Aldersgate Advisors

The Principal

 

 

Scott Crabtree is a consulting managerial economist. For more than a quarter of a century, he has creatively applied economic theory to successfully resolve many of the most difficult challenges confronting individual investors, investment funds, public and private companies, domestic and international financial institutions, and governments including but not limited to strategic planning, mergers, venture capital, taxes, banking, investments, international trade, economic development, healthcare, technology, reorganizations / turnarounds, legal liability, litigation damage models, legislation, regulation, etc.

 

Generally speaking, all economists are social scientists trained to study the economic, financial, and political systems, model them, and understand how they function, should function, and could function more efficiently, identify market inefficiencies as well as how to exploit the opportunities created by those market disequilibriums.

 

Managerial or business economists are specialists in applied economics. They differ from other tax, legal, investment, business advisors and even other economists; in that they should have a multi-disciplinary appreciation as to everything that could potentially impact the bottom line.

 

Managerial economists are uniquely educated in scientific methods to obtain relevant information, to critically evaluate and interpret information, predict the most likely resulting behavior, investment, or purchase, then to design strategies to maximize these opportunities. They take economic theory, and provide their clients with competitive advantages to improve the real world bottom line.

 

Managerial economists are therefore specifically trained to consider how such factors as tax, the law, and pending legislation, regulation, technology; personal motivations, sentiments, psychology, and personality types could potentially affect financial, investment, production and purchasing decisions.  They apply economic theory, policy and analysis to the daily "real world" / "bottom line" practices of individual investors, businesses, organizations, and institutions. They help with investment, resource allocation and other managerial decisions, in comparing and selecting among economic alternatives, to maximize the value of the firm or investment.

 

Over the years, a diverse clientele has benefitted from his unsurpassed analytical and creative problem solving abilities (testing in the 99th percentile), including high net worth individuals, entrepreneurs, senior level corporate managers in public, private and non-profit corporations, financial advisors, CPA’s, attorneys, banks (both domestic and foreign – investment and commercial), investment partnerships and funds, governments and individual investors on a broad range of financial, economic, tax, international trade, regulatory, and business issues necessary for improved operating efficiencies, bottom line responsibilities and wealth maximization.

 

He is especially adept in the early recognition of investment and corporate opportunities as well as potential threats.  These exceptional analytical skills provide for the critical and timely evaluation of information, and development of innovative strategies to exploit opportunities and create competitive advantages. His creative problem resolution abilities have helped commercial banks, corporations, and individuals by providing them with strategic competitive advantages.  

When new opportunities avail themselves, if he doesn’t have a current client poised to benefit by exploiting the market inefficiency, alternatively he often forms investment partnerships or acquires existing companies to exploit the new opportunity where his responsibilities include but are not limited to analyzing, organizing, planning, negotiating, and budgeting for total bottom line responsibility.   .

 

His solutions often produce proprietary strategies to exploit financial and investment opportunities afforded by the differences in national economies, technology, tax, cultural, regulatory, etc. He also frequently serves as an officer, director, or manager of investment partnerships, corporate acquisitions, as well as client companies.

 

For example, such efforts include:1) purchasing distressed debt portfolios, then applying new creative and proprietary strategies to provide IRRs averaging well in excess of 35% , and 2)  the acquisition of a private company while simultaneously negotiating an international merger and public offering to provide the partnership with a $20,000,000 arbitrage profit.

This broad range of accomplishments requires direction through a balance of entrepreneurial creativity with structured policies and disciplines.  His diverse acumen extends well beyond just acquisition and investment partnerships.  Beginning by analyzing merger and acquisition candidates he was responsible for identifying target companies, new markets, and operational inefficiencies and determined acquisition value and pricing as well as crafted strategies for acquisition structure and tax and post acquisition profitability.  Later he became a partner with a petroleum company responsible for the total and complete diversification of holdings through acquisition of private companies.

He created proprietary recapitalization strategies for distressed financial institutions requiring no federal assistance which made available more than $800,000,000 and resulted in the only US bank with equity capital of less than 1% to be successfully recapitalized and not forced to close or be merged with government assistance.

 

However, following the passing of his father, he began to redirect and broaden his economic consulting to include a more comprehensive approach beyond just traditional wealth management and profit maximization to focus on actual prosperity.

 

Rather than consult with corporations, he finds it more spiritually rewarding to instruct and assist high net worth individuals fulfill their stewardship and philanthropic responsibilities (1 Timothy 6:17-19), minimize their taxes, while earning above average returns on their investments – with minimum risk.  Extremely risk averse, he strives to systemically structure the elimination of most “real world” default risk to principal.

 

Now with an emphasis on more philanthropic and benevolent pursuits he now is able to provide more comprehensive and coordinated strategies for high net worth / high income individuals and families that also include taxes, charitable giving, and stewardship.

 

As an advocate for the affluent and sensitive to the unique needs of the wealthy, he recognizes boating and yachting offers a special recreational activity for affluent families: one that can be enjoyed by almost everyone of any age, at any activity level – from leisurely sipping Champagne to strenuously sailing, swimming or diving, and with relative privacy.

 

Leaning of the specific problems confronting yacht owners and the industry in general during the “great recession”, he concluded many of his economic and financial solutions could be applied for the benefit of yacht owners.

 

Now as a founder and Managing Director of YES Yacht Executive Solutions the same economic and financial expertise usually available only to the largest of financial, banking, corporate, and government entities, is available to provide customized financial, tax, economic, and wealth maximizing solutions for yacht owners and their families in order to support and facilitate the yachting lifestyle

 

A lecturer on international trade, nationally published author of investment, banking, economic, venture capital and corporate finance articles with membership in the American Economic Association, the National Association of Business Economist, and the Association of Christian Economist, recent areas of interests emphasize tax, alternative investments, behavioral finance, game theory, biblical investing, and Christian stewardship especially the growing investment discipline of socially responsible investing.

 

Working with local churches, community service groups, non-profits, and the corporate community he has devised and created faith based programs to facilitate economic development, educational opportunities and character enhancement in high risk, disadvantaged, minority children and adults.

Given the current state of the global economy, the problems, uncertainties / opportunities with the banking industry reminiscent of the 1980s and 90s, the disruption of the banking / capital markets, the inadequate low investment yields, and the unacceptable lack of integrity in too many of our institutions and advisors, and given Mr. Crabtree’s unique talents, skills and expertise, and in keeping with his faith: “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1Peter 4:10, Mr. Crabtree is refocusing his gifts to be of service where he can.