By James Langton

(January 3 – 11:40 ET) – AIM Funds Management Inc. has made a slew of portfolio management changes affecting four AIM funds and seven Trimark funds.

On the Trimark Global Balanced Fund, Dana Love, recently promoted to portfolio manager, joins the existing portfolio management team of Rex Chong, Patrick Farmer and Richard Jenkins. Love also joins Jenkins on the Trimark Europlus Fund.

Tye Bousada, has been promoted to portfolio manager and joins the team of Judith Adams and Bill Kanko on the Trimark Fund and Trimark Select Growth Fund.

Robert Mikalachki, recently promoted to portfolio manager, joins Keith Graham on the Trimark Canadian Small Companies Fund. Portfolio manager Bruce Harrop will join Jim Young to run the Trimark U.S. Companies Fund and the Americas Fund.

Portfolio manager Eric Peyton joins the existing portfolio management team on the AIM Canada Income class, which currently includes Roger Mortimer and Ronald Sloan.

Peyton joined AIM in 1998 as a senior convertible bond trader and was promoted to portfolio manager in 2000. He will assume responsibility for writing covered call options, formerly Rob Leslie’s responsibility. Leslie has been “reassigned to other fund responsibilities with AIM and will be focusing on other investment products for the United States market”.

Ryan Crane, Robert Kippes and Jay Rushin join existing portfolio manager Kenneth Zschappel on the AIM American Mid Cap Growth Class. They replace Steven Brase, Brant DeMuth, Christopher Perras and Charles Scavone, who have also been “reassigned to other fund responsibilities within AIM.”

Crane and Kippes also run the AIM American Aggressive Growth Fund, where they will be joined by Rushin, who was recently promoted to portfolio manager. Rushin is also now part of the teams managing AIM American Mid Cap Growth Class and AIM Global Aggressive Growth Class, along with Crane, Kippes, Dale Griffin, Jason Holzer, Clas Olsson and Barrett Sides.

“These changes reflect our commitment to strengthening our portfolio management teams on behalf of those investors who hold our funds,” says Patrick Farmer, chief investment officer, AIM Funds Management Inc.

“These changes also represent our commitment to building and maintaining one of the strongest portfolio management teams – through promotions within the organization. Promoting from within results in a consistent investment discipline, and encourages a team approach. The team approach is key to successful investing, as teams are able to benefit by sharing specialized knowledge of individual analysts and portfolio managers.”