Speech by Edward Siedle at Sage Advisory Services 'Perspectives on the Future' conference, Austin, Texas, September 2009. Excerpt: For decades, the advice investors got from Wall Street was hardly independent and the products marketed were generally high cost, as well as poor performing. This massive transfer of assets to brokers and money managers was good for them; not so good for investors. The investigations my firm has undertaken on behalf of institutional investors over the years reveal that when you scrutinize financial products and services and identify conflicts of interest and hidden financial dealings, you can predict poor performance. We've investigated investment consultants; 401k, 403b and 457 defined contribution plans; variable annuities; hedge funds and funds of funds and funds of funds of funds.  MORE >>