EXCHANGE-
TRADED FUNDS Since they
by Michael Creasman, CFP
were introduced to the U.S. mar- ket 17 years ago, “exchange-trad- ed funds” (ETFs)
have arguably become the most suc- cessful new trading product of recent years. U.S. investors hold assets in ETFs that have tripled over the past five years to $793 billion. So, what are they? To put it simply, ETFs are mu- tual funds that trade on exchanges the same way that stocks do. Tey combine the diversification of
a mutual fund with the trading flex- ibility of a stock. Tese characteristics not only make ETFs very appealing to short-term traders, they provide convenience and flexibility to the aver- age investor. Because nearly all ETFs are index funds, they also avoid the expense normally required to pay ana- lysts and fund managers.
HINT: Exchange-traded funds en-
able average investors to gain access to exotic securities that are otherwise dif- ficult to obtain.
Many people think that financial
planning is a once-and-done event that starts with numbers and ends with investments and pie charts. At CREASMAN 401(k) PLAN ADVI- SOR, INC., we consider financial planning an ongoing process to man- age all areas of your financial life. We specialize in providing complete financial services to middle-income individuals and families. No one is turned away because we feel strongly that everyone can benefit from sound, thoughtful financial advice. Our per- sonalized financial plans evolve as your life evolves. Please call us at 828-253- 7231 to schedule a consultation. We are located at 1328F Patton Ave.
www.creasmanfp.com
Beech Picking a lifelong passion
By Matt Tate In film critic circles, Arthur
Penn’s 1967 film “Bonnie and Clyde” is recognized for inspiring a new post-classical wave of Ameri- can filmmaking. For Beech resident Bob Ander-
son, the film inspired a new pas- sion. And no, it’s not bank robbery. Te Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs
song “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” is a landmark work in the bluegrass genre and its incorporation into the film’s soundtrack egged on Ander- son’s reverence for banjos. Forty-three years later, he is mak-
ing one-of-a-kind, scrupulously in- tricate handmade banjos with his business RM Anderson Banjos. While a student at Kent State
A closeup look at one of Anderson’s banjos.
Bob Anderson has been honing his craft for nearly four decades.
University, Anderson knew of a professor, Doug Unger, who shared a similar appreciation of banjos. Unlike Scruggs, who is known
as being a more progressive blue- grass musician, Unger liked the clawhammer style of banjo picking, reminiscent of what is found in old- time string bands. Tese banjos are distinctive for their hollow backs. “So I totally gave myself over to
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old-time tradition,” Anderson said. He began making banjos in 1973
as a part-time gig for friends and such. In 1976, he made a banjo commemorating the bicentennial. As luck would have it, Anderson
acquired a grant in 1999 to study under Unger and learn his approach to making banjos. “And I’ve been busy ever since,”
he said. Te part-time gig morphed into
a business for Anderson that has taken him throughout the United States and even into Japan. Te custom-made works, com-
plete with elegant mother of pearl and sea snail inlay designs on the neck, can take Anderson anywhere from 100-400 man hours. For more on Anderson’s banjos, go to
rmandersonbanjos.com.
6 THE TRIBUNE/LEADER - September 16 - September 22, 2010
Japanese clients of Anderson marvel at his work.
www.weavervilletribune.com
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