The Bartlett Profile
James B. Hagerty, CFA
Senior Portfolio Manager
You never know where you’re going to learn a valuable lesson that stays with you the rest of your life. For James B. Hagerty, CFA, it was on Losantiville Country Club’s golf course where he caddied countless rounds of golf during his teen years.
"As a young kid, I was seeing middle-aged men shoot good scores because they played a tight game that was within their abilities," says Jim, a Senior Portfolio Manager at Bartlett who grew up a couple of blocks from the country club in Pleasant Ridge as one of ten siblings. "They were students of the games and eschewed high risk shots so they avoided the big mistake. By contrast, I sometimes would caddy for more aggressive players who were prone to overconfidence and took lots of unnecessary risks, so their scores suffered as a result," he says.
Those lessons learned on the golf course helped Jim develop a winning investment philosophy that enabled him to keep a happy and successful client base including individuals who have been with him since he joined Bartlett in 1994.
"As in golf, you win in meeting your financial goals in many respects by not making the big mistake," says Jim, who went on to play on the golf teams at Purcell High School and the University of Dayton. "You can do great if you are patient, realistic, stick to a long-term game plan and avoid taking big risks on market timing and investment selections. Don’t get too optimistic in bull markets and too pessimistic in bear markets, and invest in good companies you believe are reasonably priced. Look at the mission critical things they’re doing and will be repeating, and allow those strong fundamentals to evolve and develop over time," says Jim, now himself a member of Losantiville Country Club.
Another lasting thing Jim remembers fondly from his caddy days were the people who took a genuine interest in him. "They were personable, down to earth and they really cared," says Jim. "As a senior portfolio manager, my work is almost exclusively with individuals and family groups and I really enjoy getting to know them, analyzing their specific situation and helping them reach their goals. I also enjoy teaching people and keeping my clients updated and educated on what I’m doing on their behalf and why," says Jim, who taught investment courses for several years as an adjunct professor at Xavier University’s MBA program. "I like to communicate with my clients frequently."
As much as he likes to teach, Jim also has a passion for being a student of the art and science that is investing. After graduating from the University of Dayton with a B.S. in Economics and minor in Finance, he joined the trust department at Fifth Third Bank where he actively began pursing his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation at just twenty two years of age. Jim earned his CFA at twenty five, and stayed at Fifth Third for five years until he joined Bartlett.
"I really enjoy the balance of my job—the personal touch of counseling clients but also the research and analytical side of it where I read all I can and study companies, industries and markets," says Jim, who frequently reads biographies of investment icons such as Warren Buffet as well as historic figures like Winston Churchill and Dwight D. Eisenhower. "I’m certain that if I wasn’t doing this professionally, I’d still read the Wall Street Journal every morning and Barron’s on the weekends because I have a genuine interest in it."
James B. Hagerty: At a glance
Title:
Senior Portfolio Manager
Education & Certifications:
Chartered Financial Analyst (since 1992);
BA, Economics, University of Dayton
Related Professional Involvement:
Adjunct Professor, Investments, Xavier University MBA Program (1999-2005)
Volunteer Activities:
Member, Board of Directors:- Catholic Inner City Schools and Education Environment
- St. Margaret Hall
Personal:
Single, enjoys golf, bicycling, hiking, reading the history of World War I and II