(March 21 – 16:20 ET) – C.I. Mutual Funds Inc. says that, effective today, its in-house Signature Funds group has assumed the management of C.I. Canadian Growth Fund, C.I. Canadian Balanced Fund, C.I. Canadian Income Fund and Insight Canadian Growth Pool.

Previously, the funds were managed by Toronto-based J. Zechner Associates Inc., which continues to manage the C.I. Canadian Bond Fund and the Insight Canadian Fixed Income Pool. John Zechner, chairman of J. Zechner Associates, has decided to concentrate on his institutional money management business.

“The nature of our investment style tends to generate above-average levels of volatility,” Zechner said. “In terms of our management of C.I.’s funds, we are finding that the short-term focus on performance in the mutual fund industry does not allow us to position the portfolios as we would prefer in order to produce better longer-term returns. As we continue to develop our growing institutional business, I would like to thank C.I. and financial advisers for their tremendous support over the past eight years.”

C.I. also announced that Eric Bushell, senior vice president, portfolio management, has been appointed lead portfolio manager of the C.I. Canadian Growth Fund, C.I. Canadian Income Fund and Insight Canadian Growth Pool.

Wally Kusters, chief investment officer of the Signature Funds group, has been appointed lead portfolio manager of C.I. Canadian Balanced Fund.

Bushell and Kustsers are assisted by a team of 12 investment professionals within the Signature group.

“This change continues our strategy of bringing assets in-house,” said C.I. President Peter W. Anderson. “Today, about 95% of C.I.’s mutual fund assets are managed in- house, up from zero in 1997.”