The Markets August 13, 2010

Q210 TUCS Drops 4.7%

Master Trusts reversed course during the second quarter, falling 4.74% and resulting in a one-year return of 12.53% according to the Wilshire Trust Universe Comparison Service (TUCS).

Reported by

A Wilshire news release said public plans underperformed the other plan sponsor types returning -5.38% for the quarter compared to Corporate plans at -4.84% and Endowments and Foundations at -4.75%. Public plans had the largest allocation to equity which had a negative quarter with the Wilshire 5000 returning -11.19% and the MSCI EAFE (net) returning -13.97%.

The Public Funds over One Billion bested the broad Public fund universe with the median returning -5.07% versus -5.38%. A similar pattern occurred in both the Corporate plan universe (large plans, -4.41%; broad, -4.84%) and the Endowment and Foundation universe (large plans, -3.52%; broad, -4.75%).

For more stories like this, sign up for the PLANADVISERdash daily newsletter.

For both the quarter and the year, small capitalization portfolios outperformed their large cap counterparts within their respective Wilshire TUCS Equity Style medians. Within the large styles, Large Value managers outperformed Large Growth managers for the quarter ( -11.68% and -12.12%, respectively) and the year (15.69% and 12.35%, respectively), while within the small styles, it was Small Growth that outperformed for the quarter            (-8.79%) and Small Value that had the best showing for the year (28.27%).

With the falling bond yields last quarter, those managers with longer durations, Long Term Fixed Income managers, outperformed the Short Term Fixed Income managers 7.61% to 0.63%. The announcement said this phenomenon has persisted for the entire year ending June 2010 with Long Term managers returning 17.91% to the Short Term managers’ 3.24%. Although rather anemic for the quarter at 0.36%, High Yield managers also had an impressive year, returning a median of 22.06%.

Wilshire TUCS includes approximately 900 plans representing $2.6 trillion in assets.
Deals & People August 13, 2010

John Hancock Beefs Up Its Western Division

John Hancock Retirement Plan Services (RPS) has hired two regional vice presidents (RVPs) in its Western Division.  
Reported by

According to the announcement, Doug Ambrose has joined John Hancock RPS as RVP for the East Bay and North Bay in San Francisco and Candy Eiler has been hired as RVP in Seattle. 

Ambrose joins the company with 20 years of sales experience in the financial services industry, most recently a managing director for Mass Mutual Financial Services based in Walnut Creek, California.  He had been a wholesaler of retirement plan services in Northern California and Northern Nevada. Prior to that, he had been vice president in sales for Principal Financial Group responsible for retirement plan sales in Northern California. 

For more stories like this, sign up for the PLANADVISERdash daily newsletter.

“Doug has been successful in growing retirement plan services business in his region for many years,” said Tom Bruns, Divisional Vice President, Western Division, John Hancock RPS. “We are very glad he’s joined our team and know his extensive leadership and sales background will be an asset to our clients in the San Francisco region.” 

Eiler has nearly 15 years experience in financial services, with a concentration in retirement plans in the last decade.  She was most recently a client service specialist for Panagiotu Pension Advisors, Inc. where she worked with Third Party Administrators (TPAs) “to deliver her 350 clients a customized retirement plan that addressed their individual needs,” according to the announcement.  Before that, she worked for John Hancock RPS as a communication associate. 

“We are excited Candy has re-joined John Hancock RPS in this sales role,” said Bruns. “Her in-depth knowledge in working with clients, financial representatives and TPAs in our business will be very helpful as we expand our business in Seattle.” 

«