Phoenix names new head of invst-product management

FWR Staff

18 December 2007

Gresham gets the nod and AIG's Neamtz fills opening in retail distribution. Insurance company Phoenix has put Stephen Gresham in charge of product management and marketing for its asset-management business, which includes mutual funds and separately managed accounts. Former AIG SunAmerica executive Steven Neamtz will replace Gresham as head of retail distribution.

"The success we've had with our funds creates the need for an increased focus on competitively marketing our products," says George Aylward, president of Phoenix's investment-management business. "Steve Gresham is ideally suited to lead this new focus."

Advisor for life

Gresham joined Phoenix in 2001 from Gresham and Company. Earlier in his career he worked at Weiss Peck and Greer and at Systematic Financial Management .

Gresham is a well-known speaker on the investment- and wealth-management conference circuits. He has written four books including Advisor for Life.

"Steve is uniquely qualified to lead our product management and marketing efforts because of his strategic creativity and deep understanding of the wants and needs of high-net-worth customers," says Aylward.

Neamtz joins Phoenix from Ridgeline Capital Group, a start-up hedge-fund and SMA advisory. Before that he was head of AIG SunAmerica's Capital Advisors subsidiary.

"We are very excited about having Steve Neamtz join our management team," says Aylward. "He has considerable experience and demonstrated success in building and managing highly effective sales organizations and will continue and enhance the strong leadership of our retail distribution efforts."

Hartford, Conn.-based Phoenix had $46.5 billion in assets under management on 30 September 2007. -FWR

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