Overview
- Headquarters
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Average Client Assets
- $21.6 million
- Minimum Account Size
- $10,000,000
- SEC CRD Number
- 281399
Fee Structure
Primary Fee Schedule (CYNOSURE WEALTH ADVISORS)
| Min | Max | Marginal Fee Rate |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | and above | 1.50% |
Illustrative Fee Rates
| Total Assets | Annual Fees | Average Fee Rate |
|---|---|---|
| $1 million | Below minimum client size | |
| $5 million | Below minimum client size | |
| $10 million | $150,000 | 1.50% |
| $50 million | $750,000 | 1.50% |
| $100 million | $1,500,000 | 1.50% |
Clients
- HNW Share of Firm Assets
- 16.66%
- Total Client Accounts
- 726
- Discretionary Accounts
- 726
Services Offered
Services: Financial Planning, Portfolio Management for Individuals, Portfolio Management for Pooled Investment Vehicles, Portfolio Management for Institutional Clients, Investment Advisor Selection
Regulatory Filings
Additional Brochure: CYNOSURE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT (2026-03-31)
View Document Text
ITEM 1:
COVER PAGE
Cynosure Capital Management
(A division of The Cynosure Group, LLC)
111 S. Main Street, Suite 2350
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
www.cynosuregroup.com
March 31, 2026
This brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices of Cynosure Capital
Management, a division of The Cynosure Group, LLC. If you have any questions about the contents of this
brochure, please contact us at 801-521-3100. The information in this brochure has not been approved or
verified by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or by any state securities
authority.
Additional information about The Cynosure Group, LLC also is available on the SEC’s Investment Adviser
Public Disclosure website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov (click on the link “Investment Adviser Search” and
then select “Firm” and type in our advisory firm name “The Cynosure Group”).
The Cynosure Group, LLC is an investment adviser registered with the SEC (a “registered investment
adviser”). This registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
1
ITEM 2:
MATERIAL CHANGES
Please see below for a summary of material updates to the brochure since its last update (March 31, 2025):
• updates to Items 4, 5 and 7 relating to regulatory assets under management, fees and expenses,
and the types of clients served and related minimums; and
• updates to Items 8, 10 and 11 relating to private funds and other alternative pooled investment
vehicles, including affiliated business lines, related conflicts of interest, and allocation practices.
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ITEM 3:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ITEM 1: COVER PAGE ............................................................................................................................... 1
ITEM 2: MATERIAL CHANGES ................................................................................................................... 2
ITEM 3:
TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................................. 3
ITEM 4: ADVISORY BUSINESS ..................................................................................................................... 4
ITEM 5: FEES AND COMPENSATION .......................................................................................................... 5
ITEM 6: PERFORMANCE-BASED FEES AND SIDE-BY-SIDE MANAGEMENT ............................................... 8
ITEM 7:
TYPES OF CLIENTS ....................................................................................................................... 8
ITEM 8: METHODS OF ANALYSIS, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISK OF LOSS .................................... 8
ITEM 9: DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION ..................................................................................................... 15
ITEM 10: OTHER FINANCIAL INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES AND AFFILIATIONS ................................................... 15
ITEM 11: CODE OF ETHICS, PARTICIPATION OR INTEREST IN CLIENT TRANSACTIONS AND PERSONAL
TRADING ..................................................................................................................................................... 16
ITEM 12: BROKERAGE PRACTICES ............................................................................................................ 18
ITEM 13:
REVIEW OF ACCOUNTS ......................................................................................................... 19
ITEM 14:
CLIENT REFERRALS AND OTHER COMPENSATION ................................................................ 19
ITEM 15:
CUSTODY .............................................................................................................................. 20
ITEM 16: INVESTMENT DISCRETION ......................................................................................................... 20
ITEM 17: VOTING CLIENT SECURITIES ...................................................................................................... 20
ITEM 18: FINANCIAL INFORMATION ........................................................................................................ 21
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ITEM 4: ADVISORY BUSINESS
General Firm Overview
The Cynosure Group, LLC (“Cynosure” or the “Firm”), is a Utah limited liability company formed in 2015
and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser, with its principal office in Salt Lake City, Utah, and
places of business in the following states: Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.
Cynosure is principally owned by The Randal Quarles and Hope Eccles Legacy Trust and Spencer P. Eccles
and Kristine L. Eccles GST Legacy Trust agreements each owning more than 25%.
Cynosure offers advisory services in the following five divisions: Cynosure Capital Management, Cynosure
Partners, Cynosure Wealth Advisors, Cynosure Strategies, and Cynosure|Checketts Sports Capital
Partners, LLC. Cynosure also has a separate investment advisory firm affiliate, Cynosure Portfolio Advisors
LLC.
As of December 31, 2025, The Cynosure Group, LLC collectively managed approximately $9,847,984,409
in discretionary assets and $144,883,807 in non-discretionary assets under advisement across all five
divisions.
The following sections of this brochure relate solely to Cynosure Capital Management. Each other
Cynosure division, and Cynosure Portfolio Advisors LLC, is described in greater detail in their own
brochure, which are available online at adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/281399.
Cynosure Capital Management
Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2025, Cynosure Capital Management (“CCM”) managed approximately
$4,757,706,721 in discretionary assets.
CCM provides outsourced investment advisory services on behalf of foundations and endowments. As
part of its engagement, CCM will enter into a discretionary Investment Advisory Agreement (“Agreement”)
with a client (“Advisory Client”). Subject to the terms and conditions of the Agreement, CCM will develop
and implement a continuous investment program on behalf of the Advisory Client, which services will
include one or more of the following:
Base Portfolio Advisory Services
•
• The development of an investment program for the Advisory Client, determined in consultation
with the Advisory Client, based on an analysis of various factors, including, without limitation, the
Advisory Client’s investment goals, tax position, diversification requirements, other assets held
outside of the portfolio, social concerns, and risk tolerance.
Implementation of an investment program through allocation and rebalancing of the Advisory
Client’s assets to various liquid marketable investment strategies through investments in separate
accounts managed by CCM and (to the extent permitted by the investment management
agreement) sub-advisors selected by CCM.
• Oversight and monitoring of the investment program, including portfolio characteristics, cash
flows and risk, on an on-going basis and adjustment of the same from time to time in response to
changing market conditions, Advisory Client circumstances or other factors.
4
Multi-Asset Portfolio Advisory Services
•
In addition to the Base Portfolio Advisory Services, where suitable and appropriate,
implementation of a multi-asset investment program through material allocation of the Advisory
Client’s assets to various illiquid alternative investments and/or pooled investment vehicles.
• Oversight and monitoring of the multi-asset investment program, including managing diligence
and ongoing oversight of private fund managers, negotiating investment terms, participating in
fund investor advisory committees, managing capital calls including, when appropriate, the
implementation of capital call facilities, employing tax strategies, liquidity planning, risk
management, and where appropriate, dynamic portfolio rebalancing and hedging.
impose reasonable conditions, restrictions, or
instructions regarding the
Advisory Clients may
management of the above portfolio (i.e., investment guidelines), including (but not limited to) the
designation of particular securities or types of securities that should not be purchased for the portfolio,
or that should be sold if held in the portfolio. The requirement that particular securities or types of
securities not be purchased for the Advisory Client’s portfolio is subject to written approval by both CCM
and the Advisory Client prior to implementation.
ITEM 5: FEES AND COMPENSATION
Management Fee
As compensation for the advisory services rendered by CCM, the Advisory Client will pay a portfolio
advisory fee (the “Advisory Fee”) which shall be calculated based on one of the fee schedule options that
the Advisory Client elects to commit to, in accordance with the relevant investment advisory agreement,
which are summarized below.
Annualized Fee Rates based on Asset Level
For Base Portfolio Advisory Services, the Advisory Fee will be equal to the annualized fee rate of the
applicable asset level multiplied by the fee base (“Fee Base”) as described below.
Asset Level
First $7,500,000
$7,500,000 to $50,000,000
Above $50,000,000
Annualized Fee Rate
0.70%
0.50%
0.35%
For Multi-Asset Portfolio Advisory Services, the Advisory Fee will be equal to the annualized fee rate of
the applicable asset level multiplied by the fee base (“Fee Base”) as described below.
Asset Level
First $7,500,000
$7,500,000 to $50,000,000
Above $50,000,000
Annualized Fee Rate
0.95% - 1.15%
0.75% - 0.95%
0.60% - 0.75%
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The Advisory Fee shall be calculated quarterly in advance, and the quarterly rate shall be equal to one-fourth
(25%) of the Advisory Client’s annualized Advisory Fee rate multiplied by the Fee Base calculated as of the
final day of the quarter. For any period during which Advisor renders services for less than the entire quarterly
period, a portion of the Advisory Fee shall be reimbursed to the client calculated on a pro rata basis based
on the number of days that Advisor was responsible for the Portfolio during the period.
The Fee Base will be calculated as follows:
Asset Type
Liquid Marketable Securities and Cash
Fee Base
The value of the assets as of the final day of the
quarter immediately preceding the quarter for which
the Advisory Fee is being calculated.
Fund1 Investments
The net asset value of the Advisory Client’s
investment in the Fund as reported in the second-
most recent quarter preceding the quarter for which
the Advisory Fee is being calculated. *
* In the event that the requisite prior quarter net asset value is not yet available at the time the Advisory
Fee is to be paid and collected, Cynosure shall estimate the Fee Base using commercially reasonable
methods and then apply a 10% discount to the calculated Advisory Fee before collecting payment. When
the requisite prior quarter net asset value data has been made available to Cynosure, Cynosure shall
recalculate the quarterly fee and collect the Advisory Fee amount, if any, in excess of the estimate that
was previously collected. In the event the estimated Advisory Fee is higher than the Advisory Fee
actually due based on the quarter end data, Cynosure will refund excess promptly to the Advisory Client.
No interest shall be due on any such trued up Advisory Fee payment (whether from or to the
Advisory Client).
For Advisory Clients who have acquired investments prior to engaging CCM and wish to retain them as
portfolio holdings on a continued basis (or “Legacy Assets”), Cynosure will consider, as a professional
courtesy, to accept such requests and, in turn, make necessary arrangements with a broker-
dealer/custodian. Cynosure has sole discretion as to whether requests to intake Legacy Assets will be
granted; however, under no circumstances will Cynosure maintain a fiduciary obligation to manage these
assets and costs of retaining Legacy Assets will be paid by the Advisory Client.
Additional Fees and Expenses
In addition to the Advisory Fee payable in accordance with the above, to the extent any Portfolio assets
are allocated to internally managed strategies, Advisory Clients will pay an annualized rate of twenty basis
points (0.20%) multiplied by the liquid marketable securities fee base described above. The fee for
internally managed strategies shall be calculated quarterly in advance, and the quarterly rate shall be
equal to one-fourth (25%) of the Client’s annualized fee rate.
1 Investment companies or other registered or unregistered pooled investment vehicles, including any investment vehicles
sponsored or managed by Cynosure or any of its affiliates.
6
Brokerage Expenses
Expenses paid to third parties in connection with the acquisition or disposition of investments are borne
by the Advisory Clients. These expenses include brokerage commissions, other account fees, custodial
expenses, agent bank and other bank service fees, travel and related expenses and other investment costs,
fees, and expenses incurred in connection with completed investments. Brokerage and other transaction
costs are also discussed in more detail in Item 12 – “Brokerage Practices”.
Other Fees and Expenses
CCM’s fees are exclusive of, and in addition to, charges imposed by custodians, brokers, third party
investment managers, sales charges, odd-lot differentials, transfer taxes, wire transfer and electronic fund
fees, and other fees and taxes at custodians and on securities transactions.
Advisory Clients are responsible for paying certain fees and other expenses separately and in addition to
the management fees paid to Cynosure for the management of the Advisory Client’s portfolio pursuant to
the Investment Advisory Agreement.
To the extent sub-advisors are engaged to manage portfolio assets, the Advisory Client will pay any sub-
advisory Fees in addition to the Advisory Fee. Cynosure will be responsible for negotiating the sub-advisory
fees payable by the Advisory Client to a sub-advisor, to the extent such sub-advisory fees are negotiable.
The ability to negotiate lower sub-advisory fees may depend on the amount committed to the sub-
advisory relationship.
If portfolio assets are invested in or committed to any Funds not managed or sponsored by Cynosure or
its affiliates (“Unaffiliated Funds”), the Advisory Client will bear its proportionate share of the indirect fees
and expenses of such Unaffiliated Funds, including management fees, carried interest or other
performance-based compensation and, where applicable, fees and expenses at underlying fund or vehicle
levels. Cynosure will negotiate such expenses to the extent they are negotiable, and the ability to do so
may depend on the size of the Advisory Client’s commitment to or investment in the Unaffiliated Fund.
If portfolio assets are invested in or committed to any Cynosure Fund, the Advisory Client will bear its
proportionate share of the indirect fees and expenses of such Cynosure Fund, including management fees,
carried interest, performance fees or special allocations and, where applicable, fees and expenses at
underlying fund or vehicle levels. Such expenses are described in the relevant offering documents, and
CCM can provide a list of Cynosure Funds to the Advisory Client upon request. Cynosure and its affiliates
have no obligation to negotiate any exception to the amount of such indirect fees and expenses borne by
the Advisory Client.
