The Late Floyd Tyler, Ph.D., CFA
Founder
Floyd founded Preserver Partners, LLC in 2009 and served as President and Chief Investment Officer until his untimely passing in 2023. Preserver manages high income, marketable alternative portfolios for foundations, corporations, public and private retirement plans, family offices, and individuals. Pri0r to starting Preserver, Dr. Tyler was a Partner and Director of Research at Gerber/Taylor Capital Advisors from 1999-2009. He served as Assistant Professor of Finance at The University of Memphis from 1996-1999 and Instructor of Economics at The University of Tennessee (1991-1992). Dr. Tyler held a B.B.A. in Economics from The University of Tennessee and graduate degrees from Carnegie Mellon University (M.S. in Public Management and Policy) and The Florida State University (Ph.D. in Finance). He received the Chartered Financial Analyst designation (CFA Institute).
Dr. Tyler’s diverse contributions involved board service in health care (Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, LifeBlood Foundation, Methodist Healthcare Foundation, and Sickle Cell Advisory Council); in youth development and education (St. Mary’s Episcopal School, Gestalt Community Charter Schools, University of Tennessee Alumni Board of Governors, University of Tennessee at Martin Business Advisory Council) and economic development/poverty alleviation (Memphis/Shelby County Community Redevelopment Agency Board, Tri-State Bank of Memphis, and Memphis Shelby County Growth Alliance). He was a member of Leadership Memphis Executive Class of 2002.
Dr. Tyler received many accolades during his lifetime. He’s been featured in the Memphis Commercial Appeal, The Daily Memphian, Bloomberg News, Street.com, Wall Street Journal, Barron’s Magazine, Emerging Manager Monthly, Wall Street Transcript, Insurance Linked-Securities Newsletter, Money Magazine, City Wire Magazine, Institute for Innovation Development, Alt Credit Intelligence, just to name a few.
Dana Pointer
CEO, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Compliance Officer
Dana Pointer joined Preserver in February 2010 and serves as CEO, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer. Prior to joining the firm, she served as Vice President and Compliance Officer for FTN Financial Capital Markets from 1994-2010, a national broker-dealer. She also served as Chief Compliance Officer for Channing Capital Management LLC, a private investment management firm in Chicago, IL from 2003-2005. Dana earned a B.B.A. in Accounting from The University of Tennessee.
Dana currently serves as a Board member for the RISE Foundation of Memphis and Community Lift. She also serves on the Financial Review Board and Grants Committee for The Women’s Foundation of Greater Memphis and Benedict College’s Burroughs Business School Advisory Board. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Leadership Memphis Executive Class of 2013 and St. Andrew AME Church. She is married to Leviticus Pointer and has two children, Landon and Demi.
Lara Payne
Director of Operational Risk Management
Lara Payne joined Preserver in July 2012 and serves as Director of Operational Risk Management. She earned a B.B.A in Finance from The University of Tennessee at Martin. Lara manages the firm’s operational due diligence. She also offers analytical support to the firm’s the investment team as well as assists in various compliance and back office functions.
Lara is currently an active member of the Junior League of Memphis and has previously served on the Asset Allocation Committee for the United Way of the Mid-South and as Treasurer for the JLM Memphis Women’s Summit. She enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with the family dog, Penny.
John “Mick” Clowers, CFA, CFP
Senior Investment Associate
John “Mick” Clowers joined Preserver in February 2018 and serves as Senior Investment Associate. Mick works closely with the Chief Investment Officer and Operational Due Diligence team to conduct investment research on new and existing investments through fundamental and quantitative analysis. He graduated from the University of Memphis with a B.B.A. in Finance.