MEET THE TEAM
At Warhawk One, we approach investments with the enthusiasm of an explorer, the creativity of an artist, and the skepticism of a scientist. Our focus is to grow and preserve wealth that lasts for generations.
NICHOLAS NG
Chief Investment Officer
Nick Ng’s career began at The Tranel Financial Group in 2015. He was instrumental in formulating the portfolio structure that would become the basis of the Liberty One Investment Management template of investing and the foundation of the new company.
Nick currently leads the research teams of Liberty One and Warhawk One, driving key transformative initiatives in the investment functions. His expertise has integrated idea generation, research, and portfolio construction process into the unified investment engine that today is managing over $2.4B of client money nationwide.
Identifying that only a portion of his research efforts were beneficial to the Liberty One portfolio initiatives, Nick strategized with Roch Tranel to launch the Warhawk One hedge fund, where he was the first investor. Nick’s investment principles and processes have evolved during his tenure, with a focus on loss mitigation and emotional control. The selection process is a blend of fundamental analysis reinforced by technical insights that ensure a robust and comprehensive approach to stock picking, security weighting, and hedge levels.
Nick earned his undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, where he graduated first in his class at age 19. In 2019, he earned his CFA® charter holder designation, passing all three CFA Program examinations in three consecutive years. Nick enjoys spending time golfing, traveling, and cultivating new relationships. He is currently living in Malaysia near his family.
ROCH TRANEL
Founder & Chairman
Roch Tranel began his career in the finance industry in 1988 when he founded his retail financial planning business and has been helping individuals gain clarity and confidence about their financial future for over 35 years. Roch’s goal, to serve his community by building a company around the principles of trust and excellence, continues to be the foundation of growth for the entire family of companies. Roch’s personal mission is ”to amplify the good in people by leading one billion people to their ideal financial life”. Each company that he has built is part of the architecture formed from that single purpose. Together, the 818 Capital Group enterprise oversees more than $2.4B of assets under management.
Roch distinguished himself as the #1 advisor at Money Concepts for over 20 years while The Tranel Financial Group secured its stellar reputation. The investment model developed for his clients became so respected within the industry that Roch and his leadership team packaged it as Liberty One Investment Management to provide access to the investment strategy for financial planners outside of his boutique firm. Over 1,000 advisors are currently recommending the Liberty One Investment Management strategies.
As client needs evolved and became more sophisticated, the natural next step for Roch and his investment team was to include a hedge fund as an investment option. We believe the best generational wealth strategy includes a long-term alternative investment. Roch, Nick (Portfolio Manager), and Eric (COO) were the first and largest investors in the fund.
Roch enjoys being at the forefront of technology. Coming from a place of gratitude, he has been an active leader in his community and is the author of three books: The Friend Economy; Sunny Side Up; and 8 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Retired. Roch resides in Libertyville, Illinois, the community where he has built his financial planning enterprise with his wife, Kathleen. Roch enjoys working alongside his daughter, Jenna, and his son, Alec.
ERIC CIMA
Chief Operating Officer
Eric Cima’s career in the financial industry began as a financial advisor in 1991, where he distinguished himself by building a loyal client base. Eric developed a strong skillset for harnessing technology to improve processes and best practices while increasing productivity and sales. Eric’s versatility and 30+ year experience in the industry has been a cornerstone of the 818 Capital Group’s evolution from retail financial planning start up to managing over $2.4 billion AUM.
Eric holds Series 7, 24, 63, and 65 licenses with a degree in finance from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. He established new standards for reporting and data analysis in 2015 in the role of Chief Financial Officer and currently serves as 818 Capital Group’s Chief Operations Officer. Eric is excited to bring his expertise to the table once again, building an investment platform with integrity that is focused on maintaining generational wealth at Warhawk One.
Eric is a great mentor to growth-minded financial advisors and a resourceful ambassador to the business leaders within the 818 Capital Group suite of companies. His strength has been in supporting compliance initiatives, developing the Liberty One investment committee, and building a proprietary system for developing the portfolios that became key factors in that company’s growth.
Eric enjoys time with his family and traveling together. He is involved in several ministries at St. Joseph’s parish in Libertyville. He enjoys racket sports, is an Ironman, and avid mountain biker.
STEPHEN BISHOP
Research Analyst
Stephen Ferebee Bishop, Jr. is a Research Analyst at Warhawk One with a distinguished career in investment management. His experience as an analyst with a single-family investment office and two RIAs brings a unique perspective that aligns directly with Warhawk One investors and their long-term goals.
Stephen earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Management from North Carolina State University and has worked within the investment management and financial services industry since 2008. His investment management career has focused on overseeing client portfolios and identifying compelling risk/reward opportunities across all asset classes. Stephen brings a strong depth of alternative investment industry knowledge to the Warhawk One team, having previously worked for clients and investors whose primary focus was generational wealth.
