Aston Asset Management [see profile] on Wednesday unveiled the latest addition to its stable of sub-advised mutual funds. Aston tapped Boston-based Boston-based Crosswind Investments to sub-advise the new product, called Aston/Crosswind Small Cap Growth Fund. [SEC filing]

Chicago-based Aston, which is part of the Affiliated Managers Group empire, manages a total of 23 mutual funds.

Company Press Release

Aston Adds New Small Cap Growth Fund Managed by Crosswind Investments, LLC

CHICAGO, Nov. 3, 2010 -- Aston Asset Management, LP (Aston) is pleased to announce the addition of a new mutual fund to its family of funds, the Aston/Crosswind Small Cap Growth Fund (Ticker: ACWDX). The Fund opened to investors on Nov. 3, 2010.

Aston will act as the investment adviser to the new Fund, while Crosswind Investments, LLC (Crosswind) an independent investment management firm focusing exclusively on equity investment strategies, will act as subadviser. The fund invests at least 80 percent of its assets in small-cap companies, defined as companies with market capitalization below $3 billion at the time of acquisition. Risk is managed through diversification and a structured sell discipline. Its objective is to achieve long-term capital appreciation.

"Crosswind is committed to seeking out unrecognized growth potential in the small cap growth space and adhering to a highly disciplined investment process," said Stuart D. Bilton, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Aston. "This fund offers investors a bottom-up investment process that identifies this potential in terms of a company's improving financials, sustainable competitive advantage, proven management team and catalysts for recognition."

The portfolio manager is Andrew Morey, CFA a Partner of Crosswind Investments who has served as the lead portfolio manager of the Crosswind Small Cap Growth and Small/Mid Cap Growth investment strategies since joining the firm in November 2007. He has 19 years of investment management experience and was the founder and portfolio manager of Tartan Partners LLC from 2005 to 2007. Prior to that, he worked at State Street Research and Management from 1995 to 2005, serving first as an analyst, then acting as lead portfolio manager for the Concentrated Small Cap Growth strategy as well as co-portfolio manager of the Small Cap Growth strategy responsible for managing $1.8 billion in assets.

"After 10 plus years of managing Small Cap Growth portfolios, we are very pleased to partner with Aston for the Aston/Crosswind Small Cap Growth Fund," Mr. Morey said. "We look forward to the opportunity to provide investors with access to small cap growth opportunities by utilizing our bottom-up security selection process and creating a high conviction portfolio while always being mindful of the need to limit volatility."

To request more information please contact Carol Graumann at 973-732-3521 or carol@jcprinc.com.

About Aston Asset Management, LP

Aston Asset Management, LP, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, is a diversified institutional investment management firm. Aston offers investment management services to the mutual fund and separately managed account markets. Aston is the advisor to twenty-three mutual funds with total net assets of approximately $7.3 billion as of September 30, 2010. For more information on the funds managed by Aston please call 800-597-9704.

Note: Small cap stocks are considered riskier than large-cap stocks due to greater potential volatility and less liquidity. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. There can be no assurance that the Fund's investment objective will be achieved.

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