Ferguson Wellman's 40-Year Report

We are pleased to present our firm's 40-Year Report. In addition to sharing some milestones Ferguson Wellman and West Bearing Investments reached in 2015, we have collected facts, history and imagery that reflect who we are as a company and how Ferguson Wellman has grown over four decades. To read the report, please click here.

Ferguson Wellman Ranked a “Top RIA” by Financial Advisor

Ferguson Wellman Capital Management has been named by Financial Advisor magazine as a top investment company. Financial Advisor named Ferguson Wellman 44th out of 203 U.S. firms in the $1 billion-and-over asset category of their RIA rankings. Ferguson Wellman is the highest-ranked firm headquartered in Portland, Oregon. The listing is created by tracking distcretionary and nondiscretionary assets under management according to each firm’s ADV.

“We are fortunate that our firm has consistently experienced growth, not only in clients and assets under management but also employees and breadth of investment offerings and services,” said Mark Kralj, principal. “We attribute much of our growth to the confidence and trust clients have in us as well as the professionals in accounting, estate planning and private banking who we work with on behalf of our shared clients.”

Founded in 1975, Ferguson Wellman Capital Management is a privately owned investment advisory firm, serving clients with investable assets starting at $3 million. As of 2015, the firm works with more than 700 clients and manages over $4 billion that comprises separately managed accounts for individuals and families; foundations and endowments; and corporate and Taft-Hartley plans. West Bearing Investments, a division of Ferguson Wellman, serves individuals and institutions with assets starting at $750,000. All company information listed above reflects 6/30/15 data.

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Four More Professionals Receive Five Star Wealth Manager Designation

PORTLAND, Ore. – June 3, 2014 – For the fourth consecutive year, several Ferguson Wellman portfolio managers have been recognized as Five Star Wealth Managers by Portland Monthly magazine. Nathan Ayotte, CFP^®, Ralph Cole, CFA, Helena Lankton and Jason Norris, CFA, were among the professionals honored. This adds to others in our firm who have been listed as Five Star Wealth Managers, including Dean Dordevic, Lori Flexer, CFA, Marc Fovinci, CFA, Steve Holwerda, CFA, George Hosfield, CFA, Mark Kralj, and Jim Rudd. The Five Star Wealth Manager distinction is a select award recognizing wealth managers that provide quality services to clients, with approximately 13 percent of the wealth managers in the greater Portland area earning this designation.

“We are very pleased that so many of our portfolio managers have been recognized by Portland Monthly and Five Star Professionals for this award,” said Jim Rudd, principal and chief executive officer. “This honor speaks to the investment expertise and experience these professionals bring to our clients.”

The Five Star Wealth Manager designation is based upon 10 objective eligibility and evaluation criteria, ranging from credentials to regulatory history to client retention, that are associated with wealth managers who provide quality service to their candidates. Candidates with “an established practice, good client relationships and a strong reputation” are nominated by peers and firms and verified against the criteria (source: Five Star Wealth Manager Award Program Summary and Research Methodology).

Founded in 1975, Ferguson Wellman Capital Management is a privately owned registered investment adviser that serves more than 650 clients with assets starting at $3 million. The firm works with individuals and institutions in 35 states with a concentration of those clients in the West. Ferguson Wellman manages $3.9 billion that comprises retirement plans; endowments and foundations; and separately managed accounts for individuals and families. In 2013, West Bearing Investments was established, a division of Ferguson Wellman, that manages investment portfolios starting at $750,000. All company information listed above reflects 3/31/14 data.

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The Five Star Wealth Manager award, administered by Crescendo Business Services, LLC (dba Five Star Professional), is based on 10 objective criteria: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative; 2. Active as a credentialed professional in the financial services industry for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by Five Star Professional, the wealth manager has not: A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three customer complaints filed against them [settled or pending] with any regulatory authority or Five Star Professional’s consumer complaint process; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint filed with a regulatory authority; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy; E. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients; 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Educational and professional designations. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or awarded. Once awarded, wealth managers may purchase additional profile ad space or promotional products. The award methodology does not evaluate the quality of services provided and is not indicative of the winner’s future performance. 1,558 Portland wealth managers were considered for the award; 190 (13 percent of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.

Mark Kralj and Emily Kralj Highlighted in OSU Business School Magazine

In a recent article in The Exchange, the magazine of Oregon State University College of Business, we enjoyed seeing the Kralj family featured. Mark Kralj, principal, and his daughter, Emily Kralj, shared their experiences with Oregon State and the institution’s impact on their family and work. “Mark has a long and distinguished career of service and philanthropy to the entire university, in addition to the College of Business. We are very proud of Mark for his contributions to Oregon State University,” said Jim Rudd, principal and chief executive officer of Ferguson Wellman.

A Business Beaver Colony

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Cut from the same cloth. Two peas in a pod. Just don’t tell lifelong Beaver Believers Mark Kralj (’77) and his daughter Emily Kralj (’09) that they are two birds of a feather.

While it wasn’t necessarily Emily’s plan to follow in her father’s footsteps, the duo’s parallel education and career paths have led them to the same building where Mark is a Principal at Ferguson Wellman Capital Management, and four floors below him Emily is a Senior Staff Accountant at Geffen Mesher & Company.

The Kralj family’s roots run deep at Oregon State, so it’s no surprise that Mark and Emily both found themselves here. Mark’s two older sisters went to Oregon State; so when it came time for him to choose a college, there was no other option. And while Emily considered going to college out east, the small-town feel and familiarity of Oregon State won in the end. Emily was indoctrinated into the Beaver lifestyle at a young age, growing up going to football games.

“I remember watching Oregon State beat #1 USC when I was 12 or 13,” she recalled, “and everyone rushed on to the field, and I was like, “I want to do that! That looks like so much fun!”

Neither Mark nor Emily came to Oregon State to study business, but it was the College of Business faculty that heavily inspired, influenced and changed the direction of both their career paths. Mark started out studying forestry, and while minoring in business he took his first accounting class with Professor Mary Ellen Phillips.

“I had never considered accounting,” said Mark, “but in taking that class as part of my minor, I realized it was my calling.” Little did he know at the time, but history would repeat itself 33 years later.

Emily started out majoring in engineering, and when she realized it wasn’t a good fit, she took her first accounting class with Professor Amy Bourne. Again, it was in this first introduction to accounting that Emily found her true passion and shifted her studies to business.

If measured by Mark and Emily’s success, one can safely say the switch in majors was a wise decision.

Mark has been with Ferguson Wellman for 24 years, and has been instrumental in growing the company’s assets from $380 million to $3.75 billion in that time. He also remains heavily involved in giving back – among numerous volunteer positions, including as an OSU trustee.

“I can’t really say enough about the good things that have occurred in my life because of Oregon State, and because of that I’m thrilled to be a part of the foundation, and to be there to create opportunities for the students of today,” Mark said.

Emily has been with Geffen Mesher & Company since she graduated in 2009, and focuses on tax accounting and business consulting. Wholeheartedly agreeing with her dad’s sentiments, Emily appreciates the role Oregon State has played for her family. “I don’t think our family would have gotten to where we are without Oregon State,” she said, “because it’s always been such a foundation.”