The DisruptED World of Financial Services with Industry Titan Jerry Wagner

Because this is an era now defined by economic whiplash, algorithmic finance, and global uncertainty, the investment world is increasingly more volatile than before. As inflationary pressures, geopolitical tensions, and trade policies create even further chaos into markets, the stakes for both advisors and investors have heightened. According to data on the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX), the market has repeatedly experienced turbulence on par with the COVID-19 crash. It’s a reminder that disciplined, responsive investing is not just wise, but extremely essential. 

So how do you stay ahead of a market that seems designed to surprise you? What can investors do to avoid emotional decision-making and still seize strategic opportunities with market volatility?

On this episode of DisruptED, host Ron J. Stefanski chats with Jerry Wagner, CEO and president of Flexible Plan Investments, to explore how quant-based strategies and long-term discipline can outperform even during the most turbulent times. From his early fascination with Edward Thorp’s market theories to founding one of the first hedge funds in the Midwest, Wagner shares a journey shaped by algorithmic thinking, economic shocks, and the belief that adaptive resilience is key to navigating market volatility.

Some key aspects of their conversation highlighted:

• Wagner’s early exposure to quantitative investing shaped the DNA of Flexible Plan, which uses computer-generated trades and adaptive strategies to remove emotional decision-making.
• How his firm successfully navigated Black Monday in 1987 and the COVID-19 crash in 2020 by identifying volatility trends early and shifting defensively before major downturns.
• How recency bias can be a trap and that active, rule-based investing strategies must evolve with the market rather than rely on static historical models.

Jerry Wagner is the founder, president, and CEO of Flexible Plan Investments, Ltd., a firm pioneering in the use of quantitative and risk-managed investing since 1981. He has a background in law from the University of Michigan, and economics from Michigan State. Wagner’s career blends legal rigor with data-driven portfolio management. He is widely recognized as an innovator in algorithmic investing and a thought leader in strategizing.

Article by Alexandra Simon.