The fund is co-managed by Maya Bittar, CFA, and Dave Geisler, who collectively bring over 52 years of industry experience and have been managing sustainability-focused accounts since 2018. Maya Bittar has over 35 years in financial services with 28 years as a portfolio manager, including previous roles at Wellington Management and Artisan Partners, and holds multiple degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison including completion of the Applied Security Analysis Program. Dave Geisler joined Madison in 2019 after starting his financial services career in 2004, bringing experience from Lateef Investment Management, Artisan Partners, and Cowen and Company, with academic credentials from UC San Diego and UC Berkeley, plus the Certificate in ESG Investing from the CFA Institute. The management team demonstrates deep expertise in both fundamental equity analysis and sustainable investing principles.

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The Madison Sustainable Equity Strategy integrates sustainability, quality, intensive fundamental research, and valuation to invest in high-quality companies with sustainable growth and strong corporate governance. The strategy follows Madison's 'Participate and Protect®' philosophy, emphasizing participation in market appreciation while seeking to limit downside risk over full market cycles. The team believes that sustainability, starting with governance, is essential to assessing a company's long-term viability and potential for profit, and that high quality sustainable growth companies deliver the highest risk adjusted returns over a full market cycle. The strategy uses a proprietary scoring system for sustainability ratings, investing only in companies rated average or above, while incorporating environmental, social, and governmental principles into the research process.

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