A Message from the Founder

Warren Buffet, considered by many to be the world's greatest investor, maintains a simple but basic philosophy that forms the foundation of his investment success – "don’t lose money!" While we wouldn't begin to suggest that we possess any of his extraordinary investment acumen, we do share that same simple philosophy. Those three words ring in our ears each time we consider an investment opportunity.

Our success stems from selecting the right deals and the right people. We say "no" far more than we say "yes". We believe our track record indicates we understand how to evaluate risk. Protecting one's capital and maintaining a viable exit strategy should always come before sizing up one’s potential profits. Most investors get it backwards and end up "paying the price".

We believe now, more than ever, is the time to exercise prudence, selectivity and caution. Grand parties inevitably produce hangovers for many revelers, and that might be an apt description of the current investment climate. However, with uncertainty comes opportunity, especially for funds, which like ours, have liquidity and patience. Presently, many investors are recognizing that they seriously underestimated and mispriced risk the last few years and have significant loses to show for it. We, on the other hand, are proud that we weren't swept up into the recent mania and, as a result, have experienced significant positive returns.

Robert Gries, Jr.
Manager, Gries Investment Funds