History proves no single manager can outperform the market consistently. Many managers may have a hot period or two, but the trick is to find those who can perform over the long haul. Which is precisely why we rigorously monitor the entire universe of top performing investment managers, selecting those we believe can perform best given a long-term perspective.

A common theme amongst our managers is their ability to manage downside risk. We make no excuses for missing some of the upside if the managers can stem losses in a down market. Importantly, for clients who withdraw from their portfolio in order to fund their lifestyles, managing risk to achieve the maximum number of positive periods can have far reaching impact on the success of an investment plan.

Convergent considers manager selection and due diligence critical in constructing and sustaining your optimal portfolio. We believe that investing with the right people is the single most important factor in manager selection. We conduct extensive quantitative research, drawing on numerous analytic tools and a database of thousands of investment and hedge fund managers.

And we believe that style boxes don't say much about a manager's ability to outperform. Why shackle a manager by fitting him or her into a box? We let great managers do what they do best -- seek to capture opportunities while managing risk.

Click here for a more detailed overview of Convergent's Ongoing Monitoring and Due Diligence processes and procedures.