Sellwood Consulting LLC (“Sellwood”) is an independent investment consulting firm and SEC-
registered investment adviser. Our principal place of business is located in Portland, Oregon.
The firm is 100% owned by active employees.
Sellwood was founded in 2012, and the four founders have worked together since 2005.
Investment Consulting Services
Sellwood is an independent investment consulting firm that provides strategic investment
advisory services to clients. We provide a wide range of consulting services to meet each client’s
needs. Clients may use any or all of these services, as appropriate. Services include, but are not
limited to, the following:
Investment Policy Statement (“IPS”) Development or Review
We assist clients with preparation and ongoing review of a written IPS, including
customized investment objectives and guidelines under which these goals are to be
achieved. The IPS may include, among other things, the:
Responsibilities for the Board/Committee, Staff, and various service providers;
Asset class targets, permissible ranges and rebalancing policy;
Guidelines for investments within each asset class;
Types and styles of investment managers and/or funds;
Criteria for selection of investment managers;
Procedures and timing for monitoring investment performance; and
Guidelines to establish risk tolerance for the separate strategies and the aggregate
risk of the total portfolio.
Asset Allocation and Manager Structure
We use asset allocation studies as a strategic planning tool, seeking to optimize the
balance between a portfolio’s expected risk and return. Our analysis involves a review the
following elements of an asset allocation strategy:
Client-specific goals and objectives;
Inputs regarding expected return and risk, time horizon, liquidity constraints,
asset class preferences, and tax status (if applicable); and
The suitability of the final allocation to a client’s goals and objectives.
Once a high-level asset allocation target is determined, we also assist clients in developing
appropriate manager structures, analyzing various options for selecting and weighting
individual managers and strategies within each asset class.
Investment Manager Research, Selection, and Monitoring
We perform ongoing investment manager research, evaluating the broad universe of
available managers via both quantitative analysis and qualitative evaluations. We perform
detailed due diligence on managers prior to recommendation and on an ongoing basis
once selected. Our focus is finding investment managers, strategies and vehicles that
meet each client’s individual circumstances and needs. Factors considered in making this
determination include not only investment performance, but also account size, assets
under management, management approach, quality of investment team, risk tolerance,
the investment philosophy and strategy, and associated fees.
Investment Performance Reporting and Monitoring
We prepare a customized performance report for each client on a quarterly basis to
facilitate
review and ongoing monitoring of the plan. Our reports analyze total plan
performance versus a policy index and compared to relevant plan sponsor peer groups, as
well as individual manager performance compared to appropriate peer groups and
relevant industry benchmarks.
Education
A key aspect of our consulting services involves client education. Our consulting services
generally include education for Trustees and staff, covering a wide range of topics. We
seek to integrate education efforts in each deliverable we provide our clients and are also
responsive to specific client requests.
We may also provide periodic educational support and investment workshops designed
for plan participants of defined contribution plan clients.
Other Consulting Services
We have capabilities in providing clients a number of other services, as needed and
applicable, including but not limited to:
Defined Contribution Plan Evaluations
Third Party Administrator (TPA) Searches
Trust and Custody Evaluations
Cash Management Reviews
Transition Management Searches
Spending Policy Analyses
Discretionary Advisory Services
With respect to the investment consulting services described above, Sellwood advises
client portfolios on a discretionary or non-discretionary basis. In a discretionary
engagement, Sellwood is authorized to make certain investment decisions on behalf of the
client, as further described in Item 16. We do not believe that “discretion” is a binary on-
off condition when it comes to investment advice, and we work with clients to customize
the level of discretion that best fits their needs.
Special Projects
Clients may also receive investment advice on a more limited, special project basis. This
may include assistance or advice on only an isolated area of concern, such as investment
policy statement, asset allocation, defined contribution plan lineup review, or any other
specific topic.
Services in General
As an independent investment consulting firm that has no affiliations with broker-dealers, other
investment managers, solicitors or placement agents, our consulting recommendations consider
only the needs of the client. Our firm is not limited to any specific product or service offered by a
broker-dealer or insurance company. Our services include advice regarding the following
primary investment instruments:
separate account investment management relationships
collective investment trusts or other private commingled funds
private placement securities (partnership interests)
mutual funds, interval funds, and money market funds
exchange-traded funds (ETFs)
We tailor all of our portfolio management recommendations to the individual needs of each
client. All such recommendations are formulated based on information gathered through
investment policy statements, electronic communications, telephone and/or in-person
discussions.
Sellwood currently advises approximately $8,553,400,000 in client assets (based on market
values of client plans as of 12/31/2023). Of those assets, we have discretion over approximately
$1,565,000,000.