Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Public safety officials ask state to investigate Grant County sheriff ... Gun background-check bill clears Oregon House, heads to Senate ... Washington man jailed after fatal crash in Ashland ... Public safety officials ask state to investigate Grant County sheriff ... Gun background-check bill clears Oregon House, heads to Senate ... Washington man jailed after fatal crash in Ashland ... LOCAL INVESTMENT FIRM Cutler's assets rebound 10-fold after recession Comment By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Follow @@GregMTBusiness MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Follow @@GregMTBusiness Posted Feb. 18, 2016 at 4:11 PM Updated Feb 18, 2016 at 4:12 PM By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Follow @@GregMTBusiness Posted Feb. 18, 2016 at 4:11 PM Updated Feb 18, 2016 at 4:12 PM » Social News JACKSONVILLE — Equity markets swirl, bump, swoon and soar. It's generally not a ride for the faint of heart, nor the uninitiated investor with more capital than understanding of the risks. Cutler Investment Group, which launched its equity fund in 1997, navigates the daily financial vortexes and maelstroms, building wealth for its institutional (endowments and foundations), retirement (401(k) plans) and individual clients. Since the depths of the Great Recession, the Bigham Knoll-headquartered firm has seen assets under management rebound nearly 10-fold to $960 million. "We've been able to grow those assets significantly in a short period of time," said Erich Patten, the company's chief investment officer and president. Following the money, Cutler acquired a presence in Seattle in 2012, initiated an emerging markets fund last year, and recently added a team of advisers in the Seattle market formerly with Robinswood Financial led by Ardeth Hollo that will serve clients in a new Bellevue office opening March 1. "Our Seattle presence has grown from one person to seven in four years," Patten said. "It's a great market for us. The economy there is led by tech firms that have done very well. We view Bellevue as an incremental step as we grow ourselves into a regionally branded investment firm on the West Coast." Patten and his brother Matt are the grandsons of Ken Cutler, who developed a strategy of investing based on a 10-year dividend pattern. Along with Fixed Income Director Xavier Urpi, they have built a portfolio whose five largest positions are in household-name firms: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Home Depot, Walt Disney, McDonald's and Texas Instruments. "A company can't cut its dividend and be eligible for portfolio," Patten said. Cutler's Emerging Markets Fund has a similar, but trickier approach, stretching over a 15-year analysis. The company's emerging markets include China, South Korea, India, Taiwan, South Africa, Indonesia and Malaysia, which are seeing long-term middle-class growth. "We're buying into consumer-oriented businesses to leverage that middle-class growth," Patten said. "So we've invested in a grocery store chain in Africa, mobile-phone companies, telecommunications businesses and South American banks." The fund's two largest positions are in Samsung Electronics and President Chain Store Corp., which operates 7-Eleven convenience stores in Taiwan. Overall, he said, the number of opportunities remains greater in emerging economies. "There is about double the amount of securities space as there is in the U.S," he said. "It's a big world. The U.S. may have the biggest economy, but there is still a lot of growth business being conducted overseas." Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/greg.stiles.31 . By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Follow @@GregMTBusiness MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Follow @@GregMTBusiness Posted Feb. 18, 2016 at 4:11 PM Updated Feb 18, 2016 at 4:12 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501