The severe market declines of 2008 and a lost decade of no net growth have challenged investors to rethink the assumptions that were once commonplace.  While stocks and real estate and commodities have all experienced periods of great boom, they have also experienced periods of great bust, and many investors have experienced it all with no progress over the past decade to show for it. 

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Mark Scheffler was named to the list of the 20 Rising Stars of Wealth Management by Private Wealth Management , a publication of Institutional Investor Inc.. The stars were nominated by industry peers. The selected individuals met the criteria of having an average client size of $1 million or more in investable assets and have demonstrated through their strong relationships and portfolio skills and the ability to lead the industry in the future.

The list is comprised of up-and-coming professionals who are making an impact on the wealth management industry. Mark Scheffler is the only Wisconsin-based advisor to land in the list. The firm is headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin and manages a complete suite of asset allocation portfolios and advises a proprietary mutual fund family.

"It is a privilege to be included in such an elite list," said Scheffler. "Today's markets are full of opportunity for those investment managers who can both grow portfolio assets during favorable markets, but more importantly have demonstrated the ability to limit portfolio losses during unfavorable markets. Appleton Group Wealth Management is that firm."

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Mark Scheffler, founder and senior portfolio manager of Appleton Group Wealth Management, was named to the list of the 20 Rising Stars of Retirement Plan Advisors in the September issue of Institutional Investor magazine. The stars were nominated by industry peers. They were selected based on an age criteria of 40 years or under, and having the credentials and experience and a career consistency that indicated they will be the ones to watch as leaders and trend setters in the industry going forward.

The list is comprised of retirement plan advisors from across the nation who work directly with 401(k) and defined contribution plans. Mark Scheffler is the only Wisconsin-based advisor to land in the magazine's top 20 Rising Stars. The firm is headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin and manages a suite of asset allocation portfolios and advises a proprietary mutual fund family.

According to Scheffler, it is an honor to be included in such a prestigious list. "We are very proud of the work we do with retirement plans," Scheffler said. "Since people are living longer, and the extra years of life have to be financed somehow, we must provide better risk management tools to help protect against market downturns, yet allow participation in favorable markets. Appleton Group composites are perfectly suited lifestyle allocation models that do just that," he said.

Appleton Group Wealth Management is an independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and currently manages $82.7 million for high-net worth individuals, institutions, corporate-sponsored retirement plans, foundations, trusts and other entities. Mark Scheffler is both Founder of the firm and Senior Portfolio Manager.

The old saying goes, if life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But the phrase seems to overlook one important question, is the juice worth the squeeze?

For institutional investors looking to increase returns without dramatically altering the risk makeup of the portfolio, the same question should be asked, says Mark Scheffler, senior portfolio manager and founder of Appleton Group Wealth Management.

Scheffler, whose firm manages approximately $60 million for private clients, believes his firm's focus on risk management will be an attractive investment opportunity for institutions and has begun to market the firm to this space.

"We are definitely built to be more on the risk management side," he said, adding that the firm has built itself out over the past several years specifically in preparation for entering the institutional marketplace.

Schffler said he has also been intrigued by his initial introduction to the emerging manager space.

"The really refreshing thing about the emerging manager space is that emerging managers really get it. I think that more than anything, because of a relatively small asset size, you can be nimble," he said.

Scheffler said he believes there are two common market cycles - one that rises 10% or more and one that falls 10% or more - and he has built his portfolio to capture as much of both ends as possible.

Scheffler said he uses ETFs to gain exposure to equities, fixed-income and real estate, which allows the firm to implement its discipline very effectively.

"We've started at the point in time when ETFs were just starting to get on the radar screen," he said. "Those are tools that are very powerful in gaining or reducing exposure."

Scheffler said he looks at what institutions are doing with their money in either supporting ETFs in particular markets or not supporting ETFs and assesses whether there is enough support to continue to hold a particular ETF depending on the tide.

The process is purely quantitative, with the heaviest weighting given to institutional money flow.

That measure, combined with 30 and 50 day moving averages, "can give us enough data to make reasoned and well thought out decisions regarding asset allocation," he said.

The portfolios have a standard allocation of 55% to large-cap, 25% to small-cap, 20% to high-dividend paying stocks.

