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PA: What is your mission statement?
Sheridan Road Financial: Our mission is to be the premier institutional investment consulting firm that consciously leads others on a sound financial path. We strive to make an impact on the lives of our team members, our clients and the communities in which we serve. We offer innovative solutions delivered by responsive, friendly and knowledgeable professionals to create an enriching client experience.
PA: Describe any particularly noteworthy investment initiatives you have led with your customer base in the past 12 months.
SRF:We introduced a diversified multi-manager real-asset portfolio, consisting of Treasury inflation-protected securities (TIPS), bank loans, commodities, real estate, agriculture, timber, infrastructure and master limited partnerships (MLPs), to provide participants with a diversified way to manage inflation risk.
We installed a strategic income solution to globally diversify fixed-income positions while offering higher current income, duration flexibility and downside protection. With Baby Boomers retiring and the U.S. now accounting for only 37% of the global fixed-income opportunity set, it is critical for plan sponsors to offer an alternate income strategy.
We embarked upon a thorough due diligence effort of alternative investments—both liquid and private strategies. This research is ongoing and is aiding us in winning pension business.
PA: Please describe any special education or communication initiatives you’ve undertaken with plan sponsors or participants.
SRF: Recently, we have made a conscious decision to improve our participant education by offering customized educational meetings, followed by one-on-one consultations, as well as rolling out programs such as Worksite Financial Solutions, a customized solution for participant education offered through LPL Financial. This allows Sheridan Road to provide each and every client with a personalized, multifaceted solution based upon the size of each account. It includes a managed account solution custodied at LPL Financial, a “robo” advisory solution and a traditional private wealth management solution.
PA: As a retirement plan adviser, what do you take the most pride in?
SRF: In addition to ensuring our clients and participants are prepared for retirement, we also are strong believers in giving back to the communities in which we are located. This is why we founded the Sheridan Road Charitable Foundation, which is focused on inspiring others to leave this world a better place through volunteerism and financial giving to specific national initiatives that have local impact. Specifically, the foundation focuses on improving our urban educational system, empowering under-resourced communities and assisting leading-edge cancer research institutions. (For more information, please visit www
.srcfoundation.com.)
PA: What changes to your practice or service model have you planned for this year?
SRF: We have four significant objectives that we are in the process of implementing:
- Private wealth management business. In order to address the needs of our participants, we recognize the need to significantly enhance our private wealth capabilities. We are planning to hire 12 to 15 wealth managers over the next 18 months;
- Participant worksite solutions. Approximately 8% of our current employee base will roll their 401(k) money out of our clients’ plans this year. To address this transition, we are implementing the “Worksite Solutions” system across our entire portfolio;
- Multifamily office. Sheridan Road will be creating a joint venture, Sheridan Road Family Advisors, with a well-established multifamily office based on the West Coast. It will offer us the opportunity to provide a multifaceted alternative asset-class solution to the 2,000 individuals who are current clients within our retirement plans and who have a net worth in excess of $20 million; and
- Expanding geographically. Moving into Austin, Denver and San Francisco.
BUSINESS AT A GLANCE
PLAN ASSETS UNDER ADVISEMENT: $12 billion
MEDIAN PLAN SIZE (IN ASSETS): $25 million
TOTAL PLANS UNDER ADVISEMENT: 250
TOTAL PARTICIPANTS IN PLANS SERVED: 500,000
TOTAL NUMBER OF OFFICES: 7