General Investing >> Money Manager Interviews >> December 10, 2021

Valuation Discrepancy Makes Small Banks Attractive Investments

Cummings, Fred A.
Fred Cummings is President and Founder of Elizabeth Park Capital Management. In addition, Mr. Cummings serves as Portfolio Manager for the privately held, alternative asset management firm that focuses on long/short equity, bank consolidation, and customized investment opportunities in the banking sector. Mr. Cummings is an investment and banking portfolio manager with 30+ years’ industry experience leading disciplined, client-focused investment practices. His performance establishes him as a principled bellwether across the investing and banking industry. Prior to founding Elizabeth Park, Mr. Cummings achieved a distinguished 17-year career at KeyBanc Capital Markets as one of the sell-side’s foremost Senior Analysts covering the banking sector. He additionally served as a Senior Analyst for FSI Group, a financial services hedge fund. He launched his career at McDonald & Co. as a sell-side Junior Analyst. Mr. Cummings earned his B.A. in Economics with honors from Oberlin College. He dedicates his time to serving on several boards, including The Marshall Project, Strategic Value Bank Partners, and Nirvana Analytics. In 2017, Mr. Cummings was named Crain’s Cleveland Business Who’s Who and, in 2015, one of Cleveland.com’s People to Watch. He has been featured on various media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, INC magazine, Crain’s Cleveland Business, and CNN Money. Mr. Cummings lives in the Cleveland area with his wife and two daughters. Profile
Word count: 3,242

TWST: Can you briefly describe your firm and tell us why you founded it?

Mr. Cummings: I always wanted to allocate capital like Warren