HighMark Capital Management, Union Bank's asset management arm, plans to continue growing its sales force in the coming year.

Greg Knopf HighMark Funds SVP and Managing Director

In an interview with The MFWire, Greg Knopf, senior vice president and managing director of the Los Angeles-based fund firm, said he plans to increase the number of external wholesalers from 11 to 16 and internal wholesalers from 6 to 10 by the third quarter of next year.

The most recent addition to the sales team is Brad Sawyer, an American Century alum who joined two months ago as a wholesaler covering the Rocky Mountain states. Sawyer, who is based in Salt Lake City, reports to national sales manager Craig Paty.

"There is a major initiative within Union Bank to significantly grow the organization's asset management husiness between now and 2014," Knopf said.

HighMark is looking to grow both organically and through acquisition, he said. In June of this year, HighMark completed its acquisition of Ziegler Capital Management's North Track Funds.

Currently, HighMark has $3.5 billion of assets in its 24 long-term funds and $5 billion in its five money-market funds. 

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