Stephen recently moved his family and dogs to the coast in North Carolina. He has a passion for classic cars, specifically Land Rovers, and enjoys spending his time sailing and scuba diving.
RENEE MELVILLE
Chief Financial Officer
Renee Melville has been helping individuals and businesses grow and manage their finances since 2011. During her years as the founder of an accounting and tax practice, Renee consulted with business owners and personal tax clients on financial best practices and tax savings strategies. Her financial savvy, commitment to quality and uncompromising ethics led to a full-time role as the Chief Financial Officer for 818 Capital Group, the capital management organization behind Warhawk One’s hedge fund. Renee has been leading the finance department for the 818 Capital Group companies, with over $2 billion in assets under management and a 35-year history, since 2016. She assumed the dual role of President and CFO in 2023.
Renee earned her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University in organizational behavior (summa cum laude) and an MBA with a concentration in accounting from Keller Graduate School of Management (with distinction). She keeps her skills and expertise current with ongoing professional development, including coursework through the John L Ward Center for Family Enterprises at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
Renee treats investor funds and relationships with the same transparency and commitment to integrity as she would for a cherished family member. In her free time, you will find Renee enjoying her family and labrador retriever, Lana, or gardening, traveling and exploring the culinary arts.
ALEC TRANEL
Investor Relations
Since the inception of Warhawk One, Alec Tranel has played a crucial role in the establishment of the fund’s investor relations framework as it welcomed its first investors. Alec facilitated the creation of our investor support communication channels and streamlined the investor onboarding process. Additionally, Alec has taken an active role in our marketing strategy and has cultivated a personal connection with many of our investors.
Before joining Warhawk One, Alec demonstrated his entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen by building startups during his tenure at the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. His guiding principle, “The more we grow, the more we give” reflects his commitment to intertwining philanthropy with business success.
Professionally, Alec is engaged in real estate investment and developing businesses. He is currently finalizing his first book. Outside of his professional pursuits, Alec contributes to the community through coaching wheelchair basketball and supporting the GLASA organization, showcasing his dedication to empowering health equity.
Founded in Traditional Values,
Our Midwestern Roots Run Deep
In 1988, in the heart of Wisconsin, Roch Tranel embarked on a journey that would become the foundation of something truly remarkable. Having earned a degree from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, Roch was proud of both the university’s reputation as a top business school and his college mascot, the Warhawk. Armed with this education and a passion for retail financial planning, Roch set out to make a difference in people’s lives.
Three years into Roch’s mission, Eric Cima, another Warhawk from UW-Whitewater, joined the ranks. Eric was referred by a manager who had witnessed the extraordinary potential in both individuals during their time at UW-W. Roch and Eric shared not only the same job at the university, but also an identical work ethic, an insatiable ambition to help people, and a deeply rooted desire to grow both personally and professionally.
Roch mentored Eric in the world of financial advising. As time passed, Eric discovered his innate talent for harnessing and advancing technologies along with creating systems and processes that would help scale their business. Together, they were an unstoppable force.
With determination and creativity, Roch and Eric developed model portfolios and sub-advisory services that gained immense popularity within the broker/dealer community. These portfolios became the foundation of Liberty One Investment Management.
As the business grew and flourished, Roch and Eric recognized the need for an additional team member. Recognizing the strength of their alma mater, Roch and Eric decided to bring in more talent from UW-Whitewater. They hired another financial advisor, who quickly embraced their vision and mission. The reins of day-to-day operations of Liberty One were turned over, allowing Roch and Eric to focus on strategic growth of what was becoming an enterprise.
Soon, Nick Ng, another proud Whitewater grad, joined the team. Initially hired to assist with client service and basic research, it wasn’t long before Nick’s unique strengths in investment management began to shine. Nick developed into a lead portfolio manager who has consistently delivered incredible alpha on the Liberty One portfolios.
Roch and Nick saw the potential in research that was often discarded by others; a treasure trove of opportunities waiting to be unearthed. These rejected equity selections could be used in unique ways to build a portfolio distinct from anything we were offering.
To further strengthen their ranks, Renee Melville came aboard, bringing her finance expertise. Renee, also deeply rooted in midwestern traditions, hailed from Northwestern. It is a bonus that Northwestern’s school colors also happen to be purple. Renee has helped harness the power of the team through people skills and enhanced reporting. She has brought fresh insights to the diverse talents of the team.
United by their shared purpose and the spirit of their alma mater, these individuals were inspired to launch a venture they named “Warhawk One.” The underlying mission was always crystal clear: helping people build and preserve wealth, and ensuring they could enjoy it over their lifetimes and pass it on to generations to come.