A longtime mutual fund industry-focused public relations and marketing specialist is setting out on his own.

MFWire has learned that Dan Sondhelm recently founded Alexandria, Virginia-based Sondhelm Partners,. Sondhelm previously spent 21 years at nearby SunStar Strategic, a PR and marketing agency focused on supporting asset managers (and other financial services and renewable energy companies). And fellow SunStar veteran Seuk Kim is working with Sondhelm, leading public relations for the new shop.

Dan Sondhelm Sondhelm Partners Chief Executive Officer

Kim, who served as a vice president and partner at SunStar, declined to comment.

Sondhelm tells MFWire that he aims to help "name brand and emerging managers grow, often in an integrated way," through strategies like differentiated stories, thought leadership, and more. He sees big industry shifts when it comes to competition, distribution, and "ongoing visibility and engagement with prospects."

Today, despite these shifts, there are firms with strong stories and a commitment to growth. They believe people, products, and strategies are as good as the industry leaders. I've noticed that while most firms have a disciplined and repeatable process on the investment side of their business, they often don't have similar consistency on the distribution and marketing side.

Sondhelm adds that he is "also partnering with other proven, industry marketing and distribution veterans," folks that he and Kim have "known and respected for years."

Kathryn Morrison, president and CEO of SunStar, confirms that the SunStar team is still working together with Sondhelm on mutual clients. Sondhelm had been a senior vice president and senior partner at SunStar.

"We have a partnership," Morrison tells MFWire. "He still provides all the services to our clients that he has in the past. He's still doing market development for us."

Sondhelm praises Morrison as "excellent on industry issues and the rest of the [SunStar] team is as experienced as they get."

"I have strong business and personal relationships with clients," Sondhelm says. "I will continue to support their growth through strategic services through a consulting agreement with SunStar."

Sondhelm is alumnus of American University's Kogod School of Business. He first joined SunStar in 1995 and is a frequent speaker on the mutual fund industry conference circuit.

Kim, too, is an alumnus of American University's Kogod School of Business, and he is also an alumnus of George Mason University. He previously served as a financial planner with AXA and first joined SunStar in 2005. 

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