Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Recognized as One of Portland Business Journal’s Most Admired Companies

PORTLAND, Ore. – December 10, 2015 – Ferguson Wellman Capital Management is pleased to announce that the firm has been named by Portland Business Journal as a “Most Admired Company.” Of the 10 financial services companies listed in the top tier the firm was ranked third. This is the 11^th consecutive year that the company has been selected. The list is compiled by surveying over 3,000 CEOs across the state of Oregon and southwest Washington. CEOs were asked to select three companies they most admired in eight industries, as well as three companies they most admired across all industries. Companies eligible for consideration were not limited to those based in Oregon and southwest Washington, but included any business with a substantial presence in the region.

“We are honored to have been selected, along with many other companies that we respect and admire throughout our region,” said Mark Kralj, principal.

Founded in 1975, Ferguson Wellman Capital Management is a privately owned registered investment advisory firm, established in the Pacific Northwest. As of 2015, the firm manages over $4 billion for more than 700 clients that include individuals and families; Taft-Hartley and corporate retirement plans; and endowments and foundations with portfolios of $3 million or more. West Bearing Investments, a division of Ferguson Wellman, serves clients with assets starting at $750,000.

(data as of January 1, 2015)

Lago Hired as Executive Vice President

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PORTLAND, Ore. – December 10, 2015 – Ferguson Wellman is pleased to announce that Mary Lago, CTFA, has joined the firm as executive vice president and a member of the firm’s wealth management committee.

With more than 15 years of experience in the financial industry, Lago came to Ferguson Wellman after working at Washington Trust Bank as vice president and regional manager for wealth management and trust services. At Washington Trust and at previous employers, she worked in personal trust administration and trust management. She began her career in the 1990s in Silicon Valley during the technology boom, later establishing the trust company at First Republic Bank. Lago has expertise on the topics of charitable planning in a low interest rate environment, selecting a trustee, establishing investment policy guidelines, managing cash flow and charitable giving components on installment sales and assisting clients with multi-generational wealth transfers. She is a frequent speaker for the Oregon State Bar and other organizations on the topic of estate and trust planning. Lago is a certified trust and financial adviser and graduated from Linfield College with a B.S. in business administration.

“Mary has significant experience working with investment management and trust services,” said Steve Holwerda, CFA, chief operating officer and principal at Ferguson Wellman. “She is a proven leader and shares our core values. We are looking forward to her joining our team, serving clients and focusing on company growth.”

Founded in 1975, Ferguson Wellman Capital Management is a privately owned registered investment advisory firm, established in the Pacific Northwest. As of 2015, the firm manages over $4 billion for more than 700 clients that include individuals and families; Taft-Hartley and corporate retirement plans; and endowments and foundations with portfolios of $3 million or more. West Bearing Investments, a division of Ferguson Wellman, serves clients with assets starting at $750,000. (data as of January 2015).

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PBJ Quotes Ferguson Wellman Regarding Fed Rate Hike

Oregon Bankers, Businesses Await Fallout from the Fed Rate Hike 

by Andy Giegerich

Portland banking leaders have steadfastly agreed that the prospect of a higher federal funds rate, the figure set by the Federal Reserve by which other interest rates are set, won't affect commercial lending.

After the Fed pulled the trigger on a hike, it's now time to find out whether that'll remain true.

Linda Williams noted even with the hike, interest rates "are still low and attractive from a borrowing perspective.”

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday said it would raise the figure, and by extension short-term interest rates, by 0.25 percentage points. The rate will now range between 0.25 percent and 0.50 percent.

The Federal Reserve announced the decision Wednesday morning. The body had been expected to boost the rate in October.

"Household spending and business fixed investment have been increasing at solid rates in recent months, and the housing sector has improved further; however, net exports have been soft," Fed officials said in a statement announcing the hike.

"A range of recent labor market indicators, including ongoing job gains and declining unemployment, shows further improvement and confirms that underutilization of labor resources has diminished appreciably since early this year. Inflation has continued to run below the Committee's 2 percent longer-run objective, partly reflecting declines in energy prices and in prices of non-energy imports. Market-based measures of inflation compensation remain low; some survey-based measures of longer-term inflation expectations have edged down."

