Mesirow Financial Investment Strategies' "Precision Alpha®" Becomes a Registered Trademark
CHICAGO, October 12, 2009 – The Mesirow Financial Investment Strategies Team's PrecisionAlpha® manager selection methodology was recently granted registered trademark status from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
PrecisionAlpha is the Investment Strategies Team's proprietary manager selection methodology that uses a quantitative measure to more precisely estimate an investment manager's skill and probability of achieving alpha, or the excess return a manager generates above the market through skillful security selection. Since its inception, PrecisionAlpha has provided the team a framework to optimally blend investments into portfolios that maintain core risk and reward targets, yet seek to outperform the market.
The factor that most distinguishes the PrecisionAlpha process from other conventional manager selection methodologies is the separation of style-pure and multi-style managers. Style-pure managers remain true to one asset class or investment style and are evaluated against other style-pure managers. Multi-style managers invest in various asset classes. For example, a large-cap value manager that plays a bit in the mid-cap and blend space will be evaluated against other multi-style managers. Other manager selection methodologies may exclude these multi-style managers or ignore their unique attributes, resulting in an incorrect assessment of a manager's skill.
"Our PrecisionAlpha process allows us to differentiate ourselves in the area of manager selection and portfolio construction," says Mike Annin, Managing Director, Investment Strategies. "By helping to separate a manager's skill versus luck in terms of security selection, the PrecisionAlpha process provides us the opportunity to choose managers that have a higher probability of outperforming their benchmarks on a forward-looking basis."
Mike Gentile, Director of Investments in Mutual of Omaha's Retirement Plans Division, is pleased with how the PrecisionAlpha process is incorporated into Mesirow Financial's fiduciary partnership service. "PrecisionAlpha has provided our team a unique way to add another layer of fiduciary protection to our retirement plan services, helping us grow our business," Gentile said. "Mesirow Financial's independent expertise in manager due diligence helps provide our plan sponsor clients with added peace of mind."
About The Investment Strategies Team
The Mesirow Financial Investment Strategies Team is an independent, third party investment consultant that provides robust asset allocation strategies and fund selection to insurance companies, 401(k) providers, broker/dealers, and mutual fund companies.
About Mesirow Financial
Mesirow Financial is a diversified financial services firm headquartered in Chicago. Founded in 1937, it is an independent, employee-owned firm with nearly $31.4 billion in assets under management and more than 1,200 employees in locations across the country and in London. With expertise in Investment Management, Investment Services, Insurance Services, Investment Banking, Consulting and Real Estate, Mesirow Financial strives to meet the financial needs of institutions, public sector entities, corporations and individuals. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, the firm posted $490 million in revenue, with more than $246 million in capital. Mesirow Financial may receive fees for selling or advising on the purchase or sale of products mentioned herein. For more information about Mesirow Financial, visit its Web site at www.mesirowfinancial.com.
For more information, contact: Greg Robertson, Mesirow Financial, 312.595.8158.
The Mesirow Financial name and logo are registered service marks of Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc., © 2007, Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but is not necessarily complete and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Any opinions expressed are subject to change without notice. It should not be assumed that any recommendations incorporated herein will be profitable or will equal past performance. Nothing contained herein constitutes an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy an interest in any Mesirow Financial investment vehicle(s).
Securities offered through Mesirow Financial, Inc. member NYSE, SIPC. Insurance services provided through Mesirow Insurance Services, Inc.
