Orion's The Weighing Machine

Today Rusty & Robyn are joined by Brian Storey and Andrew Goins of Brinker Capital, Deputy Chief Investment Officer and Senior Portfolio Manager at Brinker Capital respectively.Key Takeaways[03:47] - Andrew’s and Brian’s professional backgrounds and what they do in their current positions.[09:05] - Who have  provided some of their key philosophical insights over the years and how have those influences impacted their style of investing?[12:10] - What is the elevator pitch for what the Destination Strategies at Brinker Capital are and what they are trying to accomplish?[12:55] - How do the above strategies differ from other multi-asset strategies that are available?[17:04] - How do they hone the art of Portfolio Management and how do Brian and Andrew interface in their day to day?[21:17] - Learn a bit more about the due diligence process for Brinker’s Destination strategies.[25:25] - When searching for managers, what are some of the key attributes they look for and, on the flip side, what are some reasons why they might terminate a manager?[27:47] - What is some of the risk management research that goes into their Destinations portfolio?[32:11] - What market environments might these strategies perform best in and vice versa?[37:49] - What are each of their favorite investment ideas currently?Quotes[16:03] - “[Brinker’s] use of…diversifying asset classes or strategies [sets us apart]...As we look at some of our peers…they tend to be much more traditional asset classes, more focused on equities and Fixed Income…That’s been a hallmark of Destinations at Brinker Capital for many many years and we do think that is both an area where we add a lot of value but [is also] just a differentiator from our peers.” ~ Andrew Goins[27:01] - “[When selecting an asset manager] you…want to see, you know, curiosity, creativity [and] the ability to adapt the process to potentially changing market conditions or different environments…being able to be flexible in their approach [is so important]...and can benefit the portfolio performance going forward” ~ Brian StoreyLinks“Into the Great White Open” by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers“The Gambler” by Kenny RogersOrion Wealth ManagementConnect with UsMeet Rusty Vanneman, Orion’s Chief Investment OfficerCheck Out All of Orion’s PodcastsPower Your Growth with OrionDisclosure(s) - Custom Indexing offered through Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC a registered investment advisor.Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC, an Orion Company, is a registered investment advisor. Wealth Management services are offered by Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC d/b/a Brinker Capital Investments a registered investment advisor. Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Orion Advisor Solutions, Inc. (“Orion”)The Destinations Funds are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC.Compliance Code: 0969-OPS-4/22/2024

Today Rusty & Robyn are joined by Ricky Schneider, Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at Fort Washington Investment Advisors. He is responsible for the commercial mortgage-backed securities portfolios for both Western & Southern Financial Group and third-party institutional clients. Schneider joined the firm in 2019. Prior to Fort Washington, he was with Mesirow Financial in Chicago where he was a Managing Director responsible for trading CMBS and other structured products. He also has previous experience at Loop Capital Markets, Lehman Brothers Asset Management, and Lincoln Capital Management.Key Takeaways[02:42] - Ricky’s professional background and what led him to the investment industry.[03:57] - Fort Washington’s tagline is “uncompromised focus.” What is the significance of this for the firm and what really sets them apart in the industry?[05:03] - A simple, functional definition of Securitized Income and Structured Products.[06:05] - What are RMBS and CMBS and how do they differ? What about ABS?[07:35] - What are CLOs?[08:50] - How large are each of the above Fixed Income segments in terms of the overall Bond Market?[10:01] - What is the value proposition for each of  these segments and why would investors choose these structured opportunities over treasuries or corporate bonds?[11:07] - What are some of the risks when investing in this part of the Fixed Income market? What are some scenarios in which they might underperform the overall bond market?[12:35] - How has the Securitized market changed since the Global Financial Crisis of 2008?[15:41] - Does Ricky have a favorite idea in the Securitized Income sector?[16:46] - What part of an investor’s bond allocation might this sector replace?[17:51] - Rules of thumb for sizing a position of Structured opportunities within a Fixed Income allocation?