Ten Year Anniversary for West Coast Asset Management

This month marks 10 years since Kinko’s founder Paul Orfalea founded West Coast Asset Management , in partnership with Lance Helfert, the firm’s president. With approximately $200 million under management and a 96% client retention rate over its ten years, WCAM net performance is up 54% since inception versus the S&P of 6.96% (see disclaimer below). WCAM has grown from two partners to a sharp and innovative team of 11, and is proud to report that all coworkers have equity stake in the company.

“Looking back over ten years, it’s important to recognize the success our company has achieved, considering that we’ve weathered one of the most challenging economic periods since the Great Depression,” said co-founder Paul Orfalea. “I’m also proud that our hard work on behalf of our clients has paid off, and that we’re able to give back to our community in whatever way we can – all while having fun and feeling good about the work we do.”

In an effort to make an impact in areas of community need, WCAM has donated more than $350,000 to local nonprofit organizations through their client charity program during its ten years of operations. WCAM has also been directly involved with more than 150 local nonprofits as corporate partner and advocates for the organizations, including Dream Foundation, Junior Achievement, the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Foundation, Child Abuse Listening Mediation, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Pepperdine University, Habitat for Humanity and Direct Relief International to name a few. In 2009, WCAM made news by achieving Platinum LEED for Commercial Interiors, the highest level of certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. In addition, they have internal “green incentive” policies including going paperless, using chlorine free paper, and no bottled water. WCAM is proud to be a carbon neutral company.

“While growing West Coast Asset Management over the past ten years, we’ve done so with the intention to be responsible stewards of our community,” said Helfert. “We’ve made it a priority to invest in our community and be socially and environmentally conscious – it’s something that our entire team is committed to, both in and out of the office.”

“Before joining the team at West Coast Asset Management, I had the unique perspective of being a client,” said Andrew Firestone, WCAM Senior Vice President. “The fact that WCAM is a local, independent investment firm that thinks like an entrepreneur first attracted me as a client, and later as a co-worker.”

Other highlights over the company’s ten years include the publishing of The Entrepreneurial Investor in 2007, a book co-written by Orfalea, Helfert, Atticus Lowe, WCAM’s Chief Investment Officer, and Dean Zatkowski. Helfert has steadily built a reputation as an expert analyst on a regional and national level on behalf of WCAM, and has been a featured commentator on CNBC and Fox Business News. As part of WCAM’s continuing efforts to improve financial literacy, they developed the Exclusive Outlook, a newsletter that now goes out to thousands of subscribers monthly, offering reports and commentary from the principals that shares current events, philosophy, history and personal experiences that influence WCAM’s investment strategies.

About West Coast Asset Management: Established in 2000 by Paul Orfalea, founder of Kinko’s, WCAM is an investment advisor registered with the Securities & Exchange Commission. With approximately $200 million under management, WCAM provides exclusive equity, fixed income, and alternative asset management services to more than 100 investors consisting of high net worth individuals, institutions, retirement plans and charitable foundations. Its mission is to preserve and enhance the wealth of its clients through a disciplined and entrepreneurial approach to investing. Its unique style brings a business owner’s sense of focus, opportunity and involvement to the art of investing. WCAM offices are located at 1205 Coast Village Road Montecito, CA 93108. For more information please call (805) 653-5333 or visit online.

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Disclaimer: All information contained in this release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer or a recommendation to buy or sell any security or investment product. West Coast Asset Management, Inc. (WCAM) is a registered investment adviser. WCAM Equity Composite contains fully discretionary equity accounts and was created January 31, 2001.