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Private Wealth Management

Investment Management

Building portfolios with a favorable risk and reward profile

Our Approach to Investing

Flexible Architecture

Our flexible open architecture approach allows us to identify which investment options we believe offer powerful and innovative solutions for your situation. As your needs change, we have the flexibility to change with you.

Asset Class Expertise

As we strive to meet your investment objectives, First Foundation Advisors investment management team develops portfolios that use investments in equities, fixed income, and alternatives.

Measured Results

We believe that we need to track the recommendations we provide our clients, as judging a firm by its investment performance track record is only as good as the reporting standards by which they are measured.

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Investment Philosophy

Risk Control

Protection of capital is our principal consideration. Consistency of results is key to all we do for you.

Inefficient Markets

We seek to use inefficiencies to purchase undervalued assets when others are selling; and to sell over valued assets when others are buying.

Valuation Discipline

Paying a fair valuation is more critical than investing in the right assets. We aim to buy with a margin of safety and sell when that margin has been eroded.

Rigorous Analysis

Diligently seeking to identify opportunities, yet remain patient to realize value over time. We measure our results using rigorous, third-party standards.

Partnership

We do business with those who share our values. We focus on listening and collaborating with firms to ensure that we honor their values.

Stewardship

We represent ourselves with the integrity as fiduciaries. Ethics, accountability, and transparency are ingrained in our culture. We listen and collaborate.

We take great care in being stewards of capital for our clients. Our investment team follows a disciplined, value based approach that strives to capitalize on stock market inefficiencies with rigorous fundamental research.

John Hakopian , President

How We Are Structured to Best Serve You

Our team-based investment structure starts with our investment committee, which is supported by traders and operational specialists. Each of our clients is assigned a dedicated personal advisor to help meet their financial goals.

Our Team

Meet Our Skilled Team of Investment Experts

Meet our investment team

Asset Allocation Strategies

All Fixed Income

Allocation of fixed income and cash with a focus on income.

Emphasis on Income

Allocation among equities, including private investment funds, fixed income, and cash, with a primary emphasis on income and a secondary emphasis on growth.

Conservative

Allocation among equities including private investment funds, fixed income, and cash.

Moderate

Allocation among equities including private investment funds, fixed income, and cash with a primary emphasis on growth and a secondary emphasis on current income.

Emphasis on Growth

Allocation among equities, fixed income, and cash, with a primary emphasis on equities, including private investment funds.

Appreciation

Allocation among equities, fixed income, and cash, with the primary emphasis being on equities, and may include private investment funds.

All Equity

Allocation among equities and cash, with a primary emphasis on equities, including private investment funds.

Our Proprietary Investment Strategies

How investments are allocated among stocks, bonds, and other investments is an important factor in determining long-term returns and the volatility of the portfolio. Below are the investment options available to our clients, based on their unique needs. We use these strategies to ultimately construct portfolios to match the goals of each client. For qualified investors, some of these strategies are available for direct investment.

Strategic Core

Our disciplined, repeatable investment process seeks to build a core portfolio by finding the best businesses across varied industries at reasonable prices in order to produce competitive market returns.

Disciplined Growth

The Disciplined Growth Strategy seeks to produce capital appreciation over time by investing in quality businesses with a demonstrated history, and expected continuation of, producing high sustainable returns on equity (ROE).

Dividend Income

The Dividend Income Strategy aims to build a diverse portfolio of dividend-paying companies at reasonable prices to produce competitive long term total returns. The portfolio emphasizes companies that pay large, reliable and growing cash dividends.

Webinars

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Insightful content on a variety of topics including the financial markets, the economy, and personal finance.

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The Fiduciary Experience – Our Promise to You

Focus on Goals

Your objectives are top priority
We help you articulate and establish reasonable goals

Rigorous Research

Due diligence of third-party investment managers
Ongoing monitoring and analysis of investment options

Expert Advice

Leverage experience and knowledge to deliver custom recommendations
Access to an independent network of professionals and specialists such as accountants and legal experts

Wealth Planning

Investing and planning. The ultimate combination.

Your investments are only as good as your plan. We understand that to maximize your results you need to have a carefully planned approach to investing.

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Our Expertise

Insights on Managing Your Wealth

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Disclosures

The Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS) is a trustworthy and rigorous process that First Foundation follows. First Foundation Advisors claims compliance with the GIPS standards. For the purposes of applying the GIPS Standards, the firm is defined as First Foundation Advisors, a registered investment adviser that has been in business since 1990. A list of composite descriptions and/or a compliant presentation can be obtained by contacting the Chief Compliance Officer at (949)476-0300.