March 17, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GuideStone trustees receive updates
By Timothy E. Head
DALLAS — Drawing from Joshua 6:1–20, which tells of the Israelites’ conquest of Jericho, GuideStone Financial Resources President O.S. Hawkins told trustees, “We are challenging our employees to see 2015 as a ‘Year of Efficiency’ as we look for ways to do what we do efficiently and with excellence.”
GuideStone trustees met March 2–3 in Dallas.
Trustees also heard reports from Chief Operating Officer John R. Jones and from the executive officers of GuideStone.
In remarks to trustees, Hawkins emphasized that the people of Israel were given three primary tasks by God during their march around Jericho: Watch, Be Perceptive; Walk, Be Persistent; Wait, Be Patient.
“Sometimes, people want to use effectiveness and efficiency interchangeably,” Hawkins said. “In fact, they are different. Effectiveness is important; it speaks to the ability to achieve our objectives. But efficiency is different; it speaks to the ability to achieve our objectives with minimal time and resources. We want to be effective in our work amid all the new opportunities we have at our doorstep, but we must be efficient with the resources we have.”
Each year, Hawkins develops a theme that helps guide GuideStone’s work during the calendar year.
Jones updated trustees on the program areas of GuideStone, including investments, retirement, financial assistance and development initiatives.
Investments
“We wrapped up a phenomenal year in 2014,” Jones told trustees. “Total GuideStone assets ended the year at another all-time peak of $13 billion.”
Jones said that 2014 was a challenging year for actively managed investments, like those offered by GuideStone Funds, but ratings agencies continued to give GuideStone high marks. Ratings firm fi360 ranked GuideStone Funds 46 of 241 mutual fund families, putting it in the top 20% of all mutual fund companies for the 16th straight quarter — four consecutive years. By comparison, only six other mutual fund companies have been able to achieve that level of recognition.
Additionally, Jones reminded trustees that 2014 marked the third year that GuideStone was honored by the Lipper Fund Awards. GuideStone Funds was honored in 2012, ranked No. 1 out of 182 fund families with assets up to $40 billion as the Best Overall Small Fund Group in the U.S., for its performance over the three-year period ending November 30, 2011. In 2013, the MyDestination 2025 Fund was ranked No. 1 out of 92 similar funds for its performance over the three-year period ending November 30, 2012. In 2014, the Extended-Duration Bond Fund was ranked No. 1 out of more than 50 eligible funds as it was honored as the Best Fund Over 3 Years and the Best Fund Over 5 Years in the Corporate Debt A-Rated Funds category for its performance ending November 30, 2013.
Retirement
Moving to GuideStone’s retirement business, Jones indicated that retirement contributions were up 10.7% from 2013.
“The expanded ministry opportunity set continues to fuel the majority of our growth,” Jones said, “but we continue to see significant growth in our Southern Baptist business, as well.”
Total participation in the retirement plan was up 3.5% from 2013.
Property and Casualty
GuideStone Property and Casualty ended with new bound premium of $3.9 million and $11.4 million in renewal business. GuideStone renewed almost 100% of its existing business and had a close rate of 47% of new business.
“The close rate reflects a much higher close rate or win ratio than the industry as a whole, which is around 25%,” Jones said. “It is indicative that the market has gotten much more competitive in Texas and Alabama, where we have our agencies for Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company.”
Mission:Dignity
Calling 2014 a banner year for Mission:Dignity, Jones reported almost 1,800 new donors. Gifts grew by almost 15%. In December, more than a million dollars was given for the first time to the ministry that provides financial assistance to retired pastors and their widows. The ministry is provided through gifts of individuals, Sunday school classes, churches and, increasingly, through estate gifts, Jones said. No Cooperative Program funding is used for Mission:Dignity.
Information concerning Mission:Dignity may be requested by calling GuideStone at 1-888-98-GUIDE (1-888-984-8433) or by visiting .
GuideStone Funds available to church members
John Raymond, Chief Business and Marketing Officer, reported to trustees about the ongoing efforts to market the GuideStone Funds to investors, with a target of Southern Baptist and other evangelical church members. Between May 1 and December 31, 792 new accounts totaling $35.5 million in assets were opened. Five accounts totaled more than $1 million in assets and 92 accounts included more than $100,000 in assets.
Marketing and public relations efforts continue, including ads in print and online publications and local radio stations. Media interviews with targeted financial publications are ongoing, as well as event marketing. To help spread the news about GuideStone investment opportunities, new social media channels have been launched. To learn more about all of GuideStone’s presence on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Google+, visit .
