MORN Morningstar Inc

TORONTO, Dec. 1 /CNW/ -- Annual awards recognize leaders in the Canadian financial services industry TORONTO, Dec. 1 /CNW/ - Morningstar (Nasdaq: MORN), has announced the winners of the Morningstar Canadian Investment Awards. Tonight's ceremony, held at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, marked the 16th edition of Canada's premier annual awards event for investment products. Morningstar acquired the Canadian Investment Awards and Gala in 2009. With CBC's Peter Mansbridge as Master of Ceremonies and more than 500 guests in attendance, the evening honoured companies and individuals that have made a difference in the lives of investors through superior investment products, service, and education. The awards recognize superior leadership in the investment industry and represent Canada's wide range of investment products, including mutual funds, pooled funds, and hedge funds. Additional awards recognize outstanding individual managers, career achievement, technology, discount brokerage, and marketing. The awards were determined by panels of industry experts. The focus was on longer-term track records, as opposed to simply awarding the best performers over the past year. This year, Morningstar partnered with MusiCounts, the Canadian music-education charity associated with The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the organization behind the nationally televised JUNO Awards. MusiCounts' mission is to provide students with access to comprehensive music programs in Canadian schools. Proceeds from submissions-based awards were donated to MusiCounts at the award ceremony. The award winners include: Morningstar Equity Fund Manager of the Year Award Winner: Jim Hall, Chairman and Director of Research, Mawer Investment Management Ltd., Calgary, Alberta "Jim Hall's track record, not only over the past year but over the long haul is outstanding," said David O'Leary, director of fund analysis for Morningstar Canada. "While we looked primarily at Mawer Canadian Equity to evaluate his performance, he is responsible for building a lot of the research processes across all of the Mawer funds. His effective risk management is evidenced by how he did through the downturn and the ensuing rally." Morningstar Fixed Income Fund Manager of the Year Award Winner: TD Asset Management Fixed Income Team, TD Asset Management Inc. "We like that the team has a rigorous, disciplined, and methodical approach to fixed- income investing," O'Leary said. "The managers have strong systems in place to evaluate the risk in their funds, and they carefully monitor it. We think they have a repeatable process, which is reflected in their strong long-term performance." Morningstar Fund Manager of the Decade Award Winner: Eric Bushell, Senior Vice-President, Portfolio Management and Chief Investment Officer of Signature Global Advisors, a division of CI Investments Inc. "Eric Bushell was the Morningstar Equity Fund Manager of the Year in 2009," O'Leary said. "When you look over 10 years, he has been a very consistent performer and has done a great job managing risk. He has also been responsible for the architecture of a strong, credible team that manages more than $24 billion in total assets across the Signature line of funds. In any given year, you might overlook him, but when you look over the long term, he has outperformed the overwhelming majority of his competitors." Analysts' Choice Investment Fund Company of the Year Award Winner: Dynamic Funds Silver: CI Investments Inc. Bronze: RBC Global Asset Management Inc. This award is chosen by the Investment Fund Analyst Committee, which includes analysts from across the industry and Morningstar. The criteria include performance, risk management, breadth of offerings, investor and advisor education, fund governance, and communication to investors. Advisors' Choice Investment Fund Company of the Year Award Winner: Dynamic Funds This award is voted on by Canadian advisors. Mutual fund, hedge fund or other investment fund companies qualify. Advisors consider quality and range of products, performance, fees, service, education, community investment, and management. Career Achievement Award Winner: John W. Kellett Kellett was honoured for his more than four decades of distinguished service in the investment industry. Currently with Scotia Asset Management L.P., he was a long-time employee of the RBC organization and a founding partner of what now is Royal Bank Investment Management. His award also reflects