Dan Cantor

Columbia Management Advisors invests in the US public equity and debt markets. They focus on growth and value stocks of small-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap companies selected on the basis of a top-down approach and thematic and fundamental analysis with a bottom-up stock picking approach to create their equity portfolio mix. The firm benchmarks the performance of its equity portfolios against the S&P 500 Index. Columbia Management Advisors invests in short-term, intermediate-term, and long-term high-quality debt instruments including treasuries, mortgage-backed securities, municipal bonds, agency bonds and asset backed securities to create their debt portfolio mix. The firm uses a combination of their equity and debt strategies to manage balanced portfolios and benchmarks performance against the S&P 500 Index and Lehman Aggregate Index. Though not limited by sector, the firm tends to invests in the stocks of large-cap companies in the technology, energy minerals and consumer non-durables sectors. They maintain a low turnover rate.

Functions as a College/University

Portfolio managers, research analysts and investment strategists work together to construct the most appropriate portfolio to meet each client's objectives. Growth stocks serve as the core of every client's equity portfolio. In addition, Stein uses opportunity stocks to provide an element of balance and diversity in each portfolio. Opportunity stocks include attractively priced companies with more modest growth rates as well as special situations that are value driven. Their fixed-income investment process incorporates both top-down and bottom-up factors by emphasizing three key components: yield curve management, sector analysis and individual security selection. After determining asset allocation guidelines in league with their clients, Roe employs a 'best of breed' approach to implementation over a variety of asset classes. For many of their clients they utilize external expertise in niche areas that complement their core portfolio structure (these may include small capitalization stocks, international equities and alternative investments).

Functions as a College/University

CK Advisors is a bottom-up, fundamental investor that seeks to produce superior results over time, while minimizing risk. The firm primarily invests in publicly traded equities using fundamental company analysis as the core element in the investment decision process. Their investment process starts with a research-intensive approach to identify undervalued securities. They prefer well-managed companies in good businesses.