AssetMark Adds Balanced Strategies to Private Accounts Platform

Business Wire, June 18, 2002

Business Editors

PLEASANT HILL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 18, 2002

AssetMark Investment Services, Inc., a leading investment management and consulting firm, today announced the addition of several balanced portfolio options to its private accounts platform.

AssetMark offers privately managed accounts solutions to high net worth investors, through a national network of over 800 broker-dealers and independent Registered Investment Advisors. In conjunction with a leading institutional pension consulting firm, CRA RogersCasey, the program provides asset allocation portfolio solutions implemented with "Best of Class" Private Account Managers.

Three of the managers on the AssetMark platform will begin offering balanced portfolios.

Brandes and TCW both offer U.S. Balanced Portfolios with a $100,000 minimum investment, constructed utilizing a combination of U.S. Equities, U.S. Treasuries and high-grade corporate bonds. Brandes' portfolios are Value-oriented, while TCW's focus is Growth.

Lazard Asset Management's Global Balanced Portfolio, with a $250,000 minimum investment, is constructed utilizing a combination of U.S. Equities, ADRs, U.S. and International fixed income instruments.

The balanced portfolios offer clients the ability to combine multiple investment styles in a single portfolio with low investment minimums.

About Brandes Investment Partners

Brandes Investment Partners is a bottom-up, value-oriented equity manager, which focuses on identifying the intrinsic value of companies and then buying them at steep discounts. Brandes has a clearly defined and transparent investment process.

About Lazard Asset Management

Lazard Asset Management is a division of Lazard, Freres & Co. LLC, a pre-eminent global investment bank with a worldwide presence in the investment industry spanning over 150 years. Lazard employs an extensive global research staff and applies a consistent time-tested investment discipline with a focus on risk management, individual security selection, and portfolio construction.

About TCW Investment Management Company

TCW Investment Management Company is an affiliate of the TCW Group. The TCW Group is a group of affiliated global financial companies providing a broad range of investment products for investors around the world. TCW's equity investment philosophy stresses investment in high quality companies with opportunities for growth that are not fully reflected in stock market valuations.

About AssetMark Investment Services, Inc.

AssetMark Investment Services, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is one of the industry's leading providers of fee-based investment management solutions for investment advisors, broker dealers, banks and CPA firms. The company provides services to over 800 advisory firms, and administers more than 17,000 investor portfolios with total assets exceeding $2 billion.