The Federal Reserve hadn’t raised the benchmark interest rate for seven years, holding it near zero since 2008. Today's decision earned unanimous approval from the Fed, including an endorsement from Chair Janet Yellen.

Locally, at least one financial services firm reacted with a shrug.

"This was certainly the most talked about and anticipated Fed rate hike in history," wrote Ferguson Wellman Capital Management advisers. "As such, anticipated events become nonevents to the markets."

Specifically, the bond market was a bit lower while stocks were up 1.5 percent.

"The economy is robust enough that the Federal Reserve wants to 'tap the brakes' to keep the economy from overheating," the advisers wrote. "Ultimately, this rate hike should be interpreted as good news for the markets and economy."

We asked a few local bankers about the rate increase possibility in September.

“The anticipated interest rate increase hasn’t had an immediate effect on the Oregon middle market," said Ralph Hamm, Wells Fargo's commercial banking manager for Oregon.

"The common sentiment is that an increase is long overdue. A small interest rate uptick would send a positive message that our economy is improving, which is also supported by local signs of growth.”

Linda Williams, president of Washington Trust Bank's Oregon region, agreed.

"Commercial loan demand remains solid and financial institutions are actively competing for business," she said. "Any impact from interest rate increases will probably not occur until several interest rate increases have occurred. By historical standards, interest rates are still low and attractive from a borrowing perspective.”

However, Rick Roby, president and CEO of Premier Community Bank, fears that the boost could "raise the cost for businesses and could possibly cause a contraction of borrowing which over time will slow the economy. This type of environment creates more intense competition for acceptable credits."

Late last month, Dave Lofland, KeyBank's market president for Oregon and Southwest Washington, accurately predicted that the Fed wouldn't make any sharp hikes.

"For that reason, we don’t think any rate hike will be a serious impediment for the ability to borrow," he said.

"For many companies, their challenge isn’t the interest rate but what to do with their cash. The industrial side of the economy continues to struggle. It’s not pointing necessarily to a recession, but it’s made businesses more cautious. Many businesses have just struggled to deploy cash so they’re sitting with cash on the sidelines or capacity on their loans without industrial projects to go after."

Cole and Jones Quoted in Portland Business Journal

Cover story: Dave Chen wants to make you money … and save the planet 

by James Cronin

Eight years ago, Dave Chen and Tony Arnerich traveled to New York City. Their mission: to spread the gospel of sustainable investing to East Coast money managers, and maybe, raise some cash for their own sustainability-focused funds.

The response: crickets.

“The idea that you could actually generate market returns from doing positive things was a very foreign concept at the time,” Chen said, laughing. “I chuckle because Tony always refers to it as the time we put on priest-like garb to sermonize and try to convert.”

The silence, even after evangelizing to scores of their fellow money managers, didn’t deter Chen, who left a career in venture capital about that same time to found Equilibrium Capital.

Based in Portland, Equilibrium manages sustainability-focused, institutional-grade funds whose capital is directed at companies, products and initiatives that benefit the planet and create market-rate returns. Collectively, its team members have managed funds in excess of $25 billion and have built and led companies from the garage to their public offerings. Chen last year raised a $250 million fund focused on sustainable and organic agriculture which has already been deployed.

But Chen is hungry for more. He’s currently raising money for a similarly sized clean energy fund and has even bigger ambitions. Chen wants to propel impactful investing into the mainstream by pushing investors to use all the tools at their disposal to effect positive change in the world, or, as he says, to “use every instrument of investment to create an intentional benefit to the society and the environment.”

A lot needs to happen to make that vision a reality. Investments that fall under the sustainable and responsible umbrella, those that take environment, social and governance (ESG) factors into account, are still just a fraction of overall investments in the U.S.

But the category is growing, up 76 percent since 2012, and there are signs the numbers will continue to rise. There’s greater acceptance that climate change is a real threat, and millennials and women, who often seek investments with a societal benefit, are changing the conversation. Plus, significantly, the federal government just last month removed a major roadblock to social impact investing.

As interest in impactful investing increases, Chen is well positioned to be its champion. He is a respected investor, money manager and mentor, who has imparted his knowledge to thousands of business school students.

“We all worry about population growth and the effects of industrialization on the earth,” said Arnerich, founder and CEO of the investment advisory firm Arnerich Massena. “Dave is deploying capital to leave the world in a better place than it is right now.”

