Daruma Asset Management, Inc.

Patty Clarkson — Partner,

Client Service and Consultant Relations

Growing up the daughter of a portfolio manager, I was intrigued by companies that made or sold all sorts of things that most people never even think about: the chair in the dentist’s office, the filters in the air conditioner, the pumps on the fire truck. I spent many hours hearing exciting stories from my father about his discoveries of interesting, under-appreciated companies. An eighth-grade trip to his office complete with a visit to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange sealed the deal. This is what I wanted to do; stockpicking was in my blood.

After graduating from Providence College in 1994 with a BA in economics, I headed for Chase Manhattan’s six-month credit training program, followed by more than four years there in an analysis and lending role. I received tremendous fundamental training, but all the formality and legal issues surrounding credit made me want to plunge in and learn more about the equity side of the world. I met Mariko Gordon in late 1998 and joined Daruma shortly thereafter. (In January of 1999, the same month I started at Daruma, I also started the MBA program at NYU at night. A little crazy, yes, but I work best under pressure. I finished my MBA in finance and economics four years later.)

I spent the next ten years on Daruma’s research team, as a generalist, but spending considerable time covering banks and energy, health care and industrial companies.

In 2009, I stepped into a new role at Daruma, as a liaison between the investment team and our clients and their consultants. I have always valued time spent with clients. Meeting clients face to face invariably reinforces our resolve to put up good numbers. During these visits, we learn firsthand how our investment returns benefit real people. Strong returns may justify a cost of living increase for a retired teacher or fireman, or make it possible for a college to grant more scholarships.

In my new position, I have the opportunity to use my longstanding knowledge of Daruma’s investment process and portfolio to help our clients understand our results. I am still involved in research as the investment professional responsible for performance attribution analysis. My job is to understand where performance is and is not coming from, and help clients understand whether we are over or under-performing for the right or the wrong reasons.

Our People

Mariko Gordon, CFA — Founder, CEO and CIO

Patty Clarkson — Partner, Client Service and Consultant Relations

Neal Tully — Partner and Senior Research Analyst

Brad McGill — Senior Research Analyst

Mort Simpson — Senior Research Analyst

Mark Miller — Senior Research Analyst

Michael Bostler — Research Analyst

Steven Cohen — Trader

Kim Cataudella — Chief Compliance Officer

Naomi Lyum — Business Manager

Rhonda Beaman — Portfolio Administrator

Francesca McGowan — Client Service Representative