R. J. Hottovy, CFA is the Founding Editor of The Consumer Stock Network (http://www.consumerstocks.net/), an independent research and consulting firm devoted to providing unbiased, idea-driven analysis on retailers and consumer-related stocks. Hottovy specializes in a broad range of retail segments, including footwear and apparel, consumer electronics, health clubs, home furnishings, home improvement, sporting and outdoor goods, as well as a number of service providers and consumer product manufacturers.

Prior to founding The Consumer Stock Network (http://www.consumerstocks.net/), Hottovy was a Director and Senior Research Analyst with Next Generation Equity Research, a boutique sell-side brokerage based in ...More Chicago. He has also covered big-box retailers and e-commerce names for William Blair & Company and waste management, water utility, and equipment rental firms for Deutsche Bank Securities. Additionally, Hottovy participated in a number of equity, debt, and merger & acquisition financing transactions while with Deutsche Bank.

Hottovy's efforts have been recognized by a number of financial and trade publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Investors Business Daily, BusinessWeek, Forbes, Dow Jones NewsWire, Reuters, The Wall Street Reporter, and Footwear News. He also obtained a four-star rating (out of five) from the StarMine rating service, an agency that tracks the accuracy and reliability of Wall Street's sell-side analysts. Hottovy is also an active member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Chicago.