Michael Bergmann, the former director of footwear sustainability at Nike has four kids, all millennials, all very conscious of social and environmental issues. They played a big part in pushing Bergmann, of Portland, to transfer his entire 401(k) — more than $1 million — into socially and environmentally responsible investing.

“There’s a finite number of resources out there, and for companies to take a stand to protect those resources while they’re innovating, it makes me feel good about where I’m putting my money,” he said.

Bergmann is part of a growing group of individuals and institutions focused on social impact investing, putting their money behind companies that employ sustainable and socially responsible business practices. That can mean everything from banning investment in companies that extract fossil fuels to directing capital toward clean energy innovators or companies with a triple bottom line focus.

For now, though, Bergmann is in the minority. Of the $36.8 trillion in total managed assets tracked by Cerulli Associates, a Boston-based global asset management analytics firm, $6.57 trillion, or 18 percent, qualifies as socially focused investments.

Chen said part of the problem is that socially responsible investing is too narrowly defined. Arnerich agrees, saying it is often conflated with political activism or partisan politics. The nomenclature — socially responsible investing, green investing, investing with a conscience — only reinforces that. For some, especially old-guard investors, those phrases smack of liberalism, granola and drum-circle-loving hippies and as a result, they have avoided such investments altogether.

“The history of the genre, the ideas of green or social investing, has probably done more harm than good because it’s become political,” Arnerich said. “It’s left or right. All those words are unfortunately too polarizing.”

Chen himself shuns such terms. He sees sustainability as a value creator in portfolios, crafting each of his strategies “to be intentionally impactful,” Chen said. “We believe that sustainable practices are the drivers of returns.”

Another roadblock to Chen’s form of investing: Money managers say there are no sector-wide standards. Each company that runs a fund has its own socially responsible screening criteria for investing in companies, said Ralph Cole, an executive vice president with Ferguson Wellman Capital Management, one of Portland’s largest wealth management firms with $4.3 billion in total assets managed. Impact investing accounts for just 2 percent of Ferguson’s overall business, and the firm has only acquired that business in the last year or two.

That meager percentage isn’t a huge surprise. When it comes to managing people’s money, return on investment is still the number one consideration for a majority of individuals and money managers. Social impact investing is a relatively new category of investing and as such there’s not a lot of data on which to base projected returns.

What’s more, ESG funds “really don’t exist” in emerging markets like Brazil, Russia and China, said Ferguson Wellman equity trading associate Peter Jones, which can make social impact investing a challenge.

“Corporate governance is hard to measure, and really doesn’t exist ... for investors with exposure to those countries,” Jones said. “[Emerging markets] are not as interested in good corporate governance, and they are a lot less transparent.”

The time is now

Even with the obstacles, Chen is convinced that impactful investing is primed to take off.

For one, growing concern about climate change is affecting how money managers view long-term investments. If a company uses sustainable practices, for example, money managers may value it more highly than one that does not.

“If we shift to renewables from coal, if we realize water is a critical asset, those that use water more efficiently will have very positive opportunities, not just risks,” Chen said.

The influx of environmentally and socially conscious millennials and a growing number of women into the investing pool is also brightening the outlook for impact investing. Those groups, he said, tend to take a longer-view approach to managing their money, asking questions about how assets will be “utilized and productive over long periods of time.”

That longer horizon is evident in Arnerich’s approach. Arnerich Massena has $25 billion under management and about $400 to $500 million invested for social impact. Instead of focusing on the more touchy-feely aspects of impact investing, his firm invests in assets “that sustain life,” like agriculture and organic products.

“We moved to focusing on what the world needs and away from the sustainability buzz, and it now means more to clients,” Arnerich said. “Investing in agriculture or organic products, that resonates with people. That’s what millennials are driving — what they put in their and their children’s mouths.”

The most dramatic lift to impact investing of late was delivered by the U.S Department of Labor, which recently made it easier for retirement fund managers to consider ESG factors when directing capital.

In 2008, the DOL, whose interpretations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, known as ERISA, guide managers of pension and health plan assets, released guidelines that essentially blackballed socially responsible investing. In late October, the department reversed course and acknowledged that ESG factors can have a direct impact on the economic value of a plan’s investment. The decision effectively greenlights social impact investing for fund managers overseeing billions in assets.