According to a ranking in the July 2007 issue of Financial Advisor magazine, Appleton Group Wealth Management is the fastest growing firm in the state of Wisconsin in the asset category: less than $100 million assets under management.

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All three of the Core Portfolios managed by Appleton Group Wealth Management LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor headquartered in Appleton Wisconsin, have received 5-Stars, Morningstar's highest possible rating for separate account managers. Morningstar rates separately managed accounts from one to five stars based on how well they have performed in comparison to their peers. Each of Appleton Group's professionally managed core portfolios (Appleton Group Portfolio Composite, Appleton Group PLUS Composite and Appleton Group Tax Managed Growth Composite) received Five-Star ratings for the previous ten-year period ending December 31, 2009. "For over ten years our firm’s investment team has worked diligently to build a wealth management strategy that has proven to be one of the most efficient in America," said Scheffler. "Our ten-year ratings confirm what we have long known: investors are best served by our flexible investment strategy that prepares for both cooperative and uncooperative markets." Appleton Group Wealth Management is an independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and currently manages over $134 million for high-net worth individuals, institutions, corporate-sponsored retirement plans, foundations, trusts and other entities. Mark Scheffler is both Founder of the firm and Senior Portfolio Manager. Appleton Group Wealth Management, LLC was established in 2002 and is one of the first significant entries into the no-load mutual fund sector by a Fox Valley-based company. For more information, please call 1-866-993-7727 or 1-920-993-7727 or visit the internet at www.appletongrouponline.com. ############

Over the course of the past year a lot of scrutiny has surrounded the proper use of leveraged and inverse ETFs in investment portfolios.  Appleton Group Wealth Management, LLC is a pioneer in using these tools to create value for our investors through our active ETF strategies dating back to 2006.

We concur with FINRA's most recent statement about non-traditional ETFs that: "While such products may be useful in some sophisticated trading strategies, they are highly complex financial instruments that are typically designed to achieve their stated objectives on a daily basis. Due to the effects of compounding, their performance over longer periods of time can differ significantly from their stated daily objective. Therefore, inverse and leveraged ETFs that are reset daily typically are unsuitable for retail investors who plan to hold them for longer than one trading session, particularly in volatile markets." 1

And while we agree that inverse and leveraged ETFs may be unsuitable for retail investors that trade with discretion in their own accounts, Appleton Group Wealth Management provides a disciplined and risk managed trading strategy to access these exchange traded tools.

Our professional staff designates a Portfolio Manager to monitor all ETF positions intraday and employs a rebalancing protocol designed to enhance the inverse and leveraged aspects of these securities to the benefit of our clients. It is our firm's experience and expertise in using these complex vehicles that gives retail users of our investment products the ability to gain inverse and leveraged ETF exposure in a professionally managed portfolio.

1 FINRA Regulatory Notice 09-31

(Appleton, WI) Appleton Group Wealth Management is a finalist for the Emerging Manager of the Year Award in the All-Cap category by Emerging Manager Monthly, in association with eVestment Alliance. Nominees in seven categories were ranked based on the following criteria: excess returns, performance versus peers, asset growth, asset percentage growth and standard deviation. The Appleton Group PLUS Composite, managed by Mark Scheffler, was the top performer in the All-Cap category last year*.

To be considered for the awards, managers must have submitted year-end 2008 data to eVestment Alliance by January 30, have less than $2 billion in assets under management and have full-year 2008 performance figures. Over 489 products were evaluated, and only the top three in each category are eligible to win.

"Being named a finalist for Emerging Manager of the Year is a great honor," said Scheffler. "Our firm is gaining national recognition for the work we do to help investors navigate this difficult economic environment." The Appleton Group PLUS Composite was established to offer investors an independent, objective wealth management strategy which prioritizes both active asset allocation and risk management. The Appleton Group Wealth Management Discipline™ endeavors to keep clients assets "on the right side of the market," offering the opportunity for participation in sustained market advances while managing the risks of sustained market declines.

