Ralph Wanger and his wife, Leah Zell, will step down Sept. 30 from day-to-day portfolio management and oversight responsibilities of Liberty Wanger Asset Management. Both will remain advisers to the firm. Mr. Wanger will continue to write and market some Liberty Wanger funds, and Ms. Zell will remain active in overseeing Liberty Wanger’s European offshore efforts and advising the international management team.
Chuck McQuaid, Mr. Wanger’s longtime co-portfolio manager on the Liberty Acorn Fund, will assume leadership of the fund and will replace Mr. Wanger as chief investment officer of the firm. Rob Mohn, portfolio manager of the Liberty Acorn USA Fund, and John Park, portfolio manager of the Liberty Acorn Twenty Fund, joined the Liberty Acorn Fund team today as co-managers. Both will continue to manage their other mutual funds.
Ms. Zell will be replaced as lead manager of the Liberty Acorn International Fund by analysts Zachary Egan and Louis Mendes, both promoted to co-portfolio managers, effective today. Ms. Zell also headed the firm’s international equity team; Mr. McQuaid will assume her duties as CIO of both domestic and international equities.