LOGIN  |  SUBSCRIBE    

Investment Committee

Teamwork

The Hays discipline has been used to manage money for over 35 years. One of the most critical elements of the Hays process is the emphasis on the team approach. All decisions from the asset allocation to stock selection are made by the four member investment committee.

To avoid succumbing to the emotional swings of fear and greed that affect the behavior of any individual who makes investment decisions alone, Hays Advisory relies on a team of individuals to implement their proprietary process. Unlike a “star” manager system, Hays clients benefit from a time-tested model run by a team of professionals with a goal to help you protect your assets on the downside while achieving better than market returns on the upside.

Don Hays began creating this model in 1969 and has been managing money using this model since the 1970s. After years of studying the Hays discipline, Keith and Jeff Hays began implementing the model with Don for clients of Hays Advisory. Soon after, Mark Dodson was recruited as the fourth investment committee member.

Teamwork has been vital to the success of Hays Advisory. Teamwork allows the Hays approach to take advantage of the opportunities created by emotional decisions too often made in the investment community.

Research Collaboration

Outside of our individual daily and/or collaborative research efforts including the daily review of our indicators & porftolio holdings, a regular research schedule is adhered to in order to ensure collaboration of research and portfolio management efforts by the investment committee.

Research meetings are held weekly where the condition of the asset allocation model is reviewed, and the committee discusses unfolding conditions and events, our forward market outlook and sector outlook. Managed portfolios and their holdings are also intensely reviewed by the committee with any action items being decided and confirmed by the group at the close of the meeting.

In a separate collaborative weekly meeting, an in depth search for any possible new stock candidates as well as a review of international markets is undertaken with any further research efforts needed as a result of this collaboration being undertaken during the remainder of the week.

As events unfold and/or conditions warrant, meetings will be convened during the week for the investment committee to recommend a due course of action.

Don R. Hays

President

Don Hays is the creator of the Hays tactical approach. Don is nationally known for his investment opinions featured in the Hays Advisory Morning Market Commentary through www.haysadvisory.com . His forecasts have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Barron’s and similar publications. He has been featured on financial broadcasts such as Wall Street Week ,CNBC’s Squawk Box, Kudlow & Company and others. 

Don founded Hays Advisory in 1999.  Don serves on the investment committee helping manage money for the firm. He also assists in providing exclusive investment strategy for institutional clients of the firm, producing commentary three times a week, conducting client conference calls, and occasional on-site personal presentations to domestic and international clients. Prior to founding Hays Advisory, he served as the director of investment strategy for two major brokerage firms - J.C. Bradford & Co. and Wheat First Butcher Singer (now Wachovia Securities).

Jeff D. Hays

Managing Director/Portfolio Manager

Jeff Hays reviews and makes recommendations on all aspects of the Hays money management process from asset allocation to stock selection. He has been managing Hays portfolios since their inception. Jeff entered the brokerage business in 1995 with Wheat First Securities (now Wachovia Securities) in Nashville,TN. While at Wheat First, Jeff honed his investment skills and became a student of the Hays approach. In October of 2001, Jeff left Wheat First to join Hays Advisory and continued managing money for Hays clients. In addition to his investment committee responsibility, Jeff also is the head of all operations and marketing of Hays Advisory.

Keith A. Hays

Managing Director/Portfolio Manager

Keith uses his expertise in tactical allocation to implement the Hays model along with the other members of the investment committee. Keith oversees the asset allocation model quantitative work and weekly presents his findings to the group. Keith also assists with sector studies and stock selection and participates in all aspects of the money management process. He founded and updates the firms 10 Minute Manager newsletter each week and periodically writes the market commentary for the firm. Keith began his official money management career in 1994 with Wheat First Securities (now First Union Securities) in Richmond, VA. He and Jeff later left First Union to join the Hays Advisory. 

Mark Dodson, CFA

Director of Research/Portfolio Manager

Mark Dodson, our Director of Research, is a partner of the firm and a member of our investment committee. He either works with or oversees the quantitative facets of our various models and processes. This would include the sector model, stock selection, portfolio monitoring, the quantitative data behind the firm's indicators, the search & testing of new market indicators, as well as any special market studies. He writes a market commentary for HaysAdvisory.com every other week.

Before joining Hays Advisory in 2001, he served as a portfolio manager and analyst for a top-performing microcap value hedge fund. Mark co-edited the firm’s investment newsletter.

Mark is a CFA charterholder and also serves as the president of CFA Society of Nashville. He has had various aspects of his research featured in investment periodicals, major newspapers, a published investment book, and on CNBC.