[19:08] - Why does Securitized Income work in an ETF structure and what are the advantages of this?[20:38] - What to avoid and what to embrace in commercial real estate and CMBS?[24:20] - What is Ricky’s favorite investment idea at the moment?Quotes[12:20 ] - “..There is also inherently more risk the further you go down the capital structure in any of these sectors we are talking about” ~ Ricky SchneiderLinksRicky Schneider on LinkedInFort Washington Investment Advisors“I And Love And You” by The Avett BrothersConnect with UsMeet Rusty Vanneman, Orion’s Chief Investment OfficerCheck Out All of Orion’s PodcastsPower Your Growth with OrionDisclosure(s) - Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC, an Orion Company, is a registered investment advisor.Compliance Code: 0910-OPS-4/15/2024

Today Rusty & Robyn are joined by Matt Brown, Founder and CEO of CAIS. He has spent more than 30 years at the intersection of wealth management, alternative investments, and platform design. In 2009, Matt founded CAIS, the first truly open marketplace for alternative investments, where financial advisors and alternative asset managers can engage and transact directly on a massive scale.Matt believes entrepreneurship is the major driver of economic and social change. He has spent the better part of two decades working with Endeavor, the world’s leading organization for high impact entrepreneurs. During his tenure, he had the opportunity to mentor dozens of entrepreneurs from locations around the world, including Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. Matt is honored to have been on Endeavor’s South African and Turkish Boards, which ultimately led to a position on the Global Board of Directors. This experience deepened his belief that helping entrepreneurs build and scale their businesses promotes economic growth and prosperity. It is his personal mission to ensure that anyone with a dream, and the drive to achieve it, has an equal opportunity to make it happen.  Key Takeaways[03:11] - Matt’s professional background and what led him to where he is today.[04:41] - What really makes CAIS stand out in the Alternative Investments space?[06:33] - How does Matt define Alternatives broadly?[07:46] - How has investing in Alternatives changed in the past decade and how does Matt expect it might change, moving forward, in the next decade?[09:35] - Rules of thumb or heuristics to consider when sizing a position in Alternative Investments.[10:25] - What are the most popular Alternative strategies at the moment and what is driving their popularity?[12:20] - How else is technology transforming the way people can invest in Alternatives and their opportunities to do so?[15:51] - What is it going to take for RIAs to move from the traditional 60/40 portfolio to a 50 (stocks), 30 (bonds) and 20 (alts) portfolio?[18:44] - What are some of the biggest opportunities in the Alternative space right now?[20:21] - Is Blockchain a viable technology for creating greater liquidity for Alternatives in the future?Quotes[08:57] - “The modern portfolio is no longer going to be the 60/40, the modern portfolio is going to be the 50/30 and maybe Alts 20.” ~ Matt Brown[10:56] - “One of the stronger trends, by far,  in the past 24+ months has been this gravitational pull towards private credit...and really what is driving it and why it’s so attractive [are]...of course interest rates and also the lack of access to some in the public credit markets and bank lending…It’s really a huge, robust and deep market and [I think] we will continue to see…strong interest there. ” ~ Matt BrownLinksMatt Brown on LinkedInCAIS Group“Where the Streets Have No Name” by U2Connect with UsMeet Rusty Vanneman, Orion’s Chief Investment OfficerCheck Out All of Orion’s PodcastsPower Your Growth with OrionDisclosure(s) - Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC, an Orion Company, is a registered investment advisor.Compliance Code: 0875-OPS-4/10/2024

Today Rusty & Robyn are joined by Jason Mertz, Director and Fixed Income Investment Strategist at AllianceBernstein. Jason works extensively with the firm’s portfolio management, credit research and trading team to monitor and communicate portfolio positioning and analysis to clients around the US. Prior to joining AB in 2016, Mertz worked at BlackRock as a separately managed account analyst. He holds a BA in finance and international business from Muhlenberg College. Key Takeaways[03:15] - Jason’s professional background, what initially drew him to this industry and his current role at AllianceBernstein.[04:30] - What really sets AllianceBernstein apart from other firms?[07:26] - What is the current, overall state of the Municipal Market?[08:20] - What are some of the high level investment benefits that investors are able to capture in the Muni Market?[10:09] - What are the fastest growing segments of the Muni Market currently?