Forward Management [see profile] has made a pair of hires in its sales and marketing team. The San Francisco-based asset manager brought on board Jason Clarke as regional sales director for the Eastern territory and Eileen McCarthy as senior product marketing manager.

Clarke was previously a vice president in the wealth management division at Merrill Lynch. He helped oversee the Mid East region of Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia. Clarke's predecessor at Forward has moved on from the firm, according to a company spokesman.

McCarthy, whose post is newly created, joined Forward from Mellon Capital Management in San Francisco, where she was director of marketing communications.

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Company Press Release

FORWARD MANAGEMENT EXPANDS SALES AND MARKETING TEAMS

Firm boosts staff resources to address accelerating interest in alternative fund strategies

San Francisco, September 7, 2011 – Forward Management, LLC (Forward) has appointed Jason Clarke as a Vice President of Sales and Eileen McCarthy as a Senior Product Marketing Manager. Jason Clarke has joined Forward’s Intermediary Sales team as a Regional Sales Director for the Eastern territory. He will focus on serving financial advisors in the Eastern region. Eileen McCarthy will develop marketing and communication programs and materials to support Forward’s growing alternative product lineup.

“The expansion of Forward’s sales and marketing team was spurred by investors’ growing interest in alternative mutual fund strategies as tools to help manage risk and pursue higher absolute returns,” said J. Alan Reid, CEO of Forward Management. “Advisors and investors increasingly recognize why they will need new investment solutions in order to get ahead in today’s market climate. It’s up to us, as solution providers and innovators, to help them stay abreast of the rapidly growing range of alternative investment choices available,” commented Reid.

In addition to expanding its professional sales and marketing staff, Forward has been providing advisors with greater access to portfolio management teams, more educational content, and more frequent market updates. Earlier this year Forward also initiated a series of alternative fund “road shows” for financial advisors, partnering with other fund families to showcase cutting-edge strategies in major cities across the nation. This fall’s schedule includes events in Boston, Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Minneapolis.

Jason Clarke served as a Vice President in the Wealth Management division at Merrill Lynch, where he assisted in overseeing the Mid East region of Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia. Clarke holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst designation and a B.S. in Business Administration from The College of New Jersey.

In her previous position, Eileen McCarthy was Director of Marketing Communications at Mellon Capital Management in San Francisco. She supported multiple sales channels and client teams throughout the United States and abroad. She previously held senior marketing roles at Bank of America and Wells Fargo and holds a BA degree from San Diego State University.

About Forward Management, LLC

Forward Management, LLC, is a privately-held asset management firm that uses a forward-thinking, problem-solving approach to help investors and advisors navigate a shifting, uncertain investment climate. Based in San Francisco, the firm is the investment advisor to the Forward Funds. It gives investors and their advisors access to a broad spectrum of investment and asset allocation solutions, including an evolving set of alternatives to traditional, long-only investing. As of June 30, 2011, Forward Management had a total of $5.7 billion in assets under management in a product set including mutual funds, separate account strategies, and limited partnerships. More information on Forward Management and the Forward Funds can be found at www.forwardmgmt.com.

You should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Forward Funds carefully before investing. A prospectus with this and other information may be obtained by calling (800) 999-6809 or by downloading one from www.forwardfunds.com. It should be read carefully before investing.

 

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