Ed Ruthman

Lodestar Investment Counsel's investment strategies are designed to provide a risk-averse approach to long-term capital management that is tailored to meet each client's unique financial circumstances. The firm focuses on high quality financial assets, primarily stocks, bonds, and money market securities. Stock investments are made primarily in large-cap companies that are leaders in their industries. Lodestar focuses on stocks they believe are undervalued based on a variety of measures such as financial strength, earnings, dividends, etc. Based on the client's objectives, portfolios may be comprised of equity securities, municipal securities, corporate debt, US Government securities, mutual funds/ETFs, CDs, option contracts, publicly traded MLPs, commercial paper, and money markets and other short-term reserves. Lodestar's bond management approach is designed to generate a high quality stream of income for their clients, and for balanced accounts, to moderate the portfolio risk associated with stock holdings.

BNY Mellon Wealth Management believes that consistently superior returns can be achieved through a focus on superior stock selection. The firm seeks to identify stocks that offer the best combination of growth and value characteristics. Their investment approach combines initial quantitative screening with fundamental, qualitative analysis of individual stocks and aggressive risk management. Their equity process is applied consistently for each client portfolio and in each equity class.BNY Mellon Wealth Management manages taxable and tax-exempt fixed-income portfolios with active management that features an opportunistic, multi-dimensional search for value by actively managing interest rate sensitivity and exploiting market inefficiencies. Their fixed-income investment process combines a top-down strategic review of key factors influencing bond returns with research-driven, bottom-up selection of the most appropriate bonds for portfolios.The firm's approach to international investing focuses on outperforming benchmarks and controlling risk. They believe that consistently superior returns can be achieved through an investment management approach that is value-oriented, research-driven and risk averse. BNY Mellon Wealth Management concentrates on stock selection rather than top-down country analysis or market timing. Their bottom-up style incorporates quantitative analysis, fundamental research and risk management and seeks to achieve consistent returns.

Talon Asset Management (TAM) seeks to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns through fundamental, bottom-up security selection and a focus on capital preservation.TAM's equity strategies invest in small, mid- and large-cap companies with quality management teams and sound business fundamentals. The firm invests in companies whose stock's valuation is supported by the company's current cash flows, asset value and future growth potential. The firm adheres to a value-orientated approach that avoids overpaying for growth. TAM employs a bottom-up fundamental research process that reviews a company's industry, competitive position, financial strength, earnings history and earnings outlook. The firm also considers management's track record, ownership position and incentives. Capital preservation is also a critical component of TAM's stock selection process. They do not invest in a company unless they can understand the potential downside to the investment. Once the downside risk is calculated, they evaluate that risk against the upside opportunity. TAM invests in a company only when there is adequate upside opportunity, given the downside risk. In addition, the firm bases investment decisions on absolute return expectations, rather than on benchmarks against market indices.Though not limited by sector, TAM tends to invest in the stocks of companies in the finance, health technology and industrial services sectors. The firm invests globally, across all market-caps. They maintain a low turnover rate.TAM's fixed-income and balanced accounts invest in high quality bonds to generate income and/or reduce overall portfolio volatility. In their balanced portfolios, the firm avoids duplicating the risks inherent in the portfolio's equity exposure. They actively manage bond portfolios to maximize total return. TAM utilizes a sophisticated methodology for bond management which measures and controls a variety of portfolio attributes. Bonds are combined in a way to achieve efficiency and to meet each client's objectives. TAM's tactical bond decisions are influenced by two proprietary quantitative models. The first model forecasts changes in the shape or slope of the yield curve. The second model monitors and evaluates credit quality, relative to current and historical yield spread levels in the market. This model utilizes market data to highlight dislocations in the risk/reward ratios of individual credits.