Most Favored Nation Provisions and Side Letters
Cynosure may enter into an investment advisory agreement with any other Advisory Clients pursuant to
which the Advisor provides a substantially similar level of services on substantially similar terms and
conditions for an Advisory Fee that is more favorable in any material respect from the Advisory Fee
charged to Advisory Clients. Similarly, Cynosure may grant a side-letter or other agreement to any other
Advisory Client having a like-size commitment to a Cynosure Fund pursuant to which the Advisor is
providing such other Client with a lower management fee or carried interest or other performance
incentive.
These fees and expenses are disclosed to Advisory Clients more fully in various disclosure documents
7
provided by the sub-advisor, fund manager or other authorized party responsible for each investment
Strategy into which a client’s assets are allocated.
ITEM 6:
PERFORMANCE-BASED FEES AND SIDE-BY-SIDE MANAGEMENT
Not applicable.
ITEM 7:
TYPES OF CLIENTS
CCM provides advisory services primarily to endowments and foundations and continues to advise a
limited number of legacy high net worth individual clients; however, it does not intend to accept new
individual clients going forward. CCM generally requires a minimum account size of $50 million for new
client relationships, although it may waive or reduce that minimum in its discretion. CCM generally limits
its clients to qualified clients within the meaning of Rule 205-3 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940,
as amended.
ITEM 8: METHODS OF ANALYSIS, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISK OF
LOSS
Methods of Analysis and Investment Strategies
In general, CCM works with each of its Advisory Clients to develop customized investment strategies based
on an analysis of various factors, such as each Advisory Client’s investment objectives, tax position,
diversification requirements, other assets held, social concerns, risk tolerance, etc.
Once this analysis has been completed, CCM constructs a portfolio by allocating assets among various
strategies through investments in separately managed accounts with sub-advisors or pooled investment
vehicles (including alternative private investment funds).
Overall, strategies fall within four key allocation categories identified as Stable Value, Diversified Income,
Public Equity, and Private Equity. Stable Value includes money markets and liquid fixed income, with the
attributes of this category encompassing income, risk mitigation and liquidity. Diversified Income includes
subcategories referred to as Absolute Income or Opportunistic Income, which is made up of preferred
equity, private debt, real estate, natural resources, and infrastructure. Attributes of this category
encompass diversification, high cash yield, and inflation protection. Public Equity includes public stock and
equity hedge funds, with attributes of this category encompassing high total return with modest income
potential, and liquidity. Finally, Private Equity includes buyout, growth and venture capital, with the
attributes encompassing high total return with modest income potential.
CCM performs ongoing monitoring and rebalancing based on the need to maintain appropriate risk levels
and targeted returns, subject to tax, trading and liquidity considerations.
Risk of Loss
As with any investment strategy, the investment programs developed by CCM involve a number of
significant risks. The following is a discussion of some of the primary risks; however, it is not possible to
identify all the risks associated with investing, and the particular risks applicable to an Advisory Client’s
8
account will depend on the nature of the investments chosen.
No Assurance of Investment Return
All investments in securities include a risk of loss of principal (invested amount) and any profits remaining
in the account. The performance of any investment is not guaranteed. CCM cannot guarantee
performance or that a loss will not be experienced. Investing in securities involves a risk of loss that each
Advisory Client must be prepared to bear.
General Economic and Market Conditions
The success of an Advisory Client’s activities will be affected by the continued economic volatility as well
as general economic and market conditions, such as interest rates, availability of credit, credit defaults,
inflation rates, economic uncertainty, changes in applicable laws and regulations (including laws relating
to taxation of an Advisory Client’s investments), trade barriers, currency exchange controls, and national
and international political, environmental, and socioeconomic circumstances (including wars, terrorist
acts or security operations or public health considerations).
Common Risks Associated with Investing in Securities Generally
Investments in securities may be subject to a number of risks, including the following:
• Current Market Conditions. In recent years, global debt and equity markets have experienced
•
increased volatility and turmoil, which can adversely affect a portfolio.
Liquidity in Financial Markets. The financial markets in the U.S. and elsewhere have experienced
a variety of difficulties and changed economic conditions, which could adversely affect the value
of a portfolio’s assets.
•
• Government Intervention and Market Disruptions. The global financial markets have undergone
fundamental disruptions that have led to extensive and unprecedented government intervention
that could prove detrimental to the efficient functioning of the markets and adversely affect a
portfolio.
Inflation and Risk of Recession. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had in the
past and could in the future have negative effects on the economies and financial markets, which
may in turn affect the markets in which an Advisory Client invests. For example, wages and prices
of inputs increase during periods of inflation, which can negatively impact returns on investments.
Governmental efforts to curb inflation, such as (for example) raising interest rates, often have
negative effects on the level of economic activity. There can be no assurance that inflation will
not become a serious problem in the future and have an adverse impact on an Advisory Client’s
investment returns. As a result of the above and other market conditions, it is possible that the
growth of U.S. and other regional economies could contract over time leading to a recession in the
U.S. and abroad. It is impossible to predict whether a recession will actually occur and, if it does
occur, the length and severity of any such recession. If a moderate to severe recession were to occur
in the U.S. and in other regional countries for a prolonged period of time, it would be expected to
adversely affect the markets in which an account or fund operates and could materially and
adversely affect the performance of investments and the prospects and returns of an Advisory
Client’s portfolio.
• Force Majeure Events. There is a risk that a Client’s investments will be impacted by force majeure
events (i.e., events beyond the control of the party claiming that the event has occurred, such as
energy blackouts, acts of God, fire, flood, earthquakes, outbreaks of an infectious disease,
9
pandemic or any other serious public health concern, war, terrorism, labor strikes and
telecommunication failures). Certain force majeure events (such as an outbreak of an infectious
disease) could have a broader negative impact on the world economy and international business
activity generally, or in any of the countries or jurisdictions in which investments are located.
Additionally, a major governmental intervention into industry, including but not limited to the
nationalization of an industry or the assertion of control over an investment, could result in a loss
to a client. Any of the foregoing would therefore adversely affect the performance of an Advisory
Client’s investments.
Common Risks Associated with Equity Investments
Investments in equity securities may be subject to a number of specific risks, including the following:
• Equity Securities. Equity securities (stocks) held in a portfolio may decrease in response to
activities of companies or market and economic conditions.
• Growth Stocks. Growth stocks may be more sensitive to market movements because their prices
tend to more heavily reflect future investor expectations rather than just current profits. They
may also underperform value stocks during given periods.
• Value Stocks. Value stocks may perform differently from the market as a whole and may be
undervalued by the market for a long period of time. They may also underperform growth stocks
during given periods.
• Small-Capitalization Companies. Small cap stocks may exhibit erratic earnings patterns,
competitive conditions, limited earnings history, and a reliance on one or a limited number of
products.
•
Initial Public Offerings. Initial public offerings (IPOs) are subject to high volatility and limited
availability.
• Private Placements. Private placements may be classified as illiquid and be difficult to value.
• Derivative Securities. Derivatives may be difficult to value, may be illiquid and may be subject to
wide swings in valuation caused by changes in value of the underlying security. The use of
derivatives can result in losses in a portfolio that substantially exceed the initial amount paid or
received from the investment.
Common Risks Associated with Fixed Income Investments
Investments in fixed income securities can expose clients to certain specific risks such as the following:
• Credit Risk. Fixed income securities (bonds) are subject to the risk that the bond issuers may not
be able to meet interest or principal payments when the bonds come due.
• Below Investment Grade Rated Securities. Below investment grade bonds are subject to a higher
probability that the issuers may not be able to meet payment of interest or principal on a timely
basis or at all. These securities also may be less liquid than investment grade securities and
experience higher price volatility. It may not be possible to sell these securities at the desired price
and within a given time period.
•
Interest Rates. Interest rates may adversely affect the value of an investment. An increase in
interest rates typically causes the value of bonds and other fixed income securities to fall. Interest
rates continue to be at historic lows. Investments with longer maturities, which typically provide
10
higher yields than securities with shorter maturities, may subject a portfolio to increased price
changes resulting from market yield fluctuations.
•
Income Risk. The income received by a portfolio may decrease as a result of a decline in interest
rates.
•
• Prepayment Risk. There is a risk of prepayment in mortgage- and asset-backed securities. This risk
arises when market interest rates are below the interest rates charged on the loans that comprise
the securities. Elevated prepayment activity may result in losses in these securities.
Liquidity Risk. Investments that trade less can be more difficult or more costly to buy, or to sell,
than more liquid or active investments. It may not be possible to sell or otherwise dispose of
illiquid securities both at the price and within a time period deemed desirable. Securities subject
to liquidity risk include emerging market securities, Rule 144A securities, below investment grade
securities and other securities without an established market.
• Foreign Investments. Foreign investments often involve additional risks, including political
instability, differences in financial reporting standards and less stringent regulation of securities
markets.
• Derivative Securities. Derivatives may be difficult to value, may be illiquid and may be subject to
wide swings in valuation caused by changes in value of the underlying security. The use of
derivatives can result in losses that substantially exceed the initial amount paid or received.
• Rule 144A Securities. Rule 144A securities are not registered for resale in the general securities
market and may be less liquid than registered securities.
Common Risks Associated with Alternative Investments
Investments in alternative investment strategies (such as private equity, private debt, hedge fund, real
asset, and dynamic allocation strategies) can expose clients to certain specific risks associated with the
following:
• Derivative Securities. Derivatives may be difficult to value, may be illiquid and may be subject to
wide swings in valuation caused by changes in value of the underlying security. The use of
derivatives can result in losses that substantially exceed the initial amount paid or received.
• Short Sales. A short sale involves the risk of a theoretically unlimited increase in the market price
of a security sold short, which could result in an inability to cover the short position and a
theoretically unlimited loss.
• High Yield Securities. High yield securities are rated in the lower rating categories by the various
credit agencies and are subject to greater risk of loss of principal and interest than higher rated
securities. High yield securities generally are considered predominantly speculative with respect
to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal.
• Options. Purchasing options involves the risk that the underlying instrument will not change price
in the manner expected, so an investor loses their premium. Selling options involves potentially
greater risk because the investor is exposed to the extent of the actual price movement in the
underlying security, which could result in a potentially unlimited loss.
• Foreign Securities. Foreign securities are subject to interest rate, currency exchange rate,
economic, and political risks, all of which are magnified in emerging markets.
• Foreign Currency Markets. Investments in foreign securities expose a portfolio to fluctuations in
11
currency exchange rates, which may adversely affect the value of investments in foreign securities
held in a portfolio.
• Currency Risks. Investments denominated in a foreign currency are subject to the risk that the
•
•
•
value of a particular currency will change in relation to one or more currencies.
Interest Rates. Interest rates may adversely affect the value of an investment. An increase in
interest rates typically causes the value of bonds and other fixed income securities to fall.
Leverage. The use of borrowing (leverage) exposes an investor to additional levels of risk including
greater losses from investments than would otherwise have been the case without borrowing;
margin calls or changes in margin requirements may force premature liquidations of investments;
and losses on investments where the investment fails to earn a return that equals or exceeds the
cost of the leverage.
Lack of Diversification. Alternative investment funds may not generally be as diversified as other
investment vehicles. Accordingly, such investments may be subject to more rapid change in value
than would be the case if the funds were required to maintain a wide diversification among types
of securities, geographical areas, issuers, and industries.
• Event-Driven Trading. Event-driven trading involves the risk that the event identified may not
•
occur as anticipated or may not have the anticipated effect, which may result in a negative impact
upon the market price of securities held in the portfolio.
Liquidity. A portfolio’s assets may, at any given time, include securities and other financial
instruments or obligations that are thinly traded or for which no market exists and/or which are
restricted as to their transferability under applicable securities laws. The sale of any such
investments may be possible only at substantial discounts, and it may be extremely difficult to
value accurately any such investments.
Common Risks Associated with Non-U.S. Investments
In addition to the risks associated with investing in equity securities described above, investments in non-
U.S. securities can expose clients to certain additional risks, including the following:
• Foreign Markets. Foreign markets are volatile and can decline significantly in response to adverse
issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments.
• Foreign Securities. Foreign securities are subject to interest rate, currency exchange rate,
economic, and political risks, all of which are magnified in emerging markets.
• Foreign Currency Markets. Investments in foreign securities expose a portfolio to fluctuations in
currency exchange rates, which may adversely affect the value of investments in foreign securities
held in a portfolio.
• Emerging Markets. Securities traded in certain emerging markets may be subject to risks due to
the inexperience of financial intermediaries, the lack of modern technology, the lack of a sufficient
capital base to expand business operations, and the possibility of temporary or permanent
termination of trading. Political and economic structures in many emerging markets may be
undergoing significant evolution and rapid development, and emerging markets may lack the
social, political, and economic stability characteristics of more developed countries.
Private Equity and Other Alternative Vehicles
An Advisory Client may invest in private funds and other alternative pooled investment vehicles, including
12
affiliated or unaffiliated vehicles that invest directly or through third-party funds, co-investments or similar
structures. Such investments are generally subject to restrictions on transfer or resale, limited liquidity or
redemption rights, capital call obligations, limited transparency, valuation uncertainty and, in some cases,
fewer protections than registered securities. In fund-of-funds or other multi-layered structures, an
Advisory Client also bears the risks and expenses of the underlying funds and managers, over which CCM
may have limited or no control. These investments are speculative, may involve multiple layers of fees and
expenses, and there can be no assurance that the applicable manager’s strategy will be successful. As a
limited partner, member or similar investor, the Advisory Client generally will have little or no control over
the management of the vehicle or its underlying investments.
