Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC
Kayne Anderson Rudnick (KAR) manages quality-focused equity strategies across investment styles, market caps, and geographies.
Quality at a Reasonable Price
KAR seeks to build high-conviction, low-turnover portfolios of high-quality businesses with enduring competitive advantages, excellent management, and exceptional economics. The KAR investment team employs in-depth fundamental research to identify companies believed to have low business risk as identified by certain financial characteristics—consistent and profitable growth, high returns on capital, strong free cash flow, and little to no debt—and to buy these companies at attractive valuations.
KAR was founded in Los Angeles in 1984 by successful entrepreneurs, Richard Kayne and John Anderson (the benefactor of UCLA’s Anderson School of Management), initially to manage the funds of its principals and clients. Allan Rudnick joined the firm in 1989, marking the start of KAR’s traditional investment management business and high-quality focus that the firm is known for today.
Mutual Funds
Retail Separate Accounts
Institutional Investments
Variable Insurance Funds
Investment Professionals
Doug Foreman is co-chief investment officer and a member of the executive management committee at Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, an investment management affiliate of Virtus Investment Partners. As co-chief investment officer, Mr. Foreman shares responsibility for leading the investment team and overseeing the strategic management of the firm’s investment portfolios with co-chief investment officer, Craig Stone.
Before joining Kayne Anderson Rudnick in 2011, Mr. Foreman was director of equities at HighMark Capital Management. Prior to that, he was group managing director and chief investment officer of U.S. equities at Trust Company of the West (TCW). He began his investment career at Putnam Investments as an equity research analyst and portfolio manager.
Mr. Foreman earned a B.S. in marine engineering from The U.S. Naval Academy and an M.B.A. from Harvard University. He is a CFA® charterholder. He began working in the investment industry in 1986.
Craig Stone
Co-Chief Investment Officer, Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst
Industry Start Date: 1989
Craig Stone is co-chief investment officer, portfolio manager, and senior research analyst at Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, an investment management affiliate of Virtus Investment Partners. He has primary research responsibilities for the small- and mid-cap real estate and consumer staples sectors. As co-chief investment officer, Mr. Stone shares responsibility for leading the investment team and overseeing the strategic management of the firm’s investment portfolios with co-chief investment officer, Douglas S. Foreman. He is also a member of the firm’s executive management committee.
Before joining Kayne Anderson Rudnick in 2000, Mr. Stone was a portfolio manager at Doheny Asset Management.
Mr. Stone earned a B.S. in international business from San Francisco State University and an M.B.A. from the University of Southern California. He began working in the investment industry in 1989.
Chris Armbruster, CFA
Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst
Industry Start Date: 2004
Chris Armbruster is a portfolio manager and senior research analyst at Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, an investment management affiliate of Virtus Investment Partners. He has primary research responsibilities for the mid- and large-cap communication services, consumer discretionary, healthcare, and technology sectors.
Prior to joining Kayne Anderson Rudnick in 2013, Mr. Armbruster worked at B. Riley & Co. as an associate analyst covering special situations, and at Al Frank Asset Management as a vice president in equity research. He has approximately 14 years of equity research experience.
Mr. Armbruster earned a B.A. in business economics, with a minor in accounting, from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a CFA® charterholder and is a member of the CFA Society of Los Angeles. He began working in the investment industry in 2004.
Todd Beiley, CFA
Head of Research, Portfolio Manager, and Senior Research Analyst
Industry Start Date: 1999
Todd Beiley is head of research, portfolio manager, and senior research analyst at Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, an investment management affiliate of Virtus Investment Partners. He has primary research responsibilities for the small- and mid-cap financials (insurance industry) and information technology sectors. As head of research, Mr. Beiley leads the firm’s research process and oversees the team of equity research analysts.
Before joining Kayne Anderson Rudnick in 2002, Mr. Beiley worked as an associate analyst in equity research at Prudential Securities. Prior to that assignment, he was an equity research associate at RNC Capital Management.
Mr. Beiley earned a B.S. in finance from Northern Arizona University and an M.B.A. from the University of Southern California. He is a CFA® charterholder and has been working in the investment industry since 1999.
Julie Biel, CFA
Chief Market Strategist, Portfolio Manager, and Senior Research Analyst
Industry Start Date: 2004
Julie Biel is chief market strategist, portfolio manager, and senior research analyst at Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, an investment management affiliate of Virtus Investment Partners. She has primary research responsibilities for the small- and mid-cap information technology and healthcare sectors. As chief market strategist, Ms. Biel is responsible for providing the firm’s perspective and commentary on the economy and capital markets.
Before joining Kayne Anderson Rudnick in 2013, Ms. Biel worked at Imperial Capital as an equity research associate. Prior to business school, she was an equity research associate at Merrill Lynch.
Ms. Biel earned a B.A. in economics and psychology from New York University and an M.B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) charterholder. She began working in the investment industry in 2004.