[11:30] - Jason’s outlook for the Muni Market in 2024.[14:07] - How is AB positioning portfolios to take advantage of volatility and potential dislocations and opportunities?[17:46] - Why would a client want a customized, separate account over a fund or collection of funds?[19:48] - What is AllianceBernstein’s “Abbie Optimizer” and how does it generate alpha?[21:34] - How does Jason define trading alpha and speed alpha?[24:31] - What other ways does AllianceBernstein manage for taxes?[28:25] - What is currently Jason’s favorite investment idea?Quotes[12:03] - “[In] 2023 [there was] a lot of volatility, [but] it actually ended up being a really great year for [Municipal Bond]performance; it was just backloaded to November and December.” ~ Jason Mertz[13:37] - “Not only do we think The Fed is going to cut, [which is] traditionally a great thing for Fixed Income, but more Muni specific - that supply demand dynamic and having a lot more demand be allocated back into the market should be a [stabilizing] and driving force of returns for Muni clients going forward.” ~ Jason MertzLinksJason Mertz on LinkedIn“Once in a Lifetime” by Talking HeadsAllianceBernsteinConnect with UsMeet Rusty Vanneman, Orion’s Chief Investment OfficerCheck Out All of Orion’s PodcastsPower Your Growth with OrionDisclosure(s) - Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC, an Orion Company, is a registered investment advisor.Compliance Code: 0796-OPS-4/2/2024

As Chief Investment Officer of Avantis Investors®, Eduardo is responsible for directing the research, design and implementation of our investment strategies, providing oversight of the investment team and the firm's marketing initiatives, and interacting with clients.Prior to Avantis Investors' establishment in 2019, Eduardo was Co-Chief Executive Officer, Co-Chief Investment Officer and Director at Dimensional Fund Advisors LP ("DFA") until 2017. While at DFA, Eduardo provided oversight across the investment, client service, marketing, and operational functions of DFA and oversaw their day to day operations, directed the engineering and execution of investment portfolios and was involved in the design, development and delivery of research that informed the firm's investment approach as well as its application through portfolio management and trading.Dr. Repetto earned a Ph.D. degree in Aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology, an MSc degree in Engineering from Brown University, and a Diploma de Honor in Civil Engineering from the Universidad de Buenos Aires. Eduardo is a Trustee of the California Institute of Technology. He is the recipient of the William F. Ballhaus Prize from the California Institute of Technology for outstanding Doctoral Dissertation in Aeronautics and the Ernest E. Sechler Memorial Award for his teaching and research efforts.Key Takeaways[02:52] - Learn more about Eduardo’s diverse professional background and how his engineering background informs his work in finance today.[04:48] - What is unique about the Avantis investment philosophy and what does that mean for their advisors and investors?[06:48] - Avantis’ Investment Solutions are designed to capture the benefits of indexing while simultaneously focusing on segments of the market that are likely to outperform. How does this work exactly?[10:32] - Avantis recently published an article entitled “What is Value?” What are some of the big takeaways and how does their firm define value?[12:20] - What are some of the key drivers in the ETF industry’s continued growth?[15:50] - What are some of the latest trends and developments shaping the ETF market and which areas of the ETF market are experiencing the highest growth?[18:37] - Which strategies in the Avantis product line are showing the best growth and why is that?[20:54] - What strategies at Avantis may help advisors build more resilient portfolios?[22:16] - What are some best practices for constructing resilient ETF portfolios?[26:55] - How does Avantis set themselves apart in their client services and communication?[29:00] - What is currently Eduardo’s favorite investment idea?Quotes[05:45] - “[Avantis formed]...in order to bring science, data and technology to analyze securities in a very very efficient way with low labor costs…We can provide portfolios that are very well diversified [with a] very low expense ratio and where the securities are analyzed on a daily basis." ~ Eduardo Repetto[111:23] - “For us, value is companies that are traded with a very very big discount embedded in their price. In otherwards, companies that have a good balance sheet, good cash flows, but the price is low." ~ Eduardo RepettoLinksEduardo Repetto on LinkedInAvantis Investors“Can’t Hold Us (feat. Ray Dalton)” by Macklemore & Ryan LewisConnect with UsMeet Rusty Vanneman, Orion’s Chief Investment OfficerCheck Out All of Orion’s PodcastsPower Your Growth with OrionDisclosure(s) ~ Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC, an Orion Company, is a registered investment advisor. Wealth Management services are offered by Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC d/b/a Brinker Capital Investments a registered investment advisor. Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Orion Advisor Solutions, Inc. (“Orion”)Compliance Code: 0726-OPS-3/25/2024

