Brian Kraus, Senior Vice President of Systematic ETFs for Hartford Funds, joined Julie Cooling, Founder and CEO of RIA Channel, to discuss Hartford’s systematic approach to ETFs.
The ETF business at Hartford Funds started with the 2016 acquisition of Lattice Funds. The firm now manages over $4 billion in six systematic ETFs and plans to expand the lineup in future years.
Hartford’s systematic ETFs use rules-based strategies that seek to manage risk through diversification while searching for return enhancement through consistent exposure to domestic and international equity factors such as size, quality, value, and momentum. Hartford funds typically have lesser exposure to mega-cap stocks than those found in cap-weighted indices.
Resources:
What’s Driving Factor Exposures?
Value Stocks Have Rarely Been This Cheap
Brian Kraus is Senior Vice President for Systematic ETFs at Hartford Funds and is responsible for leading field-sales execution for our entire systematic ETF product line-up. In his role, he manages Hartford Funds’ team of Systematic ETF Directors and Investment Directors and cultivates relationships with financial professionals throughout the country.
Previously, he served as Hartford Funds’ managing director and head of investment consulting and internal sales, leading the team responsible for supporting the company’s investment line-up and delivering asset-allocation insights, portfolio positioning, and performance insights to clients, prospects, consultants, and intermediaries.
Brian is a seasoned investment professional, having worked in the industry since 2001. He has extensive experience in asset allocation, manager research, client service, product development and management, investment strategy, business planning, and leadership.
Prior to joining Hartford Funds, Brian spent nine years at BNY Mellon Corporation, where he held the role of managing director, head of financial intermediaries, for the BNY Mellon Manager Research Group. Before that, he held a number of leadership positions at Lockwood Advisors, Inc., an affiliate of a BNY Mellon Company, including director of investments, senior portfolio manager, and research analyst.
Brian is a CFA charterholder and a member of the CFA Institute and CFA Society of Philadelphia. Brian received a bachelor’s degree from Fairfield University.