“That’s pretty damn powerful,” Chen said.

In a sign of impact investing’s growing acceptance, the Oregon Environmental Council (OEC) last year completed moving its $750,000 endowment into investment vehicles that consider environment, social and governance factors. Now, the state’s oldest environmental organization is considering shifting its retirement plan so employees will have ESG investing options as well.

“You need to know your returns will match the market while investing in your values,” said OEC spokesperson Jessica Moskovitz. “But ensuring your future, the future of your kids ... that is not just about money.”

As for Chen, his $250 million agriculture fund is invested in a range of projects, including large-scale agriculture operations throughout the Willamette Valley, where his farms grow hazelnuts and blueberries. He is also focused on his “Australian pastoral strategy,” which includes investments in large-scale, grass-fed rangelands for cattle and sheep.

With that fund still investing, Chen at the end of March, filed a new securities offering, again for $250 million. This fund will invest in bio-processing facilities that convert farm and dairy waste, like methane, into fuel for transportation or to sell through power purchase agreements.

“Every strategy we execute here has sustainability at its core,” Chen said of his firm. “It’s not part of what we do, it’s not a piece of what we do. It’s all we do.”

Even as he’s fundraising, Chen is working to influence the next generation of financiers.

Chen spent three years teaching sustainable finance at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. Today, he teaches impact and sustainable finance at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Six years ago he founded what’s now called the Sustainable Investing Challenge, which invites finance students from business schools around the world to create investment strategies that deliver both a societal and capital return. Last year, 60 business schools sent teams to the event, which was held in London.

All told, Chen has spread his vision for sustainable investment to thousands of students from across the globe.

As those students enter the workforce and connect with investors like former Nike executive Bergmann, who align their values and investments, Chen believes socially responsible investing will find its way into the mainstream.

“The idea of a social [benefit] being executed in financial markets is not new. The idea that financial structures themselves unlock value is not new,” Chen said. “I think that by putting that together with intentionality, wanting to actually use these vehicles to create an environmental and social benefit, that is an innovation.”

Narancich Quoted in Portland Business Journal

Oregon stocks stumble as market plunges

by Matthew Kish 

The stocks of 18 of Oregon's 20 biggest public companies dropped Monday as the stock market tumbled. The S&P 500, Dow Jones industrial average and the Nasdaq Composite each closed down nearly 4 percent.

Northwest Pipe Co. (NASDAQ: NWPX) and Lattice Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ: LSCC) were the only large Oregon stocks to post gains. Each ended the day up less than 1 percent.

While there's no consensus on the market stumble, local analysts pointed to weakness in the Chinese economy and uncertainty about central banks and interest rates.

"I would venture to guess it’s more people being skittish about the direction of the Fed right now," said Chris Abbruzzese, chief investment officer for Portland's Rain Capital Management. "The Federal Reserve is going to be less supportive of equities markets going forward.”

They also said the market was due to hit a speed bump.

"The markets had been unusually stable and had come up quite a bit over the past three years," said Kraig Kerr, a senior vice president and financial adviser at D.A. Davidson in Portland. "So most people were expecting a correction at some point and were surprised it hadn’t happened earlier."

Shawn Narancich, executive vice president of equity research and portfolio management at Ferguson Wellman Capital Management, said the firm doesn't see anything "sinister" happening.

"Our mantra continues to be keep calm and carry on," Narancich said.

Ferguson Wellman expects the U.S. economy to continue growing in the second half. The economy is adding jobs and inflation is low. Consumer spending, which accounts for roughly 66 percent of the economy, remains strong.

"Gas prices are going to start dropping," he said. "Unemployment is low. Disposable incomes are up."

Rain Capital’s Abbruzzese said there’s also “quite a bit of evidence” that “we’re due, if not overdue,” for a resurgence in spending on capital projects that would stimulate the economy.

Kerr said D.A. Davidson's advice for clients depends on circumstances.

"Clients that are going to need cash in the near term may want to consider locking in gains," he said. "For the most part if a client has a well balanced portfolio we're not doing anything."

Abbruzzese said Monday's market volatility highlights the need for investment strategies that minimize risk.

“This is the type of market where we really thrive,” he said. “The approach thrives because we are more mindful of risk factors in portfolio construction.”

