We are an independent investment advisor.  We are not a broker or a dealer, we are not affiliated with or owned by a bank or an insurance company, and we receive no commissions on transactions.  Our compensation comes solely from fees based on the value of the assets under our management.  This fee structure aligns our interests with those of our clients and allows us to focus on increasing the value of our clients’ portfolios. We also invest our own personal assets in the same securities we purchase for client accounts – in other words, we eat our own cooking.

We take a long-term approach to investing based on the proven principles of value investing. We are not frequent traders and do not try to time the market. Rather, we buy and hold high quality securities issued by companies that we consider to be financially sound with attractive growth prospects and whose value we believe is likely to increase over time.  These are Warren Buffett’s basic principles of long-term, value-oriented investing.

We manage portfolios composed primarily of individual securities for our clients, which typically consist of 30-35 equity positions held for long-term appreciation and 20-25 income securities held primarily for current income. Constructing these types of focused portfolios enables us to take meaningful positions in our most high-conviction securities while also achieving diversification across industry sectors, asset classes, and market capitalizations.

We take a broad view of income investing and, unlike many investment managers, do not limit our income universe to government and corporate bonds. We do buy bonds when we find them attractive. But we also look for opportunities among asset classes such as utilities, real estate investment trusts (REITs), and other high dividend equities; preferred stocks; master limited partnerships (MLPs); convertible securities; and corporate and high yield notes. We seek securities that pay relatively high current yields and also offer the potential for long-term capital appreciation.

We consider investment management as just one aspect of the financial planning process, and we encourage our clients to work with us to develop a comprehensive financial plan. Financial planning is important at every stage of life – for younger clients building families and saving for college education, and for older clients planning for their retirement, estate, and charitable giving goals. 

We see ourselves as not only financial advisors but also as problem solvers for all financial needs. We assist our clients with everything from finding the best mortgage solution to evaluating their insurance coverage and setting up charitable giving accounts. We also can refer clients to expert professionals in the areas of tax planning, estate planning, and insurance.  Whatever the need, we can help find the solution with objective, trustworthy guidance.