President and Chief Executive Officer
Spotlight on Bruce A. Mandel

It’s 11 pm on any evening and a phone call to Bruce A. Mandel, Oakwood Capital Management LLC President and Chief Executive Officer, will (1) be answered on the first ring, (2) be accompanied by the sound of computer keys and music in the background, (3) result in a greeting to the caller that has the same cheerfulness and enthusiasm one would get at 9 am, (4) entail a discussion of some aspect of investing, and/or (5) add to the caller’s store of knowledge or make his life easier in some way. Thus, Oakwood’s relentless and energetic no-holds-barred President ends another day, no doubt as he began it - on the phone with a client, business associate or friend.

Bruce is absorbed by and intimately involved with setting the direction of Oakwood and articulating his vision for its future. He also sits on the firm’s Investment Policy Committee. Part investment expert (he is a member of the Los Angeles Society of Financial Analysts), part financial planner, part consultant and kindly general advisor to Oakwood’s clients Bruce juggles daily conversations and meetings with clients, prospective clients and their accountants and attorneys while simultaneously dealing with Oakwood management issues. These diverse constituencies require Bruce to be conversant on everything from the details of a like-kind real estate exchange to the price at which GM sold in the 1970’s. He must know what the SEC requires for our business, must negotiate with other business entities and individuals and, of course, must be able to fit Oakwood products into the needs of his clients.

An attorney by background, Bruce has extensive experience running businesses, including an import/export enterprise and a real estate business. This experience stood him in good stead at his previous firm where he was made a Principal in 1978 and became Senior Vice President and Director of Marketing and Client Service in 1992. He also sat on the Executive Management Committee and the Investment Policy Committee. As Director, Bruce took a lead role in product development, new business development, marketing recruitment and training. He directed client services for accounts at that firm, both institutional and private. During his tenure there, he supervised presentations and directed the proposal process and the consultant effort. It was solid training for his current position.

“I enjoy the investment solution,” says Bruce. “There is nothing more satisfying in our business than examining a potential client’s complex financial situation, proposing solutions which really work and helping the client reach the right conclusion. Also, I love getting those phone calls two and three years later when the client remembers the situation he was in and thanks us for the enhancements we helped him employ.”

“Bruce is always upbeat,” says John Nowaczyk, Oakwood Marketing Associate. “He’s enthusiastic but not manic. He can create a sense of urgency but is never impatient. He encourages people to go as far as they can go in this business.”

The difficult stock market has given Bruce no shortage of challenge in the past couple of years. “I think this period can best be likened to 1974,” says Bruce. “The market endured two years of pounding and then was able to put together several good years. For example, except for the three year bear market we’ve just gone through, the S&P 500 only had three down years after 1974. That’s only three years out of 25. And, until 2000, the down years during that 25 year period were only in single digits.”

An insatiable technology enthusiast, Bruce believes that the business climate in this country will again allow huge technological strides to be made in the coming years. “You’re going to see a lot of ‘gee whiz’ stuff,” says Bruce. “And the market will thrive as it always does when technology gives us the sense that we control our destiny.” It isn’t that Bruce always sees things through rose colored glasses though. He does recognize that both businesses and investors are struggling right now with the events of the recent past.

By far, however, Bruce Mandel’s favorite role is playing with his two beautiful daughters, Alyssa and Sarah. “Once, Bruce dropped his charts at a big committee presentation. After the meeting, he called his daughters on the way back to the office and the three of them giggled about his fallen charts for awhile,” remembers Bob Blais, Oakwood Director of Fixed Income, who was with him at the time. When in town Bruce says he often tucks his younger daughter, Sarah, into bed. Preteen Alyssa perceives herself beyond that now but instead enjoys sharing her schoolwork with Dad. As a result of a school project, she recently decided that her favorite stocks were Merck and 3M. She is now the proud owner of shares in both those companies, courtesy of Dad. Alyssa is busily looking for another new idea for her portfolio!

Despite his business expertise and focus, Bruce Mandel’s family is clearly the most important thing in his life. He is close with his parents and sister. Marilyn, his wife of 16 years, is a pediatric ICU nurse and almost as busy as Bruce. However, they make it a priority to carve out time for family vacations and special events. Over the recent holidays, they spent two weeks with Marilyn’s parents on the East Coast and are now planning a family ski vacation.

Bruce roots for alma mater UCLA at every opportunity and has attended Bruin Woods with his family for the last nine years. He’s rooting for Oakland to win the Super Bowl.