George Hosfield, CFA, discusses Ferguson Wellman's quarterly strategy titled, "Inflation's Flame Flickers," which addresses the narrow market leadership, the impact of higher interest rates on inflation and how assets are priced at this stage of the economic cycle.
George Hosfield, CFA, discusses the firm's quarterly strategy titled "Stalemate," which highlights the Fed's ongoing battle to tame inflation along with our views on the health of the banking industry and capital market expectations for the balance of the year.
Director and Chief Investment Officer George Hosfield, CFA, discusses the Fed raising interest rates, peaking inflation and our view on equities and volatility across all asset classes in our Investment Strategy titled, “Balancing Act.”
Ferguson Wellman has been named by Oregon Business magazine as a top financial planner on their annual Powerlist. Oregon Business ranked Ferguson Wellman first in the state on their list of 11 financial planning companies. The listing was compiled based upon assets under management in Oregon.
PORTLAND, Ore. – January 12, 2015 – Ferguson Wellman Capital Management is pleased to announce that the firm has been named by Oregon Business Magazine as a top financial planner/manager in their annual Power Book publication. Oregon Business Magazine ranked Ferguson Wellman third in the state on their list of 41 financial planning companies. The listing was created by calculating the total number of assets under management in Oregon.
“We are very flattered by this honor, but feel most satisfied that we have our clients’ confidence and trust. That is truly paramount to us,” said Jim Rudd, chief executive officer.
Ferguson Wellman Capital Management builds and manages customized investment portfolios of $3 million or more for individuals, families, foundations, endowments and corporate retirement plans. With a majority of the investment portfolios comprising individual securities, Ferguson Wellman’s team of in-house analysts make decisions regarding asset allocation, sector weights and security selection directly for our clients.
Founded in 1975, Ferguson Wellman is a privately owned registered investment advisor headquartered in the Pacific Northwest. With more than 706 clients in 36 states, the firm manages $4.1 billion. Ferguson Wellman also serves individuals and institutions through West Bearing Investments, a division that manages portfolios with investments of $750,000 or more. (data as of 12/31/15)
Oregon Business Magazine Spreading the Wealth
February 25, 2014
By Paige Parker
A high bar to clear. Until last year, investors seeking the expertise of Portland firm Ferguson Wellman Capital Management needed to bring at least $2 million along with them. The 39-year-old wealth management firm lavishes personal attention on its clients. Some families have trusted Ferguson Wellman with their money through three generations. And its employees are far from fickle: Not a single investment professional hired in the last 25 years has left Ferguson Wellman for another job, says CEO James Rudd. The firm closed out 2012 with just shy of 600 individual and institutional clients and $2.91 billion in assets under management. “We’re not a hot-dot manager,” Rudd says.
Creating growth, controlling growth. Market research told the employee-owned firm that the time had come to pursue less wealthy investors. Assuming it would attract younger investors, Ferguson Wellman this summer added two employees and launched West Bearing Investments, a division for Oregon, Washington and California clients with at least $750,000 to invest. West Bearing clients have access to the same investments as Ferguson Wellman clients, as well as direct access to the analysts who create those investments.
The rich get richer. On January 1, the firm raised its minimum for entry into the established Ferguson Wellman division to $3 million. The move doesn’t affect current clients. “I’ve been here 31 years, and this is the fourth time we’ve increased our minimum,” Rudd says. Ferguson Wellman first established a minimum, then $1 million, in 1989. The higher minimum “allows us to continue to be very client centered in what we do and very entrepreneurial,” Rudd says. “Clients are the greatest resource that we have. Believe me, it takes years to form a trusting relationship with a client.”
Surprising results. The 43-employee company ended 2013 with $3.8 billion in assets under management, largely because of the strong performance of the stock market. But it also brought in 52 new clients. Twenty-eight came from the West Bearing division, which hit its goal of $25 million in assets under management.
So has the double-digit growth in Oregon’s software sector brought young, flush investors into the Ferguson Wellman fold? Not yet. The new clients aren’t of the high-tech hoodie set, but rather business owners, entrepreneurs, doctors and those who’ve inherited money. “When it came down to it, in the Northwest — anywhere, for that matter — $750,000 is a great amount of money to be putting into a retirement,” says Mary Faulkner, senior vice president for branding and communications. “Our demographics at West Bearing compared to Ferguson Wellman, they’re essentially the same. It was an exciting discovery for us — how wealth manifests itself in the Northwest.”
PORTLAND, Ore. – January 15, 2014 – Ferguson Wellman Capital Management is pleased to announce that the firm has been named by Oregon Business Magazine as a top financial planner/manager in their annual Power Book publication. Oregon Business Magazine ranked Ferguson Wellman second in the state on their list of 27 financial service companies. The listing was created by calculating the total number of assets under management, in Oregon and in total.
“We are very flattered by this honor, but feel most satisfied that we have our clients’ confidence and trust. That is truly paramount to us,” said Jim Rudd, chief executive officer.
Founded in 1975, Ferguson Wellman Capital Management is a privately owned investment advisory firm, established in the Pacific Northwest. With more than 651 clients, the firm manages $3.8 billion in assets that comprise union and corporate retirement plans; endowments and foundations; and individuals. In 2013, Ferguson Wellman created a new division, called West Bearing Investments, that servers emerging and established wealth. Minimum account sizes: $3 million for Ferguson Wellman; $750,000 for West Bearing Investments. (as of 12/31/13)
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