Brokerage Services

Yes Virginia, there is such a thing as an honest broker.
Larry has not only been a friend of Martin's for over 25 years,
he's also been his broker. 

Zephyr Investment Group, Inc.

Zephyr Investment Group, Inc. is a full service futures brokerage firm catering to the professional trader. Whether hedging business risks or speculating on economic events, most professional traders already have a trading plan.  Zehpyr works with each client to provide technical analysis on their specific market, a second opinion of sorts, and then helps them execute their trading plan.  Zephyr also will continually review option strategies that are consistent with the clients market view and make suggestions regarding the implementation of these strategies.  Our goal is to backup the client with sound technical trading advise, to provide fast and fair trade execution and seamless back office balancing and administration.  In addition, when a client is distracted from the markets by other business matters or when traveling on business or pleasure we can carry out his/her trading plan.

Zephyr has clearing arrangements with several Futures Commissions Merchants (FCMs), which allows it access to futures markets worldwide.  This structure allows Zephyr to better tailor trade execution and clearing services, for things like direct floor access, 24-hour trading and margin policies, to the needs of the client.  Zephyr is registered with the National Futures Association (NFA) as an Introducing Broker (IB) and a Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA).

Also, in order to provide clients with access to equity markets, we are a registered office of Polar Investment Counsel, Inc., a Wisconsin-based securities firm regulated by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

About Larry Ladner

Larry Ladner is a Principal of Zephyr Investment Group, Inc., and Polar Investment Counsel, Inc., each firm being registered with the National Futures Association (NFA).  Additionally, Zephyr, with offices in St. Charles, IL and Bakersfield, CA, is registered as a commodity trading advisor (CTA) and introducing broker (IB).  Larry has over 26 years of investment experience covering commodity, debt and equity markets on a worldwide basis.  His primary emphasis, however, has been the use of futures markets as both a hedging and speculative medium.

From 1974 through 1984, he was associated with the firm Conti Commodity Services, Inc., a subsidiary of Continental Grain Co., as its Vice President and Branch Manager (Chicago).  In September 1984, Conti was acquired by Refco, Inc., where Larry remained in a similar capacity until September 1986.  At that time, he organized the firm Swiss financial Services, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Swiss firm FFM Holdings AG, where he was Managing Director.  Swiss Financial was responsible for clearing all the hedging activities of its parent and related companies in the coffee, cocoa and cotton markets, where they acted as merchants.  Larry was a member of the New York Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa from 1988 to 1994 and the New York Cotton Exchange from  1988 to 1992.  In 1994, Larry established Zephyr Investment Group, Inc. as a commodity trading advisor and introducing broker.

More recently, Larry has worked extensively with the use of options, as well as futures,  to develop hedge and speculative trade strategies that are unique to each clients needs or individual risk parameters.  Similar strategies can be developed that work across different market groups so that experiences gained in one market, say crude oil, can then be applied to another similar situation in copper or Treasury bonds.

Larry holds a B.B.A. degree in Accounting and Management from Loyola University (Chicago) and is a CPA in the state of Illinois.

Zephyr Investment Group, Inc.
475 Dunham Road
St. Charles, Illinois  60174
800-609-2717    630-513-0595

Securities Offered Through:

Polar Investment Councel, Inc.
Brokers and Investment Advisors

Member: NASD, NFA, SIPC