“American Century is a performance-oriented fund,” says Jonathan Thomas, the fund company’s president and CEO. “The vast majority of our clients come to us because of our performance and products. But once advisors have done their screens of different funds to find the performance and products they want for their clients, the tiebreaker in our favor is often the support we give to the Stowers Institute. People often assume we are giving money away to the institute, but we aren’t. The institute is an owner. It is a unique business model.” 

In the Giving Pledge, Jim and Virginia Stowers said they wanted to give people hope for a better life. Among the research projects of note currently undertaken at the institute is a study on animals that can regenerate body parts, along with efforts to isolate bacteria that can attack a tumor from within. This particular cancer research, says Chao, had been abandoned by other research facilities for a lack of funding.

Among American Century’s offerings are funds screened for environmental, social and governance issues and funds geared toward socially responsible investments, says Thomas. (It has tobacco-free investment offerings, for example.) 

The company serves financial advisors, institutions, corporations and individuals through a variety of products including mutual funds, institutional separate accounts, commingled trusts and subadvisory accounts.

“Because of our business model, the commitment from our employees at American Century is extraordinary,” Thomas says. “They realize that generating a profit will do good things. All three of our stakeholders—our clients, our employees and our owners—are interested in long-term results.”

 

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