Mario Nardone, CFA

How my story began

Mario Nardone, CFA

Partner, Senior Investment Strategist

Early Life

A trip to Italy. The generosity of a relative instilling a life-long love of travel. The humility of a solo trip to the bakery and ordering in Italian.

Vanguard

Institutional and Advisory Services, ETF Product Management, muni fund specialist. Working with and learning from Jack Bogle.

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

“Acting” Marine Biologist

Seychelles Islands, Indian Ocean
Advanced Open Water SCUBA Diver, joining a marine research project to ID, study and
document coral revival after El Nino destroyed over 90% of the reefs.
Just a little typical break from cubicle life!

CIO & CCO

Chief Investment Officer (CIO) and Chief Compliance Officer (CCO)
Financial planning and advisory firm in Mount Pleasant, SC

East Bay Investment Solutions

Formerly Jericho Advisors, I purchased the practice in 2014, renamed it East Bay, and turned our focus to working with advisors.

Industry affiliations

Past President of CFA Society South Carolina, Past Chairman and Current Board Member College of Charleston Finance Dept Advisory Board

One lucky guy

Family: Piper/wife, Pepper/daughter + Santino/son in picturesque, historic Charleston, SC

Entrepreneurship: one of the most rewarding challenges; utmost respect for anyone else taking the plunge. A piece of advice though; it’s even better with the right business partner!

1999 - 2010

2003

2006

2010 - 2013

2013

2013 - 2019

Present

Mario Nardone, CFA

Partner, Senior Investment Strategist

Mario began his investment career in 1999 with Vanguard mutual funds in Valley Forge, PA, where he consulted institutions and financial advisors on investment policy, portfolio construction, and Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). He also held roles as a research analyst, a municipal bond fund specialist, among others during his tenure.

In 2003 he earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation, and he continues to mentor aspiring Charter candidates and young investment professionals.

Mario relocated to Charleston in 2010 to serve as Chief Investment Officer for a financial planning firm before establishing East Bay, the collaborative partner firm of (insert firm name), in 2013. As a Partner at East Bay, Mario serves a select group of Registered Investment Advisor firms as their outsourced Chief Investment Strategist. Responsibilities of this
role include continuous oversight of advisor clients’ investments, bespoke strategies for unique situations, client communications, and more.

Mario is Past President of CFA Society South Carolina and Former Chairman of the College of Charleston Finance Department Advisory Board.

His approach to investments and the industry has been featured in Investment News, NAPFA Advisor Magazine, South Carolina Public Radio, and other publications and media outlets.

Mario enjoys early morning basketball games, the Charleston beaches and restaurant scene, and spending summers in coastal Maine. He is an avid world traveler and SCUBA diver,
but also enjoys the simpler joys of life with his wife Piper, their daughter Pepper, son Santino, and Simba the cat.

Learn more and connect with Mario on LinkedIn

Eric Stein, CFA

How my story began

Eric Stein, CFA

Partner, Senior Investment Strategist

Early Life

Fanatic for IndyCar racing, cycling, basketball (And lots of Broadway shows, reluctantly then, with an appreciation now.)

Indiana University, B.S. in Finance.

Beautiful limestone buildings, fantastic business school, Big Ten sports!

Family Life

Travel is an ongoing passion we now share with our 2 boys. Favorite places, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Nevis, Israel.

Goldman Sachs Asset Management

Performance measurement, risk analysis and portfolio construction.

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

Half-Ironman, Finished!

Ask Eric sometime about the medical tent and two liters of IV!

RSM U.S. Wealth Management, Chief Investment Officer (CIO)

Strategic leadership of investment solutions.

Indy Car Racer

(for a few hours that is!) Drove 130mph strapped into an official Indy car at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A childhood dream realized!

Super Bowl 50

Carolina Panthers vs. Denver Broncos Although we lost, it was an experience my wife and I will never forget!

Nuveen

Thought leadership driving strategic decisions across a variety of business initiatives.

East Bay Investment Solutions

Partner

1994

1999

1998 - 2005

2001

2010

2005 - 2016

2013

2016

2017-2018

2018

Eric Stein, CFA

Partner, Senior Investment Strategist

Prior to joining East Bay, Eric worked for a variety of firms, both large and small. This includes 7+ years with Goldman Sachs Asset Management where he held roles in areas such as performance measurement, client service, risk analysis, and portfolio construction. During his tenure there, Eric had the opportunity to cover many different types of asset classes, vehicles, and client types. Eric also worked at RSM U.S. Wealth Management for 10+ years, serving as the Chief Investment Officer while providing strategic leadership and solutions for their national investment platform.

As a Partner at East Bay, Eric serves a select group of financial advisory firms as their outsourced Chief Investment Strategist. Responsibilities of this role include continuous oversight of advisor clients’ investments, bespoke strategies for unique situations, client communications, and more.

Eric is a proud graduate of Indiana University where he earned a B.S. in Finance. Eric also earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2001 and continues to stay involved in the local CFA society. Eric has been quoted several times in the Wall Street Journal and has written extensively on topics covering asset allocation, manager due diligence, financial markets, and economic events.

Eric enjoys traveling with his wife, Laura, and their two sons, Scott and Jack. In his spare time, Eric is an avid cyclist and includes finishing a Half-Ironman as one of his greatest athletic accomplishments.

Learn more and connect with Eric on LinkedIn.

Alex Kluesner, CFA

How my story began

Alex Kluesner, CFA

Senior Investment Strategist

Early Life

Moved from St. Louis to England; my parents launched an international business while raising a young family.

Inspiration

The St. Louis Rams’ Super Bowl win sparked my lifelong love of football.

Mizzou & New Beginnings

Graduated from Mizzou with a journalism degree; met my wife, Abby.

From Journalism to Finance

Transitioned into finance after earning my MBA.

Marathon Milestone

Completed my first marathon before injury ended my running.

CFA Achievement

Earned my CFA Charter with support from my family.

Joining the East Bay Team

Joined the East Bay team after nearly a decade in financial services.

1994-1998

2000

2012

2016

2017

2023

2025

Alex Kluesner, CFA

Senior Investment Strategist

Prior to joining East Bay, Alex worked for a variety of firms, both large and small. This includes 5+ years with Focus Partners Wealth (formerly Buckingham Wealth Partners) where he held both front and back-office roles such as Advisor to institutional clients and Manager within the Investment Strategy team. During his tenure there, Alex had the opportunity to cover many different types of asset classes, vehicles, and client types while focusing on manager research, due diligence, and client-education efforts. Alex also worked at Wells Fargo Advisors for 3 years, serving as a Performance Reporting Analyst.

As a Senior Investment Strategist at East Bay, Alex supports firm leadership as they serve a select group of financial advisory firms as their outsourced Chief Investment Strategist. Responsibilities of this role include continuous oversight of advisor clients’ investments, bespoke strategies for unique situations, client communications, and more.

Alex is a proud graduate of the University of Missouri—Columbia where he earned a Bachelor of Journalism as well as an MBA with an emphasis in Finance from the University of Missouri—St. Louis. Alex also earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2023 and continues to stay involved in the local CFA society.

Alex enjoys spending free time with his wife, Abby, and two children, Russell and Eleanor, exploring the outdoors, going to sporting events, and traveling the globe. Alex’s ideal weekend day consists of an early morning workout, a round of golf, taking the family on a field trip, and sitting by the bonfire on calm summer’s evening.