Using our time-tested core philosophy developed over four decades, Running Oak Capital is focused on outperforming the S&P 500 over a full economic cycle with less downside risk. We apply a principled, rules-based approach that overcomes the limitations of human judgement and delivers strong risk-adjusted returns by focusing on quality growth companies that are undervalued by the market.
Ultimately, we endeavor to achieve outcomes that our clients can rely on across all market cycles.
Running Oak is founded upon the proven Efficient Growth strategy, pioneered by our Portfolio Manager, Gary Cogswell:
*As of December 31, 2023.
Running Oak is led by accomplished investment professionals who bring deep experience acquired in prominent roles across the asset management industry. Our management team is supported by a distinguished Advisory Board and top-tier outsourced services.
Founding Partner and Portfolio Manager
16+ years of industry experience and Running Oak Founder
Seth is the Managing Partner and Founder of Running Oak Capital. He is Co-Portfolio Manager of Efficient Growth. Prior to founding Running Oak, Seth was a trader and portfolio manager of the Trillium Multi Horizon Fund, a multi-strategy long/short hedge fund.
Seth received his MBA from The Wharton School for which he was a recipient of the Goldman Sachs H.R. Young Scholarship. He received his undergraduate degree in Decision Making Sciences/Operations Research from the University of North Carolina.
Portfolio Manager
40+ years of experience and creator of our core Efficient Growth philosophy
Gary is the primary architect of the Efficient Growth style of equity management, a philosophy he developed in the late 1970s and has been managing ever since. Gary serves as Co-Portfolio Manager of Running Oak’s Efficient Growth Portfolio.
Gary began his career at Wachovia Bank where he was later a Senior Equity Analyst. Following Wachovia, he served as Investment Department Manager and Portfolio Manager for Huntington National Bank. He was later appointed to Director of Research for Boys, Arnold and Company. Gary is a CFA holder, and received both his MBA and BS degrees from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
Chief Operating Officer, Chief Compliance Officer
15+ years of industry experience
Jeff is the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Running Oak Capital. Prior to joining Running Oak in September 2021, Jeff was the head of US Product Strategy & Development for Principal Global Investors, a multi-boutique investment management firm.
Jeff is a CFA® charterholder. He received a Master of Financial Management degree from Drake University and his BA degree from the University of Northern Iowa.
Palmetto Advisory Group
Due diligence and marketing firm, founded in 2008.
Whitestone Global
Highly skilled professionals creating freedom to innovate and implement unique investment philosophies.
Orion Advisor Solutions
Best-in-class software partner enabling Running Oak to provide exceptional service for a large number of clients
ACA Compliance Group
GIPS compliance verification and investment performance services
Cerulean Securities Compliance, LLC
Professional compliance consulting
Brightflow Technologies
Managed IT and cyber security
Driving success through valuable expertise and networks
Running Oak’s overall business and investment strategies are validated by an eminent Advisory Board, whose members provide thorough knowledge of markets, differentiated perspectives and access to far-reaching networks of key contacts.
Pete Vorbrich
Brings 25+ years’ experience in private operational, investment and legal aspects
Christopher Vogt
Oversees $5 billion+ in equity investments and brings a strong institutional perspective
Ben Marks
Provides crucial wealth-advisory perspectives as self-made architect of a $1 billion+ enterprise
Driven by our proven Efficient Growth equity management style, Running Oak's strategy is designed with a specific outcome in mind: to outperform the S&P 500 over a full economic cycle and do so with meaningfully less risk.
Our disciplined rules-based approach does not rely on human discretion and objectively manages volatility and captures opportunities. Executed with consistency since the 1980s, our time-tested strategy offers investors a repeatable wealth-accumulation strategy and peace of mind through all markets.
Seek earnings growth
Above-average earnings growth can be expected to result in above-average price performance.
Avoid overvalued companies
Never overpay. Paying more than an asset is worth will surely lessen returns.
Focus on downside protection
There's a cost to volatility. Mitigate drawdowns and achieve higher cumulative returns.
Common sense, self-evident equity strategy, built to outperform the S&P 500 Index over a full economic cycle with meaningfully less risk.
Rules-based investment process, ensuring a disciplined, unemotional, repeatable, reliable result.
Available in separately managed accounts, offering full transparency, daily liquidity, lower expenses and greater control over taxes.