This week, Rusty is joined by Josh Flade from Orion to discuss diversifying asset classes. Joshua is the Deputy Chief Investment Officer of Orion OCIO where he chairs the investment committee and oversees the firm’s four investment verticals: Public Equities, Fixed Income, ETF/Mutual Fund Models, and Private Investments. Previously, Joshua specialized in Fixed Income with 12+ years of experience and co-managed TownSquare Capital’s Fixed Income strategies as well as served as the vice-chair of the firm’s Investment Committee. Prior to TownSquare Capital, Joshua was a Senior Analyst/Associate PM within the Fixed Income Team at Ensign Peak Advisors with global coverage of Financial Institutions, REITs, and Healthcare industries. Prior to working at Ensign Peak Advisors, Joshua was an Associate within the Credit Research Group at Goldman Sachs with coverage of Central Counterparties (CCPs), Financial Institutions, and Oil and Gas industries in Central Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.Joshua currently volunteers as the Chair of Programming for the CFA Society Salt Lake and previously served as the President of the CFA Society Salt Lake and President of the Salt Lake Chapter of the BYU Management Society. Joshua is a CFA charterholder and graduated from Brigham Young University with a double major in Finance and Russian. He is also licensed in series 65.Key Takeaways[02:40] - Joshua’s professional background and what his current roles at Orion are.[05:10] - Who does Orion Fixed Income  serve and why do they end up going with Orion over the alternatives?[06:44] - More about Joshua’s fantastic team at Orion.[07:54] - When it comes to Fixed Income, a lot of people like to use Mutual Funds or ETFs but some people prefer separate accounts – what are the pros and cons of each?[10:54] - Are exits on SMA strategies more challenging than those utilizing ETFs or Mutual Funds?[11:39] - What is Joshua’s current assessment of the Fixed Income markets?[13:37] - How do you explain what the yield curve is, why is it important to follow it and how does it impact Joshua’s decision making?[17:41] - What are the differences between liquid alts and illiquid alts and who might use each?[19:28] - What alternative investments are particularly attractive to Josh at this moment?[21:07] - How does Joshua define global credit and what are some of his favorite ideas in that space right now?[23:57] - How to size your position in diversifying assets within your portfolio.[25:30] - Joshua’s favorite overall investment idea in the current market environment.Quotes[15:54] - “Historically speaking, in this part of the interest rate cycle, what has performed well has been moving up in credit quality and adding some duration.” ~ Josh Flade[24:06] - "It’s…not just the destination that matters, it’s also [about] the journey and the experience for the investor. By using diversified asset classes, you are helping smooth out the journey instead of being so focused on the destination. So, if you can get a similar expected return, in the end, but have a much smoother experience for your investors, your investors are going to be more likely to stay invested. ” ~ Josh FladeLinks“Thrift Shop” by Macklemore (Explicit)Connect with UsMeet Rusty Vanneman, Orion’s Chief Investment OfficerCheck Out All of Orion’s PodcastsPower Your Growth with OrionDisclosure(s) ~ OCIO services offered through TownSquare Capital, LLC, an Orion Company, a Registered Investment Advisor. TownSquare Capital, LLC, is an affiliated company of Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC through their parent company, Orion Advisor Solutions, Inc.Compliance Code: 0723-OPS-3/25/2024

This week, Rusty and Robyn are joined by Frank Nickel and Tom LaBarbera from Orion Portfolio Solutions to discuss Direct Indexing. Frank is an experienced investment professional known for his expertise in portfolio management and a history of contributing positively to performance outcomes.. He believes that a rigorously designed, flexible and robust investment process can add value by exploiting market opportunities. Thomas LaBarbera is a Quantitative Portfolio Manager at Orion who manages 23 SMA strategies within Beta, Factor and Thematic Portfolios for qualified and non qualified assets. In addition, he works alongside marketing and sales to enhance distribution channels and raise AUM. Key Takeaways[03:20] - The guests’ professional backgrounds and what they are doing in their current positions.