Cybersecurity Breaches, Identity Theft, Privacy Breaches, and Other Threats
Cynosure’s information and technology systems may be vulnerable to damage or interruption from
computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures,
infiltration by
unauthorized persons and security breaches, usage errors by its professionals, power outages and
catastrophic events such as fires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Cynosure has policies
and procedures and has implemented various measures to manage the risks related to these events;
however, if these systems are compromised, become inoperable for extended periods of time or cease to
function properly, Cynosure may have to make a significant investment to fix or replace them. The failure
of these systems and/or of disaster recovery plans for any reason could cause significant interruptions in
Cynosure’s operations and result in a failure to maintain security, confidentiality, or privacy of sensitive
data, including personal information relating to its clients. Such a failure could harm Cynosure’s reputation
or subject it or its affiliates to legal claims or otherwise affect their business and financial performance,
potentially resulting in financial loss. Additionally, any failure of Cynosure’s information, technology or
security systems could have an adverse impact on its ability to manage the portfolios of clients.
Legal or Legislative Risk
Legislative changes or court rulings may impact the value of investments or the securities’ claim on the
issuer’s assets and finances.
Global Trade Policy
The trade policies of the U.S. and foreign governments have been changing rapidly, creating uncertainty
regarding global free trade and related trade agreements. At this time, it remains unclear what actions
the U.S. and other governments may take with respect to existing or new trade agreements, individual
companies, industries or countries, tariffs and related matters. New or modified trade policy may have a
negative impact on the Firm, its Advisory Clients, service providers to the foregoing, and/or Advisory Client
investments, including by virtue of increased costs. The Firm cannot predict how other countries will
respond to the U.S. administration’s actions or vice versa. Global trade disruption, significant introductions
of trade barriers and bilateral trade frictions, together with any future downturns in the global economy
resulting therefrom, could adversely affect the financial performance of the Funds and their investments.
Public Health Emergencies
Any public health emergency, including any outbreak of COVID-19, SARS, H1N1/09 flu, avian flu, other
coronavirus, Ebola or other existing or new epidemic diseases, or the threat thereof, could have a
significant adverse impact on an Advisory Client and its investments. The extent of the impact of any public
health emergency on the operational and financial performance of a client will depend on many factors,
13
including the duration and scope of such public health emergency, the extent of any related travel
advisories and restrictions implemented, the impact of such public health emergency on overall supply
and demand, goods and services, investor liquidity, consumer confidence and levels of economic activity
and the extent of its disruption to important global, regional and local supply chains and economic
markets, all of which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted. The effects of a public health
emergency may materially and adversely impact the value and performance of an Advisory Client’s
investments as well as the ability to achieve its investment objectives, all of which could result in significant
losses to the Advisory Client. In addition, Cynosure may be significantly impacted, or even halted, either
temporarily or on a long-term basis, as a result of government quarantine and curfew measures, voluntary
and precautionary restrictions on travel or meetings and other factors related to a public health
emergency, including its potential adverse impact on the health of any such entity’s personnel.
Health of the Banking Industry
The health of the banking industry can affect, among other things, interest rates and the ability to obtain
loans or similar financing (as well as the terms of such financings) and in turn could potentially affect the
value of Advisory Client investments. Further, to the extent there is a failure of a bank at which Advisory
Client assets are maintained, such failure could result in a delay in deploying and using assets in Advisory
Client accounts at that bank which could have an impact on the Firm’s ability to engage in recommended
transactions for an Advisory Client.
Reliance on CCM
The success of each Advisory Client will depend in part upon the skill and expertise of CCM’s investment
professionals. There can be no assurance that such professionals will continue to be associated with
Cynosure, and a loss of the services of key personnel could impair CCM’s ability to provide services to
Advisory Clients.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Recent technological advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning technology (collectively, “AI
Technology”), including (but not limited to) ChatGPT, Claude and other similar products, pose risks to the
Firm or its Advisory Clients. Additional risks stem from the use of AI Technology by third-party service
providers, business partners, or other counterparties, whether or not such use is known to the Firm or its
Advisory Clients. The Firm and its Advisory Clients will likely not be able to control the manner in which
third-party products are developed or maintained or the manner in which third-party services are
provided, even where it has sought contractual protection regarding such use.
The use of AI Technology by any of the parties described above could include the input of confidential
information, including material non-public information into AI Technology applications, resulting in such
confidential information becoming part of a dataset that is accessible by other third-party AI Technology
applications and users.
AI Technology is generally highly reliant on the collection and analysis of large amounts of data, which will
inevitably contain a degree of inaccuracy and error, potentially materially so, and could otherwise be
inadequate or flawed, which would be likely to degrade the effectiveness of AI Technology. Any such
inaccuracies or errors could adversely affect the Firm, its affiliates, and their Advisory Clients.
AI Technology continues to develop rapidly, and it is impossible to predict the future risks that may arise
from such developments. These changes could potentially disrupt, among other things, the business and
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operations of the Firm, its Advisory Clients and their service providers. In addition, the use of AI
Technology may require compliance with legal or regulatory frameworks that are not fully developed or
tested, and participants and users may face litigation and regulatory actions related to their use of AI
Technology. A person’s ability to use AI Technology could be limited in the future by legal or regulatory
developments.
ITEM 9: DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION
Neither Cynosure nor any of its respective professionals have been the subject of any legal or disciplinary
matter of an investment-related nature that would be material to an existing or prospective Advisory
Client’s evaluation of Cynosure’s advisory business or the integrity of its management.
ITEM 10: OTHER FINANCIAL INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES AND AFFILIATIONS
Neither Cynosure, nor any of Cynosure’s senior management team is registered as a broker-dealer, or as
a registered representative of a broker-dealer, nor is there any present intention to do so. Likewise,
neither Cynosure, nor any of Cynosure’s personnel are registered as a futures commission merchant,
commodity pool operator, commodity trading advisor or as an associated person of any such entities.
Cynosure’s Other Divisions and Advisory Affiliate
In addition to CCM, Cynosure has four additional separate business divisions. Cynosure also has a separate
affiliate SEC-registered investment adviser, Cynosure Portfolio Advisors LLC.
• Cynosure Partners is the Firm’s private markets business line. It sponsors, structures, manages,
and oversees private growth equity and private credit pooled investment vehicles and related
portfolio company investments, including related onboarding, monitoring, and portfolio
management activities. These vehicles may be offered under different fund, series, or class names
from time to time and may be organized through affiliated general partners, managing members,
or special purpose vehicles.
• Cynosure Wealth Advisors is the Firm’s wealth management business line, providing integrated
wealth management services to ultra-high net worth individuals.
• Cynosure Strategies is the Firm’s hedge fund division, managing pooled investment vehicles
pursuing a global equity long-short strategy through a quantitative asset allocation and portfolio
construction framework.
• Cynosure|Checketts Sports Capital Partners, LLC is the Firm’s sports investment advisory
business line, providing advisory services focused on institutional investment in sports and
targeted investments in high-quality sports assets and related companies. This division is a relying
adviser of Cynosure and a joint venture between Cynosure and Checketts Partners Investment
Management, LLC, an unaffiliated investment adviser also registered with the SEC.
Cynosure Portfolio Advisors LLC, an indirect subsidiary of Cynosure, is a separate affiliated SEC-
registered investment adviser and provides advisory services to retail (non-high net worth) individuals.
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Pooled Investment Vehicles
Cynosure or its affiliates are under common control with certain general partners, managing members
and other entities associated with Cynosure-sponsored pooled investment vehicles, including vehicles
sponsored or managed through Cynosure Partners. Cynosure, directly or indirectly, provides investment
advisory and related services to certain such vehicles.
Cynosure has a 50 percent interest in 4C GPS GP I, LLC, which is the general partner of 4C GPS I, LP, 4C GPS
II, LP, and 4C GPS III, LP, three private funds that own an interest in GPS Hospitality. The remaining 50
percent interest in 4C GPS GP I, LLC is owned by 4612 Group, LLC, an investment adviser registered with the
SEC, CRD # 287619, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Other Activities and Relationships
CCM may recommend or allocate client assets to certain pooled investment vehicles sponsored or
managed by Cynosure or its affiliates. This creates conflicts of interest because Cynosure and/or its
affiliates may receive management fees, carried interest, special allocations or other compensation at the
vehicle level in addition to the fees paid by the client to CCM. CCM addresses these conflicts through
disclosure in this Brochure and the applicable offering and governing documents, through conflicts and
allocation policies and procedures, and by permitting Advisory Clients to impose reasonable investment
guidelines or restrictions.
Employees of Cynosure and its affiliates may also serve on the boards of directors of portfolio companies
of Cynosure-sponsored pooled investment vehicles. Serving in such a capacity may give rise to conflicts to
the extent that an employee’s fiduciary duties to a portfolio company as a director may conflict with the
interests of an Advisory Client.
ITEM 11: CODE OF ETHICS, PARTICIPATION OR INTEREST IN CLIENT
TRANSACTIONS AND PERSONAL TRADING
Code of Ethics
Cynosure has established and approved a Code of Ethics that sets forth standards of ethical conduct for
employees and is designed to address and avoid potential conflicts of interest as required under Rule
204A-1 of the Advisers Act. Among other things, the Code of Ethics prescribes standards for dealing with
clients ethically, addresses conflicts of interest issues, and supplements personal trading and operating
procedures, including Cynosure’s Policies and Procedures regarding Material, Non-Public Information and
the prevention of Insider Trading. The Code of Ethics provides guidance in specific areas, including but not
limited to, confidentiality of Cynosure information, personal investments, gifts and entertainment,
protection of persons who engage in “whistle blowing” activities from retaliation and personal political
activities. This Code of Ethics is available to Advisory Clients, investors or prospective clients or investors
by writing to The Cynosure Group, LLC, 111 S. Main Street, Suite 2350, Salt Lake City, UT, 84111, Attn:
Chief Compliance Officer.
Misuse of Nonpublic Information
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Cynosure and its supervised persons may, from time to time, come into possession of material nonpublic
and other confidential information which, if disclosed, might affect an investor’s decision to buy, sell or
hold a security. Under applicable law, Cynosure and its supervised persons are prohibited from improperly
disclosing or using such information for their personal benefit or for the benefit of any other person, even
if such other person is an Advisory Client. Accordingly, should Cynosure or its supervised persons come
into possession of material nonpublic or other confidential information with respect to any company, it
may be prohibited from communicating such information to, or using such information for the benefit of,
its clients, and have no obligation or responsibility to disclose such information to, nor responsibility to
use such information for the benefit of, its clients or Cynosure personnel when following policies and
procedures designed to comply with law.
Cynosure has adopted as a part of the Code a “Policy Statement on Insider Trading” which establishes
procedures to prevent the misuse of material nonpublic information by Cynosure’s supervised persons.
Among other things, Cynosure maintains a “restricted list” of securities in which Cynosure may not trade
because Cynosure or its personnel may be in possession of material non-public information concerning
the issuer. In addition, Cynosure requires that all personnel must read, sign, and adhere to Cynosure’s
policy on insider trading.
Personal Securities Trading
Cynosure requires its personnel to pre-clear all personal trades in securities transactions, an initial public
offering, or a private placement. In addition, employees are required to submit quarterly reports of their
personal transactions in any reportable securities accounts within 30 days of the end of each calendar
quarter to the CCO or designee. Employees also must report all securities holdings in reportable accounts
to the CCO or her designee initially upon commencement of employment and annually thereafter. These
are reviewed by the CCO to ensure compliance with Cynosure’s policies.
Principal Transactions
Cynosure, and in limited circumstances an affiliate, may engage in principal transactions (i.e., transactions
in which Cynosure or an affiliate is deemed to be acting for its own account by buying a security from, or
selling a security to, an Advisory Client). These transactions introduce a potential conflict of interest
between its own interests and those of the Advisory Client.
Cynosure has established policies and procedures to comply with the Advisers Act when engaging in
principal transactions with Advisory Clients. Additionally, investment guidelines and an Advisory Client’s
charter documents may limit principal transactions on a more restrictive basis than the Advisers Act. In
general, Cynosure avoids secondary market transactions.
Notice and Consent
Cynosure will notify the Advisory Client itself or a duly appointed, independent representative of the
Advisory Client to obtain consent for any principal transaction.
Other Notice and Consent Considerations
In general, Cynosure will not engage in principal transactions with accounts of a retirement plan subject
to ERISA unless approved by Cynosure’s General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, and, if necessary,
17
competent ERISA counsel.