Here's a look at how Oregon's biggest stocks fared:

Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) — down 2.81 percent to $103.87

Precision Castparts Corp. (NYSE: PCP) — down 1.95 percent to $228.85

Lithia Motors Inc. (NYSE: LAD) — down 2.82 percent to $101.89

StanCorp Financial Group Inc. (NYSE: SFG) — down 0.85 percent to $112.59

Schnitzel Steel Industries Inc. (NASDAQ: SCHN) — down 2.66 percent to $16.10.

Narancich Quoted in Reuters

Investors eye gaming stocks beaten-down by China headwinds

by Ross Kerber 

Shares of U.S. gaming companies operating in Macau have tumbled on worries over China but some investors now see them as a buying opportunity, despite a slowing Chinese economy and volatile stock market.

Shares in Wynn Resorts Ltd have lost over half their value since last year and those of Las Vegas Sands Corp are down nearly 40 percent from their 2014 high. Beijing's currency devaluations have put further pressure on these companies which run gaming resorts on the Macau Peninsula across the Pearl River delta from Hong Kong.

Still, some influential investors think the stocks may be oversold.

"There are some beaten-down sectors in China now. I would go so far as to say that Macau gaming is an undervalued asset," said Mark Kiesel, chief investment officer for global credit for Pimco.

It owns debt in the sector, and Kiesel said he expects new infrastructure will bring more people to the resorts.

Also enthusiastic are the managers of Longleaf Partners Small-Cap Fund, advised by Southeastern Asset Management. In their most recent commentary the managers wrote that "Weakness in the Macau (China) gaming market provided the opportunity to purchase Wynn Resorts at a substantial discount to our appraisal." Southeastern is now the sixth-largest holder of Wynn.

Representatives for Wynn and Sands did not return messages. Wynn shares closed at $94.62 on Thursday, down from their high above $246 last year. Sands shares closed at $53.12 on Thursday, down from their high above $87 last year.

Skeptics still seem to outnumber the value-driven investors putting money into the stocks.

Shawn Narancich, executive vice president of equity research and portfolio management at Ferguson Wellman Capital Management, said his firm sold about 360,000 shares of Las Vegas Sands last year as they fell in value.

With several new resorts about to open in Macau he worries supply may outstrip demand, especially amid other headwinds like a Chinese anti-corruption campaign that has hurt gaming revenue in Macau, down 35 percent in July.

"It's hard for me as a money manager to make the case to return to the stock," Narancich said.

In commentary posted on July 27, managers of Wintergreen Fund wrote how they sold their holdings of Wynn Macau - majority owned by Wynn Resorts - in the first quarter of this year, citing weakening economics.

"Without a firm or improving business environment for gaming companies, it is very difficult for casino stocks to perform well," they wrote.

Portland Business Journal Writes About the Passing of Ferguson Wellman Co-Founder Norb Wellman

Ferguson Wellman co-founder dies at age 82

by Matthew Kish

Norb Wellman, who co-founded one of Oregon's most prominent wealth management firms, died Saturday from complications related to a stroke he suffered in 2013.

He was 82.

Wellman and Joe Ferguson co-founded the firm that became Ferguson WellmanCapital Management nearly 40 years ago. The firm has more than 715 clients and management $4.3 billion in assets.

"He displayed tremendous courage to start something from nothing in the late 1970s when he founded a firm that would ultimately become Ferguson Wellman," said CEO Jim Rudd, in a statement. "In a business that can become very emotional at times, no one can think of a time when Norb ever raised his voice. He was always the one who brought calm and level-headedness to every situation. He was so self-effacing — so concerned about our clients and the well-being of everyone in our company."

Wellman retired in 2004.

He remained involved with numerous organizations, including the Western Rivers Conservancy, Oregon State University Foundation and Oregon State athletics.

Wellman played collegiate baseball at Oregon State, leading the Beavers to an appearance in the 1952 College World Series. He held a bachelor's and master's degree from the university.

Wellman's family is establishing an OSU Baseball scholarship in his name. Contributions can be sent to the Oregon State University Foundation, 850 S.W. 35th Street, Corvallis, OR 97333. Contributions can also be made online.

