Oak Associates, ltd. was founded by James D. Oelschlager, Margaret Ballinger, Donna Barton and Gloria Kline (retired) in 1985. The investment philosophy in place today is the same strategy that has been used since inception. Over the last 25 years, the firm’s products and staff have expanded, but the firm’s focus has always remained on its clients.
From 1968 to 1984, Mr. Oelschlager served as the Director of the Pension Investments Department and Assistant Treasurer at Firestone. When he joined Firestone, the pension plan had assets of $250 million and was underfunded by another $250 million. Over the next fifteen years under their management, the fund's growth enabled Firestone to eliminate contributions and pay out $80 million per year to retirees. By 1984, the pension fund was valued at $1.2 billion, with $330 million in surplus assets after allowing for required benefit payments. At that time, Firestone decided to terminate the defined benefits plan and recaptured the excess assets. It was then that Mr. Oelschlager choose to form Oak Associates ltd. and manage the assets of Firestone as its first client.
In 1992 and in response to request from local individual investors, Oak Associates launched the White Oak Select Growth Fund and the Pin Oak Aggressive Stock Fund. The White Oak Fund mirrors the firm’s large-cap growth institutional strategy. The Pin Oak Fund follows a similar approach, but has been more flexible in the market-capitalization and focus.
In the late 1990s, the interest in growth investing led to the establishment of three growth-oriented sector funds. The Red Oak Technology Select Fund, a large-cap technology sector fund; the Black Oak Emerging Technology Fund, a small- and mid-cap technology sector fund; and the Live Oak Health Sciences Fund, a health care and biotechnology sector fund. These strategies are available to institutional clients and fund companies through subadvisory relationships or direct accounts.
The firm extended its mutual fund family in 2005 by launching the Rock Oak Core Growth Fund, a core and diversified growth fund, and the River Oak Discovery Fund, a small-cap growth fund. For further information on the Oak Associate Funds, visit the OakFunds.com dedicated website.
In 2009 and after 4 years of strong performance, Oak Associates expanded the firm’s institutional product offerings to include its Small-Cap Growth Strategy, which had previously only been available to retail investors through the River Oak Discovery Fund.
Oak Associates has remained true to its investment style over the last 25 years. It has also expanded implementing this philosophy across market capitalization ranges and sectors as the industry has matured. To this day, three of the firm’s four founders remain actively involved in the business. And while the firm’s investment staff has expanded, the firm’s focus remains on its clients and implementing its successful long-term investment strategy.
About Oak Associates
Oak Associates, ltd.
A Focus on Growth
This page was last updated: May 6, 2010
Oak Associates, ltd. 2009
3875 Embassy Parkway - Suite 250, Akron, Ohio 44333
Main Tel: 330-668-1234 Fax: 330-668-2901
Oak Associates, ltd. is an independent investment advisor registered with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission.
Investment Strategies
Large-Cap Growth
Small-Cap Growth