Conflicts of Interest
Various actual and potential conflicts of interest may arise among CCM, its Advisory Clients, Cynosure-
sponsored pooled investment vehicles and other accounts. Subject to any reasonable investment
guidelines or restrictions imposed by an Advisory Client and consistent with CCM’s fiduciary duties under
applicable law, CCM may invest all or a portion of an Advisory Client’s portfolio in pooled investment
vehicles sponsored or managed by Cynosure or its affiliates (“Cynosure Investment Vehicles”), including
vehicles that may invest directly or through third-party funds or co-investments. In such cases, the
Advisory Client will pay the management fee described in Item 5 and will also indirectly bear its pro rata
share of fees and expenses at the vehicle level, which creates an incentive for CCM to recommend
affiliated vehicles over unaffiliated alternatives. In addition, investment opportunities may be shared
among Advisory Clients, affiliated vehicles and other accounts. CCM addresses these conflicts through
disclosure in this Brochure and the applicable investment and fund documents, through allocation and
conflicts policies and procedures, and by permitting Advisory Clients to impose reasonable limits on
investments in affiliated vehicles as part of their investment guidelines or restrictions.
Allocation of Investments
Cynosure has adopted allocation policies and procedures designed to allocate investment opportunities
among Advisory Clients, affiliated pooled investment vehicles and other accounts in a fair and equitable
manner, consistent with applicable law and relevant investment objectives, guidelines and contractual
restrictions.
Investment opportunities, including co-investments and opportunities available through vehicles
sponsored or managed by Cynosure Partners, may be allocated among Advisory Clients, affiliated
vehicles and other accounts based on factors such as suitability, available capital, relative account size,
diversification, risk, geographic and industry focus, liquidity needs and existing exposure. As a result, a
particular opportunity may be unavailable to a client, available only in a reduced amount, or available at
a different time than to another account or vehicle.
Cynosure’s policies prohibit the allocation of investment opportunities based solely on anticipated
compensation or profitability to Cynosure, its affiliates or their professionals.
ITEM 12: BROKERAGE PRACTICES
CCM has discretion to select brokers and dealers to execute transactions in securities and other
instruments for Advisory Clients. CCM seeks to obtain best execution for orders executed for Advisory
Clients, taking into account quantitative and qualitative factors affecting the execution quality of portfolio
transactions. In particular, CCM reviews factors, such as (among others) the experience of the broker or
the dealer, its ability to handle the order to the best advantage of the Advisory Client, the nature of the
investments to be bought or sold, special circumstances affecting the instrument (e.g., redemption
features), and the overall price of the order. As a result, although Cynosure will seek competitive
commissions and spreads, it may not necessarily obtain the most competitive price/commission/spread
18
for portfolio transactions.
Bunching or Aggregating Trades
Individual Advisory Client trades may be aggregated if aggregation is believed to benefit the Advisory
Client and to be consistent with CCM’s obligation to seek best execution. CCM is not obligated to
aggregate Advisory Client trades, however, and there may be reasons, such as Advisory Client
specifications or logistics of the trade itself, where aggregation is not possible. In such situations, the
inability to aggregate the trade could result in an increase in transaction costs for the Advisory Client.
CCM may trade the same instruments for multiple Advisory Clients with a particular broker throughout
the day. Where possible, the price at which that particular broker handles these multiple orders generally
will be averaged among the multiple Advisory Client accounts during a trading day. Trades with a particular
broker that occurs in the same instruments for multiple Advisory Clients on the same day may be averaged
across multiple Advisory Client accounts if determined by CCM to be fair, reasonable, and appropriate
under the circumstances. All exceptions to Cynosure’s policy on the aggregation of trades must be
approved by Cynosure’s Chief Compliance Officer or designee.
Trade Errors
CCM seeks to detect and correct trade errors. Should a trade error occur, CCM will address such error in
accordance with Cynosure’s trade error policies and procedures.
Soft Dollars
Cynosure does not currently participate in any soft dollar relationships with brokers for research or any
other service. To the extent Cynosure engages in soft dollar arrangements in the future, it will adopt soft
dollar policies and procedures in accordance with applicable law.
ITEM 13:
REVIEW OF ACCOUNTS
CCM regularly monitors investment accounts to ensure compliance with the Advisory Client’s stated goals
and objectives. Generally, Advisory Client investment accounts are reviewed on a quarterly basis, and no
less than annually, to assess the past investment performance, manager recommendations, portfolio risk,
opportunities to rebalance and the overall effectiveness of the investment program.
CCM personnel are available to meet with Advisory Clients upon request and, upon reasonable request,
will tailor reporting to meet the particular needs of an Advisory Client.
Reporting
The broker-dealer or custodian of the Advisory Client’s account provides the Advisory Client with
transaction confirmation notices and regular summary account statements independent of CCM. Those
Clients to whom CCM provides Portfolio Advisory Services may also receive a written report that may
include such relevant account and/or market-related information such as inventory of account holdings
and account performance on a quarterly basis.
ITEM 14:
CLIENT REFERRALS AND OTHER COMPENSATION
From time to time, CCM may receive client referrals from both affiliated and unaffiliated parties. In these
19
circumstances, Cynosure may pay the referral source a referral fee in accordance with the requirements
of Rule 206(4)-1 of the Advisers Act and any applicable corresponding state securities law requirements.
CCM will pay any referral fee solely from its fee and will not increase the Advisory Client’s fee nor impose
any additional charge on the Advisory Client. If the Advisory Client is introduced to CCM by an unaffiliated
party, the Advisory Client will be provided with a copy of the Brochure and a copy of a disclosure statement
containing the terms and conditions of the referral arrangement including compensation. Any affiliated
party of CCM making a referral will disclose the nature of the affiliation to the prospective Advisory Client
at the time of the referral and all prospective Advisory Clients will be provided with a copy of CCM’s
Brochure.
ITEM 15:
CUSTODY
CCM does not take possession of or physical custody of Advisory Client assets. Advisory Client assets will
be maintained at a Qualified Custodian. However, under Rule 206(4)-2 of the Advisers Act, where standing
letters of authority are maintained for certain Advisory Client accounts, Cynosure is deemed to have
custody of Advisory Client assets. Cynosure maintains policies and procedures regarding Advisory Client
assets over which it is deemed to have custody. All Advisory Clients will receive at least quarterly
statements from the broker-dealer, bank, or other custodian (“Qualified Custodian”) that holds and
maintains the Advisory Client’s cash and investment assets. CCM urges its Advisory Clients to carefully
review these statements and compare them to the account statements that CCM provides. CCM’s
statements may vary from the statements of the Qualified Custodian based on accounting procedures,
reporting dates or valuation methodologies of certain securities. The statements of the Qualified
Custodian are the official record of the Advisory Client accounts.
ITEM 16: INVESTMENT DISCRETION
At the outset of an advisory relationship, CCM typically receives authority to exercise investment
discretion on behalf of Advisory Clients. CCM is considered to exercise investment discretion over an
Advisory Client’s account if it can effect and/or direct transactions in Advisory Client accounts without first
seeking consent. CCM is given this authority through applicable provisions included in the Investment
Advisory Agreement between CCM and the Advisory Client. Advisory Clients may request, in writing,
reasonable limitations on this authority (such as certain securities not to be bought or sold). For
discretionary advisory mandates, CCM takes discretion over the following activities: 1) the individual
securities to be purchased and sold; 2) the amount of the securities to be purchased or sold; 3) the timing
of when transactions are made; and 4) the hiring and firing of independent managers.
ITEM 17: VOTING CLIENT SECURITIES
CCM will accept the authority to vote an Advisory Client’s securities (i.e., proxies) on their behalf. This
authority is generally granted through the execution of the Investment Advisory Agreement. If an
Advisory Client elects to vote proxies themselves, they shall receive proxies directly from the custodians
and may contact CCM at the contact information on the cover of this brochure with any questions about
any such issuer solicitations.
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For Advisory Client accounts where proxy authority has been granted, CCM has, or will accept, authority
to vote public company securities and other debt instruments (e.g., loans) held by an Advisory Client and
has adopted policies and procedures (the “Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures”) that it believes are
reasonably designed to comply with the requirements of the Advisers Act.
Under the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures, unless faced with a conflict of interest between or among
Advisory Clients, CCM will vote proxies in a manner that serves the best interest of its Advisory Clients.
The Proxy voting process is facilitated and monitored by Cynosure’s Client Experience Team who is
responsible for arrangements with Cynosure’s proxy voting vendor, ProxyEdge, to vote in line with
management recommendations unless a conflict of interest is identified. As conflicts of interest may arise,
CCM will address such conflict in accordance with its Proxy Voting Conflict of Interests policies and
procedures.
CCM’s Proxy Voting Policy is assigned by default to all discretionary advisory accounts. As a result,
depending on the Advisory Client’s particular circumstances, CCM may vote one Advisory Client’s
securities differently than it votes those of another Advisory Client, or may vote differently on various
proposals, even though the securities or proposals are similar (or identical). In some instances, CCM may
determine that it is in the Advisory Client’s best interest for CCM to “abstain” from voting or not to vote
at all and will do so accordingly.
Proxy voting reports, identifying how proxies were voted where Cynosure has been delegated proxy voting
authority, and Cynosure’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures are available upon written request to The
Cynosure Group, LLC, 111 S. Main Street, Suite 2350, Salt Lake City, UT, 84111, Attn: Chief Compliance
Officer.
Class Actions
Generally, CCM will not render any advice to or take any actions on behalf of Advisory Clients with respect
to the initiation or pursuit of any legal proceedings, including bankruptcies and shareholder litigation, to
which any securities or other investments transacted or held in Advisory Client accounts, or the issuers
thereof, become subject. The right to take any actions with respect to any legal proceedings, including
bankruptcies and shareholder litigation, and the right to initiate or pursue any legal proceedings, including
shareholder litigation, with respect to transactions, securities or other investments held in an Advisory
Client’s account is the Advisory Client’s responsibility. The Advisory Client shall maintain exclusive
responsibility for all legal proceedings or other type events pertaining to the assets managed by CCM,
including, but not limited to, class action lawsuits.
ITEM 18: FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Not applicable.
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Additional Brochure: CYNOSURE PARTNERS (2026-03-31)
View Document Text
ITEM 1:
COVER PAGE
Cynosure Partners
(A division of The Cynosure Group, LLC)
111 S. Main Street, Suite 2350
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
www.cynosuregroup.com
March 31, 2026
This brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices of Cynosure Partners,
a division of The Cynosure Group, LLC. If you have any questions about the contents of this brochure,
please contact us at 801-521-3100. The information in this brochure has not been approved or verified by
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or by any state securities authority.
Additional information about The Cynosure Group, LLC also is available on the SEC’s Investment Adviser
Public Disclosure website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov (click on the link “Investment Adviser Search” and
then select “Firm” and type in our advisory firm name “The Cynosure Group”).
The Cynosure Group, LLC is an investment adviser registered with the SEC (a “registered investment
adviser”). This registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
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MATERIAL CHANGES
ITEM 2:
Please see below for a summary of material updates to the brochure since its initial version (November 26,
2025):
• updates to Item 4 relating to the Firm’s regulatory assets under management;
• updates to Item 5 relating to Fees; and
• updates to the risk disclosures in Item 8 and the disclosure in Item 14 relating to client referrals and other
compensation.
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ITEM 3:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ITEM 1: COVER PAGE ................................................................................................................................ 1
ITEM 2: MATERIAL CHANGES ................................................................................................................... 2
ITEM 3:
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................... 3
ITEM 4: ADVISORY BUSINESS ............................................................................................................... 4
ITEM 5: FEES AND COMPENSATION ..................................................................................................... 5
ITEM 6: PERFORMANCE-BASED FEES AND SIDE-BY-SIDE MANAGEMENT ......................................... 10
ITEM 7: TYPES OF CLIENTS ................................................................................................................. 10
ITEM 8: METHODS OF ANALYSIS, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISK OF LOSS ......................................... 11
ITEM 9: DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION ................................................................................................ 21
ITEM 10:
OTHER FINANCIAL INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES AND AFFILIATIONS .............................................. 21
ITEM 11:
TRADING
CODE OF ETHICS, PARTICIPATION OR INTEREST IN CLIENT TRANSACTIONS AND PERSONAL
22
ITEM 12: BROKERAGE PRACTICES ......................................................................................................... 29
ITEM 13: REVIEW OF ACCOUNTS .......................................................................................................... 29
ITEM 14:
CLIENT REFERRALS AND OTHER COMPENSATION ................................................................ 30
ITEM 15:
CUSTODY ............................................................................................................................... 30
ITEM 16:
INVESTMENT DISCRETION ..................................................................................................... 31
ITEM 17:
VOTING CLIENT SECURITIES .................................................................................................. 31
ITEM 18: FINANCIAL INFORMATION ..................................................................................................... 31
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ITEM 4: ADVISORY BUSINESS
For purposes of this brochure, ‘Cynosure’ refers to The Cynosure Group, LLC, the SEC-registered investment
adviser, and ‘CP’ refers to Cynosure Partners, the relevant business division of Cynosure.
General Firm Overview
The Cynosure Group, LLC (“Cynosure” or the “Firm”), is a Utah limited liability company formed in 2015
and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as
amended (the “Advisers Act”).
The Firm’s principal office is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it maintains an additional office in New
York. Cynosure is principally owned by The Randal Quarles and Hope Eccles Legacy Trust and Spencer P.
Eccles and Kristine L. Eccles GST Legacy Trust agreements each owning more than 25%.
Cynosure offers advisory services in the following divisions: Cynosure Partners, Cynosure Capital
Management, Cynosure Wealth Advisors, Cynosure Strategies, and Cynosure|Checketts Sports Capital
Partners, LLC. Cynosure also has a separate investment advisory firm affiliate, Cynosure Portfolio Advisors
LLC.
