Harpswell’s LEadership
John P. Moore, CFA Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer
Jack is a Chartered Financial Analyst with more than 25 years of finance experience and more than 20 years focused on institutional investing. Jack serves as Harpswell’s Chief Investment Officer and Strategist and takes the lead on many client relationships. Furthermore, Harpswell devotes considerable resources to manager selection and tactical positioning and Jack spearheads these efforts.
Prior to overseeing Harpswell’s oCIO advisory services, Jack successfully managed Harpswell Capital Management, a hedge fund with offices in Villanova, Pennsylvania and Portland, Maine. The hedge fund was dedicated to serving a global roster of well-regarded family offices and nonprofit institutions (including The Ontario Teacher’s Pension). Prior to that, he was a Principal with The Vanguard Group where he was a Senior Analyst working directly for several of Vanguard’s funds and participated in the Chairman’s senior strategy efforts. Prior to joining Vanguard, Jack was a Vice President and Portfolio Manager with Bryn Mawr Capital (a hedge fund) overseeing all of the firm’s investments in energy and basic materials. Prior to Bryn Mawr, Jack served as a fixed income Analyst at MetLife.
Prior to his career in investment management, Jack served as a Financial Expert for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission where he would testify in Federal proceedings on issues relating to investments in and the finances of utilities. Jack also worked on Capitol Hill and served as the Press Assistant to the U.S. Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell.
Jack holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hobart College and earned his Master’s of Science degree from the London School of Economics. At LSE, Jack studied Labour Economics with a focus on Gender Discrimination in Corporate America: The Glass Ceiling.
A dedicated civic participant, Jack’s current and past Board roles include: the Good Will-Hinckley School (Chair), Portland Museum of Art, JDRF, and the United States Biathlon Foundation. Jack also has a history of working with several investment committees including the University of Maine System ($500MM+), Maine Medical Center ($1.5B+), and the Portland Museum of Art ($40 MM). Jack Chairs the PMA’s Investment Committee. Jack was also appointed by Maine’s Governor to serve on the Maine NextGen 529 Advisory Committee ($10B).
Jack lives in Yarmouth, Maine and is an avid hiker, photographer and angler
Vanessa Bryant, Vice President
Vanessa has over 20 years managing relationships, leading detailed orientated operations and building businesses infrastructure. Prior to joining Harpswell Advisors, Vanessa successfully owned and operated Invision Ink Promotions from 2004 to 2015, a marketing and advertising firm providing services to fortune 500 companies including TD Banknorth, Mechanics Savings Bank, Schering-Plough and Gillette. Prior to Invision Ink, Vanessa was Marketing Manager at the Saltwater Institute a non-profit started by the principles created by Tom Chappell (Owner of Tom’s of Maine).
Vanessa earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Economics from the University of Maine. She currently sits on the board of Yarmouth Daycare Center, she continually involves herself in raising monies for the Cancer Community Center and is a volunteer for Girls Scouts of Maine Troop #11. Previously Vanessa co-founded a charitable event with proceeds donating to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Portland. She has volunteered at Preble Chapel Child Care Center and was on the special events committee for the Sweetser Foundation.
Vanessa resides in North Yarmouth, Maine with her husband and their two children. Vanessa is a volunteer coach for the Cumberland-Greely youth soccer program and also enjoys time spent with her family, skiing, hiking and boating.
Claude R. Perrier, CPA, Vice President | Advisor
o Years of institutional investment experience: > 35
o Years with the firm: > 10
o Education: Bachelor of Science degree, Rutgers University
o Education: Master of Business Administration degree, Pace University
Claude joined Harpswell in 2015. He specializes in developing integrated investment solutions, and the implementation of Investment policies. Claude brings considerable expertise in asset allocations, and the evaluation and selection of investment managers and funds. He also works as a manager due diligence and performance analyses.
Prior to joining Harpswell, Claude was a Director of Advisory Services at CTC | myCFO which served over 300 wealthy individuals and families across the United States and internationally and advised or managed more than $41 billion in assets. Claude was responsible for advising clients with assets ranging from $50M to several billion dollars. He focused on providing investment advice as well as assisting families in other areas such as intergenerational wealth transfers, establishing family offices and best practices for tax efficient investing. He joined the organization in 2004 and took early retirement in 2015.
Claude was also a consultant and co-managed the investment manager research and hedge fund departments at Greycourt & Co. He was also a partner with New England Pension Consultants (NEPC), focusing on tax-efficient asset allocations and alternative investments.
Claude began his investment career as the Executive Director of the Maine State Retirement System, a $5.5 billion fund at the time. He was the CIO and CEO responsible for all Investment and Administrative matters.
Stephen Pawlak, Investment Analyst
Stephen comes to Harpswell with 7 years of investing experience. Previously, Stephen was an associate at TIAA, where he first worked on debt transactions, focusing specifically on high-yield credit, distressed debt investing, and restructuring of private notes. In his last few years at TIAA, Stephen focused on private equity investments in early-stage companies.
Stephen grew up in Massachusetts and attended Cornell University, where he majored in Hotel Administration with a minor in Real Estate. While at Cornell, Stephen was also a member of the varsity track and field team. He graduated in 2015.
Stephen lives in Portland, and enjoys snowboarding, surfing, and hiking.
Preston M. Noon, Marketing Director
Prior to joining the Team at Harpswell Advisors, Preston was based in New York City and worked in Advertising Operations at Newsweek, Nature Publishing Group, and the New York Times. Since he moved to Maine in 2016, Preston has worked as Operations Manager for the New England Nordic Skiing Association, as well at the U.S. Biathlon Association, (both 501(c)3 organizations)
Preston graduated from the University of Maine with a BA in English and minored in Art History. He received his masters degree in Interactive Telecommunications from NYU. He then went on to teach Digital Arts at Bennington College post grad and is currently a Lecturer at the University of Southern Maine. Preston lives in Freeport, with his wife and two children, where he is the Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals and is an active member in his community. As Marketing Director, Preston is responsible for making sure clients both new and old are completely comfortable and have all their questions fully answered.