New Consulting Services

Business Transitions LLC of Portland, Ore., has introduced consulting services for the financial services community on a flat-fee, on-site basis.

A team of consultants address issues including practice benchmarking, expenses and overhead reduction, revenue analysis, system analysis and improvement, increasing profitability, converting to a fee-based structure, increasing assets under management, preparing a practice for sale, internal succession planning/transitions and post-closing client transition assistance. Customizable programs are also available. For more information, visit www.businesstrans.com.

Mini-Cap Fund Launched

Portfolio manager Irene Hoover and San Francisco-based Forward Funds have launch the Forward Hoover Mini-Cap Fund.

The investment team for the fund looks for small companies with a distinct competitive advantage and the ability to self-fund their growth. For more information, visit www.forwardfunds.com or call (888) 312-4100.

S&P Rolls Out ‘MAPs‚

Standard & Poor‚s has introduced Standard & Poor‚s Model Allocation Portfolios (MAPs), model portfolios mapped to a range of asset allocations, which allow a mixture of equities, bonds and cash.

The MAP series was introduced through S&P‚s Investment Advisory Services LLC. Structured to support investment advisors‚ demands for unbiased portfolio recommendations, the MAP series is the first phase in S&P‚s plan to introduce, at the end of 2003, a complete, Web-based platform for investment advisors. The platform will combine three things: S&P‚s equity and funds research, customized portfolios using MAPs for individual clients and integration into advisors‚ fee-based client relationships.

Additional information is available at www.standardandpoors.com.

Manulife Expands 401(k) Line

Boston-based Manulife Financial has introduced Manulife Retirement Select, a 401(k) product with mutual fund alternatives.

Manulife Retirement Select offers 53 mutual funds from many managers. American Funds, AIM Capital Management, Davis Advisors, Pimco, Fidelity and T. Rowe Price are among the managers participating.

The program also includes lifestyle portfolios and personal brokerage accounts through State Street Brokerage.