We place the utmost importance on achieving the proactive calculation and minimization of risk. This includes the ongoing calculation and evaluation of the risks of specific investments, the overall economy, and the impact of risk upon every portfolio on a technical and fundamental basis. The goal of our approach is to strive to capture as much of the upside as possible when conditions are right and preserve investments in the downturns.Our strategy relies on three critical components:* Discipline – We integrate Merrill's quantitative, rules-driven approach to determine equity, real asset, and fixed income weightings. We do not act on emotion.* Risk Management – We have a systematic "exit strategy" to reduce risk exposure under extreme market circumstances. Risk management is our primary goal.* Transparency – We have a clear understanding of our holdings, including how each performs in up markets, and more importantly, in down markets.