Currently Available on these platforms: Schwab, Fidelity, Envestnet, RBC, SmartX, Mutual Advisors, Interactive Brokers, Osaic, and others
| 1 Month | 3 Months | 1 Year | 5 Year | 10 Year | Since Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Efficient Growth, Gross | 1.86% | 9.53% | 32.84% | 13.62% | 13.64% | 14.01% |
| Efficient Growth, Net | 1.82% | 9.40% | 32.19% | 13.06% | 13.07% | 13.44% |
| S&P 500 Equal Weight | 2.34% | 9.60% | 28.83% | 12.82% | 11.13% | 12.08% |
| S&P 500 Total Return | 2.14% | 5.89% | 36.35% | 15.98% | 13.38% | 14.15% |
* Since inception: as of September 30, 2024.
Net performance reflects a management fee of 0.5%. In the event this strategy is offered within a third party’s wrap program, the net performance shown here may be further reduced by an additional amount equal to the fees charged by the third party. For example, if the third-party charges 2% for their wrap program, net performance would be reduced by both the 0.50% fee to Running Oak Capital as well as the 2% charged by the third party (total of 2.50%). Past performance is not indicative of future performance.
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4519 West 56th St
Edina, MN
55424
Running Oak Capital LLC
Privacy Notice
Running Oak Capital LLC Privacy Notice
Running Oak Capital LLC (“Running Oak,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to maintaining the privacy of its former, current and prospective clients and investors (“Investors”, “you” or “your”). This Privacy Notice is provided by Running Oak and on behalf of the private investment funds for which Running Oak or its affiliates serve as general partner or director (the "Funds"). This Privacy Notice sets forth a summary of the Funds’ and our policies with respect to collecting, sharing and protecting nonpublic personal information (“private information”) of consumers (“Investors”). We are providing you this Privacy Notice to help you better understand why and how we collect certain private information, the care with which we treat that information, and how we use that information.
Sources of Private Information
Running Oak collects private information regarding Investors, such as an Investor’s address, social security number, assets, transaction history, and/or income information. In connection with managing your account and operating the Funds, we collect and maintain private information about Investors from the following sources:
Running Oak also may collect Investors’ private information from other sources, such as affiliates.
Disclosure of Information
Running Oak is committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the confidentiality and security of your private information. We do not disclose any private information about you to anyone, except as permitted by law or regulation. We only disclose private information we receive from you (i) to third parties if it is necessary or appropriate for the effective management and administration of your account and/or the Fund(s) in which you invest, (ii) to service providers (but only to the extent permitted by law), (iii) with your consent or as directed by you, and (iv) as required by law. These disclosures include ones made to:
We note, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, we reserve the right to disclose private information about Investors to any person or entity, including without limitation any governmental agency, regulatory authority or self-regulatory organization having jurisdiction over us or our affiliates, if (i) we determine in our discretion that such disclosure is necessary or advisable pursuant to or in connection with any United States federal, state, local, or non-U.S., law, rule, regulation, executive order or policy, including without limitation, any anti-money laundering law and the PATRIOT Act and (ii) such disclosure is not otherwise prohibited by law, rule, regulation, executive order or policy.
Running Oak may disclose Investor private information for its own marketing purposes, such as to offer products and services. Further, Running Oak may disclose information about Investor transactions to its affiliates for such affiliates’ everyday business purposes. Investors cannot limit these types of sharing.
Former Investors
We maintain private information provided by former Investors and apply the same policies to them that apply to current Investors.
Information Security
To protect the private information of Investors, we permit access only by authorized employees who need access to the information to provide services to us and Investors. In order to guard Investors’ private information, we maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect the private information that we have obtained from you.
Further Information
We reserve the right to change our privacy policies and this Privacy Notice at any time. The examples contained within this Privacy Notice are illustrations only and are not intended to be exclusive. This Privacy Notice is not intended to be incorporated in any investment advisory agreement or Fund offering materials, and is merely a statement of Running Oak’s current policies with respect to collecting, sharing and protecting private information.
This Privacy Notice is intended to comply with the privacy provisions of applicable U.S. federal law. You may have additional rights under other foreign or domestic laws that may apply to you.
We encourage you to discuss any questions you may have regarding this Privacy Notice with Running Oak’s Chief Compliance Officer who can be reached at (952) 582-6116.
Privacy Notice Dated: May 2019
