For more than 30 years, NISA has driven strategic growth and guided custom investment strategies for hundreds of clients. Eichhorn has been with the firm since 1999, leading its investment strategies group and overseeing product development. Prior to NISA, Eichhorn worked with J.P. Morgan, advising clients on asset allocation and investment policy. NISA has approximately 375 employees and manages more than $446 billion in combined assets as of September 30, 2024.
PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
What has been your/your company’s most significant success over the last 12 months? NISA is one of the largest managers of fixed income (bonds) in the U.S. The historic rise in interest rates in 2022/23 greatly depressed the value of the bonds we manage, creating a strong revenue headwind. The NISA team has been remarkably resilient to these external pressures and has identified areas of growth and increased efficiencies to overcome these challenges.
What has you most excited about the future of your company or industry? NISA is 100 percent employee-owned, which is very rare for our size in the asset management industry. We have a stated intention to remain that way, so what excites me most is developing the talent pool at NISA to become the next generation of owner-managers. It’s very hard work, but there is nothing more exciting or rewarding than seeing someone accept, and then absolutely excel in a new role.
If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? Only one? That is tough. I absolutely love this industry, but I absolutely loath some of the behavior. Too often, finance companies operate in ways that are in solely their own self-interest but not the interest of their clients. And then there are the frequent moments of “loose” ethics. I think too many companies think that fines and settlements with regulators are just a cost of doing business—like spoilage at a grocery store. It can be hard to watch. (Stepping down from my soapbox now…)
What’s the toughest business challenge you’ve had to overcome (excluding the pandemic) and why? It wasn’t the pandemic per se, but the challenge of maintaining our culture as we went largely remote during the pandemic. NISA’s workforce—which has a long and impressive history of in-office collaboration—expanded at its fastest rate. Nearly one-fourth of our workforce was hired into a remote environment. We are fortunate to have a great group of long-tenured employees, who all rolled up their sleeves to help our new hires become part of the NISA culture at a distance. I’m pleased to say that today, our workforce is back in the office and stronger than ever.
Keep up with local business news and trends
Subscribe to the St. Louis Business newsletter to get the latest insights sent to your inbox every morning.
MENTORS & PEERS
To whom or where do you go for sound business advice? Everywhere. If you listen with intent, as we do with our clients, you can find insight in nearly every conversation. I find insights and inspiration in common sources, such as business school reviews, industry podcasts, etc. But some of the best sources are often less traditional: biographies, philosophy, psychology, etc.
Do you have a business mentor? If so, who and why? I have had so many wonderful mentors and colleagues over the years, there are too many to name. Every successful person under-attributes the impact others have had in their success, no matter how grateful they try to be. But I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge Jess Yawitz, NISA’s founder and my predecessor CEO. Without him, there would be no NISA. I had the great fortune to apprentice under Jess for 20-plus years—and for that, I am eternally grateful.
What piece of advice has had the most significant impact on your career? Without a doubt, treating my career like a financial investment—the earlier you accumulate knowledge in your career, the longer it benefits you. In essence, it is the “time value” of knowledge and is ultimately the same advice as saving for retirement. I buried myself in learning early in my career, which was easy because I was always passionate and curious about the industry. Treating my career like an investment from the start was a powerful accelerant.
What is one thing you would change about the St. Louis metro area business environment and why? Our confidence in our community—I think the business community and our citizens can often undersell St. Louis. This city is an absolute gem, but it will take all of us, working together, to help the world see it. Greater St. Louis, Inc. is doing phenomenal work along these lines—that’s why NISA was a founding member.
BACKGROUND
Where were you born? South St. Louis: 5000 Block of Nottingham Avenue.
What was your childhood aspiration? Timely question with the reboot of The Fall Guy. Colt Seaver’s stuntman. Seriously.
What was your first job, and what did you learn from it? I started my own lawn-cutting business in South St. Louis. It started with my elderly neighbor when I was in seventh grade and expanded from there. (Yes, in the late-’80s, it was perfectly normal to let a very undersized seventh grader navigate the quintessential, steep South City front lawns with a fairly dangerous old lawn mower.) I learned so much: customer service, bouncing back from adversity (like when your lawn mower is stolen), not every customer will be your favorite, friends make terrible “employees,” and much more.
What educational degrees do you hold, and where were they earned? I have a BSBA from Washington University—majors in finance and mathematics.
If you were not in your current profession, what would you be doing and why? I’m not exactly sure, but definitely making something. I would love to renovate old homes or buildings. Professional furniture maker would be pretty fun.
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
What is your favorite St. Louis-area restaurant? St. Louis is an amazing food city. In fact, every month when I meet with members of our workforce to celebrate their birthday, I ask them for their restaurant recommendations, and I find something exceptional every time. But The Crossing or Brasserie are two of my go-to spots.
What is one item you recently crossed off your bucket list? I visited Japan (with my 18-year-old son). But it’s not really crossed off because I am definitely going back.
What is one book you think everyone should read (or podcast everyone should listen to) and why? Think Again by Adam Grant. The central message of intellectual humility—separating one’s identity from one’s views/beliefs and arguing not to win, but to learn—is extremely powerful. It is a trait that I consistently reiterate, and hopefully model, at NISA. While intellectual humility is critically important in the corporate world, I believe it is essential in every aspect of life. And it may be the only antidote to our increasingly polarized world.
What’s your hobby/passion? Woodworking. It is such a great mixture of art and science. Being a math geek, I of course have a proclivity for the mathematical elements. But I find the wood itself so deeply beautiful, almost spiritual. The grain pattern of any one piece of wood can contain its own universe of dimensionality. Which actually impacts how it responds to saws and chisels, etc. Incredible. I have made all of the furniture in my office at NISA—some pieces I am more proud of than others. (Shout-out to the maker space on Delmar, MADE STL. It’s a great place to get access to some very, very serious equipment.)
What is your most prized possession? A Quebec Nordiques jersey with “Bob Bassen” on the back. He was my favorite player on the Blues, and I was heartbroken when he was traded to the Nordiques in 1993. My then girlfriend, now wife, somehow managed to order a custom jersey from the very French-speaking Quebec City—pre-internet, of course. You can still spot me wearing that jersey at Blues’ games (season-ticket holder). But not when we are playing their successor team, the Colorado Avalanche. My views on that Kroenke-owned franchise are certainly not fit for print.
What would people be surprised to learn about you (fun fact)? My closest friends remain the guys I grew up with in South St. Louis, most of which went to grade school with me at St. Mary Magdalen on S. Kingshighway. At a minimum, we meet once per month at a great South City watering hole to enjoy the local nectar, Busch beer.
What is your go-to karaoke song? Preferably a song that is down the playlist enough that the bar closes before my number is called. In an emergency, anything by Gordon Lightfoot.
