OUR FIRM
Cambridge Advisors is an independent, fee-only investment management firm. Our team of highly-educated investment professionals is dedicated to helping clients build and preserve their wealth. We specialize in managing custom-tailored investment portfolios for clients with $500,000 or more of investable assets.
Our advice is not influenced by commissions, revenue-sharing arrangements, products or affiliations, making it free from conflicts of interest. You can be sure investment decisions are based on one primary goal -- meeting your financial objectives.
At Cambridge Advisors, we understand that developing financial resources is the key to achieving many of your dreams. For some, the goal is a secure a comfortable retirement. For others, it is building a college fund for their children. Perhaps your dream is to accumulate the wealth you need to begin a new business venture. Whatever your goal may be, we will help you develop a plan to reach your goal and work the plan to make your dream a reality.
From our offices in Omaha, Nebraska, Cambridge Advisors serves clients throughout the state of Nebraska, as well as across the country. Please feel free to contact us to begin the Discovery Process to help you determine if a relationship with Cambridge Advisors is right for you.
OUR SERVICES What will Cambridge Advisors do for me?
The first step in developing an investment management relationship is to sit down with you to learn more about you. Your goals, your investment experience, your time horizon, your tolerance for risk, and your specific tax situation are all critical considerations in developing a strategy for your financial success.
After gathering this information, we will develop an investment plan to meet your goals. For most clients, this investment plan will involve building a diversified portfolio of individual securities and/or mutual funds to generate capital appreciation and income. These assets will form the core of your investment portfolio.
Beyond Managing Money
We believe our job involves much more than just managing portfolios. As a part of our annual review with each client, we set your assets in the context of the amount of money you are likely to need for a financially secure retirement. This is the "financial planning" part of our work.
For clients who are in the heart of their working and earning years, this involves setting appropriate goals for saving as well as investing. The kind of monthly saving targets that you establish during your working years can dramatically affect the standard of living that you will be able to enjoy in retirement.
For many clients, this planning role includes reviewing and making recommendations about other financial matters besides their investments. While we do not provide legal or tax advice, we believe it imperative that our clients with accumulated assets in excess of the estate tax threshold begin making estate plans today. In all of our cumulative experience, we have yet to meet an individual who wanted to leave the bulk of their assets to the government.
OUR ADVISORY APPROACH
At Cambridge Advisors Inc., we have built our business based on the timeless principle of knowing our clients well. In an era when many investment managers seem intent on trying to create one-size-fits-all investment strategies and products; we have kept our focus on providing a high caliber of personalized investment services to a select group of individuals.
We spend time with you—the kind of time that other financial consultants can’t give to individual clients. We learn about you, your family, your present finances, and your future plans. We take the time to understand your values.
It is this high level of personal attention that makes the service offered by Cambridge Advisors Inc. distinctive. Because we understand you and your goals, we can manage your portfolio in a way that reflects your personal values, circumstances, and objectives. By staying in close contact with you, we can offer advice and make the appropriate changes to reflect new developments in your life. Additionally, we coordinate with your tax and legal counsel in the management of your investment portfolio—ensuring that your investment strategies are in complete harmony with your tax strategies.
Finally, unlike many financial advisors, Cambridge Advisors does not earn commissions for making transactions. Instead, our investment management fee is calculated as a fixed percentage of your portfolio. We are rewarded for real growth in your portfolio, not for simply turning over your investments. Our financial interests are in perfect alignment with your own. The end result is a greater degree of partnership and trust in managing your investments, and a higher level of assurance that you always receive our best, objective advice.
Gaylan C. Abood, CFA
gabood@cambridgeadvisors.net
Gaylan is the founder of Cambridge Advisors and continues to serve as Chairman. He has over 40 years of experience in the investment management field. Previously, Gaylan was the president of another investment management company, vice president and manager of private accounts with Mutual of Omaha Fund Management Company, and the vice president and manager of the Trust Investment Department of First National Bank and Trust Company of Lincoln. Gaylan received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Gaylan is a past president and member of the CFA Society of Nebraska.
Lori L. Liffring, CFA
lliffring@cambridgeadvisors.net
Lori is President of Cambridge Advisors Inc. In addition to her business management responsibilities, she is involved in portfolio management, investment research, and the client consulting aspects of the firm. Before joining Cambridge Advisors in 1994, Lori spent five years working for an employee benefits consulting firm where she worked extensively with retirement plans of Fortune 500 companies. Lori received her bachelor’s degree in finance from Baylor University and graduated Cum Laude. She has been a Chartered Financial Analyst since 1997 and is a member of the CFA Society of Nebraska. Lori has served on the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation as treasurer, as an elder in her previous church where she chaired the Endowment Committee, and on the advisory committee of the Hewitt AdvisorConnection™ program. She was also selected as a Midlands Business Journal 2006 40 Under 40 Award Winner.