[04:36] - What is quantitative investing and what are some arguments for why it is an effective way to manage portfolios?[06:35] - How do Frank and Tom define, measure and manage risk?[09:25] - What do most people get wrong about, or not appreciate about, risk?[11:30] - How exactly would they define Direct Indexing?[12:42] - How much is Direct Indexing expected to grow?[14:25] - What are the arguments for why certain clients would want customization and why others don’t want any customization?[15:45] - Where does the “Disciplined Equity” product line at Orion align with Direct Indexing and how does it differ?[16:50] - How “actively” are they working on the “Disciplined Equity” strategies?[19:02] - What new strategies are they currently working on?[20:56] - How does their team produce and vet new ideas before introducing them?[22:22] - Where do  they think the financial services industry is headed next?[23:41] - How might AI impact the financial services profession?[24:36] - What is currently their favorite investment idea?Quotes[19:10] - "We recently launched two new strategies. The first came up over the summer, and it was an Artificial Intelligence strategy. With all of our strategies that we run, how we get to them is, we take demand from the field…The most recent strategy we launched is called ‘Agressive Equity,’ and again that’s trying to provide a very aggressive profile. We’re looking at…companies with really high growth rates…and that came from, again, from demand from a very specific client that was looking to use that strategy in conjunction with a fundamental active manager.  ” ~ Frank Nickel[24:36] - "I love Small Cap. I was a Small Cap manager for 15 years, [and] I think for the last 10 it has been extremely undervalued. I think there are a lot of areas in the market that are undervalued, and they are not undervalued because they aren’t appreciated, I think tech has taken all of the air out of the room…This year could be a small cap rally if rates are reduced, but that’s dependent on rates and you can’t predict that.” ~ Tom LaBarberaLinks“Bad to the Bone” by George Thorogood“Live Like You Were Dying” by Tim McGrawConnect with UsMeet Rusty Vanneman, Orion’s Chief Investment OfficerCheck Out All of Orion’s PodcastsPower Your Growth with OrionDisclosure(s)Custom Indexing offered through Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC a registered investment advisor.Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC, an Orion Company, is a registered investment advisor. Wealth Management services are offered by Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC d/b/a Brinker Capital Investments a registered investment advisor. Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Orion Advisor Solutions, Inc. (“Orion”)Compliance Code: 0613-OPS-3/11/2024

Chris King is the founder and CEO of Eaglebrook Advisors. Eaglebrook is a crypto investment platform that provides RIAs with direct access to bitcoin and digital assets. The firm operates one of the largest SMA Platforms in the crypto market. Eaglebrook's investment platform offers access to tax optimized Bitcoin and Ethereum separately managed accounts (SMAs) and third-party investment manager strategies held at an institutional qualified custodian. Eaglebrook is an SEC registered investment advisor that works with over 70 RIAs and has over 700 financial advisors using Eaglebrook’s Platform. The company is backed by leading wealth management executives and financial institutions including Castle Island Ventures, Brewer Lane Ventures and Franklin Templeton.Key Takeaways[03:20] - Chris’ professional background and what drew him to digital assets specifically?[06:02] - What really drives Eaglebrook’s investment philosophy?[08:08] - What is the strategic, long term reason to own crypto?[12:40] - What is the investment thesis for Ethereum in particular?[14:30] - Chris’ shorter term, tactical outlook for Bitcoin.[19:54] - Why does Bitcoin halving take place and why is it so significant?[23:30] - Chris’ thoughts on the Bitcoin market cycles.[26:20] - How large might the market opportunity be for Bitcoin ETFs?[30:02] - Why are a lot of advisors  still choosing crypto SMAs over ETFs and what are the best use cases for each of these investment vehicles?[37:51] - What is the typical allocation to crypto and how has that changed in recent years, if at all?[39:08] - Are there any salient differences in what retail and institutional investors are doing with their Bitcoin allocations?[41:11] - Resource recommendations for those wanting to learn more about digital assets.[42:56] - Chris’ counsel for those who think that crypto is too volatile to invest in.