Seven months after embarking on a road show to educate advisors on alternative mutual funds, Jeff Cusack, president of Forward Management [profile], which organized the event, says he's looking to put on another series of road shows next year to further boost advisors comfort with the fast-growing asset class.

Cusack told the MFWire that he's looking to put on another six to nine events next year in major cities such as New York and Chicago as well as some new venues.

"We did a survey of the advisors and 90 percent of them said the program exceeded their expectations and 80 percent said they wanted to do this annually," said Cusack.

"Advisors need information on alternative strategies because of their lack of track records and there is no other place for them to get the information we're providing."

Going forward, Cusack said that the events will focus on portfolio construction now that advisors have become more comfortable with alternative strategies. He added that advisors are looking to make alternative mutual funds a part of their clients' all weather risk managed core portfolios.

"Portfolio construction is being turned inside out with satellite allocations of five percent to 15 percent going to long-only managers," he said.

For its part, Cusack said the firm's Forward Commodity Long/Short Strategy Fund has just inked distribution deals with two "major" platforms. He declined to name the two platforms.

He also said that the firm is looking to boost its field sales team 30 percent next year to support a "long list" of alternative offerings that the firm has in the works. He also declined to comment further on future offerings. 

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