Michael L. Bridgman,
CLU, ChFC
mbridgman@cambridgeadvisors.net
Mike is Vice President of Cambridge Advisors Inc. He is a Chartered Financial Consultant providing portfolio management and financial planning for client accounts. He also devotes time to researching investment ideas that may be used in client portfolios. Mike has worked directly with client investment accounts since 1989 and joined Cambridge Advisors in 1999. Mike received his bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in finance and real estate from the University of Nebraska – Omaha. Mike has served on the Young Life Regional Board and is an elder in his church where he has chaired the stewardship committee. He has also received a five-star rating (the highest rating) from the Paladin Registry, an independent organization which has devised a rating system for Investment Advisors. In addition, Mike is a member of the Society of Financial Service Professionals.
Karen K. Benefiel, CPA, AAMS
kbenefiel@cambridgeadvisors.net
Karen’s areas of focus are portfolio management, financial planning and investment research. Prior to joining Cambridge Advisors in 2003, she was an Investment Consultant with Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Karen received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas in both accounting and business administration. She currently holds her CPA certification and an Accredited Asset Management Specialist designation from the College of Financial Planning. She is a member of the CFA Society of Nebraska and the Nebraska Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.
Justin S. Anderson, MBA janderson@cambridgeadvisors.net
Justin has been providing financial advice to clients since 2002. At Cambridge Advisors, he specializes in portfolio management and investment research. Prior to joining Cambridge Advisors, he was an Investment Representative with Edward Jones. Justin is a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics and his Masters of Business Administration with a specialization in Finance and Agribusiness. Justin is a founding board member of the Bennington Community Foundation. He is the moderator for his Christian Business Men’s Continuum (CBMC), and also sits on the board of the Western Douglas County Chamber of Commerce (WDCCC). Justin also leads Financial Peace University at sights in the Omaha area.
Ben Lammers blammers@cambridgeadvisors.net
Ben is an Investment Analyst Intern. He assists the Investment Committee in reviewing companies that are currently held in our clients' portfolios or that are being evaluated as potential new buy ideas. In addition, Ben is working closely with the portfolio managers. Ben is a senior at Creighton University where he is studying Finance and Portfolio Management.
OUR
INVESTMENT
PROCESSWhen structuring portfolios, we consider several factors. First, we take into account the client’s investment policy. Our portfolios are customized to each client’s specifications so that we respect risk tolerance levels and return expectations. Second, we strive to build a diversified portfolio across asset classes (large cap and small cap) and styles (growth and value), as well as industries and companies. Third, based on current market conditions and our future outlook, we emphasize areas where we see higher growth potential. Within this framework we build a portfolio of individual securities, mutual funds, and/or exchange traded funds that reflect each client’s specific constraints including liquidity issues, investment horizon, government regulations, tax implications and unique needs.
While we are not “market-timers” we do recognize that the risk/reward relationship of the various asset classes will change over time. Asset allocations are adjusted to reflect our outlook of future growth opportunities and risk levels as well as the client’s needs. Factors such as equity valuations and interest rate levels may influence asset allocations. When equity valuations and/or interest rates are at historically high levels it may encourage a shift in asset allocation in favor of fixed income securities. When equity valuations and/or interest rates are at historically low levels it may encourage a shift in favor of equity securities. Most changes in asset allocation due to market factors are gradual.
Cambridge Advisors gathers investment information from a wide variety of sources for analysis. We make our own investment decisions internally. We do not rely on a “buy list” from a parent company or Wall Street third party. As part of the investment committee, the portfolio managers are actively involved in the investment research functions of the firm. All portfolio managers thoroughly understand the fundamentals of the securities they are buying and selling in client portfolios.
IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) - A person who has successfully completed a program of three examinations totaling 18 hours covering the areas of ethical and professional standards, portfolio management, equity and fixed income securities analysis, economics, financial accounting, and quantitative techniques.
Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) - A person who, for compensation, engages in the business of advising others as to the value of securities or the advisability of purchasing or selling securities. RIAs are required to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Form ADV - The standard form used by investment advisors to register and update registrations with the Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory agencies. The form is also used to comply with SEC Rule 206(4)-4, which obligates investment advisors to disclose relevant financial and disciplinary information to clients.
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