Remembrances can also be made to Western Rivers Conservancy, for which Wellman served as a founding board member between 2002 and 2011. Contributions to WRC will honor Wellman and his efforts to further Oregonians’ connections with wild rivers, wild fish and wild places.

Ferguson Wellman Ranked a “Top RIA” by Financial Advisor

Ferguson Wellman Capital Management has been named by Financial Advisor magazine as a top investment company. Financial Advisor named Ferguson Wellman 44th out of 203 U.S. firms in the $1 billion-and-over asset category of their RIA rankings. Ferguson Wellman is the highest-ranked firm headquartered in Portland, Oregon. The listing is created by tracking distcretionary and nondiscretionary assets under management according to each firm’s ADV.

“We are fortunate that our firm has consistently experienced growth, not only in clients and assets under management but also employees and breadth of investment offerings and services,” said Mark Kralj, principal. “We attribute much of our growth to the confidence and trust clients have in us as well as the professionals in accounting, estate planning and private banking who we work with on behalf of our shared clients.”

Founded in 1975, Ferguson Wellman Capital Management is a privately owned investment advisory firm, serving clients with investable assets starting at $3 million. As of 2015, the firm works with more than 700 clients and manages over $4 billion that comprises separately managed accounts for individuals and families; foundations and endowments; and corporate and Taft-Hartley plans. West Bearing Investments, a division of Ferguson Wellman, serves individuals and institutions with assets starting at $750,000. All company information listed above reflects 6/30/15 data.

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Ferguson Wellman Ranked Second on Portland Business Journal Money Management Firms List

Ferguson Wellman Capital Management is pleased to announce that the firm has been named by Portland Business Journal as a top money management firm in their 2015 Wealth Management and Financial Services Guide publication. Portland Business Journal ranked Ferguson Wellman second in Oregon and Southwest Washington on their list of 25 money management companies. The listing was created by calculating the total number of assets under management for Oregon and Clark County, Washington clients as of the second quarter of 2015.

“We are delighted to be honored by the Business Journal. However, what is of utmost importance to us is the trust our clients place in our firm. That means more than any award or ranking ever could,” 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 640 clients in 36 states, the firm manages $4.2 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 6/30/15)

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Krys-Rusoff Appointed to Metro Exposition and Recreation Committee

Deidra Krys-Rusoff, senior vice president and portfolio manager,  has been appointed to the Metro Exposition and Recreation Commission (MERC). While new to the MERC, Krys-Rusoff is not new to Metro, having joined the Oregon Zoo Bond Citizens Oversight Committee in 2010, serving as vice chair and chair. MERC works to protect the public investment in three of Metro’s visitor venues: Oregon Convention Center, Portland Expo Center and Portland 5’s Centers for the Arts. Scott Robinson, Metro’s deputy chief operating officer, said Krys-Rusoff was an obvious choice for the position. “Deidra comes from the financial sector. She’s involved in bond markets, which has really helped our oversight committee. She is able to communicate the technical information to the rest of the committee in a way they can understand.”

“Deidra’s commitment to serve our community is very admirable and consistent with the value she brings to our clients and company every day. We are proud of her accomplishments and leadership,” said Jim Rudd, principal and chief executive officer of Ferguson Wellman.

Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Ranked 32 on Forbes Magazine’s Top 100 Wealth Managers List

PORTLAND, Ore. – May 1, 2015 – Ferguson Wellman Capital Management was named by Forbes Magazine as a top wealth management firm. This is the third year that Ferguson Wellman was represented on the Forbes list. Specifically, Forbes named Ferguson Wellman 32nd on the “Top 100 Wealth Managers” list. The data for the rankings is provided by RIA Database and is based on the total discretionary assets under management by year-end 2014. Ferguson Wellman is the only firm to be named in Oregon and one of three firms listed that is located in the Pacific Northwest.

“We appreciate this recognition from Forbes,” said Jim Rudd, principal and chief executive officer. “We are fortunate to experience annual growth in assets and new clients, and we appreciate the work of everyone in our company who is focused on seeking investment excellence and earning lifelong relationships.”

Founded in 1975, Ferguson Wellman Capital Management is a privately owned registered investment adviser that serves over 700 clients with assets starting at $3 million. The firm works with individuals and institutions in 36 states with a concentration of those clients in the West. Ferguson Wellman manages $4.3 billion comprising union and corporate retirement plans; endowments and foundations; and separately managed accounts for individuals and families. In 2013, West Bearing Investments was established, a division of Ferguson Wellman, that serves clients with assets starting at $750,000. All company information listed above reflects 3/31/15 data.

