Investment Management

We understand that you are entrusting us with one of your most precious possessions: your financial future. Our professionals will develop an investment portfolio tailored to your risk, return, cash flow, tax and time parameters using the best available tools. Your portfolio including individual retirement plans such as IRAs and SEP or Simple IRAs can be invested in:

• The Elite ManagerSM program using dozens of professional money managers and open architecture separate account management
• Equity and fixed income portfolios using individual securities or low-cost alternatives such as Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)
• LifeStylesSM managed mutual fund portfolios

Elite Manager™ Program Overview

The Elite Manager™ Program, offered by Alpha Bank & Trust through Reliance Trust Company, is a separate account platform providing access to a carefully selected list of successful institutional level investment managers. These experienced managers have been screened by a team of Reliance Trust Company's professional analysts using a thorough due diligence process. Each manager provides a specialized investment strategy, allowing Alpha Bank & Trust to build a customized portfolio of managers and investments for each client's specific circumstances.

The investment process involves assessing the broad goals of the portfolio, level of investable assets, risk tolerance and cash flow requirements over time. With the knowledge of the client's individual situation and the understanding of the investment styles of each manager, Alpha Bank & Trust will create an appropriate asset allocation mix and build a diversified portfolio of select managers most capable of achieving the defined objectives and strategy. The end goal is to maximize returns and minimize risks with the cost and tax advantages desired in a professionally managed separate account program.

Advantages of the Elite Manager™ Program

There are several advantages to participating in the Elite Manager™ Program.

Customization

Alpha Bank & Trust tailors each account based on the client's individual circumstances, allocating across both asset classes and managers with a total portfolio approach. Additionally, clients can request stock/sector restrictions based on existing concentrated holdings. The result is a portfolio which is well diversified and integrated with the client's broader financial plan.

Tax Efficiency

Alpha Bank & Trust places a premium on providing tax-efficient portfolio management, seeking to maximize after tax returns. The managers utilized in the program have been selected by Reliance Trust Company based on their investment strategy of having a low annual security turnover and a more manageable number of individual positions. The goal is to enhance overall net investment return and client satisfaction.

Portfolio Transparency

Clients are able to view their individual portfolio holdings. This enables clients to know what they own, their individual cost basis and the exact costs associated with managing their account.

Ongoing Due Diligence

The managers utilized in the Elite Manager™ Program are continually reviewed and reevaluated by Reliance Trust Company on a quarterly basis to ensure the program includes experienced and successful asset management talent. Managers are closely monitored, and their returns measured against their peer group and benchmarks. This ensures managers maintain their stated investment discipline.

Lower Minimum Accounts and Fees

Alpha Bank & Trust is able to leverage Reliance Trust Company's status as an institutional investor to gain access to institutional level managers at wholesale levels. This access allows us to offer lower minimum investments ($100,000 per single manager) and lower overall fees to clients. The benefit to clients is a much lower fee structure and access to higher quality institutional managers than they could find in other separate account management platforms.

Why Separate Account Management

The Elite Manager™ Program is designed to offer the level of service with the flexibility and customization clients require in today's investment environment. Alpha Bank & Trust offers a total solution by providing the money manager due diligence, investment research, trading, custody and operational support. This program provides clients with access to institutional level managers with institutional pricing, seeking to offer a higher overall level of client satisfaction. With the Elite Manager™ Program, Alpha Bank & Trust seeks to assure that the client's investment strategy will be aligned with their long-term investment goals, objectives and tolerance for risk.

LifeStyles™ Overview

LifeStyles™, offered by Alpha Bank & Trust through Reliance Trust Company, is designed to meet three fundamental principles of professional money management - diversification, asset allocation and a disciplined decision process. LifeStyles™ is a mutual fund asset allocation program offering a time-tested approach to investment management. It includes five distinct, actively managed portfolios intended for individuals and institutions seeking professional portfolio management. Each portfolio is structured to meet various levels of risk and return. Determining which portfolio is right is dependent upon the client's needs, goals and objectives.

The independent managers utilized in each of the five LifeStyles™ portfolio strategies are regularly reviewed and reevaluated by Reliance Trust Company's professional analysts to assure that managers, and prospective managers, include only the most experienced and successful asset management talent. Reliance Trust continuously analyzes an extensive database of management firms, carefully selecting only those managers who have passed their rigorous selection process.

Portfolio Strategies

Using asset allocation modeling, each portfolio strategy is constructed with an optimal percentage of bonds and stocks, or a mix of both, addressing specific investment goals and objectives. Alpha Bank & Trust's approach is to select one or several of the LifeStyles™ portfolios in order to strike an appropriate balance between risks and returns that is appropriate for the client.

The strategies are calculated to accommodate clients with short, intermediate or long-term goals. Whether a client's goal is to keep investments liquid, or to conservatively build or maximize wealth potential, there is a LifeStylesSM portfolio strategy positioned to achieve these results.

Current Income

This portfolio is a mix of money market investments and short-term bonds. It seeks to provide investors with better than money market returns. It is ideal for investors with short-term goals and who need to keep investments liquid while protecting investments.

Capital Preservation

This portfolio is a mix of large-cap and mid-cap equities and intermediate and short-term bonds. It seeks to provide investors with a certain level of protection on initial investments while providing some portfolio growth. It is ideal for investors with short to intermediate-term goals who want to protect current investments while hedging against inflation.

Moderate Growth

This portfolio is a mix of large-cap, mid-cap, small-cap and international equities and intermediate and short-term bonds. It seeks to conservatively increase the value of the investments over time. It is ideal for investors with intermediate-term goals who are interested in building capital and protecting their portfolio against inflation while minimizing large swings in portfolio value.

Wealth Building

This portfolio is a mix of large-cap, mid-cap, small-cap and international equities and intermediate and short-term bonds. It seeks to invest in a diversified mix of stocks and bonds in an attempt to build wealth and protect against inflation over the long run. It is ideal for investors with intermediate to long-term goals who are interested in beating inflation and less concerned with short-term market fluctuation.

Aggressive Appreciation

This portfolio is a mix of largecap, mid-cap, small-cap and international equities. It seeks to attain higher-than-average gains and assumes higher levels of risk. It is ideal for investors with long-term goals who can ride out shifts in portfolio values.

How do we do it all?

Alpha Bank & Trust leverages the expertise of Reliance Trust, an industry leader providing back office support to leading trust entities for over 30 years, to provide trust accounting, tax reporting, custodial services, securities clearing, and on-line real-time systems support. Together, we gain the benefit of $80 billion of managed investments and over 250 people dedicated to providing the best service in the trust and investment management business, all delivered by your local Alpha Bank & Wealth Management Team.

Securities and investment products held in Trust and/or Investment accounts are not insured by the FDIC or any other federal government agency, are not deposits or other obligations of the Bank, are not guaranteed by the Bank or any affiliate or by Reliance Trust Company, and are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of principal value.