• Deliver efficient and low-cost investment performance that minimizes risk.

• Continuously monitor and communicate the probability of meeting goals.

• Respond quickly and professionally to client requests.

Superior investment results for individuals are best achieved by adhering to a long-range plan that balances return requirements against inherent risk. Returns are further enhanced by employing strategic (long-term) and tactical (intermediate-term) asset allocation that capture major global economic trends, employ efficient diversification, and minimize taxes, trading and management expenses. While periods of extreme market pessimism or optimism provide opportunities for adjustments, we do not believe it is possible to effectively time markets. Because we use index funds extensively, portfolio turnover is relatively low, but varies according to the model and the economic cycle. For instance, allocations among sectors and industries are greater in our growth models than income models. Income models will experience tactical adjustments in bond duration and quality at interest rate inflection points. 

We believe that the volatility of individual shares poses a greater risk to individual investors than is necessary to accomplish their goals. Further, there is also the risk of underperforming benchmarks when the objective is to beat them. Numerous studies have shown that most managers fail to beat the market over time, but one of the most compelling is an article in the The Wall Street Journal, October 5, 1999. “The research is clear: In every time period examined, active management has lower returns than would be expected from index funds. And the results are the same for all equity styles. In his article ‘Mutual Fund Performance and Manager Style,’ James L Davis finds that both small cap and large cap stock funds, both growth and value funds, all under perform risk-adjusted benchmarks.”

We use exchange traded funds (ETF's) such as iShares® and others to represent the asset baskets in our portfolio allocations. ETF's provide diversification and immediate exposure to broad indexes, sectors, industries, countries, bonds, and commodities. Further, ETF’s are more tax efficient than mutual funds as they do not pass along to new buyers unrealized long and short-term gains. Finally, they are less expensive.  Mutual Fund expenses rage from 1% to 3%.  The exchange traded funds we use rage from .15% to .75%.
 

Samuel Q. Bass, Jr., President
Mr. Samuel Q. Bass, Jr. is the president and founder of Beacon Investment Management.  He is responsible for the selection of securities in Beacon’s model portfolios as well as the direct management of client portfolios. Born in 1953, he has twenty three years of experience investing money for his clients. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Hampden-Sydney College, 1975 and a Masters of Business Administration from Wake Forest University, 1981. While at Wake Forest, Mr. Bass concentrated in Finance and International Finance. Following Wake Forest and prior to his career in investments, Mr. Bass worked with First Union for three years in the commercial lending department in the Research Triangle area.

Prior to organizing Beacon Investment Management, Mr. Bass was associated with Wachovia (formerly Wheat First Union) as a Registered Representative and a Certified Portfolio Manager for the years 1989 through April of 1998.  Prior to that, he was a Registered Representative with Carolina Securities from 1983 to 1989.   

Patricia A. Hall, Compliance Officer, Office Manager, and Corporate Secretary
Ms. Hall has over 17 years experience in the securities industry with a broad array of experience, ranging from operations to trading. She has held licenses including series 7, 63, and 65 with the New York Stock Exchange/NASD. Ms. Hall has been with Beacon since its inception and manages the firm's office operations and account-servicing procedures. As the firm's compliance officer, her responsibilities also include oversight of Securities Exchange Commission rules and regulations.