Appleton Group Wealth Management is an independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and currently manages over $113 million for high-net worth individuals, institutions, corporate-sponsored retirement plans, foundations, trusts and other entities.  Mark Scheffler is both Founder of the firm and Senior Portfolio Manager.  Appleton Group Wealth Management, LLC was established in 2002 and is one of the first significant entries into the no-load mutual fund sector by a Fox Valley-based company. For more information, please call 1-866-993-7727 or 1-920-993-7727 or visit the internet at www.appletongrouponline.com.

Appleton Group Wealth Management was one of thirteen finalists in the prestigious 2008 Torch Awards for Business Ethics and Integrity from the Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin.

The businesses, judged by an independent panel of nine business ethics experts, were chosen based on submissions that demonstrated excellence in ethical practices, service excellence, reputation, honest advertising, peer recognition, management practices and employee training in ethical behavior.

"These companies are fine examples of how ethical companies in Wisconsin should behave," said Randall Hoth, president/CEO of Wisconsin BBB. "Their business practices make Wisconsin a better place to do business, and I applaud their commitment to ethics." Appleton Group Wealth Management received the runner up award in category II (6 to 50 employees).

"Being recognized once again by the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau says a lot about how we seek to treat our clients, and where our heart truly lies. We're proud of how we operate our firm, and we remain as committed as ever to treating our clients with the respect and care that they all deserve," said Mark Scheffler.

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Appleton Group Wealth Management LLC, a leading Wisconsin based investment firm, has made two strategies, Appleton Group Plus and Tax Managed Growth, available to investment advisors through Adhesion's WealthADV platform. The Appleton Group strategies offer investors the opportunity to participate in equity markets while simultaneously managing investment risk.

The firm was recently named to the list of Top 20 Rising Stars of Wealth Management by Institutional Investor News and has been providing service to high net worth and institutional investors since 2002.
Mark Scheffler, Senior Portfolio Manager and founder of Appleton Group Wealth Management stated, "We are excited to increase the distribution of our strategies to advisors through the WealthADV platform. This partnership with Adhesion will further Appleton Group Wealth Management's mission of serving the investment advisory community by offering independent and objective solutions that prepare investors for both cooperative and uncooperative market environments."

Appleton Group Wealth Management portfolios utilize Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) in a sector rotation process designed to add value in both cooperative and uncooperative markets. Using independent statistical research methods, the management team works to define the market as supportive or not supportive of five major asset classes (stocks, bonds, real estate, commodities and cash). Based on their analysis, they increase or decrease exposure to these investment classes resulting in a strategy that can add meaningful growth over time as well as offer meaningful asset protection during uncooperative market environments.

When used with standard asset allocation portfolios, the Appleton Group Plus and Tax Managed Growth strategies work to reduce volatility while lowering correlation to the market. The objective is to produce positive, meaningful returns over a full market cycle, managing the risk of large portfolio draw-downs that can hamper long term investor performance.

The firm's portfolios are maintained in compliance with the CFA Institute's Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS®). Until recently, these two strategies had been available to investors exclusively through Appleton Group Wealth Management and their primary custodian, Charles Schwab Institutional.

Appleton Group Wealth Management is a Registered Investment Advisor and currently manages over $107 million for high-net worth individuals, institutions, corporate-sponsored retirement plans, foundations, trusts and other entities.  Mark Scheffler is both Founder of the firm and Senior Portfolio Manager.  Appleton Group Wealth Management LLC was established in 2002. For more information, please call 1-866-993-7727 or visit the internet at www.appletongrouponline.com.

About Adhesion Wealth Advisor Solutions
WealthADV is a comprehensive Managed Investing solution, providing model-based managed accounts, overlay & tax-optimized portfolio management, distinctive client reporting and managed back office services. With WealthADV, advisors stay at the forefront of the market and have a scalable, multi-custodian platform upon which to grow successful practices. To learn more about WealthADV please visit us at www.WealthADV.com.

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Principals of Appleton Group Wealth Management LLC announced that the firm's assets under management have exceeded $111 million, an increase of over 27% since the start of 2008. "While many firms are struggling during this difficult market environment, our firm continues to shine." said Mark Scheffler, Senior Portfolio Manager and Founder. "Investors are increasingly interested in our proactive approach to wealth management, which has resulted in the sharp increase in the assets that we are asked to manage."

