Rob Cummisford

M&I Investment Management Corp. offers a variety stock, bond and money market fund options. They invest across the risk/reward spectrum and use a variety of asset allocation strategies. M&I manages risk by avoiding concentrations in a single stock or sector and emphasizes long-term results across all market cycles. In general, M&I tends to invest in the stocks of US companies in the electronic technology, finance, energy minerals, technology services and producer manufacturing sectors. The firm invests across all market-caps with emphasis on the stocks of large-cap companies. M&I maintains a low turnover rate. M&I uses a disciplined fixed-income investment approach that seeks to capture excess returns. The firm evaluates the risk-return characteristics of individual securities in a wide range of sectors and manages risk through diversification and ongoing credit analysis. Their investment process involves the evaluation of sectors offering the greatest opportunity given the economic climate and the selection of securities based on current and historical spread relationships. Duration is managed relative to market benchmarks and trends in interest rates. They seek to identify the optimal positioning along the yield curve and to manage portfolios based on their assessment of current and anticipated changes in interest rates.

Provides investment advice

ClearArc Capital offers a broad array of equity, fixed income and specialty investment strategies as well as customized portfolios. Clients within each investment strategy share similar investment objectives. Additionally, the firm offers a passive equity index product. Their investment strategies include: Large-Cap Equity Index SRI, Core Fixed Income, Intermediate Government, Intermediate Government/ Credit Fixed Income, 1-3 Year Government LAM, 1-3 Year Government/ Corporate LAM, and Short Term Maturity LAM.

Pennant Management employs a disciplined, flexible, global tactical asset allocation investment approach that is based on fundamental and technical analysis and seeks to meet each client's investment objectives regarding total return, risk tolerance, liquidity, time horizon and tax considerations. The firm also offers a variety of specialized and broad-based financial consulting services through their proprietary CFO a la Carte program. In general, the firm tends to invest in the stocks of US companies in the producer manufacturing, energy minerals, electronic technology, retail and technology services sectors. Pennant invests across all market-caps. Pennant's equity selection process utilizes market models that seek statistically significant valuation anomalies in the capital markets. They use ETFs and mutual funds to target specific asset classes, market sectors or geographic regions that exhibit noticeable value relative to the market. The firm seeks appropriate portfolio diversification while minimizing both explicit and implicit trading costs. The firm's fixed-income strategy focuses on active management of high quality short and intermediate bonds with average maturities of 1 to 5 years. Pennant addresses liquidity needs, ranging from one day to one year, with low volatility, highly liquid money market instruments including a proprietary Repurchase Agreement. Pennant's Alternative Equity strategy uses active management to achieve advantages over static asset allocation. The strategy is designed to make money when the market moves higher and to protect money when the market declines.

Commercial banking

Ibbotson Associates Advisors specializes in asset allocation investment strategies. The firm employs a top-down, research-based investment approach. This approach begins with the development of asset class models and then integrates quantitative and qualitative analyses to screen for appropriate investments. Ibbotson has extensive experience in forecasting and the use of mean-variance optimization and multi-scenario sensitivity analysis to construct portfolios. Ibbotson relies on the principles of modern portfolio theory to develop model portfolios. They first forecast the long-term returns and volatility of each asset class. Then they apply mean-variance optimization, resampling and multi-scenario sensitivity analysis to develop asset class models with the appropriate expected levels of risk and return. Finally, investment managers are analyzed and selected to populate the asset class models. Ibbotson Associates regularly reviews the status of the investments within a portfolio to ensure that the asset allocations remain in balance. They look for style drift and performance that is not meeting expectations.

Functions as a College/University

IWA treasures the relationships they develop with their clients over time. They use an analytical approach to evaluate the complex relationships between clients’ needs and investment alternatives.