Marathon Man

Across America, scores of municipal pension funds remain scandalously underfunded. But not the pension fund of Tampa’s police and firemen, thanks in large part to JAY BOWEN, whose no-frills approach to stock picking has protected and served them for more than 45 years.

- Jason Bisnoff

Harold J. Bowen III has competed in so many triathlons he has lost count. At age 59, he’s training for his twelfth Escape from Alcatraz race, which means that next June he will swim 1.5 miles across San Francisco Bay, ride a bike 18 miles to Golden Gate Park and run eight miles to Marina Green. Bowen describes his endurance-sports obsession as a “productive addiction,” because many years ago he realized that exercise would help him combat his attention deficit disorder.

“I will keep at it as long as I’m walking,” insists Bowen, lean and tall with a slight Southern accent.

As the sole asset manager of Tampa, Florida’s fire fighters’ and police officers’ $2.7 billion pension fund, Bowen has staked his success on focus and stamina. His firm—Bowen, Hanes & Company— is not only the first responders’ sole asset manager, but the pension fund makes up nearly 80% of the Atlanta money manager’s $3.5 billion in assets.