Wells Fargo Hires Phocas Financial to Manage Large Company Value Fund
March 24 2008 - 9:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
SAN FRANCISCO, March 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Shareholders of the Wells
Fargo Advantage Dividend Income Fund have approved a change in the
Fund's subadvisor. The Fund's assets will now be managed by Phocas
Financial Corporation ("Phocas"), and the Fund will be renamed the
Wells Fargo Advantage Large Company Value Fund. The shareholder
approval of the new subadvisor, Phocas, based in Alameda, CA, comes
after the Wells Fargo Advantage Funds(R) Board of Trustees voted
unanimously in November 2007 to change the Fund's name, investment
objective, and strategy. Previously the Fund had invested in the
large-cap value sector of the markets, but with a particular focus
on dividend yield and dividend-paying stocks. In conjunction with
those changes, the board also recommended Phocas to shareholders as
a subadvisor for the new investment strategy. In managing the Wells
Fargo Advantage Large Company Value Fund, Phocas will invest in a
diversified portfolio of 50 to 80 stocks with the goal of
outperforming the Russell 1000 Value Index. The firm's portfolio
construction will initially use quantitative analysis to narrow the
universe of potential investments and then rely on proprietary
financial models, such as discounted cash flow analysis, to aid in
the final stock selection process. William F. K. Schaff, CFA, and
Stephen L. Block, CFA, who have 11 years of experience working
together managing large cap, small cap, and REIT portfolios, will
manage the Fund. From 1996 to 2003, Mr. Schaff and Mr. Block were
employees of Bay Isle Corporation and Bay Isle Financial, LLC, a
wholly owned subsidiary of Janus Capital Group Inc., where they
directed a number of private and institutional discretionary
investment accounts. In 2005, Mr. Schaff founded Phocas and was
later joined by Mr. Block in 2006. Mr. Schaff has more than 20
years of experience managing institutional equity portfolios and
mutual funds for Phocas, Bay Isle Financial, LLC, Janus Capital
Group, Berger LLC, and the Undiscovered Managers organization. He
was president and chief investment officer of Bay Isle Financial,
LLC, before it became a fully owned subsidiary of Janus Capital
Management, and he was president of Bay Isle Financial, LLC, and
portfolio manager at Janus Capital Management. He holds a
particular expertise in securitized real estate investing in
separate accounts as well as mutual funds. Mr. Schaff holds a
master's degree in engineering from the University of California,
Davis. He has earned the right to use the Chartered Financial
Analyst(R) (CFA(R)) designation and is a member of the Security
Analysts of San Francisco. Formerly, Mr. Schaff served as trustee
and chairperson of the investment committee of Alameda County
Employee's Retirement. Mr. Block joined Phocas in 2006. Previously,
he had worked at Bay Isle Financial, LLC, from 1996 to 2003, and
was the co-portfolio manager of that firm's separate account
large-cap value portfolios along with Mr. Schaff. Mr. Block
received his master's degree in business administration from the
University of Michigan's Ross School of Business in accounting and
finance. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of
California, San Diego, in quantitative economic decision science.
He has earned the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst
(CFA) designation and is a member of the Security Analysts of San
Francisco. Stock fund values fluctuate in response to the
activities of individual companies and general market and economic
conditions. The use of derivatives may reduce returns and/or
increase volatility. Certain investment strategies tend to increase
the total risk of an investment (relative to the broader market).
This Fund is exposed to foreign investment risk. Consult the Fund's
prospectus for additional information on these and other risks. The
Russell 1000(R) Value Index measures the performance of those
Russell 1000 companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower
forecasted growth values. You cannot invest directly in an index.
Carefully consider a fund's investment objectives, risks, charges,
and expenses before investing. For a current prospectus, containing
this and other information, call 1-800-222-8222 or visit
http://www.wellsfargo.com/advantagefunds. Read it carefully before
investing. Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC, a wholly owned
subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company, offers investment
solutions for individual and institutional investors. Through its
Wells Fargo Advantage Funds, the firm offers more than 120 mutual
funds across a wide range of asset classes representing more than
$152 billion in assets under management, as of 12-31-07. Wells
Fargo Funds Management, LLC, provides investment advisory and
administrative services for Wells Fargo Advantage Funds. Other
affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company provide subadvisory and
other services for the Funds. The Funds are distributed by Wells
Fargo Funds Distributor, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC, an affiliate of
Wells Fargo & Company. 109817 03-08 NOT FDIC INSURED -- NO BANK
GUARANTEE -- MAY LOSE VALUE DATASOURCE: Wells Fargo Advantage Funds
CONTACT: John Roehm of Wells Fargo Advantage Funds,
+1-415-222-5338; or Kevin Granger of Phocas Financial Corporation,
+1-510-523-5800, ext. 14 Web site: http://www.wellsfargo.com/
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