Additionally, Raymond announced that investors who prefer to work through established financial advisor relationships are able to do so. GuideStone Funds are available on major platforms where advisors access funds for their clients’ investing needs.
Trustees honor executive retirees
Trustees honored Rodney R. Miller, longtime GuideStone general counsel, and Rodric E. Cummins, longtime GuideStone Chief Investment Officer, upon their respective retirements. Both will continue to consult with GuideStone over the coming months.
Additionally, Matt L. Peden, a 19-year veteran of GuideStone Capital Management, LLC, who has served closely with Cummins in developing and overseeing GuideStone’s investment process, was elected Chief Investment Officer.
Also during the meeting, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Billinger announced his retirement, effective in March 2016. Trustees elected Kim Walthall, currently Chief Services and Operations Officer, to fill the role of Chief Financial Officer. She will oversee a combined division of Financial Services and Operations.
At the Monday evening dinner, Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd spoke to the trustees about calling the Convention to prayer during the upcoming annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio. Also, trustees honored trustees Danny H. Coker Sr. (Arizona), Joseph D. Fail (Mississippi) and Thomas A. Seel (Indiana), whose terms of service end in June.
Trustees meet again in July in Nashville.
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You should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the GuideStone Funds before investing. A prospectus with this and other information about the Funds may be obtained by calling 1-888-GS-FUNDS (1-888-473-8637) or downloading one at . It should be read carefully before investing.
Retail investment products are made available through GuideStone Financial Services, member FINRA. GuideStone Funds shares are distributed by Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, not an advisor affiliate.
The performance data quoted represents past performance and does not guarantee future results. Current performance may be lower or higher. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained at . The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Returns exceeding 20% reflect unusual market conditions and may not be sustained at this level over the long term.
About Lipper
Lipper, a Thomson Reuters company, provides independent insight on global collective investments including mutual funds, retirement funds, hedge funds, fund fees and expenses to the asset management and media communities. Lipper is the world’s leading fund research and analysis organization, covering over 231,000 share classes and over 122,000 funds in 61 registered for sale (RFS) universes. It provides the free Lipper Leader ratings for mutual funds registered for sale in over 30 countries. Additional information is available at .
About the 2014 Corporate Debt A-Rated Funds Award (three year): The GuideStone Extended-Duration Bond Fund-GS2 won for the three-year period ending November 30, 2013. 57 funds were eligible for this award.
About the 2014 Corporate Debt A-Rated Funds Award (five year): The GuideStone Extended-Duration Bond Fund-GS2 won for the five-year period ending November 30, 2013. 51 funds were eligible for this award.
About the 2013 Mixed-Asset Target 2025 Funds Award (three-year): Classification averages are calculated with all eligible share classes for each eligible classification. The calculation periods extend over 36, 60 and 120 months. The highest Lipper Leader for Consistent Return (Effective Return) value within each eligible classification determines the fund classification winner over three, five or 10 years. The GuideStone MyDestination 2025 Fund-GS4 won for the three-year period ending November 30, 2012. 92 funds were eligible for this award.
About the 2012 Best Overall Small Company Lipper Award: Fund groups with at least three equity, three bond and three mixed-asset classes are eligible for a group award. The lowest average decile rank of the three years’ Consistent Return measure of the eligible funds per asset class and group will determine the award winner over the three-year period ending November 30, 2011. In cases of identical results, the lower average percentile rank will determine the winner. 182 firms were eligible for this award.
The fi360 Fiduciary Score® is a peer percentile ranking of an investment against a set of quantitative due diligence criteria selected to reflect prudent fiduciary management. The criteria include total returns, risk-adjusted returns, expenses and other portfolio statistics. Investments are ranked according to their ability to meet due diligence criteria every calendar quarter. The rank becomes the fi360 Fiduciary Score (Quarter). The fi360 Fiduciary Score represents a suggested course of action and is not intended, nor should it be used, as the sole source of information for reaching an investment decision. Visit fi360.com/fi360-Fiduciary-Score for the complete methodology document.
For confidential internal use only per GuideStone's Confidentiality Policies.
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Timothy E. Head is executive officer for denominational and public relations services at GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Media Contact — Tim Head, Executive Officer for Denominational and Public Relations Services,GuideStone Financial Resources, SBC. Contact Mr. Head via email, , or telephone at (214) 720-4706.