Federated Investors, Inc. Strategic Value Dividend Team Portfolio Manager Set to Retire at Year End

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Federated Investors, Inc. (NYSE: FII), one of the nation's largest investment managers, today announced that 45-year industry veteran Walter Bean, senior portfolio manager and head of the Strategic Value Dividend team, plans to retire at the end of 2015.  

"Walter and his colleagues on the team have delivered competitive long-term results consistent with the objective-based expectations of their investors," said John B. Fisher, president, Federated Advisory Companies. "In a variety of market conditions, Walter has served our clients by continuing to seek high-dividend yield and dividend growth. We thank him for his capable stewardship of the company's Strategic Value Dividend franchise."

Long-time team members Daniel Peris, senior portfolio manager, and Deborah D. Bickerstaff, portfolio manager, will assume broader responsibilities for Federated's $25 billion U.S. and international Strategic Value Dividend mutual funds, managed accounts and institutional separate accounts.  Peris, who will become head of the Strategic Value Dividend team at year end, and Bickerstaff have worked together on the team for a decade and have a combined 30-plus years of experience at Federated.  The portfolios are supported by a team of five analysts, two research assistants and an associate portfolio manager, who average 14 years of experience on the team.

Bean will continue in his role as senior portfolio manager through Dec. 31, 2015, while working with Peris and Bickerstaff to transition his responsibilities. Peris oversees the team's research efforts and has done so since 2012, while Bickerstaff oversees model interactions for our various platforms.  Bickerstaff currently reports to Peris and will continue to do so when Bean retires.

"While I realize there is never a perfect time to retire, I have enjoyed 45 years in the investment management business and look forward to spending more time with my family in the new year," said Bean.  "I am tremendously confident that Federated's Strategic Value Dividend team is ready to continue the hard work and discipline required to continue to deliver the objectives our dividend-oriented portfolio investors expect."

Prior to being named a portfolio manager on the team in 2006, Peris served as a senior investment analyst focusing on the global consumer staples sector.  Peris earned his bachelor's degree from Williams College and his master's degree from Oxford University. He also earned a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois and held a post-doctoral fellowship at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. Peris is a CFA charterholder and the author of two books about dividend investing. 

Bickerstaff has served as portfolio manager on the team since 2013 and prior to that served in various capacities on the team, including as associate portfolio manager, since joining the team in 2005. She previously worked at Federated as a senior analyst for performance attribution and risk management, as a senior financial analyst in fund treasury and as a fund accountant. Bickerstaff earned her bachelor of science degree from La Roche College and joined Federated in 1996.

Federated's Strategic Value Dividend strategies emphasize carefully selected high-dividend-paying stocks that offer the potential for monthly income, broad diversification among income sectors and inflation protection through both dividend and equity growth opportunities.

Federated Investors, Inc. is one of the largest investment managers in the United States, managing $349.7 billion in assets as of June 30, 2015.  With 130 funds, as well as a variety of separately managed account options, Federated provides comprehensive investment management worldwide to approximately 7,900 institutions and intermediaries including corporations, government entities, insurance companies, foundations and endowments, banks and broker/dealers. For more information, visit FederatedInvestors.com.

Certain statements in this press release, such as Federated's staffing expectations or its ability to offer the same strategies and processes in the future, may constitute forward-looking statements, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements of the company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Other risks and uncertainties also include the risk factors discussed in the company's annual and quarterly reports as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result, no assurance can be given as to future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements, and neither the company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of such statements in the future.

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SOURCE Federated Investors, Inc.

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