Jay Woods, CMT
Chief Global Strategist at Freedom Capital Markets
NYSE Executive Floor Governor
Board Member CMT Association
Jay Woods is passionate about markets, trading, and mentoring.
With over 25 years of experience trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Jay Woods has been fortunate enough to witness the center of capitalism in action. As markets have evolved, so has Jay, transitioning from a results-driven trader to a team leader focused on communication with C-level executives and Investor Relations teams. Jay has also made various media appearances, discussing and writing about the hot market topics of the day.
At the NYSE, Jay earned the respect of peers and was elected Executive Floor Governor, the highest distinction given to a floor member. In this role, Jay met regularly with leading Exchange officials and represented the concerns of members on the floor. As a trader, Jay has lived through some epic events, including the dot-com bubble, 9/11, the Great Financial Crisis, Flash Crash, and most recently, Covid. Jay believes that the exciting and unpredictable nature of the markets is what keeps things interesting.
Always looking to improve, Jay successfully transitioned from an open outcry auction market to an electronic and algorithmic trading platform. Gaining a CMT designation and studying price patterns has become an obsession for Jay. Every stock chart tells a story, and Jay loves to dig deep to understand that story and what it may become.
Jay's favorite part of the job is getting involved with student groups and interns interested in finance. Mentoring programs like Scholars of Finance and regularly speaking to high school and college students has been the most rewarding part of Jay's career. Anytime Jay can use experience to teach and inspire young minds and put them on a proper path in the industry is truly priceless.
In Jay's personal life, family time and coaching various sports for his children are treasured moments. Jay has also managed and pitched his town's softball team to five straight championships. Now that his children have grown up, Jay is eager to focus more time working with an energetic and passionate team of people in an industry that he loves and respects.
