CFI PARTNERS, LLC
  • About Us
  • Leadership
  • Investment Strategy
  • Strategic Partner
  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Leadership
  • Investment Strategy
  • Strategic Partner
  • Contact

Our Leadership

CFIP’s team is led by five principals, including our two Managing Principals, Brad Couri and Levoyd Robinson. Our principals have worked together for over 20 years and have significant experience investing across the capital structure, including managing structured credit vehicles, hedge funds and distressed debt funds. 

Bradford B. Couri

Picture

Managing Principal

Mr. Couri shares responsibility for firm-wide management with Mr. Robinson and  is a member of the Investment Committee. From 1999 through 2004, Mr. Couri was a Managing Director at Citadel Investment Group, LLC where in 1999 he founded Citadel’s Distressed and Fundamental Credit Group. While at Citadel, he was responsible for overall portfolio construction and risk management for Citadel’s multi-billion dollar fundamental credit portfolios, including acting as portfolio manager for the Citadel Distressed and Credit Opportunity Fund, Ltd. from its inception through its merger with another Citadel fund. Mr. Couri was a member of Citadel’s firm-wide Portfolio Management Committee and a recipient of the 2003 Citadel Leadership Award. Prior to Citadel, Mr. Couri was the founder and Portfolio Manager of the Distressed Investment Group at Bank of Montreal from 1996 through 1999. From 1988 through 1996, Mr. Couri held various positions at First Chicago Corp., beginning his career as a legal analyst with First Chicago and culminating with his trading and assisting in the management of a $250 million proprietary distressed portfolio.

Mr. Couri earned a B.A. (cum laude) from the University of Notre Dame in 1985, and a J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law (with honors) in 1988.

Levoyd E. Robinson, CFA

Picture

Managing Principal

Mr. Robinson shares responsibility for firm-wide management with Mr. Couri and is a member of the Investment Committee. From 2000 through 2005, Mr. Robinson was a Managing Director at Citadel Investment Group, LLC where he was head of Global Private Debt for Citadel’s Distressed and Fundamental Credit Group, responsible for managing teams in the United States and London that made mezzanine and special situation debt investments including: high yield and distressed loans, asset based and structured financings, and cash and synthetic CLOs and CDOs. Prior to Citadel, Mr. Robinson was a founding principal and Senior Managing Director for two special situation CDOs managed by PPM America’s Special Investment Group from 1996 through 2000. Mr. Robinson began his career in 1988 at First Chicago Corp. where he held various positions culminating with his managing a $250 million proprietary distressed portfolio.

Mr. Robinson currently serves on the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Working Group on Financial Markets and is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.  Mr. Robinson earned a B.B.A. in Finance (magna cum laude) from Howard University in 1987 and is a member of the Alumni Exemplars Society.  He also earned an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in  1988, and  is a CFA charterholder.

Eric Baer, CFA

Picture

Principal & Portfolio Manager

Over 25 years of experience as a fundamental investment analyst of distressed, high yield and investment grade investments. Mr. Baer is a Sector Portfolio Manager with coverage responsibility across various industries including: Cable/Media/Telecommunications, Gaming/Leisure/ Lodging, Retail/Consumer, Restaurants, and Healthcare. Mr. Baer’s responsibilities at CFIP have included portfolio management, asset selection and analysis across various industries at multiple levels within capital structures.

​Mr. Baer earned his M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Chicago (with honors) and his B.S. in Finance from Indiana University.  He is a CFA charterholder and member of CFA Society Chicago.

Experience
1999-2005 Citadel Investment Group, LLC
1998-1999 Bank of Montreal
1996-1998 Federated Investors
1992-1995 First Chicago Corporation
1990-1992 Nationwide Insurance

Dave Dieffenbacher, CFA

Picture

Principal & Portfolio Manager

Over 20 years of experience as a fundamental investment analyst of high yield and distressed investments. Mr. Dieffenbacher is a Sector Portfolio Manager with coverage responsibility across various industries including: Building Products, Financial Services, Chemicals, Energy, Utilities, Home-builders & REITS, Packaging, Transportation, Industrials, and Food/ Beverage.

​Mr. Dieffenbacher earned his M.B.A. in Finance from Washington University in St. Louis and his B.S. in Finance from the University of Illinois (magna cum laude). He is a CFA charterholder and member of CFA Society Chicago.

Experience
2000-2005 Citadel Investment Group, LLC
1996-2000 PPM America’s Special Investment Group
1995-1996 First Chicago Corporation

​​

Sean Haas, CFA

Picture

Principal & Portfolio Manager

Over 25 years of experience as a fundamental investment analyst of distressed, high yield and investment grade investments. Mr. Haas is a Sector Portfolio Manager with coverage responsibility across various industries including: Auto, Industrials, Metals & Mining and Technology as well as special situation investments.

​Mr. Haas earned his M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Chicago and his B.S. in Finance (highest honors) from the University of Illinois. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and member of CFA Society of Chicago.


​Experience
1999-2005 Citadel Investment Group, LLC
1997-1999 Bank of Montreal
1992-1997 First Chicago Corporation
About Us
Leadership
Investment Strategy
Strategic Partner
Contact
​CFI Partners
One South Wacker Drive, Suite 3200
Chicago, IL 60606-4652
Picture
Disclaimer     
© COPYRIGHT 2021 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.