Aug 6, 2026
In
today's episode, we welcome
Don
Wordell, CFA, Chief Investment Officer of
Ceredex
Value Advisors, an institutional asset manager
specializing in value-oriented domestic small, mid and large cap
equity strategies. Don has been with the firm since 1996, starting
with Ceredex’s predecessor firm as a research analyst covering
value equity strategies. He became portfolio manager of the Mid-Cap
Value Equity strategy in 2001 and portfolio manager of the Small
Cap Value Equity strategy in 2023. Don earned a B.S. in finance and
an M.B.A from the University of Central Florida. He has been a
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) charterholder since
2004.
In our conversation, Don discusses his transition into the CIO
role, Ceredex's investment philosophy, and why valuation alone is
never enough to make a stock attractive. We explore the changing
small-cap landscape, the impact of private equity on public
markets, and why active management remains critical in less
efficient areas of the
market.
A major focus of the discussion is the emergence of the "Physical
Economy." While much of the market remains focused on software and
mega-cap technology companies, Don argues that many of the most
compelling AI-related opportunities may be found in the power,
infrastructure, manufacturing, cooling, and data center ecosystems
required to support AI's
growth.
Today's hosts are
Steve
Curley, CFA (Co-Managing Principal, 55 North Private
Wealth) and
Jeff
Goll, CFA (Head of Capital Markets,
Hillpointe)
Please enjoy the episode. You can follow us on LinkedIn or at
InvestorsFirstPodcast.com.
Show
Notes: