Asset Strategy Consultants (ASC), an independent investment management consulting firm, today announced a key expansion of its outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) services with the appointment of Andy Conner as the company’s Chief Investment Officer. Specializing in customized consulting solutions to fiduciaries of endowments and foundations, retirement plans and insurance companies, ASC has more than $10 billion under advisement. Andy has twenty years of investment experience, is a CFA Charterholder and was named to Chief Investment Officer magazine's 2016 Forty Under Forty list.

The OCIO market is large and rapidly growing. In 2017, assets under full or partial discretion by an OCIO firm grew to $1.56 trillion. In the next five years, OCIO assets are projected to increase by $671 billion. Asset Strategy Consultants understands the increasing complexity and challenges that confront many institutional investors in overseeing their investment portfolios and sponsored retirement plans.

Andy spent 12 years as a senior member of the Johns Hopkins University Office of Investment Management, where he held leadership positions including Deputy Chief Investment Officer and Interim Vice President of Investments & Chief Investment Officer. While he was there, the Office of Investment Management oversaw $7 billion of University and Hospital financial assets, including endowment funds, the University's operating cash and ERISA-qualified retirement plans. With first-hand experience employing the endowment model of investing, he has extensive experience investing globally in public equity, fixed income, hedge funds, private equity, venture capital, real estate and real assets managers.

“Andy’s arrival is a watershed moment for ASC,” said Bobby Merrick, Principal at Asset Strategy Consultants’ Hunt Valley headquarters. “Through his experience at Johns Hopkins, Andy brings a wealth of knowledge in managing multiple billions of dollars of assets for the University and Hospital. His expertise will drive our growing outsourced CIO services and fill a pressing client need for fully discretionary consulting models.”

“I am thrilled to be joining the team at Asset Strategy Consultants,” said Andy Conner. “ASC has a long history and a great reputation in investment consulting, and I look forward to leading the outsourced CIO services effort in delivering careful oversight and deep industry knowledge to our clients.”

About Asset Strategy Consultants

Founded in 1991, Asset Strategy Consultants (ASC) is a privately held, independent investment consulting firm that provides customized solutions to fiduciaries of endowments, foundations, retirement plans and insurance companies. ASC assists their institutional clients in managing investment risk and in achieving their long-term investment goals. The firm, headquartered in Hunt Valley, MD, has four other offices along the East Coast. For more information, please visit www.assetstrategyconsultants.com.