Jason Muenzen ’02 is the new director of the investment program in IC’s School of Business, and he is also a finance and international business instructor. He is responsible for the investment track, including marketing the program to prospective students and managing trading room activities. Prior to his position at Ithaca College, he held various positions in the financial industry at prestigious firms such as Goldman Sachs and Kohlberg, Kravis, and Roberts.

Q: Why are you passionate about the financial industry?

A: While I was [a student] here at Ithaca College, I took a couple of accounting classes and then started spending a lot more time in the trading room, which really piqued my interest. I think of investing as a puzzle since there are a lot of moving pieces and you need to think about how they all fit together in order to have the right investment thesis. It’s a challenging and fun game!

Q: Describe your experience working in financial firms before you came here.

A: I spent most of my time working as an equity and credit trader, so I was responsible for transacting investments in the market for the groups I worked for in the best way possible in order to hedge the groups’ investment positions. When my team left Goldman Sachs, we went to KKR and started a whole new fund, which was a lot of work in terms of establishing prime brokers and all the different types of systems and processes that we needed to put in place. The establishment of that fund is one of the things I'm most proud of.

Q: How does it feel coming back to IC in this position?

A: I always thought about how I could interact with students and give back to Ithaca College. This opportunity is one that doesn't happen all that often, and it has been terrific. People here have been really welcoming, and it’s been really great to work with a lot of the professors I had as a student. I've gotten involved in a number of different initiatives. Running a high school investment competition and raising the profile of IC are just a few of the things that I'm doing.

Q: How does the trading room help enhance the experience of students in the business school?

A: The trading room really puts the market right in front of the students. It’s nice to read a book about something you are passionate about, but the trading room really allows students to dive deep into what they want to do for a living.

Four Facts about Jason Muenzen ’02

1.   He loves to read about U.S. history, especially the American Revolution.

2.   He recently traveled to Munich, Germany, and Seville, Spain.

3.   He enjoys playing card games where odds and probabilities can be applied, such as poker.

4.   He likes outdoor activities such as kayaking and fishing.