Jon Sundvold, who spent nine seasons in the NBA, now performs on the financial services court with an eponymous firm that offers institutionally managed accounts for small 401(k) plans.
Sundvold Capital Management, Columbia, Mo., is an investment consultant for 25 401(k) plans with $1 million to $20 million in assets.
Mr. Sundvold earned a finance degree from the University of Missouri, Columbia, where he also was an All-American in basketball. At Sundvold Capital, he has assembled a team of private institutional money management firms, including Brandes Investment Partners LLC, Payden & Rygel, Victory Capital Management and Davis Select Advisors, which manage commingled funds for Mr. Sundvold's 401(k) plan clients, which include the $20 million plan of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Ignacio, Colo. — "the wealthiest Indian tribe in the U.S.," according to Mr. Sundvold — as well as the $10 million plan of Landrum Banks, Columbia, Mo.; $10 million Birch Telecom plan, Kansas City, Mo.; and $13 million Salton Inc. plan, Lake Forest, Ill.
Mr. Sundvold generally recommends that his 401(k) plan clients "use 11 or 12 institutional managers and three or four retail mutual funds that may include a Vanguard index fund, a Legg Mason value equity fund and the (PIMCO) Total Return Bond fund," he said.
Mr. Sundvold's firm also handles participant education for his clients and offers their participants risk-based asset allocation funds, which it puts together from the investment choices the plan selects.
"We have a risk-return profile sheet which the employee (participant) fills out to determine which risk level is appropriate for them," he said. He added that "80% to 90% of the employees select one of the asset allocation model portfolios we offer."
Mr. Sundvold said clients often ask him about his experiences playing for nine seasons in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat. They have questions like: "What was the best game Michael Jordan ever had against one of the teams you played for?" or "What is Larry Byrd like?" He works for ESPN as a college basketball commentator in the winter.