As of December 31, 2025, The Cynosure Group, LLC collectively managed approximately $9,847,984,409
in discretionary assets and $144,883,807 in non-discretionary assets under advisement across all five
divisions.
The following sections of this brochure relate solely to Cynosure Partners. Each other Cynosure division,
and related adviser Cynosure Portfolio Advisors LLC, is described in greater detail in their own brochure,
which are available online at adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/281399.
Cynosure Partners
Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2025, Cynosure Partners (“CP”) managed approximately $3,103,745,772 in
discretionary assets. CP primarily provides investment advisory services focusing on a private equity,
private credit, hybrid, and fund-of-funds strategies. CP provides such investment advisory services, either
directly or through co- and sub-advisory arrangements, to various Cynosure-sponsored pooled
investment vehicles (each an “Advisory Client”).1
In providing its services to each Advisory Client, CP and its related persons provide advice with respect to
the investment and reinvestment of each Advisory Client’s assets and may assist in coordinating reports
to investors. CP manages the assets of each Advisory Client in accordance with the terms of the private
placement memorandums, limited partnership agreements, investment advisory agreements, side letters,
and other governing documents (“Governing Documents”) applicable to such Advisory Client.
CP’s investment advice and authority for the Advisory Client is tailored to the investment objectives of the
Advisory Client (i.e., CP does not tailor its advisory services to the individual needs of the Advisory Client’s
1 “Advisory Client” means any fund, pooled investment vehicle for which Cynosure directly or indirectly provides investment
advice and/or places trades on a discretionary or nondiscretionary basis. The investors and other persons who invest in
Cynosure-sponsored pooled investment vehicles are generally referred to herein as “investors.” Unless otherwise expressly
stated herein, the term “Advisory Clients” does not include “investors”.
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investors). These objectives are described in the private placement memorandums, limited partnership
agreements, investment advisory agreements, side letters and other Governing Documents of the
relevant Advisory Client. Investors in such Advisory Clients generally cannot impose restrictions on
investing in certain securities or types of securities. Investors in such Advisory Clients participate in the
overall investment program for the Advisory Client and generally cannot be excused from a particular
investment except pursuant to the terms of the applicable Governing Documents.
CP identifies investment opportunities and participates in the acquisition, management, monitoring, and
disposition of investments for each Advisory Client. CP closely analyzes investment opportunities in a wide
range of companies, from small-cap growth companies to larger, more mature companies, in industries
that have ranged from quick service restaurants to financial technology, and in geographies including
North America, Asia, and Europe. Private equity investments take the form of privately negotiated
investment instruments, including unregistered equity securities of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers.
Interests in Advisory Client pooled investment vehicles advised by CP are privately offered only to eligible
investors pursuant to exemptions available under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the “Securities Act”), and the regulations promulgated thereunder. Such Advisory Client pooled
investment vehicles, including parallel and co-investment vehicles, are not registered with the SEC as
investment companies based on specific exclusions from the United States Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). Typically, interests in Advisory Client investment
vehicles are offered to institutional investors, high net worth individuals as well as non-U.S. investors.
Additionally, CP, Cynosure, its affiliates, and equity owners, and certain of its respective professionals
typically invest in or alongside Advisory Clients. Other qualified individuals who generally are not
employees of Cynosure, but who have or had business relationships with Cynosure or industry expertise
in the sector in which a particular Advisory Client may be investing (including, without limitation, operating
executives, operating advisors, consultants, former employees, senior advisors, and other similar
professionals) are also expected to invest in or alongside Advisory Clients. Some of these outside investors
and industry experts are current or former executives of portfolio companies in which an Advisory Client
investment vehicle will invest.
ITEM 5: FEES AND COMPENSATION
CP generally receives management fees, incentive fees, carried interest or similar profit allocations from
Advisory Clients. These fees are negotiated between CP and the Advisory Client at the time of the Advisory
Client’s establishment and are described in the applicable Governing Documents. Advisory Clients
frequently also indirectly incur or generate other fees payable to Cynosure, CP and/or their affiliates,
depending on the nature of their portfolio activities. In addition, Advisory Clients typically bear certain out-
of-pocket expenses incurred by Cynosure, CP, or its affiliates in connection with the services provided to
such Advisory Clients.
The following sections discuss the most common fees and expenses in more detail.
Common Types of Fees – Management Fees and Administration Fees
Management Fees
Management fees of an Advisory Client are described in the applicable Governing Documents. The annual
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management fee is typically a set percentage of third-party investors’ committed capital during the
relevant Advisory Client’s investment period. After such investment period, the fee percentage is typically
applied only to the amount of third-party capital remaining in investments that have not yet been exited,
although for certain Advisory Clients the fee may instead be based on invested capital, net asset value,
asset value or another measure specified in the applicable Governing Documents, and the fee percentage
also may be reduced. However, to the extent such reduction in fee is triggered during a management fee
period of the applicable Advisory Client, such reduction may not be effective until the first day of the next
management fee period. Also, if the fee base changes during a period for which fees have been called in
advance, any excess fees paid generally are not returned to the investor.
Management fees are generally paid by or on behalf of an Advisory Client by (i) requiring investors in such
Advisory Clients to make capital contributions in respect of such fees, or (ii) withholding the amount of
such fees from investment proceeds that would otherwise be distributable to the investors of such
Advisory Client.
Performance-Based Arrangements
Distributions to investors in most Advisory Clients are subject to some form of carried interest, incentive
distribution, or similar profit allocation for the benefit of CP and affiliates, which are described in such
Advisory Client’s Governing Documents. Generally, these profit allocations represent a share of
distributions made by an Advisory Client in excess of applicable thresholds, invested capital, preferred
returns and/or allocable fees and expenses, as set forth in the relevant Governing Documents.
Determinations of whether performance-based profit allocations will be applied will be made each time
an investment is realized or on an annual (or more frequent) basis with respect to certain Advisory Clients.
For any Advisory Client, performance fees, incentive fees or carried interest allocations may be subject to
certain preferred return hurdles, catch-up allocations, and high-water marks. The manner of calculation
and application of performance fees, incentive fees or carried interest profit allocations are disclosed in
the offering documents and detailed in the Governing Documents of, each Advisory Client.
Management fees, incentive fees and carried interest or similar profit allocations are subject to
modification, waiver, or reduction in connection with an investment in one or multiple Advisory Clients.
Furthermore, CP, Cynosure, its affiliates, and equity owners, and certain of their respective professionals
typically invest in or alongside Advisory Clients. Other qualified individuals who generally are not
employees of Cynosure, but who have or had business relationships with Cynosure, CP, or industry
expertise in the sector in which a particular Advisory Client may be investing (including, without limitation,
operating executives, operating advisors, consultants, former employees, senior advisors, and other
similar professionals), also invest in or alongside Advisory Clients. Fees assessed or profit allocations on
such investments will likely be substantially reduced or, more typically, waived altogether for these
investors.
Please also see Item 6 for additional disclosures related to performance-based fees.
Side/Commitment Letters
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As described more fully in Item 11, Cynosure and its affiliates may enter into side letter agreements or
Investment Management Agreements (also referred to as, “Commitment Letters”) with certain investors
in an Advisory Client pooled investment vehicle providing such investors with customized terms, including
6
with respect to economic, reporting, co-investment, governance, tax, regulatory, liquidity or other rights,
which could result in preferential treatment for certain investors.
Portfolio Company Service Fees
CP earns fees and other compensation from prospective and actual portfolio companies, purchasers,
sellers, and other parties as compensation for services (collectively, “Service Fees”). These Service Fees
can include project, structuring, topping, termination, break-up, directors’, organizational, set-up,
syndication, closing, commitment, advisory, consulting, and other similar fees in connection with the
purchase, monitoring, or disposition of underlying investments or from unconsummated transactions. In
general, the specific legal and/or organizational documents of the relevant Advisory Client, the investment
management agreement between Cynosure (or an affiliate) and such Advisory Client or the agreements
in respect of the portfolio investments describe the basic fee structure relevant to the investors in such
Advisory Client. To the extent provided in such organizational documents or investment management
agreement, Cynosure’s management fees from Advisory Clients generally are reduced (offset) by a
specified portion of the Service Fees that arise out of such Advisory Client’s investment activities. The
amount of any such offset, and the categories of fees subject to offset, may differ among Advisory Clients.
The Service Fees can be and often are substantial, and if not fully offset pursuant to organizational
documents will be indirectly borne by investors.
Certain fees are excluded from the definition of “Service Fees” and not subject to a management fee offset.
In addition, Cynosure and its personnel can be expected to receive certain intangible and/or other benefits
and/or perquisites arising or resulting from their activities on behalf of Advisory Clients that will not be
subject to the management fee offset or otherwise shared with the Advisory Clients, investors and/or
portfolio companies. For example, airline travel or hotel stays incurred as Advisory Client expenses
typically result in “miles” or “points” or credit in loyalty/status programs, and such benefits and/or
amounts will, whether or not de minimis or difficult to value, inure exclusively to Cynosure and/or such
personnel (and not the Advisory Clients, investors and/or portfolio companies) even though the cost of
the underlying service is borne by the Advisory Clients, investors and/or portfolio companies.
Other Fees
To the extent Cynosure or an affiliate thereof is entitled to receive certain fees from portfolio companies
of an Advisory Client, a portion of such Advisory Client’s share of such fees paid to Cynosure or such
affiliate typically reduces the management fees otherwise payable to Cynosure. The Governing
Documents of each Advisory Client sets forth the basis on which such fees reduce management fees, if at
all. Certain of these fees are described below.
Acquisition and disposition fees are one-time fees paid to Cynosure or one of its affiliates in connection
with an investment or disposition by an Advisory Client. Such fees are generally paid by portfolio
companies, but in limited circumstances are paid directly by an Advisory Client. Such fees are common to
some, but not all Advisory Clients.
CP engages and retains operating executives, operating advisors, consultants, former employees, senior
advisors, and other similar professionals, in all cases, who are not employees of Cynosure (“Operating
Professionals”). Operating Professionals receive payments from, or allocations with respect to, portfolio
companies (as well as from Advisory Clients) for their services (including for serving on a portfolio
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company’s board of directors). In such circumstances, such payments from, or allocations with respect to,
portfolio companies and/or Advisory Clients will not, even if they have the effect of reducing any retainers
or minimum amounts otherwise payable by Cynosure, be deemed paid to or received by Cynosure (nor
will such amounts be deemed paid to or received by affiliates or personnel of Cynosure) and such amounts
will not be subject to the management fee offset provisions described in Item 5 (meaning that such
compensation received from the portfolio company will be indirectly borne by the Advisory Client without
any offset to such Advisory Client’s management fee). To the extent Operating Professionals are engaged
through a retainer agreement with Cynosure, Cynosure may elect to bear the expense of base retainer
fees, while in other cases, Advisory Clients may bear such fees. These Operating Professionals may have
the right or may be offered the ability to co-invest without fees or carry alongside or in Advisory Clients,
including in those investments in which they are involved, receive in-kind compensation such as special
profits interests, stock or stock options, or otherwise participate in equity plans for management of any
such portfolio company (which may have the effect of reducing the amount invested by and returned in
respect of an Advisory Client investment). Additionally, and notwithstanding the foregoing, these
Operating Professionals may be (or have the preferred right to be) investors alongside or in other Advisory
Clients. Operating Professionals are expected to be compensated (including pursuant to retainers and
expense reimbursement) by Cynosure, an Advisory Client and/or portfolio companies or otherwise
uncompensated unless and until an engagement with a portfolio company develops. Certain Operating
Professionals will be subject to contractual obligations to exclusively provide certain services to Cynosure.
CP may have a conflict of interest to the extent that it has an opportunity to earn a fee from an investment
held by an Advisory Client. Other than transactions expressly permitted by the governing agreements of
the relevant Advisory Client, any fees paid to CP or its affiliates by a portfolio company or an Advisory
Client are generally assessed on an arm’s-length basis on terms that CP believes are no less favorable to
the Advisory Client or portfolio company than would be obtained in a transaction with an unaffiliated
party, are generally no less favorable than market terms, or such fees may be subject to approval. Among
the measures CP uses to mitigate such conflict is involving outside counsel to review and advise on such
agreements and provide insights into commercially reasonable terms. Please also see Item 11 for
additional information on how Cynosure addresses certain conflicts of interest.
To the extent that an Advisory Client employs a fund-of-funds strategy in which it invests certain of its
portfolio in one or more underlying funds and other pooled investment vehicles sponsored or managed
by third party advisory firms, the Advisory Client as an investor in such underlying vehicles will indirectly
pay its pro rata share of fund-level expenses incurred through each vehicle. These include fees and
expenses paid by such vehicle for third-party services such as (but not limited to) management fees;
performance fees or special allocations paid to such vehicle’s investment manager; and audit, tax,
accounting, legal, custody, administrative and other fees, all as provided in the Governing Documents of
such vehicles.
Common Types of Expenses
Pooled Investment Vehicles – General Expenses
Expenses that are typically borne by Advisory Clients (or their respective portfolio companies) generally
include certain organizational expenses, set forth in the Governing Documents of each Advisory Client, that
are incurred in connection with the formation of the Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle and the
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offering of interests in it to potential investors, including but not limited to: legal fees and expenses,
including for preparing offering materials and preparing and negotiating the Governing Documents; and
other expenses related to formation of the Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle.
