1.09.2007 - 01:23pm ET

(CSRwire) PORTLAND, MN., January 9, 2007 — Aperio Group LLC, a financial advisory firm that delivers customized asset management services for taxable investors, has selected IW Financial to provide the research, analytics, and consulting services that will allow the firm to create investment portfolios based on investor-defined environmental, social, and governance criteria (ESG), it was announced today.

Based in Sausalito, California, Aperio works primarily with independent wealth managers and family offices to manage portfolios for high net worth investors, providing access to customized tax-managed portfolios that track a broad range of U.S. and international indexes. The firm uses cutting edge multi-factor risk models and sophisticated tax harvesting programs to maximize after-tax returns.

Aperio, which means “to make clear, to reveal the truth,” in Latin, was co-founded by Patrick Geddes, formerly Chief Financial Officer and director of quantitative research at Chicago-based Morningstar. Assets under management at the firm are approaching $1 billion, with $250 million currently invested using socially responsible screens. With IW Financial’s help Aperio plans to create a new line of products and increase its socially responsibly managed assets significantly.

“We believe that indexing offers superior returns and the lowest fees, making it far and away the best approach for the vast majority of investors,” said Geddes. “By joining with IW Financial, we will be able to introduce a new family of customized index portfolios, built around the environmental, social, and governance criteria of our clients. The new portfolios will now give socially responsible investors the opportunity to reflect ESG concerns without sacrificing returns or paying excessive fees.”

A leading provider of research and technology that helps build and manage ESG portfolios based on user-defined criteria investment criteria, IW Financial is providing Aperio with consulting services as well as access to its proprietary ESG research through the IWF Workstation. Aperio will utilize resources from IW Financial to help further integrate and customize SRI screens for existing and future clients.

“Aperio is a terrific firm with a very compelling approach to investing,” said Sam Pierce, president of IW Financial. “We look forward to working with them to develop and introduce these new ESG-screened portfolios.”

IW Financial’s clients encompass asset management firms, private banks, faith-based investment firms, educational institutions, and financial planning organizations. Solutions include the IWF Workstation, a Web-based analytic platform that utilizes the firm’s patented technology to streamline the research process and produce customized evaluations of investments and investment opportunities; IWF Advisor, a private labeled tool for broker dealers and advisor networks; and IWF Consulting, which develops customized ESG solutions for asset managers and the managed accounts industry.

About IW Financial

IW Financial is a leading provider of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) research, consulting and portfolio management solutions for asset management firms, managed accounts sponsors, institutional investors, plan sponsors, and investment advisors. With its unique combination of investment industry expertise, unbiased research, and technology solutions, IW Financial helps industry professionals capitalize on growing investor demand by incorporating ESG factors into investment platforms, products, and portfolios, adding value to the money management process while strengthening client relationships.

IW Financial is based in Portland, Maine. For more information, visit www.iwfinancial.com.

About Aperio Group LLC

Aperio Group delivers customized indexed-based strategies for both taxable and tax-exempt investors. Aperio designs and manages customized portfolios that deliver the pre-tax performance of indexing with active tax management and active risk reduction. The result is superior after-tax return and reduced risk. Aperio can design portfolios to track either customized or market benchmarks, including the Standard & Poor’s 500®, Russell 3000®, Russell 2000®, and MSCI EAFE® indexes. For more information on Aperio Group please call Guy Lampard at (415) 339-4303, email glampard@aperiogroup.com, or go to www.aperiogroup.com

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