Joe Frohna

Joe Frohna is a founding principal and portfolio manager at 1492 Capital Management, LLC, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He leads the firm's Small-Cap Growth strategy and co-manages the Small Cap Core Alpha and Small Cap Dynamic Hedge strategies, focusing on identifying small-cap companies with superior growth characteristics. His approach leverages thematic research to target high-growth sectors within the U.S. economy, particularly in technology, healthcare, and consumer-driven industries.

Frohna has over two decades of experience managing public and private accounts for institutional and individual investors, specializing in small-cap equities. Prior to founding 1492 Capital Management in 2008, he was founder, CEO, and portfolio manager at Cortina Asset Management, where he grew assets to nearly $2 billion in less than three years. Earlier in his career, he served as senior portfolio manager at U.S. Bancorp Asset Management, overseeing the nationally recognized First American Small Cap Growth Opportunities Fund.

He holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and a BBA in Accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Frohna is a CFA charterholder and a licensed CPA, recognized by Barron’s as one of the top portfolio managers in the country in 2001 and 2002. He has been a frequent media commentator on small-cap investing and is actively involved in professional and community organizations, including serving on the board of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee.