Trading Description:
The Program (Multi Manager) launched in January 2008, initially trading proprietary assets until April 2008 when it began trading client funds. The Program was traded at Atlantic Capital Advisors from inception until February 2014. In April 2014 Nicholas Gentile established NickJen Capital Management & Consultants and renamed the program the Natural Resource Fund - NRD-1.
The NRD-1 is a Natural Resource, commodity only program using both fundamental and technical analysis, with the ultimate trading decisions based on fundamentals. 70% of the portfolio strategy focuses on the Agricultural and Soft markets and the remaining balance is composed of the Energy, Meat and Metal sectors.
Trading decisions are developed through highly extensive, statistically based analysis, review of supply and demand conditions, inventory levels, weather developments and forecasts and economic trends and reports. This in conjunction with the managers in depth knowledge of markets and physical commodity trading experience is also strengthened by a vast network of industry contacts developed over 25 plus years.
Risk Strategy:
NickJen Capital employs strict risk parameters which are monitored in real time through the company’s internal risk management system and electronic trading platforms. The company's Chief Risk Officer regulates and administers the internal system. We also utilize a fully integrated and scalable risk system and have a strong focus on operations and controls.
Background:
Nicholas Gentile – Managing Director, Head Trader and Principal
Mr. Gentile began his career in commodities in 1988, where he worked on the trading floor of the Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange (“CSCEâ€) as a phone clerk for B&J Commodities. In 1993, Mr. Gentile became a member of the CSCE and began trading proprietary funds as well as trading client accounts. Nicholas along with his partners formed MP Commodities, a Coffee, Sugar, Cocoa Futures and Options brokerage operation in 1998. His primary responsibility was running the daily operation of the futures trading floor. Mr. Gentile joined Atlantic Capital in January 2008 as a Partner and Co Manager of a Commodities only Discretionary Fund. Nicholas was responsible for putting together trading strategies for the discretionary program as well as running all trading and execution for the firm. These strategies included Relative Value, Spreads and Directional Trades consisting mostly of futures contracts with some options. Mr. Gentile maintains extensive contacts in the physical Coffee, Sugar, Cocoa, Grain and Energy industries. His network is comprised of producers, consumers, traders, hedge funds as well as the three main commodity index firms. This in conjunction with his commodity knowledge makes him a cutting edge industry leader.
Lisa Parrinelli - COO and Principal
Ms. Parrinelli is a financial industry veteran with 25 years Futures and Foreign Exchange experience. She has held senior positions at several leading global financial institutions.
Lisa began her career at Dean Witter working on one of the industry's largest Managed Futures Trading Desks. After several years of servicing most of the major CTAs, she was recruited by one of the "Original Turtle Traders", Liz Cheval, to work at EMC Capital Management in Chicago. Working closely with Ms. Cheval, Lisa learned the nuances of trading and quickly became responsible for trading the Currencies, Energies and Metals portion of the portfolio. Upon moving back to New York, Lisa joined an Institutional Sales and Trading Group at Refco. During this time period she was instrumental in successfully growing the sales team and the P & L substantially enough for the CEO of MF Global to take notice and recruit the entire group. Throughout her eight year tenure at MF Global, she directly managed a staff of trading and sales professionals while overseeing the strategy, development and implementation of sales, marketing and training material. Prior to joining NickJen Capital, Ms. Parrinelli was a Senior Vice President at RCG.
Lisa is a graduate of New York University.
Anthony Mascia - CFO
After founding a successful business in the entertainment industry, Mr. Mascia began his professional career at the New York Board of Trade in 1999. Mr. Mascia retired in 2008 after a successful career trading the soft complex and is proud to be a former member of the New York Board of Trade (NYBOT) & Intercontinental Exchange (ICE); Mr. Mascia co-founded Putter Trading, an NFA regulated brokerage business that consisted of national and international clientele. Mr. Mascia managed a floor trading operation where he delivered technical expertise and organizational leadership that was responsible for growing revenues by more than 250% annualized for the first 3 years, growing at more than 30% thereafter. He wound-down the business after the exchange went electronic, building a multi-million dollar division specializing in food and fiber commodities on the exchange. He has executed trades for commercial and institutional accounts, managed risk, formulated market positioning strategies, developed incisive market commentary, and provided consistent advisory and account services that established high rates of client retention and profitability. Additionally, Mr. Mascia recruited, hired, trained and managed a team of agents and brokers, while coordinating research, analysis, and trading. Mr. Mascia marketed new product lines and generated new commercial, institutional, speculative, and hedge account clients that enhanced the firm’s revenues. In his normal course he interacted with traders, agents and clearing entities to ensure compliance with the company, the exchange, and with government regulatory agencies.
Mr. Mascia graduated from Fordham University in 2000. While a senior in college, Mr. Mascia began his commodity career on the Coffee, Sugar, Cocoa Exchange (CSCE) coordinating market prices and arbitraging commodities for multiple futures/options brokers. This is where he began learning the business from the heart & soul of the markets. He became infatuated with the rapid-paced, high-intensity energy created during each trading session. All along, developing the insight for how the markets function.
Accounting Notes:
Performance from April 2008 - March 2014 represents total Multi Manager Fund performance for Atlantic Capital. 50% of the program was traded by Nicholas Gentile from inception until May 2011 and 66% of the program was traded by Nicholas Gentile and Stephen Lampe from June 2011 to February 2014. Trading was 100% discretionary; the program traded natural resources and has now become known as the NRD-1 Program under NickJen Capital Management. The MF Global bankruptcy had a significant impact in that numerous client accounts were affected. Note there was a significant drop in assets under management following the bankruptcy of MF Global on October 31, 2011 as numerous accounts were frozen. Affected accounts were not included in capsule performance after they were frozen on October 31st as they were not traded according to the trading program. Performance from April 2014 represents client trading in the NRD-1 Program.