Aston Announces It Will Launch A New Fund Managed by Eric Cinnamond of River Road Asset Management

CHICAGO, Dec. 14, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Aston Asset Management, LP (Aston) is pleased to announce that it will partner with River Road Asset Management (River Road) and that Aston Funds has filed the initial registration of a new mutual fund, the Aston/River Road Independent Value Fund.  The Fund is expected to launch on or about December 31, 2010.

Aston/River Road Independent Value Fund's portfolio manager is Eric Cinnamond, Vice President and Portfolio Manager at River Road.  Mr. Cinnamond currently leads the "Independent Value" separate account investment strategy at River Road.  His investment approach is opportunistic.

The Aston/River Road Independent Value Fund will follow the same stock-selection approach that Mr. Cinnamond employs in his separately managed accounts strategy. The Fund's investment objective seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation. The Aston/River Road Independent Value Fund will invest in common stocks and other equity securities of smaller-cap companies that the portfolio manager believes are undervalued.

"River Road has a proven record of delivering value-oriented equity strategies," said Stuart D. Bilton, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Aston.  "We are very pleased that Eric Cinnamond will be the Portfolio Manager for this new fund. For many years, we have closely followed Eric's investment approach and results and he will be implementing the same strategy for River Road and the Aston Funds. We are confident that the new fund will be a strong addition to the Aston family."

"Our well-established relationship with the Aston Funds extends back many years," said R. Andrew Beck, President and co-founder of River Road.  "We are excited to partner with Aston once again through the Aston/River Road Independent Value Fund."

River Road's Mr. Cinnamond has more than 17 years of investment experience. Prior to joining River Road, he served as lead Portfolio Manager for Intrepid Capital Management's ("Intrepid") Small Cap strategy.  Mr. Cinnamond has earned significant professional recognition over the years including being named MarketWatch's 2008 Stockpicker of the Year.  Mr. Cinnamond left Intrepid to join River Road in September 2010.

"River Road adheres to a proven philosophy of pursuing absolute value in order to provide attractive and sustainable returns over the longer-term," said Mr. Cinnamond.  "We look forward to offering our Independent Value strategy to Aston's investors and delivering the same disciplined investment approach that has been time-tested through the years."

Aston will act as the investment adviser to the Fund, while River Road will act as subadviser and will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. River Road is an institutional asset management firm based in Louisville, KY, specializing in value-oriented equity investments.

To request more information contact Amiee Watts at (973) 784-0025 or [email protected].

About Aston Asset Management, LP

Aston Asset Management, LP, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, is a diversified institutional investment management firm. Aston offers investment management services to the mutual fund and separately managed account markets. Aston is the advisor to twenty-four mutual funds with total net assets of approximately $7.9 billion as of November 26, 2010.  For more information on the funds managed by Aston please call 800-597-9704.

Note: Small-cap stocks are considered riskier than large-cap stocks due to greater potential volatility and less liquidity. Value investing often involves buying the stocks of companies that are currently out of favor that may decline further.

The information contained in this press release and in the preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed.  A post-effective amendment to the registration statement with respect to the securities of the Aston/River Road Independent Value Fund has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission but is not yet effective.   No securities of the Fund may be sold until the post-effective amendment with respect to the securities is effective.  This press release or the preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not a solicitation of an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction in where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Aston/River Road Independent Value Fund carefully before investing. Please call 800 597-9704 for a preliminary prospectus which contains this and other information about the Fund. Read it carefully before you invest or send money. Aston Funds are distributed by BNY Mellon Distributors Inc.

SOURCE Aston Asset Management, LP