"The Appleton Group Wealth Management Discipline prepares for both good and bad markets, and we believe it is one of the best ways to manage an investment portfolio," said Scheffler. "Fact is, our wealth management offerings continue to be among the most efficient in the marketplace, working to produce positive returns over time with as little risk as necessary along the way."

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Appleton Group Wealth Management LLC is pleased to announce that David J. Wild has joined the firm as an Institutional Sales Representative. Mr. Wild will be responsible for marketing the firm's suite of professionally managed investment portfolios to foundations, pensions, state investment boards, insurance companies, corporations and other institutional investors.

"Appleton Group Wealth Management's story just keeps getting better and better," said Mark C. Scheffler, Founder and Senior Portfolio Manager. "As one of 2008's top performing investment managers, we are increasingly in-demand not only by private investors but increasingly by institutional investors as well. Our firm's success in building and managing efficient, all-weather investment portfolios continues to gain national attention."

Appleton Group Wealth Management is an independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and currently manages $111.46 million for high-net worth individuals, institutions, corporate-sponsored retirement plans, foundations, trusts and other entities.  Mark Scheffler is both Founder of the firm and Senior Portfolio Manager.  Appleton Group Wealth Management, LLC was established in 2002 and is one of the first significant entries into the no-load mutual fund sector by a Fox Valley-based company.

For more information, please call 1-866-993-7727 or 1-920-993-7727 or visit the internet at www.appletongrouponline.com.

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The Appleton Group LLC will pledge a portion of its 2007 and ongoing profits to three Fox Cities arts organizations in an effort to link the success of community-based organizations with local business profitability. Mark C. Scheffler, Appleton Group Principal and Chief Compliance Officer, announced his firm will donate 3% of profits divided equally between the Fox Valley Symphony, The Appleton Art Center and the White Heron Chorale.

When Scheffler started his firm in 2002, it was his goal to integrate his business with mission focused non-profits. "When you spend a dollar with a company that is located outside of the area, that dollar leaves our community. By doing business with local firms that are committed to community non-profits, your dollars are reinvested in local organizations that contribute to our quality of life."

Scheffler is a graduate of Lawrence University where he majored in music composition and theory. "Not a day goes by that I'm not called on to think creatively and use the analytical skills learned in composing music when reviewing financial markets," Scheffler said.

Representatives from the arts groupss acknowledged that each organization's ongoing success depends on the willingness of new businesses such as the Appleton Group to pledge financial support.

"This gift is significant in that it so closely ties with our own mission of serving local adults and children through live musical performance and educational programs," said Marta Weldon, executive director of the Fox Valley Symphony. "We partner with every donor in the belief that our programs help to grow a stronger and healthier community."

Community involvement is a mission echoed by other arts organizations. "Support such as this will allow us to create and present music to the highest standard by artists right here in the Fox River Valley," said Rick Bjella, artistic director/conductor for the White Heron Chorale.

"As an institution, The Appleton Art Center is invigorated with the news of this generous investment in the visual arts of our community," said Timothy Riley, executive director of the Appleton Art Center. "We are grateful to the Appleton Group for strengthening our programs for the enormous benefit of the public."

All three arts organizations have administrative offices located in the Appleton Art Center building on Appleton's Houdini Square which is also home to The Appleton Group.

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The Appleton Group LLC is the proud recipient of The 2006 Rising Star Award. The award was presented to The Appleton Group at the Fox Cities Chamber Small Business lunch. "Being recognized by the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce and Industry is humbling, but we're just getting started," said Mark Scheffler, Senior Portfolio Manager and Founder of The Appleton Group.

Scheffler credits the award to the Appleton Group's uniqueness and innovation in managing clients' assets. "Our star is indeed rising, and we invite investors throughout northeast Wisconsin to use us as a significant portion of their investment portfolio," he said.

The Appleton Group competed against ten other companies in the Fox Cities area. The criteria for the award include firm size, location, history, uniqueness, and community involvement. The award is given to those companies that have gotten off to a strong start and exhibit the potential for growing into a prosperous enterprise in the future.

The Appleton Group, with only seven employees, has quadrupled their wealth management offerings to include the Appleton Group Portfolios, The Appleton Group Composites, The Appleton Group 401(k), and a proprietary mutual fund.

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