The success of a financial services firm is built on astute judgment, strong business relationships, and the spirit of service to clients and communities.

This is the philosophy of Martin Cabrera, Jr., CEO and founder of Cabrera Capital Markets, LLC. In practice, his philosophy has catapulted this firm to its position as the leading Hispanic investment bank and institutional brokerage firm in the nation. Recently he founded a second investment management firm, Cabrera Capital Partners LLC, a hedge fund of funds that offer strategies to protect client assets.

Attending to the financial needs of institutional and municipal issuers is a priority for Mr. Cabrera. He oversees daily and long-term activities in investment banking, municipal finance, corporate debt, initial public offerings, institutional sales, and trading.

Mr. Cabrera participates in numerous civic activities.

The most active of these is sponsorship of the Stock Market Game™, a nationwide program that teaches financial literacy and the operations of the capital markets to students in grades 4-12. The annual participation of over 60,000 students in the program is made possible by Cabrera Capital Markets in Illinois, New Mexico, Texas, Philadelphia, and New York.

Playing the Stock Market Game in high school inspired Mr. Cabrera to obtain his bachelor’s degree in finance from Northern Illinois University and to study at the London School of Economics. He honed his day-to-day operations and management skills at increasingly responsible positions including Senior Vice President at Amerivet Securities, Inc., located in Chicago.

Currently, Mr. Cabrera serves on the boards of the New America Alliance and Co-Chair Pension Fund Initiative; the Erikson Institute, Chicago; the US Bank, Chicago, Advisory Board; Roosevelt University; and the Illinois Council on Economic Education; ECON Illinois Governing Board;  ASPIRA, CSBI, General Woods Boys & Girls. In the past, Mr. Cabrera served on numerous other boards, including the 2016 Chicago Olympics Committee; the Los Angeles County Economic Development Council and the New Mexico State University Entrepreneurial Board.  Mr. Cabrera is a member of the Young President’s Organization Chicago-Windy City Chapter.

Among the prestigious awards won by Mr. Cabrera are the 2007 Minority Business Advocate of the Year award from the US Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency; the Hispanic Business magazine’s 100 Most Influential Hispanics of 2004; Chicago United’s “Business Leaders of Color Award”; and the Securities Industry Association’s “Outstanding Recognition Award.”