Professional Staff

Our Professional Team: Experience, Passion, Stability

At the heart of ABIM is a team of talented investment professionals that have been working together for many years.  Our investment team members collectively average over 25 years of investment experience and 15 years tenure at the firm.  In an industry where inexperience and high staff turnover is common, ABIM's depth and stability stand out.

Our clients know that we are thinking through every investment decision, measuring it against years of know-how, and balancing it against other opportunities. Rather than rigidly  applying arbitrary rules, we can make decisions based on sound principles that will reward our clients’ confidence in us through both bull and bear markets.

We have identified several traits of successful investors that we cultivate, practice and live by on a daily basis.  These traits are:

Bruce E. Behrens, CFA
Director, Co-President, Portfolio Manager

Prior to joining ABIM in 1981, Mr. Behrens served as a Portfolio Manager and Research Analyst for Corbyn Associates, Investment Counselors of Maryland, and Citibank. Mr. Behrens earned his B.A. from Denison University in 1966 and his M.B.A. from the University of Michigan in 1968. Mr. Behrens is a Chartered Financial Analyst. He is a past President of the Baltimore Security Analysts Society. Mr. Behrens serves on the board of the Woodbourne Center and is currently chairman of The Ecumenical Institute of St. Mary’s Seminary.

Lee S. Owen,
Director, Co-President, Portfolio Manager

Prior to joining ABIM in 1983, Mr. Owen was a Vice President and Portfolio Manager for T. Rowe Price Associates from 1972 to 1983. Mr. Owen is a 1970 graduate from Williams College. He earned his M.B.A. from the University of Virginia in 1972. Mr. Owen is a member of the Baltimore Security Analysts Society and serves as a Trustee of Severn School and the Baltimore Educational Scholarship Trust.

J. Dorsey Brown, III
Founder, Director, Portfolio Manager

Prior to founding ABIM in 1974, Mr. Brown was a member of the Research and Investment Advisory Department of the Baltimore-based investment firm, Robert Garrett & Sons from 1967 to 1974. Mr. Brown served as an officer in the U.S. Navy from 1962 to 1966. He earned his B.A. from Trinity College, Hartford in 1962 and studied at New York University Business School in 1966. He is a member of the Baltimore Security Analysts Society and the Land Preservation Trust. He currently serves as a Trustee for the St. Ignatius Loyola Academy, The Valleys Planning Council, and Ladew Topiary Gardens.

Hobart C. Buppert, II
Director, Portfolio Manager

Prior to joining ABIM in 1980, Mr. Buppert was a Portfolio Manager for T. Rowe Price Associates from 1976 to 1980 and a Portfolio Manager and Research Analyst for the Equitable Trust Company from 1972 to 1976. Mr. Buppert earned his B.A. and his M.B.A. from Loyola College in 1970 and 1974. He is a member of the Baltimore Security Analysts Society.

R. Hutchings Vernon, CFA
Director, Portfolio Manager, Investment Analyst

Prior to joining ABIM in 1993, Mr. Vernon was a Portfolio Manager and Research Analyst for T. Rowe Price Associates, Legg Mason and Wachovia Bank. Mr. Vernon is a Phi Beta Kappa at the University of Virginia where he earned his B.A. in 1982. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a member and a past President of the Baltimore Security Analysts Society.

John Barnett, CFA
Vice President, Investment Analyst

Mr. Barnett is a Vice President and Investment Analyst for ABIM. Prior to joining the firm in 2005, he was an analyst for Hovde Capital Advisors and CFRA. Mr. Barnett also worked as a sell-side analyst covering Hungarian stocks for Raiffeisen Zentralbank in Budapest. In 2001, he spent a summer internship as a high yield bond analyst at Fidelity Management and Research. Mr. Barnett earned his B.B.A. in accounting from University of Georgia in 1996 and his M.B.A. from Columbia Business School in 2002. Mr. Barnett is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Michael L. Foss, CFA
Vice President, Portfolio Manager, Investment Analyst

Prior to joining ABIM in 2004, Mr. Foss was a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager for JP Morgan Fleming. Mr. Foss has also worked for Gabelli & Company and Tucker Anthony. Mr. Foss is a Phi Beta Kappa at Virginia Tech where he earned his B.A. in 1983. He earned his M.B.A. from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania in 1993 and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Eric S. Gordon, CFA
Vice President, Investment Analyst

Prior to joining ABIM in 2008, Mr. Gordon covered the energy and chemicals sectors on the sell-side at Citigroup Investment Research. He also worked as an investment banking analyst at Deutsche Bank Alex. Brown and Merrill Lynch & Co. Mr. Gordon is a Phi Beta Kappa at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he earned his B.A. in 1998. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Brian E. Graney, CFA
Vice President, Portfolio Manager, Investment Analyst

Prior to joining ABIM in 2001, Mr. Graney was a Writer/Analyst at The Motley Fool. Mr. Graney earned his B.A. from George Washington University in 1996. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Patrick O'Brien
Vice President, Portfolio Manager, Investment Analyst

Prior to joining ABIM in 2001, Mr. O’Brien worked for Delaware Investment Advisors, Schneider Asset Management, Wellington Management and Prudential Insurance in investment management and research positions. Mr. O’Brien earned his B.S. from Ohio State University and his M.B.A from Columbia University.

Richard W. Palmer
Vice President, Portfolio Manager

Prior to joining ABIM in 1989, Mr. Palmer was a Portfolio Manager and Vice President at T. Rowe Price Associates from 1969 to 1989. Mr. Palmer graduated from Colgate University in 1966. He served on the Board of the Lutheran Hospital from 1974 to 1986 and was Vice Chairman of the Board from 1981 to 1984.

Joseph J. Quingert
Vice President, Trader, Investment Analyst

Mr. Quingert joined ABIM in 1984 and has been a Vice President of ABIM since 1989. He is both an analyst and the corporate bond and equity trader for ABIM. Mr. Quingert earned his B.A. from Towson State University.

Paul J. Schiminger
Vice President, Sales and Marketing

Prior to joining ABIM in 2002, Mr. Schiminger was a Director for Deutsche Bank Alex. Brown. Mr. Schiminger earned his B.B.A from James Madison University in 1982 and his M.S. from Johns Hopkins University in 1991. He is a Certified Investment Management Analyst.

Nina K. Yudell
Vice President, Portfolio Manager, Investment Analyst

Prior to joining ABIM in 1992, Ms. Yudell worked for Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. and T. Rowe Price Associates in investment management positions. Ms. Yudell was an adjunct faculty member at New Hampshire College where she taught courses in finance. A summa cum laude graduate, Ms. Yudell earned her B.S. in 1981 and her M.B.A. in 1982 from the University of Baltimore. In 2003, Ms. Yudell earned her M.S.B. (Accelerated/Financial Management) degree from Johns Hopkins University.