Technical Analysis vs Quant Automation: Mathew Verdouw in Houston

Balancing the Manual Art of Charts Against Quantitative Automation in Houston

It is no small task for a Portfolio Manager to develop a comprehensive investment process that integrates market context and security decisions while keeping pace with analytical innovation. This tension takes center stage on Tuesday, September 22nd, as the CMT Association’s Houston Community hosts Mathew Verdouw, CMT, CFTe, founder and CEO of Optuma, for an evening examining the limits and strengths of both approaches.

The event runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at The Ranch Coworking Space located at 1220 Blalock Rd, Ste 300. The schedule kicks off with a brief networking block before Houston Community Chair Max Cameau outlines the local chapter’s growth plans. Shawn Edwards from event sponsor Direxion will then deliver brief opening remarks ahead of Verdouw’s main presentation.

Weighing Institutional Mandates Against Retail Backtesting

Verdouw’s presentation, titled “Manual Art of Technical Analysis vs. Quant Automation,” tackles a core operational dilemma: where technical analysis and quantitative models truly belong in modern decision workflows. The discussion addresses why conventional retail-style backtesting frequently collapses under institutional mandates, examining how quantitative models applied directly to watchlists can shore up a professional investment process rather than override it.

The practical details for attendees reflect a tightly capped room designed for professional networking. Registration carries a nominal fee of $20 for members and $40 for non-members to support the community’s relaunch, with capacity strictly limited to 20 attendees. Following the 7:30 pm Q&A session and meeting wrap-up, participants will head to a nearby local bar for networking starting at 8:00 pm.

Event Schedule	Time
Registration & Networking	6:00 – 6:10 pm
CMT Growth Plans (Max Cameau)	6:10 – 6:25 pm
Sponsor Remarks (Direxion’s Shawn Edwards)	6:25 – 6:35 pm
Mathew Verdouw Presentation	6:35 – 7:30 pm
Q&A and Wrap-up	7:30 – 8:00 pm
Post-Event Networking	8:00 pm onwards

The evening’s sponsor, Direxion, manages approximately $65 billion in assets as of June 30, 2026, and provides exchange-traded fund solutions built to let investors express short-term tactical trades or thematic strategies while managing risk exposure.

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