Additionally, and consistent with its Governing Documents, each Advisory Client’s pooled investment
vehicle also generally bears all of the expenses relating to its activities, operations, meetings and eventual
liquidation, including, without limitation and to the extent provided in the applicable Governing
Documents, all out-of-pocket fees, costs and expenses incurred in developing, bidding on, evaluating,
negotiating, structuring, obtaining regulatory approvals for, purchasing, trading, settling, monitoring,
maintaining custody of, financing, refinancing, servicing, administering, valuing, accounting, monitoring,
holding and disposing of actual investments or proposed but unconsummated investments (to the extent
not reimbursed by an entity in which the Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle has invested or
proposes to invest, or other third parties). Additionally, the Governing Documents of each Advisory Client’s
pooled investment vehicle generally permit the Advisory Client, subject to certain limitations, to borrow
funds to pay the expenses described above.
Please also see Item 11 for additional conflicts of interest disclosures related to the allocation of fees and
expenses by CP.
Broken Deal Expenses
Investors in certain Advisory Clients generally are required to bear out-of-pocket costs and expenses
incurred in connection with developing, negotiating, and structuring deals or other transactions that are
not ultimately completed. Typically, these expenses include (i) legal, accounting, advisory, consulting or
other third party expenses (including, without limitation, amounts payable to Operating Professionals and
other third parties) in connection with making an investment that is not ultimately consummated, and any
related travel and accommodation expenses (whether incurred by third parties or by CP), although, in some
cases, CP and its affiliates may be required to bear travel and accommodation expenses, (ii) all fees
(including commitment fees), costs and expenses of lenders, investment banks and other financing sources
in connection with arranging financing for a proposed investment that is not ultimately made (including
all fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with the offering of interests in any Cynosure-affiliated
investment vehicle formed for co-investors to participate in an Advisory Client’s proposed investment that
is not ultimately made), (iii) any out of pocket fees, costs and expenses paid to an individual or group
pursuing a business plan that is not successfully implemented, (iv) any break-up, reverse break-up,
topping, termination and other similar fees payable by an Advisory Client in connection with investments
that are not ultimately made and (v) any deposits or down payments of cash or other property which are
forfeited in connection with a proposed investment that is not ultimately made (in each case, to the extent
such investment is not ultimately made by another Advisory Client). Co-investment vehicles (particularly
those formed to invest alongside an Advisory Client fund in a single investment) generally will not share in
broken deal expenses. Except as otherwise set forth in the Governing Documents of an Advisory Client,
investing in an Advisory Client does not give investors any rights, entitlements, or priority to co-investment
opportunities.
Expenses incurred on an aggregate basis for the benefit of multiple Advisory Client’s pooled investment
vehicles are allocated across the participating Advisory Clients’ pooled investment vehicles in a manner
CP determines to be reasonable and fair to all parties. The allocation method used may vary depending
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on the relevant facts and circumstances and the applicable Governing Documents. Please also see Item 11
for additional conflicts of interest disclosures related to the allocation of fees and expenses by Cynosure.
ITEM 6: PERFORMANCE-BASED FEES AND SIDE-BY-SIDE MANAGEMENT
Commented [LB1]: Co-investment vehicles and parallel
funds fall within the definition of “Advisory Client”. Consider
whether other accounts should also be included in that
definition.
Cynosure currently acts as investment adviser to Advisory Clients, and related persons typically act as
general partners (or similar managing fiduciaries) with respect to such Advisory Clients. As discussed in
Item 5, Cynosure and its affiliates will receive carried interest allocations and management, incentive, and
other fees in connection with advisory and other services provided to certain Advisory Clients. Certain
investment opportunities also may be pursued alongside or allocated among Advisory Clients and other
Cynosure- or affiliate-sponsored vehicles or accounts, including co-investment vehicles, parallel vehicles
and, where applicable, separate accounts, which may have different economic or other terms. The
relationship of Cynosure to the Advisory Client, the manner of calculation and application of management
fees and carried interest profit allocations, incentive fees or other performance-based fees, as applicable,
with respect to Cynosure, the affiliated general partner (or similar managing fiduciary) or other affiliates
and known or reasonably anticipated conflicts of interest involving Cynosure or its affiliates, are disclosed
in the offering documents of the applicable Advisory Client provided to potential investors prior to their
investment.
In allocating investment opportunities, there could be incentives to favor Advisory Clients or other related
vehicles or accounts with higher potential management or performance fees, incentive fees or carried
interest allocations over Advisory Clients with lower potential performance fees, incentive fees or carried
interest allocations. Additionally, performance fee, incentive fee or carried interest allocations may create
an incentive for the general partner (or similar managing fiduciary) of an Advisory Client’s pooled
investment vehicle to make riskier or more speculative investments on behalf of an Advisory Client or to
dispose of investments sooner than it otherwise would in the absence of this arrangement.
To seek to reduce the effect of such incentives, Cynosure and its affiliates have adopted written policies
and procedures pursuant to which they seek to allocate investment opportunities that may be appropriate
for more than one Advisory Client or other eligible vehicle or account in a fair and equitable manner,
bearing in mind, among other things, the size, investment objectives, focus, mandate or policies,
applicable governing document provisions, risk tolerance, return targets, projected hold periods,
diversification considerations, permissible and preferred asset classes, and liquidity needs of each Advisory
Client or account.
Please see Item 11 for a further description of Cynosure’s investment opportunities allocation policies.
ITEM 7: TYPES OF CLIENTS
CP’s Advisory Clients are pooled investment vehicles and are exempt from registration under the
Investment Company Act pursuant to Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) and thus are deemed to be “Private Funds”
under the SEC’s classification. Investors in such pooled investment vehicles may include, among others,
institutional investors, high-net worth individuals, and families; trusts, estates, or charitable organizations;
corporations and businesses, and non-U.S. investors.
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CP typically requires that each third-party investor in an Advisory Client be an “accredited investor” as
10
defined in Regulation D under the Securities Act, and, where applicable, a qualified client as defined under
Rule 205-3 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”) and a “qualified
purchaser” as defined in the Investment Company Act, in each case as may be specified in the Governing
Documents of the applicable pooled investment vehicle. Typically, a minimum investment amount is
imposed on third parties investing in the Advisory Client for which Cynosure acts as investment adviser.
ITEM 8: METHODS OF ANALYSIS, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISK OF LOSS
Methods of Analysis and Investment Strategies
investment committees
in their
CP uses a range of methods to identify, analyze and assess potential and existing investment opportunities,
descriptions of which are included in the applicable Governing Documents. This may include arrangements
with affiliated or unaffiliated advisers for the purpose of obtaining analyses that would assist the
applicable
investment decision-making process. More specific
descriptions are provided below regarding the investment strategies and investment processes. As a
general matter, analytical methods used by the investment teams can include gain/loss forecast models,
cash-flow models, other financial modeling and simulation, risk sensitivity analyses, charting, and
fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis.
CP primarily seeks to make significant investments in operating companies, with a focus on private growth
equity, private credit, hybrid, and fund-of-funds. In its private growth equity strategy, CP generally seeks
to partner with founders and management-owners of growing businesses through minority, control or
other flexible investment structures, with an emphasis on alignment, disciplined structuring and limited
reliance on leverage. CP may invest in small- to mid-sized businesses that demonstrate attractive growth
prospects, meaningful cash flow characteristics, differentiated business models and reinvestment
opportunities, and may support such businesses through long-term ownership, strategic initiatives and
follow-on investments where appropriate.
In private credit and hybrid strategies, CP may invest in or originate loans and other debt or debt-like
instruments, including secured or unsecured instruments, asset-backed or other structured credit
investments, and other privately negotiated financings. In fund-of-funds strategies, CP may invest in
private funds, co-investment vehicles, secondaries and other pooled investment vehicles managed by
third-party managers or sponsors.
In evaluating a potential portfolio company, CP conducts extensive due diligence to analyze, among other
things, the portfolio company’s market, and competitive position within that market; cost and revenue
structures; unique assets, such as brand strength, distribution capability and intellectual property;
management team and compensation structure; contingent liabilities (environmental, regulatory,
accounting or otherwise); potential growth opportunities; and potential exit strategies. In the case of
private credit, hybrid and other debt-oriented investments, CP also may evaluate matters such as
borrower credit quality, capital structure, collateral coverage, covenant package, cash flow profile,
refinancing prospects, sponsor support, enterprise value and recovery scenarios. In the case of fund-of-
funds and other investments in pooled vehicles, CP also may evaluate the underlying manager’s strategy,
experience, alignment of interests, portfolio construction, liquidity profile, valuation practices and
reporting.
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As it relates to fund-of-funds, hybrid strategies, co-investments, manager seeding or other strategic
partnerships, CP seeks strategic partnerships, including forming or seeding new investment products with
external managers that bring a complementary expertise to Cynosure.
Risk of Loss
As with any investment strategy, the investment programs developed by CP involve several significant
risks. The following is a discussion of some of the primary risks; however, it is not possible to identify all
the risks associated with investing, and the particular risks applicable to an Advisory Client will depend on
the nature of the investments chosen.
An investment in any Advisory Client involves a high degree of risk and is suitable only for those investors
who have the financial sophistication and expertise to evaluate the merits and risks of an investment in
such Advisory Client and for which such Advisory Client does not represent a complete investment
program. Certain Advisory Clients may invest through multiple layers of vehicles or in underlying funds or
managers, which may create additional risks, including limited transparency, reliance on third-party
managers, layered fees and expenses, and less control over underlying investment decisions. There can
be no assurance that the investment objective or targeted returns of any Advisory Client will be achieved,
that any Advisory Client will otherwise be able to successfully carry out its investment program, or that an
investor will receive a return of its capital contributed to any Advisory Client. The discussion below
enumerates certain, but not all, risk factors that apply generally to an investment in any Advisory Client.
In addition, there will be occasions when the general partner of an Advisory Client, Cynosure and/or their
respective affiliates encounter potential conflicts of interest in connection with such Advisory Client.
Prior to making any investment in an Advisory Client, investors should carefully review the applicable
offering documents for a more complete description of the risk factors and conflicts of interest relating to
such Advisory Client.
No Assurance of Investment Return
An investment in an Advisory Client requires a long-term commitment, with no certainty of return. CP
cannot provide any assurance whatsoever that it will be able to choose, make and realize investments in
any particular company or portfolio of companies for any Advisory Client. There can be no assurance that
any Advisory Client will (i) be able to generate returns for its investors or that the returns will be
commensurate with the risks of investing in the type of investments in which such Advisory Client
participates or (ii) make any distribution to its investors. Furthermore, distributions to such Advisory
Client’s investors may be subordinated in the event of a default under any credit facility of such Advisory
Client or its related entities. Accordingly, an investment in an Advisory Client should only be considered
by persons for whom a speculative, illiquid, and long-term investment is an appropriate component of a
larger investment program and who can afford a loss of their entire investment. Past activities of
investment entities associated with Cynosure, or any Advisory Client provides no assurance of future
success. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results and all investors should be
prepared to lose the value of their investment. There can be no assurance that projected or targeted
returns for any Advisory Client will be achieved.
Lack of Operating History
Each Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle will initially be a newly formed entity which has not
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commenced operations and therefore will have no operating history upon which an investor may evaluate
its performance. There can be no assurance that any such Advisory Client pooled investment vehicle will
be able to implement its investment strategy and investment approach or achieve its investment objective
or that an investor will receive a return of its capital. Past performance of investment entities associated
with Cynosure is not necessarily indicative of future results and there can be no assurance that an Advisory
Client’s pooled investment vehicle will achieve comparable results or that targeted returns will be met.
Moreover, each such Advisory Client is subject to all the business risks and uncertainties associated with
any new investment vehicle, including the risk that it will not achieve its investment objective and that the
value of an interest in such investment vehicle could decline substantially. Accordingly, investors should
draw no conclusions from the prior experience of Cynosure, the investment professionals of CP, or the
performance of any other Cynosure investments and should not expect to achieve similar returns.
General Economic and Market Conditions
The success of an Advisory Client’s activities will be affected by the continued economic volatility as well
as general economic and market conditions, such as interest rates, availability of credit, credit defaults,
inflation rates, economic uncertainty, changes in applicable laws and regulations (including laws relating
to taxation of an Advisory Client’s investments), trade barriers, currency exchange controls, and national
and international political, environmental and socioeconomic circumstances (including wars, terrorist acts
or security operations or public health considerations).
Common Risks Associated with Investing in Securities Generally
Investments in securities may be subject to a number of risks, including the following:
• Current Market Conditions. In recent years, global debt and equity markets have experienced
increased volatility and turmoil, which can adversely affect a portfolio.
•
Liquidity in Financial Markets. The financial markets in the U.S. and elsewhere have experienced
a variety of difficulties and changed economic conditions, which could adversely affect the value
of a portfolio’s assets.
•
• Government Intervention and Market Disruptions. The global financial markets have undergone
fundamental disruptions that have led to extensive and unprecedented government intervention
that could prove detrimental to the efficient functioning of the markets and adversely affect a
portfolio.
