Dr. Ron Piccinini serves as the Chief Investment Officer of Altium, where he brings over two decades of expertise in quantitative research, portfolio engineering, and risk modeling to develop institutional-quality investment strategies. A key focus of his work is to advance Altium's mission by ensuring its financial strategies empower clients to navigate uncertainty, achieve better outcomes, and access the same level of innovation and sophistication as the most advanced investors, bringing sophisticated and outcome-oriented investment strategies to RIAs and other financial intermediaries. 

Ron's work is deeply rooted in addressing tail risk—the rare but impactful events that can disrupt portfolios. His strategies are designed to prepare clients for the unexpected, ensuring resilience and long-term success. As Ron explains, "Tail risk events may be rare, but their impact can be profound. Preparing for the unexpected is not just prudent—it's essential for long-term success, and the heart of everything we do at Altium." 

In addition to his role at Altium, Ron is the founder of Straxen, where he provides consulting services to premier financial institutions, including family offices, hedge funds, banks, and insurance companies, leveraging advanced analytics, machine learning, and data science to provide a diverse range of solutions designed to meet their unique needs. In this capacity, Ron serves as portfolio strategist for the AdvisorShares Q Dynamic Growth ETF (QPX). He developed the fund's proprietary Q Methodology™, a quantitative framework that uses advanced risk modeling and high-performance computing to optimize portfolio allocations. The methodology focuses on optimizing capital efficiency while accepting equity-level tail risk, ensuring the fund can adapt to market volatility. Under Ron's guidance, QPX has delivered strong risk-adjusted returns, helping investors navigate uncertainty while targeting equity-like growth. 

Ron is also the founder of The Exchange: A Financial Roundtable, which is a dynamic community designed exclusively for financial professionals who are ready to break down barriers, share insights, and shape the future of finance together. Recognizing that the financial industry is evolving faster than ever, The Exchange fosters connection, collaboration, and innovation, empowering financial professionals across the industry to stay ahead by working together to explore cutting-edge strategies and deliver better outcomes for their clients. 

Before joining Altium, Ron held leadership roles at Ashton Thomas Private Wealth, TD Ameritrade, and First National Bank of Omaha, where he developed advanced quantitative risk models, portfolio systems, and structured investment solutions. His career highlights include developing ETFs for the advisory space, designing structured note assessment programs, and building portfolio margin systems to enhance risk management. 

Ron earned his Ph.D. in Financial Engineering from the University of Nebraska, where his dissertation explored heavy-tailed distributions using neural networks, inspired by the 1998 collapse of Long-Term Capital Management. He also holds a Maîtrise (Master's degree) from Strasbourg University in France. His academic and professional expertise have made him a sought-after thought leader in risk analytics, portfolio theory, and quantitative research. 

A strong advocate for innovation and collaboration, Ron is passionate about creating bespoke portfolio strategies that help advisors and their clients better understand and manage investment risk. "Innovation in finance isn't just about new products—it's about new ways of thinking. By reimagining how we approach risk, we can create strategies that truly serve investors," he explains. 

Beyond his professional endeavors, Ron remains an avid student of high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and cognitive sciences. In his free time, he enjoys golf, boating, and scuba diving—pursuits that reflect his curiosity and drive for continuous learning.