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Cliche or Aspiration?

A $ Trillion Platinum Coin.  Sounds preposterous, no?  The idea was seriously being promoted by people who are not crackpots.  Paul Krugman, Nobel Prize winning economist and Mohamed El-Erian, CEO and co-chief investment officer of PIMCO have both publicly endorsed the idea.  Neither love the idea, but recognize that the current political environment demands, an “out of the box” solution.

“Out of the box” thinking… a term invented by business consultants, has now become a cliche, its use is so wide-spread it has become meaningless.  And, yet, every successful business person and investment professional know that novel and unconventional ideas or approaches lay the foundation for their success.

Like all cliches.  “Out of the box” thinking contains a germ of truth.

Harrison Fiduciary Group’s business model represents an “out of the box” business model for the management and oversight of retirement and pension plans.  However, time and time again, people say “but that is not how we do it.”   In fact, a few weeks ago I was proposing an idea to someone at a private equity firm.  He had degrees from two Ivy League universities, no doubt earned a sizable income, and yet, all he wanted to know was “who else is doing this?”.  He didn’t want to consider something slightly different.  He simply wanted to blend in with effort else.  Kinda reminds me of adolescence.

Unless circumstances demand novel and creative approaches, most people avoid them.   To use another cliche, most people are more comfortable with the “same ol’, same ‘ol”.

However, today’s economic, and investment environment demand an “out of the box” response. Corporate earnings are lack luster.  As I discuss in my prior post, interest rates are bound to increase and create a new investment environment never experienced by a generation of investment professionals.  And, in the midst of these pressures, there is talk of the Treasury Department issuing a $ Trillion Platinum Coin.

Things can’t get more topsy turvy.

How are corporate fiduciaries responding?  Do they have the time and the skills necessary to fashion appropriate investment responses?  But, more importantly, wouldn’t their time be better spent on executing their business strategies?  All too often fiduciary oversight deflects corporate focus from core business initiatives to the ancillary role of

At Harrison Fiduciary Group we are fiduciaries.  We are not investment consultants nor are we investment managers.  We are not “selling” a particular investment strategy nor are we merely offering advice to plan sponsors.

Instead, we are professional fiduciaries who will make and implement decisions on behalf of a plan.  And, most importantly we will stand by these decisions in a fiduciary capacity.  Our sole mission is to act in the best interests of plan participants and retirees.

Yes, HFG provides an “out of the box” solution to corporate fiduciaries.  Plan participants deserve no less.

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