Inflation and Risk of Recession. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had in the
past, and could in the future have, negative effects on the economies and financial markets, which
may in turn affect the markets in which an Advisory Client invests. For example, wages and prices
of inputs increase during periods of inflation, which can negatively impact returns on investments.
Governmental efforts to curb inflation, such as (for example) raising interest rates, often have
negative effects on the level of economic activity. There can be no assurance that inflation will not
become a serious problem in the future and have an adverse impact on an Advisory Client’s
investment returns. As a result of the above and other market conditions, it is possible that the
growth of U.S. and other regional economies could contract over time leading to a recession in the
U.S. and abroad. It is impossible to predict whether a recession will actually occur and, if it does
occur, the length and severity of any such recession. If a moderate to severe recession were to occur
in the U.S. and in other regional countries for a prolonged period of time, it would be expected to
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•
adversely affect the markets in which an account or fund operates and could materially and
adversely affect the performance of investments and the prospects and returns of a Advisory Client’s
portfolio.
Force Majeure Events. There is a risk that a Client’s investments will be impacted by force majeure
events (i.e., events beyond the control of the party claiming that the event has occurred, such as
energy blackouts, acts of God, fire, flood, earthquakes, outbreaks of an infectious disease,
pandemic or any other serious public health concern, war, terrorism, labor strikes and
telecommunication failures). Certain force majeure events (such as an outbreak of an infectious
disease) could have a broader negative impact on the world economy and international business
activity generally, or in any of the countries or jurisdictions in which investments are located.
Additionally, a major governmental intervention into industry, including but not limited to the
nationalization of an industry or the assertion of control over an investment, could result in a loss
to a client. Any of the foregoing would therefore adversely affect the performance of an Advisory
Client’s investments.
Common Risks Associated with Equity Investments
Investments in equity securities may be subject to a number of specific risks, including the following:
• Equity Securities. Equity securities (stocks) held in a portfolio may decrease in response to
activities of companies or market and economic conditions.
• Growth Stocks. Growth stocks may be more sensitive to market movements because their prices
tend to more heavily reflect future investor expectations rather than just current profits. They
may also underperform value stocks during given periods.
•
•
• Value Stocks. Value stocks may perform differently from the market as a whole and may be
undervalued by the market for a long period of time. They may also underperform growth stocks
during given periods.
Small-Capitalization Companies. Small cap stocks may exhibit erratic earnings patterns,
competitive conditions, limited earnings history, and a reliance on one or a limited number of
products.
Initial Public Offerings. Initial public offerings (IPOs) are subject to high volatility and limited
availability.
• Private Placements. Private placements may be classified as illiquid and be difficult to value.
• Derivative Securities. Derivatives may be difficult to value, may be illiquid and may be subject to wide
swings in valuation caused by changes in value of the underlying security. The use of derivatives can
result in losses in a portfolio that substantially exceed the initial amount paid or received from the
investment.
Common Risks Associated with Fixed Income Investments
Investments in fixed income securities can expose clients to certain specific risks such as the following:
• Credit Risk. Fixed income securities, loans and other credit instruments are subject to the risk that
the relevant issuer, borrower or obligor may not be able to meet interest or principal payments
when such obligations come due.
• Below Investment Grade Rated Securities. Below investment grade bonds are subject to a higher
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•
•
probability that the issuers may not be able to meet payment of interest or principal on a timely
basis or at all. These securities also may be less liquid than investment grade securities and
experience higher price volatility. It may not be possible to sell these securities at the desired price
and within a given time period. Private credit investments also may include non-rated instruments
that involve similar or greater risks.
Interest Rates. Interest rates may adversely affect the value of an investment. An increase in
interest rates typically causes the value of bonds and other fixed income securities to fall. Rising
interest rates also may adversely affect borrowers’ ability to service their debt and may increase
default risk, while declining rates may increase prepayments and refinancing activity.
Income Risk. The income received by a portfolio may decrease as a result of a decline in interest
rates.
•
•
• Prepayment Risk. There is a risk of prepayment in mortgage- and asset-backed securities. This risk
arises when market interest rates are below the interest rates charged on the loans that comprise
the securities. Elevated prepayment activity may result in losses in these securities. Prepayments
in other credit investments may also reduce expected returns and require reinvestment at lower
yields or on less favorable terms.
Liquidity Risk. Investments that trade less can be more difficult or more costly to buy, or to sell,
than more liquid or active investments. It may not be possible to sell or otherwise dispose of
illiquid securities both at the price and within a time period deemed desirable. Securities subject
to liquidity risk include emerging market securities, Rule 144A securities, below investment grade
securities and other securities without an established market. Many privately originated or
negotiated credit investments are especially illiquid and may be difficult to value or realize upon
promptly.
Foreign Investments. Foreign investments often involve additional risks, including political
instability, differences in financial reporting standards and less stringent regulation of securities
markets.
• Derivative Securities. Derivatives may be difficult to value, may be illiquid and may be subject to
wide swings in valuation caused by changes in value of the underlying security. The use of
derivatives can result in losses that substantially exceed the initial amount paid or received. To
the extent used, derivatives may also be employed for hedging purposes, including interest rate
hedging, and may be ineffective or introduce additional counterparty, operational or basis risk.
• Rule 144A Securities. Rule 144A securities are not registered for resale in the general securities
market and may be less liquid than registered securities.
Common Risks Associated with Alternative Investments
Investments in alternative investment strategies (such as private equity, private debt, hedge fund, real
asset, and dynamic allocation strategies) can expose clients to certain specific risks associated with the
following:
• Derivative Securities. Derivatives may be difficult to value, may be illiquid and may be subject to
wide swings in valuation caused by changes in value of the underlying security. The use of
derivatives can result in losses that substantially exceed the initial amount paid or received.
• Short Sales. A short sale involves the risk of a theoretically unlimited increase in the market price
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of a security sold short, which could result in an inability to cover the short position and a
theoretically unlimited loss.
• High Yield Securities. High yield securities are rated in the lower rating categories by the various
credit agencies and are subject to greater risk of loss of principal and interest than higher rated
securities. High yield securities generally are considered predominantly speculative with respect
to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal.
•
•
• Options. Purchasing options involves the risk that the underlying instrument will not change price
in the manner expected, so an investor loses their premium. Selling options involves potentially
greater risk because the investor is exposed to the extent of the actual price movement in the
underlying security, which could result in a potentially unlimited loss.
Foreign Securities. Foreign securities are subject to interest rate, currency exchange rate,
economic, and political risks, all of which are magnified in emerging markets.
Foreign Currency Markets. Investments in foreign securities expose a portfolio to fluctuations in
currency exchange rates, which may adversely affect the value of investments in foreign securities
held in a portfolio.
• Currency Risks. Investments denominated in a foreign currency are subject to the risk that the
•
•
•
value of a particular currency will change in relation to one or more currencies.
Interest Rates. Interest rates may adversely affect the value of an investment. An increase in
interest rates typically causes the value of bonds and other fixed income securities to fall.
Leverage. The use of borrowing (leverage) exposes an investor to additional levels of risk including
greater losses from investments than would otherwise have been the case without borrowing;
margin calls or changes in margin requirements may force premature liquidations of investments;
and losses on investments where the investment fails to earn a return that equals or exceeds the
cost of the leverage.
Lack of Diversification. Alternative investment funds may not generally be as diversified as other
investment vehicles. Accordingly, such investments may be subject to more rapid change in value
than would be the case if the funds were required to maintain a wide diversification among types
of securities, geographical areas, issuers, and industries.
• Event-Driven Trading. Event-driven trading involves the risk that the event identified may not
occur as anticipated or may not have the anticipated effect, which may result in a negative impact
upon the market price of securities held in the portfolio.
•
Liquidity. A portfolio’s assets may, at any given time, include securities and other financial
instruments or obligations that are thinly traded or for which no market exists and/or which are
restricted as to their transferability under applicable securities laws. The sale of any such
investments may be possible only at substantial discounts, and it may be extremely difficult to
value accurately any such investments.
Common Risks Associated with Non-U.S. Investments
In addition to the risks associated with investing in equity securities described above, investments in non-
U.S. securities can expose clients to certain additional risks, including the following:
•
Foreign Markets. Foreign markets are volatile and can decline significantly in response to adverse
issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments.
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•
•
Foreign Securities. Foreign securities are subject to interest rate, currency exchange rate,
economic, and political risks, all of which are magnified in emerging markets.
Foreign Currency Markets. Investments in foreign securities expose a portfolio to fluctuations in
currency exchange rates, which may adversely affect the value of investments in foreign securities
held in a portfolio.
• Emerging Markets. Securities traded in certain emerging markets may be subject to risks due to
the inexperience of financial intermediaries, the lack of modern technology, the lack of a sufficient
capital base to expand business operations, and the possibility of temporary or permanent
termination of trading. Political and economic structures in many emerging markets may be
undergoing significant evolution and rapid development, and emerging markets may lack the
social, political, and economic stability characteristics of more developed countries.
Private Funds, Including Private Equity, Private Credit, Hybrid and Fund-of-Funds Investments
An Advisory Client may invest in securities representing limited partnership interests (or their equivalent)
in private equity funds, private credit funds, hybrid funds and other pooled investment vehicles, including
fund-of-funds, co-investment and secondary vehicles. Such investments are generally subject to the risks
with respect to restrictions on transfer or resale, the lack of liquidity to which such investments may be
subject and the effect of such illiquidity on valuations, and the loss of certain protections offered under the
securities laws to holders of registered securities. In addition, where an Advisory Client invests through or
alongside another fund, vehicle or third-party manager, CP generally will have less control over the
underlying investments and may depend on the accuracy and completeness of information provided by
such manager or sponsor. Such investments also may involve an additional layer of fees and expenses that
Advisory Clients will indirectly pay as an investor in such vehicles and such vehicles may have delayed or
less detailed reporting.
Investments in private equity, private credit, hybrid funds and other pooled investment vehicles are
speculative and could subject a client to the risk that the strategy chosen by the fund’s investment
manager to achieve the fund’s objective will not be successful. As a limited partner (or its equivalent), the
client will have little or no control over the management of a private fund or other pooled investment
vehicle in which it is invested or the investment decisions of the fund’s investment manager. Investments
in private credit and hybrid strategies may also be exposed to borrower defaults, covenant breaches,
restructurings, collateral shortfalls, enforcement limitations, intercreditor disputes and valuation
uncertainty, particularly in stressed or illiquid market conditions.
Illiquid and Long-term Investments
Investment in an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle may require a long-term commitment with
no certainty of return of capital. Investments made by Advisory Clients will in general be highly illiquid,
and there can be no assurance that an Advisory Client will be able to realize on such investments in a
timely manner. Although some investments may generate current income, the return of capital and
realization of gain, if any, from some investments will occur only upon the partial or complete disposition
or refinancing of such investment. This risk may be heightened for privately negotiated loans, structured
credit instruments, distressed assets, and interests in underlying private funds or other pooled investment
vehicles.
Hedging
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In connection with certain investments, an Advisory Client may employ hedging techniques designed to
reduce the risk of adverse movements in interest rates, securities prices, and currency exchange rates.
While an Advisory Client may benefit from the use of these hedging mechanisms, unanticipated changes
in interest rates, securities prices, or currency exchange rates, or the transactional fees associated with
such mechanisms may result in a poorer overall performance for such Advisory Client than if it had not
entered such hedging transactions.
Nature of Fund Investments; Risk of Single Investments
The Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle can make single investments in companies, which may
include under-performing, leveraged, or financially stressed or distressed companies. Such investments
will necessarily have significant risks as a result of business, financial or legal uncertainties. There can be
no assurance that the nature and magnitude of the various factors that could affect the value of such
investments will be evaluated correctly. In addition, certain portfolio companies of the Advisory Client’s
pooled investment vehicle investments may be in businesses with little or no operating history. Certain
credit investments also may involve borrowers experiencing operational, liquidity or refinancing
challenges, and any foreclosure, restructuring, workout or enforcement process may be time-consuming,
costly and uncertain.
Cybersecurity Breaches, Identity Theft, Privacy Breaches, and Other Threats
Cynosure’s information and technology systems may be vulnerable to damage or interruption from
infiltration by
computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures,
unauthorized persons and security breaches, usage errors by its professionals, power outages and
catastrophic events such as fires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Cynosure has policies
and procedures and has implemented various measures to manage the risks related to these events;
however, if these systems are compromised, become inoperable for extended periods of time, or cease to
function properly, Cynosure may have to make a significant investment to fix or replace them. The failure
of these systems and/or of disaster recovery plans for any reason could cause significant interruptions in
Cynosure’s operations and result in a failure to maintain security, confidentiality, or privacy of sensitive
data, including personal information relating to its clients. Such a failure could harm Cynosure’s reputation
or subject it or its affiliates to legal claims or otherwise affect their business and financial performance,
potentially resulting in financial loss. Additionally, any failure of Cynosure’s information, technology or
security systems could have an adverse impact on its ability to manage the portfolios of clients.
Legal or Legislative Risk
Legislative changes or court rulings may impact the value of investments or the securities’ claim on the
issuer’s assets and finances.
