The approximately $2 billion Plumbers and Piperfitters National...

The approximately $2 billion Plumbers and Piperfitters National Pension Fund, Crofton, Md., hired Columbia Partners Investment Management to run a $300 million balanced portfolio that had been managed by ASB Capital Management, said Bob Nicholson, administrator. Mr. Nicholson declined to say how much money the pension fund still has under management with ASB. Columbia Partners was formed last fall by former top executives at ASB and Riggs Investment Management Corp.