his many community service activities. Mutual Fund Award Winners Best Asian Equity Fund Winner: Dynamic Far East Value, Dynamic Funds Silver: BMO Guardian Asian Growth & Income, BMO Investments Inc. Bronze: Fidelity Far East, Fidelity Investments Canada ULC Best Canadian Balanced Fund Winner: TD Monthly Income, TD Mutual Funds Silver: RBC Monthly Income, RBC Global Asset Management Inc. Bronze: Dynamic Dividend Income, Dynamic Funds Best Canadian Dividend & Income Equity Fund Winner: Dynamic Dividend, Dynamic Funds Silver: CI Signature Dividend, CI Investments Inc. Bronze: Bissett Canadian Dividend, Franklin Templeton Investments Corporation Best Canadian Equity Fund Winner: Dynamic Value Fund of Canada, Dynamic Funds Silver/Tie: Beutel Goodman Canadian Equity, Beutel Goodman & Company Ltd. and Fidelity Canadian Disciplined Equity, Fidelity Investments Canada ULC Best Canadian Fixed Income Fund Winner: TD Canadian Bond, TD Mutual Funds Silver: PH&N Bond, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management Ltd. Bronze: Beutel Goodman Income, Beutel Goodman & Company Ltd. Best Canadian Small/Mid Cap Equity Fund Winner: Dynamic Small Business, Dynamic Funds Silver: Beutel Goodman Small Cap, Beutel Goodman & Company Ltd. Bronze: BMO Guardian Enterprise, BMO Investments Inc. Best Emerging Markets Equity Fund Winner: AGF Emerging Markets, AGF Funds Inc. Silver: Brandes Emerging Markets Equity, Brandes Investment Partners & Company Bronze: Desjardins Emerging Markets, Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec Best European Equity Fund Winner: Mackenzie Ivy European, Mackenzie Financial Corporation Silver: Invesco European Grown, Invesco Trimark Ltd. Bronze: TD European Growth, TD Mutual Funds Best Global Balanced Fund Winner: CI Signature High Income, CI Investments Inc. Silver: Dynamic Value Balanced, Dynamic Funds Bronze: Mawer Canadian Balanced RSP, Mawer Investment Management Ltd. Best Global Equity Fund Winner: Dynamic Power Global Growth, Dynamic Funds Silver: Hartford Global Leaders, Hartford Investments Canada Corporation Bronze: Mackenzie Ivy Foreign Equity, Mackenzie Financial Corporation Best Global Fixed Income Fund Winner: Templeton Global Bond, Franklin Templeton Investments Corporation Silver: BMO Guardian Global Bond, BMO Investments Inc. Bronze/Tie: Manulife Strategic Income, Manulife Mutual Funds and RBC Global Bond, RBC Global Asset Management Inc. Best Global Small/Mid Cap Equity Fund Winner: Mackenzie Cundill Recovery, Mackenzie Financial Corporation Silver: Chou Associates, Chou Associates Management Inc. Bronze: Templeton Global Smaller Companies, Franklin Templeton Investment Corporation Best Healthcare Equity Fund Winner: TD Health Sciences, TD Mutual Funds Silver: CI Global Health Sciences, CI Investments Inc. Bronze: RBC Global Health Sciences, RBC Global Asset Management Inc. Best High Yield Fixed Income Fund Winner: RBC Global High Yield, RBC Global Asset Management Inc. Silver: Fidelity American High Yield, Fidelity Investments Canada Ltd. Bronze: AGF Canadian High Yield Bond, AGF Funds Inc. Best International Equity Fund Winner: Invesco International Growth, Invesco Trimark Ltd. Silver: Renaissance International Equity, CIBC Asset Management Inc. Bronze: Mackenzie Universal International Stock, Mackenzie Financial Corporation Best Natural Resources Equity Fund Winner: Dynamic Focus+ Resource, Dynamic Funds Silver: CI Signature Canadian Resource, CI Investments Inc. Bronze: Front Street Special Opportunities, Front Street Capital Best Precious Metals Equity Fund Winner: Sentry Precious Metals Growth, Sentry Select Capital Corporation Silver: Dynamic Precious Metals, Dynamic Funds Bronze: RBC Global Precious Metals, RBC Global Asset Management Inc. Best Science and Technology Equity Fund Winner: CI Global Science & Technology, CI Investments Inc. Silver: BMO Guardian Global Technology, BMO Investments Inc. Bronze: Mackenzie Universal Technology, Mackenzie Financial Corporation Best US Equity Fund Winner: Dynamic American Value, Dynamic Funds Silver: Dynamic Power American Growth, Dynamic Funds Bronze: CI American Value, CI Investments Inc. Best US Small/Mid Cap Equity Fund Winner: Mackenzie Universal American Growth, Mackenzie Financial Corporation Silver: Mackenzie Universal US Emerging Growth, Mackenzie Financial Corporation Bronze: TD US Mid-Cap Growth, TD Mutual Funds Pooled Fund Award Winners Best Canadian Balanced Pooled Fund Winner: QV Canadian Balanced, QV Investors Inc. Silver: Beutel Goodman