MutualFundWire.com: Sentinel Names its New Marketing Chief

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Friday, November 13, 2009

Sentinel Names its New Marketing Chief

Sentinel Investments has tapped Charlie R. (C.R.) Shaw as its new national marketing director. Shaw replaces Bruce Hoffmann, who left in the spring. Shaw had already been working with Sentinel on a consulting capacity since the spring.

C.R. Shaw
Sentinel Investments
National Marketing Director

He reports to Jim Cronin, president of Sentinel Financial Services Company.

Most recently, Shaw worked at Legg Mason as head of product marketing and equity product management. He previously served as vice president, head of distribution channel marketing at Morgan Stanley and vice president, national marketing director/mutual funds and 529 Plans at American Skandia.

In an interview with The MFWire on Friday, Shaw expressed excitement over working at a firm "focused like a laser on the shareholder." Shaw said he was first attracted to the company after getting familiar with its goals and felt that its long-term business model would serve shareholders well. Shaw hopes to spread its message and believes the company has been so successful because of its conservative philosophy during volatile times.

Company Press Release

Montpelier, VT – November 13, 2009 – Sentinel Investments announced today the appointment of Charles R. (C.R.) Shaw as Senior Vice President, National Marketing Director. In this post, he will lead Sentinel's efforts to brand and market the firm's advisor-sold offerings. According to Jim Cronin, President of Sentinel Investments, “C.R. brings a strong team-oriented focus and deep breadth of experience to the firm. His background combines a long history of marketing through intermediary channels with strong investment knowledge and experience. He joins our team at an opportune time for Sentinel, which is seeing accelerating growth of assets under management."

A 20-year veteran in the financial services industry, Shaw comes to Sentinel from Legg Mason, where he was Head of Product Marketing and Equity Product Management. In joining Sentinel, he noted: “I welcome this opportunity to tell the Sentinel story, which demonstrates a consistent, 75-year history of quiet leadership. In today’s uncertain market environment, the firm’s focus on core strategies that emphasize close attention to downside risk has served investors well. It is an exciting time for the firm, which is well positioned to meet the needs of a growing and increasingly knowledgeable client base.”

Prior to this, he served as Vice President, Head of Distribution Channel Marketing at Morgan Stanley and, before that, was Vice President, National Marketing Director/Mutual Funds and 529 Plans at American Skandia.

Since the beginning of the market downturn in October 2007, Sentinel has seen a 35% increase in assets under management, including record year-to-date net sales for 2009. Christian Thwaites, Sentinel’s Chief Executive Officer, attributes this growth to the firm’s steadfast focus on core strategies, such as government securities fixed-income programs and conservatively managed equity portfolios. According to Mr. Thwaites, “We have maintained a consistent approach to managing money since our flagship Sentinel Common Stock Fund was launched in 1934. As an asset manager, we are driven to meet the needs and expectations of our clients. Mere size and being ‘all things to all people’ do not concern us. Rather, we have built our reputation on foundation strategies and disciplined investment processes. We like to think of ourselves as stewards of investor capital, putting shareholders first in everything we do.”