Our People

EDUCATION

  • B.A. in Philosophy
    Haverford College

  • MBA in Finance
    Carnegie Mellon University

  • Chartered Financial Analyst designation

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Member of the CFA Society of Philadelphia

  • Former Accounting Warden and Vestry Member for Church of the Redeemer - Bryn Mawr

  • Former board seat at the Bala House Montessori School

  • Former mentor in the Philadelphia Futures program
    (now Heights Philadelphia)

Christopher M. Zafiriou, CFA

President/Founder/Chief Investment Officer

Chris founded Flax Pond Capital, LLC in 2022, for the purpose of assuming Michael J.  Crew's wealth management practice. At Flax Pond, he is responsible for investment strategy, research, and portfolio management.

Previously, Chris served as a Managing Director working on the Pew Charitable Trust’s investment portfolio ($6+ billion) managed by Glenmede Trust Company where he started in 2008 as a Senior Investment Analyst and was promoted to Portfolio Manager - Pew Trusts in 2012. Responsibilities included:

  • Idea generation, manager / investment due diligence, asset allocation, and overall portfolio management

  • Lead over 50+  public securities investments across all asset classes including: long only equity, fixed income, hedge funds, alternative beta/risk parity and commodities

  • Extensive private investment experience in Real Assets (energy, mining, timber, royalties, real estate), as well as numerous Venture and Private Equity investments and co-investments

  • Served on Glenmede's Private Asset Committee and E&F Investment Committee as a voting member

  • Early post MBA experience includes time as a sector analyst/portfolio manager at Radcliffe Group, a $500 million hedge fund focused on convertible bond arbitrage and time at Johnson & Johnson.

Chris is married to the photographer Jessica Todd Harper. They have four children and reside outside Philadelphia on the Main Line. Chris grew up on  Flax Pond, located on Cape Cod, where he learned to love biking, sailing and hiking. He graduated from Falmouth Public Schools and worked after school and summers as a lab technician for the Geology and Geophysics department of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution which enabled him to go on numerous scientific research cruises including voyages to Bermuda, Gulf of Maine, Iceland, Tahiti, Antarctica and Chile. Chris continues to love the water and sails regularly in the Chesapeake Bay and Cape Cod.

Email Chris at chris@flaxpondcapital.com.

Senior Advisor

Mr. Lehman‘s financial career has focused on investing for nonprofit institutions. In 2022, he retired from Glenmede Trust Company in Philadelphia, where he served as Chief Investment Officer for endowments and foundations and Director of Investments for the Pew Trusts. Prior positions were with Columbia University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He holds an undergraduate degree from Oberlin College and a master’s degree from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs.

Nancy T. Thrasher

Financial Planner & Chief Compliance Officer

Stephen C. Lehman

Senior Advisor

Nancy T. Thrasher was born on Guam to an Air Force family, and subsequently raised on a dairy farm in Woodstock, Vermont. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston College in Economics and French. She holds a Master’s degree from Bentley College in Financial Planning and Taxation. She has worked with the predecessor firm to Flax Pond Capital since 1992. Nancy and her husband Scott, the deputy fire chief of the Town of Falmouth, have two children, one a sophomore at Seton Hall and the other attends Falmouth Academy. They live in East Falmouth, MA in a house they custom built. Her primary responsibilities are financial planning, tax review/planning and client relations. Nancy is the current president for Wings for Falmouth Families, a non-profit providing financial support for Falmouth families facing a medical crisis or tragic event. She is also the Outdoor Chair and Committee Member for BSA Troop 38 in North Falmouth and the co-chair of the Falmouth Academy Parents Association.

Email Nancy at nancy@flaxpondcapital.com.

Michael J. Crew

Michael J. Crew was the founder of Michael J. Crew Investment Advisor, starting the practice on Cape Cod in 1981. He has successfully navigated his clients through many market cycles while remaining true to his value investing approach which is in the tradition of Graham and Dodd. Mike enjoys interacting with our clients and offering perspective and insight regarding markets. He was the founder and sole owner of Michael J. Crew, Investment Advisor, the predecessor firm to Flax Pond Capital, LLC.