Jon Christensen, CFA
Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst
Industry Start Date: 1995
Jon Christensen is a portfolio manager and senior research analyst at Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, an investment management affiliate of Virtus Investment Partners. He has primary research responsibilities for the small- and mid-cap health care and industrials sectors.
Before joining Kayne Anderson Rudnick in 2001, Mr. Christensen was a portfolio manager and senior research analyst for Doheny Asset Management.
Mr. Christensen earned a B.S. in mathematics/applied science from the University of California, Los Angeles, and an M.B.A. from California State University, Long Beach. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) charterholder. He began working in the investment industry in 1995.
Noran Eid is a portfolio manager and senior research analyst at Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, an investment management affiliate of Virtus Investment Partners. She has primary research responsibilities for large-cap portfolios, focusing on the consumer discretionary, information technology, and healthcare sectors.
Prior to joining Kayne Anderson Rudnick in 2018, Ms. Eid was an investment analyst with Sands Capital Management.
Ms. Eid earned her B.S. in engineering from the American University in Cairo and her M.B.A. from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. She began working in the investment industry in 2006.
Hyung Kim is a portfolio manager and senior research analyst at Kayne Anderson Rudnick, an investment management affiliate of Virtus Investment Partners. He has primary research responsibilities for emerging markets small-cap and international small- and mid-cap equities.
Prior to joining Kayne Anderson Rudnick in 2017, Mr. Kim served as an international equity analyst at Advisory Research Inc. for seven years, and as a portfolio manager on its global value strategy. Before joining Advisory Research, he worked as a research analyst at Coghill Capital Management and in corporate banking at HSBC and Woori Bank in Seoul, Korea. Mr. Kim also worked as an equity research intern at CLSA in Seoul.
Mr. Kim earned a B.A. in German with a minor in economics from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, Korea, and an M.B.A. in accounting and finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He is fluent in Korean and German. Mr. Kim began working in the investment industry in 2004.
Julie Kutasov is a portfolio manager and senior research analyst at Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, an investment management affiliate of Virtus Investment Partners. She has primary research responsibilities for the small- and mid-cap materials, industrials, and utilities sectors.
Before joining Kayne Anderson Rudnick in 2001, Ms. Kutasov worked at Goldman Sachs in a program focused on investment management for high-net worth individuals. Prior to that, she was a senior associate at Arthur Andersen, leading teams that provided financial audit and business advisory services to a variety of clients in service-related industries.
Ms. Kutasov earned a B.A. in business economics, summa cum laude, from the University of California, Los Angeles, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. She previously worked as a Certified Public Accountant in the state of California. She began working in the investment industry in 2001.
Richard Sherry, CFA
Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst
Industry Start Date: 1991
Richard Sherry is a portfolio manager and senior research analyst at Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, an investment management affiliate of Virtus Investment Partners. He has primary research responsibilities for the mid- and large-cap consumer services, energy, financials, real estate, and utilities sectors.
Mr. Sherry joined Kayne Anderson Rudnick in 1995 as a marketing analyst before becoming a research analyst. Prior to joining Kayne Anderson Rudnick, he was an operations/marketing supervisor at Pilgrim Asset Management.
Mr. Sherry earned a B.A. in economics from the University of California, Los Angeles, and an M.B.A. from the University of Southern California. He is a CFA® charterholder and a member of the CFA Society of Los Angeles. Mr. Sherry began working in the investment industry in 1991.
Craig Thrasher, CFA
Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst
Industry Start Date: 2003
Craig Thrasher is a portfolio manager and senior research analyst at Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, an investment management affiliate of Virtus Investment Partners. Mr. Thrasher has primary research responsibilities for emerging markets small-cap and international small- and mid-cap equities.
Before joining Kayne Anderson Rudnick in 2008, Mr. Thrasher worked at Kirr, Marbach & Company as an equity analyst, and at Wedbush Morgan Securities in correspondent credit.
Mr. Thrasher earned a B.S. in business and public administration, with a concentration in finance, from the University of Arizona, and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) charterholder. He began working in the investment industry in 2003.
Chris Wright is a portfolio manager and senior research analyst at Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment
Management, an investment management affiliate of Virtus Investment Partners. He has primary research
responsibilities for the small- and mid-cap financials, technology, energy, and industrials sectors.
Mr. Wright began working in the financial industry in 2001. Before joining Kayne Anderson Rudnick in 2012, he
worked at Alvarez & Marsal as a senior associate in Turnarounds and Restructuring. Prior to that, he was at Houlihan Lokey
Howard & Zukin as an associate in the Investment Banking Financial Institutions Group.
Mr. Wright earned a B.S.E., with a concentration in finance, from the Wharton School at the University of
Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles. Mr. Wright is a CFA® charterholder
and a member of the CFA Society of Los Angeles.
Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of any Virtus Mutual Fund before investing. The prospectus and summary prospectus contains this and other information about the fund. Please contact your financial representative, call 1-800-243-4361 to obtain a current prospectus and/or summary prospectus. You should read the prospectus and/or summary prospectus carefully before you invest or send money.