Jerry Freishtat.
Jerry Freishtat is a seasoned investor, entrepreneur, and executive with more than four decades of experience across financial markets, operating businesses, and private investments. He earned dual degrees in Business and Economics from the University of Maryland, where he developed the analytical foundation that has guided his disciplined investment approach throughout his career.
Jerry is the Founder and former President of Applied Trading, LLC and previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Venture Financial. Over the course of his career, he has founded and scaled multiple ground-up, multi-million-dollar companies, achieving two successful exits and a strategic merger. His experience managing and building multi-million-dollar equity portfolios spans multiple market cycles, providing him with a deep understanding of risk management, capital preservation, and long-term value creation.
In addition to his public markets experience, Jerry is an active investor in private placements, operating businesses, and real estate. His broad operating background—combined with expertise in strategic leadership, operational execution, marketing, and client relationship management—provides a comprehensive, business-owner perspective to capital allocation and investment decision-making.
Jerry is also a respected author, speaker, and mentor. His Amazon best-selling book, Run with the Cheetahs, reflects his philosophy of disciplined performance, resilience, and long-term achievement—principles that inform both his leadership and investment approach. He is passionate about mentoring emerging entrepreneurs and investors, and remains actively engaged in helping others develop sound financial and leadership principles.
A lifelong advocate of discipline and high performance, Jerry was a member of the University of Maryland golf team and continues to embody a performance-driven mindset. He has coached youth sports, supported his five children in their athletic and personal development, and maintains a strong personal commitment to health and wellness. His competitive discipline extends beyond finance, having earned first place at the Maryland State Bodybuilding Championships.
Today, Jerry continues to focus on identifying and investing in high-quality opportunities across public and private markets. His investment philosophy emphasizes disciplined execution, prudent risk management, and long-term capital growth, grounded in decades of real-world operating and market experience.