[45:42] - What is currently Chris’ favorite investment idea?Quote[12:39] - “Moving on to the investment thesis for Ethereum – it is also an internet protocol, like Bitcoin, but it allows internet businesses to build applications on top of it. The analogy that I like to give is that Ethereum is like HTML. HTML is the internet protocol that companies like Amazon and Facebook built their businesses on top of." ~ Chris KingLinksChris King on LinkedInEaglebrook on LinkedInEaglebrook“No Rain” by Blind MelonConnect with UsMeet Rusty Vanneman, Orion’s Chief Investment OfficerCheck Out All of Orion’s PodcastsPower Your Growth with OrionDisclosure(s) ~ Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC, an Orion Company, is a registered investment advisor. Wealth Management services are offered by Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC d/b/a Brinker Capital Investments a registered investment advisor. Brinker Capital Investments and Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC are both wholly owned subsidiaries of Orion Advisor Solutions, Inc. (“Orion”).Compliance Code: 0548-OPS-3/5/2024

In this episode, Rusty Vanneman and Robyn Murray are joined by Fritz Folts from 3EDGE Asset Management. Fritz has over 20 years of experience at the investment committee level in the investment management industry. He was one of the co-founders of 3EDGE Asset Management, where he serves as the Chief Investment Strategist and Member of the Investment Committee.Prior to 3EDGE, Fritz was one of the first team members at Windward Investment Management, a pioneer in constructing globally diversified portfolios utilizing index Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). After the acquisition of Windward by Charles Schwab in 2010, the name of the firm was changed to Windhaven Investment Management. Fritz became responsible for distribution of Windhaven's investment solutions throughout the entire Charles Schwab nationwide retail branch network. He and his team raised over $15 billion in new assets under management. Later, Fritz was named Chief Investment Strategist at Windhaven. He began his career at The Boston Company, where he ultimately served as Vice President, and Director of Global Funding for the then-newly-formed Boston Safe Deposit & Trust Co. (U.K.) Ltd., in London, England.Fritz received his B.A. with a major in Political Science from Connecticut College and his MBA from IESE (Instituto Estudios Superiores de la Empresa), a bilingual Spanish - English MBA program in Barcelona, Spain. He is the former Chair of the Board of Trustees at Connecticut College and now serves as an Emeritus Trustee. In addition, Fritz currently serves on the Investment Committee for the Connecticut College endowment fund and the Investment Committee for the Umbrella Center for the Arts in Concord, MA.Fritz and his wife Cathy live in Concord, Massachusetts.Key Takeaways[03:06] - Fritz’s professional background and what drove him to 3EDGE.[04:25] - The 3EDGE model is “human plus machine,” which powers their investment research process. How did they decide on this model and what really sets them apart as a firm?[08:30] - For advisors and clients looking at their year end reports, how should investors consider their portfolio performance considering the state of the  2023 market?[09:31] - What is 3EDGE’s baseline scenario, bull case and bear case for 2024?[15:05] - Is it reasonable for investors to focus so much on The Federal Reserve and how much does 3EDGE factor this into their decision making process?[17:30] - How should investors be thinking about the upcoming presidential election and how can they prepare for it, if at all?[21:05] - What might it take for international stocks to outperform and how should investors be allocating to non-US equities?[27:25] - Tips on how to size the positions of diversifying asset classes, such as  alts and real assets.[31:26] - What is currently Fritz’s favorite investment idea for 2024?Quotes[07:45] - "I do think that investors were probably disappointed in the performance of their portfolios, because we had a market that was driven by…these Magnificent 7 mega cap technology funds, and you are not going to keep up with that when that is driving the entire market. If I look at investors, I would say…‘it’s okay, that’s not normal…you just have to realize, it wouldn’t be realistic to keep up with an index where 7 stocks are driving the majority of the performance.’” ~ Fritz Folts[21:56] - "I think the best chance for the non-US equities to take a leadership position, for an extended period of time, will only be after there is a material correction in the US market.” ~ Fritz FoltsLinksFritz Folts on LinkedIn“Everything's Coming Our Way” by Santana3EDGE Asset ManagementConnect with UsMeet Rusty Vanneman, Orion’s Chief Investment OfficerCheck Out All of Orion’s PodcastsPower Your Growth with OrionCompliance Code: 0280-OPS-2/6/2024Disclosure(s) ~ Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC, an Orion Company, is a registered investment advisor.