Balanced, Beutel Goodman & Company Ltd. Bronze: Fidelity Canadian Balanced, Fidelity Investments Canada Ltd. Best Canadian Equity Pooled Fund Winner: Mawer Canadian Equity, Mawer Investment Management Ltd. Silver: Goodman Canadian Equity Value, Goodman & Company Investment Counsel Ltd. Bronze: Beutel Goodman Canadian Equity, Beutel Goodman & Company Ltd. Best Canadian Income Pooled Fund Winner: Beutel Goodman Income, Beutel Goodman & Company Ltd. Silver: Baker Gilmore Bond, Connor Clark & Lunn Financial Group Bronze: PIMCO Canada Canadian CorePLUS Bond, PIMCO LLC Best Canadian Small/Mid Cap Pooled Fund Winner: Beutel Goodman Small Cap, Beutel Goodman & Company Ltd. Silver: Burgundy Canadian Small Cap, Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. Bronze: CC&L Canadian Small Cap, Connor Clark & Lunn Financial Group Best Global Balanced Pooled Fund Winner: Mawer Canadian Diversified Investment, Mawer Investment Management Ltd. Silver: Burgundy Partners Balanced RSP, Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. Bronze: Leith Wheeler Balanced, Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel Ltd. Best Global Equity Pooled Fund Winner: Hexavest World, Hexavest Asset Management Silver: Burgundy Partners Global, Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. Bronze: Sprucegrove Global Equity, Sprucegrove Investment Management Ltd. Best International Equity Pooled Fund Winner: Mawer World Investment, Mawer Investment Management Ltd. Silver: Hexavest Europac, Hexavest Asset Management Bronze: Burgundy EAFE, Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. Best US Equity Pooled Fund Winner: Hexavest US, Hexavest Asset Management Silver: Beutel Goodman American Equity, Beutel Goodman & Company Ltd. Bronze: CI American Value, CI Investments Inc. Hedge Fund Award Winners Best Multi-Strategy/Fund of Funds Hedge Fund Winner: North Pole Multi-Strategy Class, Polar Securities Inc. Silver: Spartan Multi-Strategy Fund, Spartan Fund Management Inc. Best Opportunistic Hedge Fund Winner: PH&N Absolute Return, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management Ltd. Silver: Friedberg Global Macro Hedge Fund Ltd., Friedberg Mercantile Group Ltd. Bronze: Di Tomasso Equilibrium Fund, Di Tomasso Group Inc. Best Relative Value Hedge Fund Winner: Sentry Select Market Neutral LP, Sentry Select Investments Inc. Silver: Picton Mahoney Market Neutral Equity, Picton Mahoney Asset Management Bronze: Altairis Long/Short Class, Polar Securities Inc. Submissions/Industry-based Awards Investor Education Award, sponsored by Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC) Winner: Your Retirement Briefcase, National Bank Financial Group Silver: BMO Guardian Registered Disability Savings Plan, BMO Mutual Funds Best Marketing Campaign Winner: "It's time to get Dynamic," Dynamic Funds Silver: 300 Billion Reasons to Talk Russell Investments, Russell Investments Canada Ltd. Bronze: Manulife Yield Opportunities Fund launch, Manulife Mutual Funds Best Use of Technology Winner: IFDS Touch Screen Classification, International Financial Data Services - Canada Silver: Qtrade MobileWeb, Qtrade Financial Group Best Discount Brokerage Winner: Qtrade Financial Group Silver: TD Waterhouse, TD Wealth Management Bronze/Tie: Credential Direct and RBC Direct Investing Morningstar Best ETF Initiative Winner: BMO Exchange Traded Funds Launch, BMO Asset Management Inc. Silver: Horizons BetaPro S&P/TSX 60 ETF Launch, BetaPro Management Inc. About Morningstar and Morningstar Research Inc. Morningstar Research Inc. is a Canadian subsidiary of Chicago-based Morningstar, Inc., a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Morningstar offers an extensive line of Internet, software, and print-based products and services for individuals, financial advisors, and institutions. Morningstar provides data on approximately 360,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles, along with real-time global market data on more than 4 million equities, indexes, futures, options, commodities, and precious metals, in addition to foreign exchange and Treasury markets. The company has operations in 21 countries. ©2010 Morningstar. All Rights Reserved. pMedia Contacts:br/ Isabell Grygianiec, +1 416 484-7868 or a href="mailto:isabell.grygianiec@morningstar.com"isabell.grygianiec@morningstar.com/abr/ Christian Charest, +1 416 484-7817 or a href="mailto:christian.charest@morningstar.com"christian.charest@morningstar.com/a/p

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