SEATTLE and PHILADELPHIA, May 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Threshold Group, a financial planning and investment advisory firm for private families and family foundations, is pleased to announce that Mark deVries, CFA, CAIA, was promoted to Director of Manager Research and Alex Hokanson, CFA, FRM, was hired as Senior Investment Analyst.
Mark deVries, a 12-year industry veteran based in the Philadelphia office, is now responsible for overseeing Threshold's manager due diligence team. The team focuses on identifying and monitoring asset managers, used as the key ingredients to build portfolios aligned with client goals. New hire Alex Hokanson, who reports to deVries, serves as Senior Investment Analyst focusing on non-US equities, real assets as well as impact strategies.
"As we continue to build on the Russell family legacy of investment excellence, we are always looking to retain and promote our star performers as well as recruit talent from the outside," said Ron Albahary, CFA, Threshold Group's Chief Investment Officer. "Mark and Alex bring the right balance of breadth, depth and creative thinking to the investment process. Creative thinking is especially critical as our families have come to expect solutions designed to help meet multigenerational and complex objectives within the context of a volatile and ever-changing market landscape."
While Threshold Group conducts its own proprietary manager research, as a strategic partner of Russell Investments, Threshold's manager research team has the unique benefit of access to more than 560 investment professionals of this global asset manager. According to Albahary, "Our strategic partnership with Russell Investments gives Mark's research team access to the resources of a global organization resulting in enhanced productivity in researching managers and allowing them to increase their focus on crafting innovative portfolio strategies for each client."
Russell Investments was recently ranked #1 by FundFire for "Most Demanding Consultants During Due-Diligence and Manager Reviews."(1) This was the fifth year in a row that Russell was voted among the top for having the best manager due diligence practices by participants in a FundFire survey. "Our manager research provides both a deep dive and a backstop of due diligence for advisory firms who, by necessity, must keep primary focus on the needs of their clients. Even those advisory firms with strong in-house research capabilities appreciate the value of our global reach and continuous manager evaluation," said Phill Rogerson, Managing Director of Consulting and Product Development for Russell Investments.
"We truly appreciate our partnership with Russell Investments and want to congratulate them on their worthy recognition as the innovator and leader in manager research. Our collaboration with Russell augments our ability to deliver what our clients expect-a valuable combination of global knowledge, specialized expertise, a focus on their family's goals and dedicated relationship- building — all delivered by seasoned professionals who genuinely care for their clients," said Albahary.
Threshold Group is a family-owned enterprise with approximately 50 family clients in 35 states, 40 employees across four offices in the US, and $3 billion in assets.(2) Threshold works selectively with a community of clients that understands and appreciates the principles of integrity, lifelong learning, respect for the individual, the value of teamwork and the power of community.
Philadelphia Contact:
Jordan Haverstick
Email
(267) 443-2236
Seattle Contact:
Allison Rapaport
Email
(206) 748-3670
(1) FundFire Survey, April 8, 2013: "Russell, Towers Top Consultant Gatekeeper Charts." Russell ranks #1 out of 5; 6 firms ranked. (2) Data based on assets under advisement as March 31, 2013.
Threshold Group / www.thresholdgroup.com / provides investment guidance, financial planning, legacy planning and family office services for families and private foundations that require a comprehensive and personalized approach to wealth advisory services. Threshold Group is a Registered Investment Advisor. Data based on assets under advisement as March 31, 2013.