Advantus Appoints Sauber Director of New Portfolio Management Services Group

ST. PAUL, Minn., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Advantus Capital Management, a fixed income and real estate securities asset manager for institutional investors, announced the creation of the Client Strategies Group in its insurance asset management practice. Linda Sauber will lead the group as director, Client Portfolio Management Services.

"The Client Strategies Group's focus will be on our insurance clients including Minnesota Life and its subsidiaries as well as our external clients," said Randal Harrison, vice president and director of the Insurance Advisory practice. "We are creating this group as part of a broader initiative to leverage resources while enhancing our institutional client service."

Advantus currently manages $15 billion in insurance assets. Largely due to client growth, Insurance Advisory assets have expanded an average of 15 percent annually since 2005 and doubled since 2003. Insurance Advisory uses a fundamental, bottom up investment process that identifies each insurance client's needs and develops investment solutions that meet those unique needs.

"The Client Strategies Group will have a range of responsibilities for insurance clients and their portfolios from ongoing customer service and reporting functions to higher-level coordination of trading and specialized hedging analysis," said Harrison. Sauber and her staff will draw from resources throughout Advantus to complement and enrich portfolio management activities, boosting the scalability of the insurance practice.

Sauber, Lakeville, MN, has been active in the asset management industry since 1984 when she joined Advantus as a securities clerk. She earned her MBA in 2002 and subsequently held positions as a fixed income trader and portfolio manager. Sauber rejoined Advantus in 2009 and has been active in portfolio management and client service roles. She has a bachelor's degree from Augsburg College in Minneapolis, MN, and a master's from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN.

Advantus manages more than $20 billion in assets for institutional clients and draws on the market insights and practical business experience of its 100 investment associates. Advantus uses a client focused philosophy and collaborative, research-driven process to build customized investment strategies for clients. It is an affiliate of Securian Financial Group, Inc. which has provided financial security for individuals and businesses in the form of insurance, investments and retirement plans since 1880.