SAN JUAN, PR – Equalize Capital announced the opening of its new headquarters location in San Juan, Puerto Rico on January 1, 2019.
In addition to this location, the firm maintains an office in Wayne, Pennsylvania.
Equalize Capital is a registered investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. BCP serves as the Bluestone Community Development Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”). With the opening of its Puerto Rico headquarters, BCP moved management of The Fund to Puerto Rico under the leadership of CEO Lee Calfo and CFO Joe Gladue. The Bluestone Community Development Fund (The Fund) is a non-diversified, closed-end fund that invests primarily in U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) 504 First Lien Loans. The Fund’s investment portfolio is composed primarily of new production SBA 504 first lien loans. The Fund offers investors a path to claim favorable regulatory consideration of their investment under the Community Reinvestment Act of 1997 (the “CRA”). The Fund seeks to provide and expand access to credit for growing businesses, which help job creation and provide funding opportunities for companies that are not good candidates for traditional banking financing.
Equalize Capital and its broker-dealer affiliates, Merion Capital Management and Alden Investment Group, have a long track record publishing research on the Puerto Rico banking market. Given this history and the significant challenges created by the government debt crisis and the damage caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, establishing a physical presence on the island allows the firm to provide even greater insights for investors regarding the island’s recovery from these issues.
Its tropical climate makes Puerto Rico an attractive place to live, but from a business perspective, tax advantages provide significant advantages for businesses to locate in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico’s bilingual workforce and central location between the U.S., the Caribbean and South America contribute to the island’s attractions. Equalize Capital’s presence on the island gives them unmatched knowledge of the market and access to business and government leaders that can provide a critical edge for investors.
In addition to the traditional equity research coverage of the individual banks in Puerto Rico, Equalize Capital and its broker-dealer affiliates will provide periodic reports and analysis of the overall banking environment in Puerto Rico. They will also issue current reports that offer a broader view of the Puerto Rico economy, its recovery from the debt crisis and the hurricanes of 2017, and some insight into the future growth of the economy.
Joseph Gladue will continue in his role as Director of Research at Alden Investment Group, leading research and analysis efforts in the region. With over twenty-five years of covering the Puerto Rico banking landscape, Gladue has established himself as one of the premier analysts of this economic sector.
By opening this location in Puerto Rico under Mr. Gladue’s leadership, Equalize Capital hopes to deepen and add to their relationship with private and public entities in the region. The firm’s deeper integration into the financial community will give them greater insight into the drivers of the economy and the potential for Puerto Rico’s future.
About Equalize Capital
Equalize Capital is an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Founded in 2019, Equalize Capital is the investment adviser for the Bluestone Community Development Fund, a closed-end interval fund that invests primarily in SBA 504 first lien loans that can provide banks and credit unions with attractive returns in a CRA-eligible format. Equalize Capital is an affiliate of Equalize Capital Management, an RIA that specializes in the management of highly differentiated strategies focused on specific objectives. These strategies are available through limited partnership funds, mutual funds, separately managed accounts on a wide variety of investment platforms and custodians. Equalize Capital Management has a proven track record of meeting investment objectives in our separate account and fund strategies that have histories extending up to 12 years.
