William Heard is the founder of Heard Capital LLC and serves as the Firm's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, leading the Firm's investment process and strategic direction. Prior to founding and leading Heard Capital LLC, Mr. Heard was a special situations analyst for Stark Investments, a global alternative investment firm. While at Stark Investments, he covered the telecommunications, media, technology, financials, and energy sectors. Mr. Heard’s investment experience spans asset classes and includes leveraged loans, high yield bonds, and equity securities. Mr. Heard is active in the philanthropic community, focusing his efforts on education and disadvantaged youth. He currently serves on the City Year Chicago Board of Directors and actively participates in OneGoal: a diverse collective of local organizations creating opportunities for today’s youth and low-income population. Mr. Heard is also a board member of the President’s Circle and Young Professional Network for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago. Mr. Heard is a 2005 graduate of Marquette University’s College of Business Administration where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Real Estate. While at Marquette, he founded and established the University’s Applied Investment Management (AIM) Program. AIM was the first undergraduate business program in the nation to be selected as a Program Partner by the CFA Institute.