Vanguard Skippers Take Home the Prize

January 06, 2004, 1:00 a.m. EST 1 Min Read

It was hard for Morningstar to pick just one Vanguard domestic stock portfolio manager as the category winner in its 18^th annual Fund Manager of the Year awards selection. So it picked three. Actually, it had to, considering Vanguard Primecap has three managers.

Howard Schow, Theo Kolokotrones and Joel Fried shared the honor in the domestic stock category, thanks in part to their long tenures that Morningstar cited as key in the "steadiness and success of the fund." Schow has helped manage the Vanguard Primecap fund since 1984, Kolokotrones since 1985 and Fried since 1994.

The fixed income manager of the year went to two Fidelity outfits: Fidelitys municipal bond team of Dwight Churchill and Charles Morrison, and Fidelity Spartan Municipal Income manager Christine Thompson.

Morningstar cited their highly effective mix of caution and sustained success as the deciding factor, one that epitomizes Fidelitys fixed income department.

The International Fund Manager of the Year award was given to Bill Fries of Thornburg International Value, which has performed in the top 10% of funds since its inception in 1998.

The Fund Manager of the Year Awards have been given out by Morningstar since 1988, and reward managers who not only put up big year-end numbers but also have a track record of success and commitment to investors.