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Methodology From Forbes: Data for the Top Wealth Managers list is compiled by our partners at RIA Database. Candidate firms qualify based on both quantitative and qualitative criteria. This year we expanded the list to 100 firms, and ranked them by assets under management for year-end 2014, reported as of March 31, 2015. Members of the list must manage at least 50% of their assets on behalf of retail clients, can not run a broker-dealer (they can be affiliated with one), can not be a bank (trust companies are permitted), and must be performing wealth management services. Firms can not have had any regulatory, civil or criminal disclosures. The list looks beyond exclusively fee-only advisors because the RIA industry is evolving to incorporate more hybrid models as more representatives break away from broker-dealer models but carry along old business that includes some commission-based work.

http://www.RIADatabase.com.

“Forbes Top 100 Wealth Managers 2015” http://www.forbes.com/sites/steveschaefer/2015/05/01/top-wealth-managers-2015-investing-advice/

Note: Clicking on this link will take you to a third-party website. The information provided by this site is not endorsed or guaranteed by Ferguson Wellman. Clients should contact their portfolio manager with any questions about this topic. 

Oregon Business Magazine Names Ferguson Wellman a Top Financial Planner/Money Manager in its 2015 Power Book

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)

Financial Planning Magazine Names Ferguson Wellman Capital Management on Top Registered Investment Advisers List

PORTLAND, Ore. – January 1, 2015 – Ferguson Wellman Capital Management was recently informed that the firm was named by Financial Planning to their “Top 100 Registered Investment Advisers Firms” list as well as their “50 Fastest Growing RIA Firms.” The Financial Planning list has strict requirements, with the editors of the rankings excluding firms with broker-dealer and insurance company affiliations, as well as and large outside owners. This year they aimed to remove firms that sell commission-generating investments, such as annuities. The only companies on the list are organizations that provide true wealth management to more than 50 percent of their individual client base. The rankings were compiled with data from Form ADV filings as of September 24, 2014.

“Everyone at Ferguson Wellman is very gratified by our recent acknowledgement in Financial Planning. We appreciate being mentioned alongside our peers, but quite frankly what means the most to us is the trusting relationship that we continually earn with each client we serve,” said James H. Rudd, principal and chief executive officer.

Founded in 1975, Ferguson Wellman Capital Management is a privately owned registered investment adviser that serves over 700 clients with assets starting at $3 million. The firm works with individuals and institutions in 36 states with a concentration of those clients in the West. Ferguson Wellman manages $4.1 billion that comprises union and corporate retirement plans; endowments and foundations; and separately managed accounts for individuals and families. In 2013, West Bearing Investments was established, a division of Ferguson Wellman, that serves clients with assets starting at $750,000. All company information listed above reflects 12/31/14 data.

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Methodology and Disclosure: Rankings compiled by data from Form ADV filings as of September 2014, less broker-dealer and insurance company affiliated advisers.

Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Recognized as One of Portland Business Journal’s Most Admired Companies

PORTLAND, Ore. – December 4, 2014 – Ferguson Wellman Capital Management is pleased to announce that the firm has been named by the Portland Business Journal as one of the Most Admired Companies. Of the twelve financial services companies listed in the top ten (one spot was a three-way tie), the firm was ranked fifth. This is the tenth consecutive year that the company has made this exclusive list. The list is compiled by surveying over 2,600 CEOs across the state of Oregon and southwest Washington. The CEOs were asked to select three companies they most admired in eight industries. They were also asked to rate the two companies they selected in each category on the following attributes: (1) innovation (2) quality of services or products (3) community involvement and (4) quality of management and (5) branding and marketing.

“We are thrilled to have been selected, along with many other companies that we respect and admire throughout this great state,” said Steve Holwerda, CFA, chief operating officer and principal.

Founded in 1975, Ferguson Wellman Capital Management is a privately owned investment advisory firm, established in the Pacific Northwest. With more than 690 clients, the firm manages $4.1 billion in assets that comprise union and corporate retirement plans; endowments and foundations; and individuals. (as of 9/30/14)