NEWS & INSIGHTS  |  IN MEMORIAM

Jim Oelschlager

1942-2024

By Mark Oelschlager, CFA

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Jim Oelschlager, my father, passed away on Sept 29, 2024 after a long battle with Multiple Sclerosis.  I’m hesitant to even put it that way, because he didn’t let the disease hinder him. One could write a book about his remarkable life and all his accomplishments, his acts of kindness, and the impact he had on so many people.  I would like to share a few thoughts.

Jim grew up in Pittsburgh, attended Denison University in Ohio, earned a law degree from Northwestern, and worked in Chicago before landing a job as the portfolio manager of Firestone’s pension fund in Akron, despite having no experience.  He proved to have an unbelievable knack for investing, and the fund flourished under his leadership.  After 15 years there, and despite being diagnosed with MS, he left the security of Firestone and started Oak Associates, where he continued to generate strong returns for many years, and where I was fortunate enough to work with him.  For the thirty-year period between 1970 and 2000, Jim Oelschlager produced investment performance that was simply incredible.

To say I learned a lot from my dad would be a great understatement – and 99% of it had nothing to do with investing.  His philosophy on life and the way he believed one should respond to various situations is ever-present in my mind.  He has had a far greater impact on how I make decisions, whether they be day-to-day or life-shaping ones, than has anyone else.  You are probably familiar with the WWJD acronym (What Would Jesus Do?), but when I’m making decisions, the “J” stands for “Jim.”

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While most of what he passed on was about life, many of the lessons I learned as a kid can be applied to business and investing.  One example: At the peak of the baseball card bubble, when I excitedly told him what some of my cards were “worth” (according to various magazines) he repeatedly reminded me that something is worth only what someone else is willing to pay.

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My father did help shape my approach to investing, but I may have learned even more from him about how to manage a business, which is mainly about how to treat people, whether they be clients, employees or vendors.  One thing that stood out is that he treated each client the same, regardless of the amount invested with the firm.  He received a lot of notoriety for his investment abilities, but his business management skills were just as strong.  We have adopted his playbook in the management of Oelschlager Investments.

Jim was naturally optimistic and, unlike the doomsayers, always thought the world was getting better and would continue to get better, not worse.  He saw the best in people, sometimes to a fault.  His predisposition to positivity led to a willingness to take calculated risks, which was one of the factors in his success.

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If it isn’t optimism, Jim’s defining attribute may be his generosity.  He was not born into wealth, but when he became financially successful later in life, he recognized his good fortune and used it to try to help as many people as possible.  He gained attention for some of his large charitable gifts (he always declined to put his name on a building), but there were countless instances that nobody knew about of him privately helping those in need.

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My father’s crowning achievement is likely the Oak Clinic, a non-profit facility he founded in the Akron-Canton area that provides a wide range of services for MS patients, regardless of their ability to pay.  The care there is life-changing for many people, a good portion of whom were frustrated with the care they had received elsewhere.

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Jim lived with MS for more than 50 years.  In recent years his ability to speak abandoned him almost entirely, and for longer than that he had no use of his hands.  Imagine trying to communicate without being able to talk or type.  This was his existence for years.  Despite all this, incredibly, he never complained about his condition and never lost his will to live.

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All children learn from their father, but I was especially fortunate to be on the receiving end of so much wisdom.  It is because of him that I have the perspective on life that I do, not to mention the education, career, and community that I have.  Thank you, Dad.

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​Best regards,
Mark Oelschlager, CFA
Chief Investment Officer
Oelschlager Investments
mark@oelschlagerinvestments.com

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To determine if a Fund is an appropriate investment for you, carefully consider the Fund's investment objectives, risk factors and charges and expenses before investing. This and other information can be found in the Fund's Prospectus which may be obtained by calling 1-877-593-8637 or visiting our website at www.oelschlagerinvestments.com. Please read it carefully before investing.

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Mutual fund investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

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The Funds are distributed by Ultimus Fund Distributors, LLC (Member FINRA) and are not affiliated with Ultimus Fund Distributors.