In this role, he will assume chief operating officer responsibilities that include planning and directing all aspects of the firm’s operations in order to forward initiatives for 2005 set out by the board of directors.

With nearly 15 years of experience in the investment management industry, Dempster most recently was chief operating officer for the investment consulting firm Pacific Portfolio in Seattle. Prior to that, he served as chief operating officer of Avalon Global, a San Francisco-based hedge fund.

"Don has a successful track record of driving the overall operations of a firm, including administration, compliance, IT, client support and marketing functions," said John Cahaly, CEO of Eze Castle Integration. "His operational expertise and experience will be instrumental in managing our firm's growth over the next several years and beyond."

"Eze Castle Integration is a firmly established leader in providing IT services to the financial industry," said Dempster. "I am excited about joining a firm with such a rich history, a solid client base and great prospects for the future."

Dempster has spent his entire career in the investment management industry, beginning at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 1990, where he was a staff accountant responsible for examining investment management firms and broker-dealers. Dempster later became the director of compliance for Robertson Stephens Investment Management in San Francisco. After earning his CFA, he worked as an analyst before moving to Montgomery Asset Management to oversee its international long-short group, which he later helped spin off to Avalon Global Asset Management. Dempster holds a degree in finance from the University of Idaho.