Assessing CEOs is an art, not a science.

• Author: Campbell, Kenneth
• Position: THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

From Watch That Rat Hole and Witness the REIT Revolution by Kenneth Campbell. Copyright [c] 2016 by the author. Published by Archway Publishing (www.archwaypublishing, com).

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Understanding the strategic vision and personal risk/reward tolerance of the chief executive officer is crucial to success for any potential security investment. No investment manual or tutorial in my experience ever stresses that personal dimension enough.

My day job has brought me into contact with several hundred company chief executives over the years. Learning the personal risk and reward tolerances of these CEOs, their mix of personal and corporate goals, is an art, not a science. No one individual's judgment is infallible, so I inspect closely what analysts and journalists are saying, all reflected in market trends. If these independent sources differ from my perception, experience teaches me to dig deeper. Looking backward, I see that I failed to appreciate fully the concentrated risks of Gene Phillips and his Southmark Corporation or the fact that...