Mitch Ackles (pictured), a public relations executive specialising in the hedge fund industry, has been elected president of the Hedge Fund Association. Ron S Geffner, a law partner at Sadis & Goldberg LLP and an expert in regulations affecting hedge funds, was elected to his second term as vice president.



The Hedge Fund Association is a non-profit organisation that promotes the understanding and development of the alternative investments industry. Its members include hedge funds, funds of hedge funds, family offices, public and private pension funds, endowments and foundations, high net worth individuals, allocators, and service providers such as prime brokers, administrators, custodians, auditors, lawyers, risk managers, technologists and third party marketers.
    


Ackles, 42, is the founder and CEO of Hedge Fund PR. His firm represents hedge funds, service providers, investors, conference organizers, and local, national and global hedge fund groups. He also serves as spokesman for Hedge Funds Care, a global charitable organization which raises funds for programs that work to prevent and treat child abuse.  Prior to his election as president, Ackles also served on the HFA’s board of directors and served as its spokesman for three years.



Geffner, 45, oversees Sadis & Goldberg’s Financial Services Group, where he advises private investment vehicles, investment advisory organizations, broker-dealers, commodity pool operators and other investment fiduciaries. He also counsels clients on regulatory issues and is a frequent commentator on the hedge fund industry.



“As hedge funds become more mainstream, the hedge fund industry has a greater responsibility to help everyone understand its contributions to the financial markets,” says Ackles. “I am looking forward to continuing the groundbreaking work that David Friedland has done as HFA president,” he added.



Geffner said the HFA would strive to add a strong voice to issues affecting hedge funds and their investors. “The hedge fund industry faces such challenges as providing more transparency, meeting new operational standards and complying with new regulations. The HFA will help the industry navigate these issues,” Geffner said.



David Friedland, former president and newly-appointed chairman, believes the growth of the hedge fund industry validates the HFA’s mission. “The hedge fund industry has evolved over the past 25 years from a little-understood niche into an important component of the financial system, and I am gratified the Hedge Fund Association has played a part in that transition,” says Friedland.