Investment Committee
J. Philip Ferguson | Non-Executive Chairman

- Former Chief Investment Officer of $100 billion InvescoAIM
- Vice Chairman of $20 billion UTIMCO (University of Texas Investment Management Company)
- Investment Committee, Houston Museum of Fine Arts
- University of Texas Law School (JD), Texas Christian University (BBA), City of London College (International and Comparative Law)
James H. Lee | President, Ascendant Advisors Group, LLC

- Founder and Former President of Momentum Securities, LLC
- E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year
- Former Chairman, $100+ billion Teacher Retirement System of Texas
- Former Trustee, $550 million Texas Growth Fund
- University of Texas (MBA), University of Texas (BBA Finance), London Business School (Executive Hedge Fund Program)
Todd Smurl, CFA | President and Chief Investment Officer

- Former Managing Director of $4 billion Wealth Management Group, Compass Bank
- University of Arkansas at Little Rock (MBA), University of Central Arkansas (BBA)
- Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Houston Society of Financial Analysts
James Walker | Member

- Ascendant since 1990
- Southern Methodist University (MBA), Rice University (BA Physics)
Distribution And Marketing
Paul Wigdor | Managing Director, Ascendant Funds

- Former President, Superfund USA
- Former Managing Director, Pershing LLC
- Former Associate Director, Bear Stearns & Co.
- Fordham University (JD), Brandeis University (BS)
Greg Avallon | Director, Ascendant Funds

- Former Vice President, Superfund USA
- Boston College (BS)
Mark Langerman, AIF | Managing Director, Patriot Fund

- Former Branch Manager, Paine Webber
- Former VP, Merrill Lynch & Co.
- Various media appearances on behalf of Terror-Free Investing
- Michigan State University
Paul Seidman | Director, Patriot Fund

- AVP, Wells Fargo Securities
- AVP, Merrill Lynch & Co.
- Former Executive, Fortune 500 company
- Arizona State University (BS)
Mark Langerman and Paul Seidman are registered as investment advisory representatives with Ascendant Advisors, LLC, the SEC-registered investment adviser to the Patriot Fund, and with Empowerment Financial, an unaffiliated registered investment adviser based in Scottsdale, AZ.
