John B. Neff, a former executive vice president and managing partner of Wellington Management Co. and portfolio manager for Vanguard Group, died Tuesday, according to a notice posted online by Alleva Funeral Home. He was 87.
Mr. Neff was named one of the top 10 money managers of the 20th century by a survey of more than 300 investment management professionals conducted in November 1999. He served as portfolio manager for Vanguard's Windsor Fund from 1964 through 1995. He also managed Vanguard's Gemini and Gemini II funds.
"Our deepest sympathies are with the Neff family," Vanguard CEO Mortimer J. "Tim" Buckley said in a statement on the firm's website. "John always delivered for his clients, defined value investing, and mentored the next generation of Wellington investors, benefiting several Vanguard funds. His legacy lives on in those he mentored."
Vanguard included in the statement a quote from Vanguard founder John C. Bogle, who died in January: "It would be impossible to overestimate John's importance to Vanguard's survival in the early years. His well-earned reputation enhanced Vanguard's credibility and created acceptance in the investment community as we struggled to establish our own identity."
Mr. Neff formally retired on Dec. 31, 1995, although he remained an adviser to Wellington. In 1999, Mr. Neff published a book titled "John Neff on Investing."
He is survived by two children, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Friends and family members are invited to attend a service in his honor on June 10 from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., at St. Monica Church on 63 Main Ave. in Berwyn, PA 19312. Mass is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Calvary Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to St. Monica Church or to Alzheimer's Foundation of America.
