Affinity Wealth Management Celebrates 40 Year Milestone

(PRWEB) February 11, 2014

Affinity Wealth Management is proud to celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2014. Since 1974, the firm has helped successful individuals and their businesses achieve their financial goals, and realize their full potential.

Affinity Wealth Management was founded by Dr. James Kalil, PhD., a chemical engineer retired from DuPont, amid the turmoil of the brutal markets of 1974. A holder of ten patents, Kalil served as an Army intelligence officer in World War II. His intellectual curiosity led him to study the work of economists like Benjamin Graham that were establishing “value investing,” systematically looking for low stock prices relative to earnings. The sharp declines in the mid-seventies allowed savvy investors like Kalil to post remarkable ten year profits, setting the stage for rapid growth in the 1980s.

The firm, then known as CompuVal, experienced rapid growth in the 1980’s and Don Kalil, son of the founder, joined the firm to help manage the firm’s ascent. However, the firm was not content with rapid gains. CompuVal’s key to long term survival was evolving the business model to face changing market conditions and economic events. Over the last 40 Years, the firm has led clients through six major market corrections and interest rates that moved from double digits to nearly zero.

Affinity was able to successfully reengineer its focus to portfolio building and financial planning, while transforming the company from a simple stock picker into a powerful wealth advisory firm. The shift was prompted the challenges facing value investing as internet technology companies dominated stock returns and “growth” investing surged ahead of value investing. The shift to portfolio and planning advice followed for the firm with the renaming to Affinity Wealth Management.

“The 1970’s and 80’s were a great proving ground for us, but I think we really became who we are today in the 90’s,” said Don Kalil, President of Affinity Wealth Management. “At that time, we were at a big crossroads. Do we try and stay the course, or do we reorganize and engineer a more planning focused portfolio building business model? Two decades later I think it’s evident we made the right decision.”

In the early 90’s the firm located to Lovering Avenue in Wilmington, Delaware in their own facility where they remain today. By its 25th anniversary in 1999, the identity of the firm was transformed.

While the firm transitioned to portfolio building, Dr. Kalil recognized the coming 2001 market peak would lead to a major decline. Don Kalil and his father began to explore ways to avoid losses in markets like the “dot-com” bubble of 2000. As a final contribution to the firm, Dr. Kalil built a “Bull and Bear” model launched in 2003 that retreats from falling markets once a pattern of decline is detected. That model performed well for the firm in 2007 and 2008 as the markets declined at nearly depression era levels.

This success in down markets and a series of Five Star service awards for client satisfaction have sparked renewed growth in clients and assets at Affinity.

At a gala in February, Dr. Kalil will be recognized for a Lifetime of Investment Achievement and the New Castle Chamber of Commerce is holding a ribbon cutting celebration at the firm’s headquarters in mid-February.

“My father has built a wonderful legacy for himself here at Affinity,” said Don Kalil. “It is a lot to live up to, but I am committed to honoring what he built and ensuring that Affinity continues to evolve moving forward.”

About Affinity Wealth Management
Affinity Wealth Management is a privately held Financial Planning firm that has been helping successful individuals, their families and businesses achieve their financial goals for nearly 40 years. Founded by Dr. James Kalil, Ph.D., in 1974, as a value-style money manager, the company has evolved into a significant regional Wealth Management firm. His son, Donald Kalil, joined the firm in 1985 and is currently President and CEO. The firm was selected by the Better Business Bureau of Delaware to be the 2002 recipient of the Torch Award for high marketplace ethics and has been listed among the top 500 Wealth Management firms in the country by Bloomberg Wealth Manager Magazine.
(302) 652-6767
invest(at)affinitywealth(dot)com

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