BOSTON, March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Evergreen Investments announced today that Robert Junkin has been named managing director and lead portfolio manager of Evergreen Health Care Fund (EHABX) and related sub-advisory accounts. Based in Boston, Junkin joins the firm today and reports to Joseph DeSantis, chief investment officer of Evergreen's Fundamental Equity group.
Junkin will succeed Walter McCormick, who has been acting as interim portfolio manager on the Fund. To ensure a smooth transition, McCormick will co-manage the health care strategies until Junkin assumes lead portfolio management responsibilities, effective April 2, 2007. At that time, McCormick will continue in his role as head of Evergreen's Large Cap Value and Core Equity group and senior portfolio manager.
"Robert brings an incredible breadth of knowledge about the health care industry and has a strong track record in managing health care portfolios," said DeSantis. "His commitment to fundamental research is supported by a disciplined, bottom-up approach in searching for new product and service opportunities in the health care industry. This process has delivered consistent performance when compared with health care benchmarks and peers over the past several years."
Junkin brings more than 19 years industry experience, including 14 spent as a health care analyst or portfolio manager. Junkin joins the firm after four years with John Hancock Financial Services, where he most recently served as lead portfolio manager of John Hancock Health Sciences Fund and co-manager of John Hancock Large Cap Equity Fund. From 1997 through 2002, Junkin served in a number of positions at Pioneer Investments, including as a senior analyst responsible for healthcare, technology and energy coverage; co-manager of Pioneer Science & Technology Fund; co-manager of Pioneer Growth Shares Fund; and sector leader for five global technology analysts.
About Evergreen Investments
Evergreen Investments is the brand name under which Wachovia Corporation conducts its investment management business. Wachovia Global Asset Management is the brand name under which Evergreen Investments conducts sales and distribution business outside of the United States. Combined, the groups serve more than four million individual and institutional investors through a broad range of investment products. Led by 300 investment professionals, Evergreen Investments strives to meet client investment objectives through disciplined, team-based asset management. Evergreen Investments manages more than $273 billion in assets (as of December 31, 2006). Please visit http://evergreeninvestments.com/ for more information about Evergreen Investments.