In this episode, Rusty Vanneman and Robyn Murray are joined by Ron Ahluwalia, Mili Rosen and Will Girton from Brinker Capital’s award winning due diligence team. Ron Ahluwalia is a Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager at Brinker Capital, an Orion Company. In this role, he is responsible for the portfolio management, strategy planning, and communication of multi-asset class portfolios for high net worth clients and institutions. Ron has over 18 years of industry experience. Mili Rosen works on the Investment Due Diligence team as a Senior Investment Analyst covering a variety of managers on the firm's OPS/Brinker Capital platforms. Asset class coverage includes domestic and international equities, fixed income, real assets, alternatives, and private equity across various vehicles (i.e., SMAs, ETFs, Mutual Funds, LPs). Will Girton is an Investment Analyst on Brinker’s award winning Due Diligence team.Key Takeaways[07:12] - How many managers, strategies and research reports does the entire Brinker due diligence team take on each year?[08:16] - Why is money manager due diligence so important to building out investment portfolios?[09:40] - How often do they uncover “a snake in the attic,” so to speak, while doing due diligence?[10:48] - How do the due diligence requirements differ when you are building out a “supermarket of strategies?”[12:52] - How do they go about finding new managers? Are there certain characteristics they screen for?[16:51] - How does Brinker Capital’s due diligence approach differ from other firms?[23:27] - In the current environment, where is advisor demand and what are the strategies that people want?[25:42] - Favorite money managers they’ve encountered over the years and why did they like them so much?[31:15] - Advice for those wanting to enter the investment management profession?[33:31] - Three characteristics that Ron looks for when hiring a due diligence analyst.[35:55] - What investment ideas are looking particularly attractive to the team right now?Quotes[18:05] - "We really treat due diligence as an endogenous cycle. It never really stops, it’s not a ‘set it and forget it’ mentality, so [while] performance is very important…just focusing on performance is a very quick way to fail.’” ~ Mili Rosen[35:03] - "I think communication skills are something that are very important. The ability to relate to people, particularly when you are serving clients on the outside [is so important].  Just the ability to find common ground and have a true, meaningful conversation that isn’t totally buttoned up…[and] having that ability to…have people lower their guard with you, I think that is a critical aspect as well.” ~ Ron AhluwaliaLinksBrinker CapitalConnect with UsMeet Rusty Vanneman, Orion’s Chief Investment OfficerCheck Out All of Orion’s PodcastsPower Your Growth with OrionDisclosure(s) ~ Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC, an Orion Company, is a registered investment advisor.Wealth Management services are offered by Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC d/b/a Brinker Capital Investments a registered investment advisor. Brinker Capital Investments and Orion Portfolio Solutions, LLC are both wholly owned subsidiaries of Orion Advisor Solutions, Inc. (“Orion”).Compliance Code: 0414-OPS-2/23/2024