Okabena Investment Services, Inc. (“OIS”) is a fee-only, multi-family office wealth management firm that
also provides investment services to charitable organizations, foundations, endowments and other tax-
exempt investors. OIS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Okabena Company (“OC”), a multi-family office
which was formed as single family office in 1967 to provide a variety of financial services to the founding
family. OC is owned by members of the founding family. OC created OIS in 1994 to house its
investment function going forward and OIS registered as an investment adviser with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission in 1996. Over time, OIS also began offering investment advisory
services to tax-exempt organizations such as charities, foundations and endowments as well as to other
high-net worth families and individuals.
In addition to the clients referenced above, OIS also serves as the sponsor, manager, and discretionary
investment adviser to private investment funds (the “OIS Private Funds”). The OIS Private Funds are
generally asset class-based and invest in various combinations of other private investment funds,
separately managed accounts, mutual funds and Exchange Traded Funds (“ETFs”). They are used as
asset allocation vehicles within OIS’ investment programs.
We strive to grow the purchasing power of assets, while at the same time focusing on downside risk.
Our overall investment platform can be summarized as a fully discretionary, open architecture, manager
of managers structure. Our solutions-based investment programs deliver diversified and customized
portfolios, with a focus on preserving wealth and creating growth opportunities. We pursue a variety of
investment strategies that seek to capitalize on opportunities in the public and private markets.
Types of Advisory Services
OIS generally offers two investment programs- a taxable program for families and high net worth
individuals and a tax-exempt program for charities, foundations and endowments. Both programs
involve creating an Investment Policy Statement (IPS) which outlines the client’s return objective, time
horizon, risk tolerance, distribution/spending needs, and any circumstances unique to the client’s
preferences and typically includes various asset class targets and ranges. Clients may submit their own
IPS or may request assistance in developing one. Although the IPS is generally reviewed with advisory
clients annually, clients may change their objectives at any time. We rely on regular communication
from clients to assure up-to-date information that may affect client goals and objectives.
Both programs feature model portfolios that combine a variety of the OIS Private Funds, but OIS, where
appropriate, can also customize a portfolio and use separately managed accounts, individual securities,
and/or
mutual funds and ETFs instead of some or all of the OIS Private Funds.
The taxable program offers three model options: Stable Growth, Growth, and Aggressive Growth, all of
which have pre-established, long-term asset allocation targets and ranges. The tax-exempt program
offers one model: the Strategic Allocation Model, which has pre-established, long-term asset allocation
targets and ranges. As mentioned above, OIS may also implement a customized allocation to
accommodate specific client needs and requests.
As a result of this approach, OIS is able to provide the following services:
• Investment policy development
• Strategic and tactical asset allocation
• Portfolio construction
• Investment manager sourcing and due diligence
• Risk management
• Liquidity management
• Comprehensive reporting
In limited instances, OIS also provides investment recommendations related to trusts holding insurance
policies.
OIS reviews the asset allocations of the Model Portfolios, the OIS Private Funds and other clients and
makes changes or rebalances as necessary in light of a variety of factors including market developments,
investment performance (at both the portfolio and underlying investment levels), tax considerations (if
any) and client liquidity needs.
On an extremely limited basis, OIS provides investment program services in which OIS does not have
discretion over the client’s account and needs client approval before implementing recommendations or
where OIS only provides investment recommendations. OIS also provides limited non-discretionary
investment services that do not involve portfolio construction or overall portfolio management services.
Rather, such services involve specific recommendations as requested by a client. Based on client needs,
OIS may also construct specialized portfolios not involving asset allocation or the Model Portfolios.
OIS also offers a separate account equity strategy within its investment programs. Using quantitative
and qualitative factors, OIS seeks to create a diversified (by style and strategy) core portfolio of US listed
stocks (and some ADRs) with the goal of providing more consistent excess returns. OIS generally applies
certain rules when considering maximum and minimum position size that may vary based a variety of
factors in OIS’ discretion, including but not limited to account size, transaction costs as compared to
position size and tax considerations. The strategy is rebalanced quarterly subject to certain acceptable
levels of variation from the model.
Client Assets
As of December 31, 2023, OIS managed $1,561,484,676 on a discretionary basis and $160,525,902 on a
non-discretionary basis for a total of $1,722,010,578 (calculated in accordance with the SEC’s definition
of “regulatory assets under management”).