The Four Corners investment team has extensive experience in asset management, banking and finance, and accounting. The members of the investment team have an average of over 13 years of credit experience. We also have experienced professionals devoted to compliance, loan operations and accounting, information technology, and distribution.

Managing Principals

Robert I. Bernstein, CFA, Chief Investment Officer

Mr. Bernstein is the Chief Investment Officer and is responsible for managing the firm's investment process. He has over 17 years of experience in leveraged finance including senior secured loans, high-yield bonds and private equity investments.

Mr. Bernstein was a partner of The Yucaipa Companies, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm, where he completed M&A transactions and leveraged financings valued in excess of $4 billion. Previously, Mr. Bernstein was a Vice President in Bankers Trust’s leveraged finance group, where he arranged senior loan and high yield bond financings for financial sponsors and corporate issuers. He also worked in GE Capital’s restructuring group, where he focused primarily on asset-based loans to distressed borrowers.

Mr. Bernstein received an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago and a BBA in Finance magna cum laude from Hofstra University. He has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. Mr. Bernstein also served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Andrew S. Cooney, Managing Director and Product Management

Mr. Cooney's responsiblities include structuring and negotiating the firm's investment products as well as product management. He has over 20 years of experience in banking, asset management and finance.

Mr. Cooney joined the firm from First Union Securities, Inc. (predecessor to Wachovia Corp.) where he founded and ran the Emerging Assets Securitization Group. The group was responsible for the securitization of various assets classes including Collateralized Debt Obligations (CDOs). Prior to First Union, Mr. Cooney was a Managing Director in the structured finance group at Bank of America, where he focused on emerging asset classes and non-standard forms of securitization. Mr. Cooney was also chief financial officer of an automobile finance company.

Mr. Cooney received an MBA from the Babcock Graduate School of Management at Wake Forest University and a BS in Business Administration from Washington and Lee University.

Key Senior Professionals

Kevin Akioka, CFA, SVP, Portfolio Manager

Mr. Akioka’s responsibilities include managing high yield bond allocations and credit derivative positions. Mr. Akioka has over 15 years of high yield and corporate credit experience.

Mr. Akioka joined the firm from Payden & Rygel, where he was a Principal. At Payden & Rygel, he managed over $2 billion in High Yield assets, including the Payden High Income Fund from its inception in December 1997 through December 2006. Previously, Mr. Akioka was a corporate bond analyst at Merrill Lynch and Salomon Brothers specializing in banks and finance companies.

Mr. Akioka received his MBA from New York University and a BA in Economics and Psychology from the University of California, Irvine. He has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

Kenneth P. Barkauskas, SVP, Marketing and Client Service

Mr. Barkauskas is responsible for marketing and client service activities. He has over 30 years of experience. Prior to joining the firm he was a Division Director at Macquarie Corporate Finance (U.S.) (“MCF”), which he joined in 1999. At MCF, Mr. Barkauskas was responsible for originating and advising on a range of corporate finance transactions, including non-recourse debt financings, sell-side M&A assignments and structured financings.

Before joining Macquarie, Mr. Barkauskas was a Principal at Fieldstone Private Capital Group, a private investment banking boutique specializing in raising capital for below-investment grade issuers and highly structured transactions. Prior to Fieldstone, Mr. Barkauskas worked at Bankers Trust Company (“BT”) in several different capacities, including originating and executing corporate finance transactions across a broad range of industries. In addition, he was a member of the Structured Sales Group in BT’s loan syndication group.

Mr. Barkauskas received an BA from Princeton University in Economics and an MBA in finance from Columbia University.