Cedarwood Associates - Mutual Fund Consultancy

Areas of Practice

Cedarwood Associates provides the resources and expertise to support boards in the following:

Advisory Contract Renewals – Evaluate investment performance data, management profitability reports, pricing information, adviser and sub adviser services and fund expenses. Identify areas of focus for discussion with the management company.

Board Governance – Support new director selection process, including personalized orientation program for new directors. Review and recommendations on meeting process and materials, committee structures and charters. Development of a self assessment process including the review and follow up activities.

Distribution Review – Support, analyze and document distribution process, including revenue sharing and other payments, for funds sold through intermediaries. Provide guidance for implementation of rule 22c-2 with respect to intermediary requirements.

Management Company Practices - Review and analyze trading practices, soft dollar arrangements, pricing and fair valuation practices. Review advisor business model and identify areas of potential conflict of interest.

Service Provider Selection and Review – Support the process of selecting and reviewing custodians, fund accountants, securities lending agents, administrators and transfer agents.

Fund Reorganizations – Assess business aspects of management proposals in sale or acquisition of fund complexes. Evaluate individual fund recommendations for style and pricing consistency. Support board consolidation and integration process.





Qualifications

Kathleen Dennis, founder and president of Cedarwood Associates, has over 20 years’ experience in the mutual fund business. She held senior positions in two management companies and has a successful record of working closely with several funds’ boards. Her experience includes due diligence evaluations, reorganizations and management company mergers. Kathleen understands the relationships among service providers and has the ability to identify strength or weakness in internal practices. She remains active in the industry and currently serves as a member of the Mutual Fund Directors Forum advisory board.
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Value of Communications

Successful evaluation of any process or service requires open and ongoing communication between all parties. Cedarwood Associates will work closely with counsel, the CCO, the management company and other parties involved to gather appropriate information and accurate data in a professional and efficient manner.

All work product is personalized to the individual client; prepared in a clear, concise format; and will provide an appropriate record for each fund’s board.


Contact


Cedarwood Associates
1960 Woodstock Road
Gates Mills, Ohio 44040

Office: 440-423-0671
Cell: 216-956-0875

kdennis@cedarwood-associates.com

www.cedarwood-associates.com