully launched BP’s Australian Electricity trading desk in Singapore.

While in Singapore, Gary enrolled in the College for Financial Planning’s Accredited Wealth Management Advisor program.  The program emphasizes unique financial planning concerns and opportunities associated with advising high net worth clients.  He became accredited in November, 2007.

In April 2008 Gary resigned from BP to join Rennie & Associates as Chief Executive Officer.

Ed grew up in Philadelphia, PA. His first job after high school was as a craftsman with the local telephone company.  Several years later, Ed entered the U. S. Army and served two years in one of the military’s first data processing units in Stuttgart, Germany.

On his return home, Ed enrolled in the Drexel UniversityEvening College and obtained his Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering in 1967.  Immediately after graduation, Ed obtained his license as a Professional Engineer in the State of Pennsylvania.  In 1964, Ed was promoted to Engineer.  He rose steadily through various engineering, planning, operations and marketing positions while studying for the Chartered Financial Analysts examinations on his own time.  In 1983, Ed was appointed Executive Director-Trust Investment, the Chief Investment Officer for all of the Bell Atlantic Corporation’s pension and benefit plans at that point totaling about $6 billion. 

Ed was the key strategist and decision maker in the development of all policies, asset allocation, investment manager selection, asset class strategies and implementation procedures.  He directed the appointment of about 60 new investment managers, a systematic program of surveillance and asset restructuring, and the addition of Tactical Asset Allocation, international equities, small capitalization equities, and venture capital to the portfolio.  In 1987, he was voted one of “America’s Best Pension Officers” in a poll of institutional investors conducted by Institutional Investor magazine.  In an innovative move for a telecommunications company, Ed started the Bell Atlantic Mutual Funds; he chaired all Boards of Directors associated with the Funds.

While at Bell Atlantic, Ed became a SEC Registered Investment Adviser, a Chartered Financial Analyst, a Certified Financial Planner, passed four required NASD examinations and co-authored “The Successful Use of Benchmark Portfolios” published in the Financial Analysts Journal.

Ed retired from Bell Atlantic at the end of 1990 (asset total—about $14 billion) and immediately joined the Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO) in Newport Beach, CA as Director of New Product Services and Account Manager.  He was instrumental in the development of PIMCO’s Synthetic GICs product.  In 1996, Ed moved to Singapore and opened PIMCO’s first foreign office.  He retired from PIMCO at the end of 1998.

While at PIMCO, Ed authored “The Behavior and Market Responsiveness of Synthetic GICs” published  in the Financial Analysts Journal, and co-authored a book entitled Handbook of Inflation Indexed Bonds.

Ed founded Rennie & Associates, a financial and investment planning firm in 1999.  The firm has grown steadily since its inception, with assets under review at about $100 million. 

In 2006, Ed published The Beginning of The End of My Life, a book about his battle with leukemia—and other things.