Global Trade Policy
The trade policies of the U.S. and foreign governments have been changing rapidly, creating uncertainty
regarding global free trade and related trade agreements. At this time, it remains unclear what actions
the U.S. and other governments may take with respect to existing or new trade agreements, individual
companies, industries or countries, tariffs and related matters. New or modified trade policy may have a
negative impact on the Firm, its Advisory Clients, service providers to the foregoing, and/or Advisory Client
investments, including by virtue of increased costs. the Firm cannot predict how other countries will
respond to the U.S. administration’s actions or vice versa. Global trade disruption, significant introductions
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of trade barriers and bilateral trade frictions, together with any future downturns in the global economy
resulting therefrom, could adversely affect the financial performance of the Funds and their investments.
Public Health Emergencies
Any public health emergency, including any outbreak of COVID-19, SARS, H1N1/09 flu, avian flu, other
coronavirus, Ebola or other existing or new epidemic diseases, or the threat thereof, could have a
significant adverse impact on an Advisory Client and its investments. The extent of the impact of any public
health emergency on the operational and financial performance of an Advisory Client will depend on many
factors, including the duration and scope of such public health emergency, the extent of any related travel
advisories and restrictions implemented, the impact of such public health emergency on overall supply
and demand, goods and services, investor liquidity, consumer confidence and levels of economic activity
and the extent of its disruption to important global, regional and local supply chains and economic
markets, all of which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted. The effects of a public health
emergency may materially and adversely impact the value and performance of an Advisory Client’s
investments as well as the ability to achieve its investment objectives, all of which could result in significant
losses to the Advisory Client. In addition, Cynosure may be significantly impacted, or even halted, either
temporarily or on a long-term basis, as a result of government quarantine and curfew measures, voluntary
and precautionary restrictions on travel or meetings and other factors related to a public health
emergency, including its potential adverse impact on the health of any such entity’s personnel.
Health of the Banking Industry
The health of the banking industry can affect, among other things, interest rates and the ability to obtain
loans or similar financing (as well as the terms of such financings) and in turn could potentially affect the
value of Advisory Client investments. Further, to the extent there is a failure of a bank at which Advisory
Client assets are maintained, such failure could result in a delay in deploying and using assets in Advisory
Client accounts at that bank which could have an impact on the Firm’s ability to engage in recommended
transactions for an Advisory Client.
Reliance on CP
The success of each Advisory Client will depend in part upon the skill and expertise of CP’s investment
professionals. There can be no assurance that such professionals will continue to be associated with
Cynosure, and a loss of the services of key personnel could impair CP’s ability to provide services to
Advisory Clients.
Limited Regulatory Oversight
Notwithstanding that Cynosure is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC, the Advisory Clients’
pooled investment vehicles are not required and do not intend to register as investment companies under
the Investment Company Act and, accordingly, investors in such vehicles are not afforded the protections
of the Investment Company Act.
Diverse Investor Group
Investors in an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle may have conflicting investment, tax, and other
interests with respect to their investments. Therefore, conflicts of interest may arise in connection with
decisions made by the managing member (or similar managing fiduciary) or investment adviser of such
investment vehicle, including with respect to the nature or structuring of investments, that may be more
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beneficial for one investor than for another investor, especially with respect to limited partners’ individual
tax situations.
Limited Access to Information
Investors’ rights to information regarding an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle will be specified,
and strictly limited, in the applicable Governing Documents of such Advisory Client.
No Market for Interests: Restrictions on Transfers
Interests in an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle has not been registered under the Securities
Act, or applicable securities laws of any U.S. state or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction and,
therefore, cannot be resold unless they are subsequently registered under the Securities Act and any other
applicable securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. There is no public market
for the interests in such investment vehicles, and one is not expected to develop. An investor will not be
permitted to directly or indirectly assign, sell, pledge, exchange, or transfer any of its interests or any of
its rights or obligations with respect to its interests without the prior written consent of the managing
member (or similar managing fiduciary) of the Advisory Client in question, which consent may be given or
withheld in accordance with the applicable Governing Documents.
Risks in Effecting Operating Improvements
In some cases, the success of an investment strategy will depend, in part, on the ability to restructure and
effect improvements in the operations of a portfolio company. There can be no assurance that CP will be
able to successfully identify and implement such restructuring programs and improvements.
Investments in Highly Leveraged Companies; Use of Leverage
While investments in leveraged companies offer the opportunity for capital appreciation, such
investments also involve a higher degree of risk. Advisory Clients’ investments and portfolio transactions
involve varying degrees of leverage, which could magnify the impact of circumstances such as unfavorable
market or economic conditions, operating problems, and other changes that affect the relevant portfolio
company or its industry, resulting in a more pronounced effect of such circumstances on the profitability
or prospects of such companies.
Risk of Investments in Less Established Companies
From time to time, an Advisory Client may invest all or a portion of its assets in, or a portfolio company of
an Advisory Client may acquire, less established companies. Investments in such companies may involve
greater risks than are generally associated with investments in more established companies. To the extent
there is any public market for the securities held by an Advisory Client, such securities may be subject to
more abrupt and erratic market price movements than those of larger, more established companies. Less
established companies tend to have lower capitalizations and fewer resources and therefore are often
more vulnerable to financial failure. Such companies also may have shorter operating histories on which
to judge future performance and in many cases, if operating, will have negative cash flow.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Recent technological advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning technology (collectively, “AI
Technology”), including (but not limited to) ChatGPT, Claude and other similar products, pose risks to the
Firm or its Advisory Clients. Additional risks stem from the use of AI Technology by third-party service
providers, business partners or other counterparties, whether or not such use is known to the Firm or its
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Advisory Clients. The Firm and its Advisory Clients will likely not be able to control the manner in which
third-party products are developed or maintained or the manner in which third-party services are
provided, even where it has sought contractual protection regarding such use.
The use of AI Technology by any of the parties described above could include the input of confidential
information, including material non-public information into AI Technology applications, resulting in such
confidential information becoming part of a dataset that is accessible by other third-party AI Technology
applications and users.
AI Technology is generally highly reliant on the collection and analysis of large amounts of data, which will
inevitably contain a degree of inaccuracy and error, potentially materially so, and could otherwise be
inadequate or flawed, which would be likely to degrade the effectiveness of AI Technology. Any such
inaccuracies or errors could have adverse impacts on, the Firm, its affiliates and their Advisory Clients.
AI Technology continues to develop rapidly, and it is impossible to predict the future risks that may arise
from such developments. These changes could potentially disrupt, among other things, the business and
operations of the Firm, its Advisory Clients and their service providers. In addition, the use of AI Technology
may require compliance with legal or regulatory frameworks that are not fully developed or tested, and
participants and users may face litigation and regulatory actions related to the use of AI Technology. A
person’s ability to use AI Technology could be limited in the future by legal or regulatory developments.
Other Special Risks
Additional special risks apply to certain private investments, which will be outlined in the applicable
Governing Documents of the relevant Advisory Client.
ITEM 9: DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION
Neither Cynosure or any of its respective professionals have been the subject of any legal or disciplinary
matter of an investment-related nature that would be material to an existing or prospective Advisory
Client’s evaluation of Cynosure’s advisory business or the integrity of its management.
ITEM 10:
OTHER FINANCIAL INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES AND AFFILIATIONS
Neither Cynosure, nor any of Cynosure’s senior management team is registered as a broker-dealer, or as
a registered representative of a broker-dealer, nor is there any present intention to do so. Likewise,
neither Cynosure, nor any of Cynosure’s personnel is registered as a futures commission merchant,
commodity pool operator, commodity trading advisor or as an associated person of any such entities.
Cynosure’s Other Divisions and Advisory Affiliates
In addition to CP, Cynosure has additional separate business divisions:
• Cynosure Capital Management: Focuses on managing investment portfolios for foundations and
endowments.
• Cynosure Wealth Advisors: Provides integrated wealth management services for ultra-high net
worth individuals.
• Cynosure Strategies: Focuses on quantitative advisory services employing a systematic long-short
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strategy.
• Cynosure|Checketts Sports Capital Partners, LLC: Provides advisory services that focus on
institutional investment in sports and seeking to make targeted investments on behalf of its clients
in high-quality sports assets and related companies. This division is a relying adviser of Cynosure
and is a joint venture between Cynosure and Checketts Partners Investment Management, LLC (an
unaffiliated investment adviser also registered with the SEC).
Cynosure Portfolio Advisors LLC, an indirect subsidiary of Cynosure, is another investment adviser
registered with the SEC and provides advisory services to retail (non-high net worth) individuals.
These other divisions and affiliates may from time to time advise clients or vehicles with investment
objectives, investment horizons, liquidity parameters or other interests that differ from, overlap with, or
compete with those of CP’s Advisory Clients. As a result, conflicts may arise with respect to the allocation
of investment opportunities, the time and attention of personnel, internal resources, and the provision of
services among CP’s Advisory Clients and other Cynosure businesses and affiliates. Please also see Item
11.
Pooled Investment Vehicles
Cynosure has a 50 percent interest in 4C GPS GP I, LLC, which is the general partner of 4C GPS I, LP, 4C GPS
II, LP, and 4C GPS III, LP, three private funds that own an interest in GPS Hospitality. The remaining 50
percent interest in 4C GPS GP I, LLC is owned by 4612 Group, LLC, an investment adviser registered with
the SEC, CRD # 287619, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Related General Partners/Managing Members
Cynosure is under common control with several general partners/managing members of Cynosure-
sponsored pooled investment vehicles. Cynosure, either directly or indirectly, enters into investment
advisory agreements to provide all investment advisory services regulated by the Advisers Act to certain
Cynosure-sponsored pooled investment vehicles. Certain related general partners, managing members or
other affiliates may also be involved in the organization, governance, administration, capital raising,
structuring or operation of such vehicles, which may present conflicts of interest.
Other Activities and Relationships
The employees of Cynosure and its affiliates have and are expected from time to time to serve on the
boards of directors of portfolio companies of Cynosure-sponsored pooled investment vehicles. Serving in
such a capacity may give rise to conflicts to the extent that an employee’s fiduciary duties to a portfolio
company as a director may conflict with the interests of an Advisory Client. In addition, personnel of
Cynosure and its affiliates may devote time to other business activities, affiliated advisory businesses or
affiliated investment vehicles, and are not required to devote all of their business time exclusively to CP
or any particular Advisory Client.
CODE OF ETHICS, PARTICIPATION OR INTEREST IN CLIENT
ITEM 11:
TRANSACTIONS AND PERSONAL TRADING
Code of Ethics
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Cynosure has established and approved a Code of Ethics that sets forth standards of ethical conduct for
employees and is designed to address and avoid potential conflicts of interest as required under Rule
204A-1 of the Advisers Act. Among other things, the Code of Ethics prescribes standards for dealing with
clients ethically, addresses conflicts of interest issues, and supplements personal trading and operating
procedures, including Cynosure’s Policies and Procedures regarding Material, Non-Public Information, and
the prevention of Insider Trading. The Code of Ethics provides guidance in specific areas, including but not
limited to, confidentiality of Cynosure information, personal investments, gifts, and entertainment,
protection of persons who engage in “whistle blowing” activities from retaliation and personal political
activities. This Code of Ethics is available to Advisory Clients, investors or prospective clients or investors
by writing to The Cynosure Group, LLC, 111 S. Main Street, Suite 2350, Salt Lake City, UT, 84111, Attn:
Investor Relations.
Misuse of Nonpublic Information
Cynosure and its supervised persons may, from time to time, come into possession of material nonpublic
and other confidential information which, if disclosed, might affect an investor’s decision to buy, sell or
hold a security. Under applicable law, Cynosure and its supervised persons are prohibited from improperly
disclosing or using such information for their personal benefit or for the benefit of any other person, even
if such other person is an Advisory Client. Accordingly, should Cynosure or its supervised persons come
into possession of material nonpublic or other confidential information with respect to any company, it
may be prohibited from communicating such information to, or using such information for the benefit of,
its clients, and have no obligation or responsibility to disclose such information to, nor responsibility to
use such information for the benefit of, its clients or Cynosure personnel when following policies and
procedures designed to comply with law.
Cynosure has adopted as a part of the Code a “Policy Statement on Insider Trading” which establishes
procedures to prevent the misuse of material nonpublic information by Cynosure’s supervised persons.
Among other things, Cynosure maintains a “restricted list” of securities in which Cynosure may not trade
because Cynosure or its personnel may be in possession of material non-public information concerning
the issuer. In addition, Cynosure requires that all personnel must read, sign, and adhere to Cynosure’s
policy on insider trading.
Personal Securities Trading
Cynosure requires its personnel to comply with the firm’s personal trading policies, including pre-
clearance of certain securities transactions and restrictions on investments in initial public offerings and
private placements. Personnel whose account activity is not automatically captured in the firm’s
compliance system must provide periodic reports of personal securities transactions and holdings to the
Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) or her designee. These reports are reviewed by the CCO to monitor
compliance with Cynosure’s Code of Ethics and personal trading procedures.
Principal Transactions
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Cynosure, as an investment manager, or an affiliate in limited circumstances engages in principal
transactions (i.e., transactions in which Cynosure or an affiliate is deemed to be acting for its own account
by buying a security or other instrument from, or selling a security or other instrument to, an Advisory
23
Client). These transactions introduce a potential conflict of interest between its own interests and those
of the Advisory Client.
Cynosure has established policies and procedures to comply with the Advisers Act when engaging in
principal transactions with Advisory Clients. Additionally, investment guidelines and an Advisory Client’s
charter documents may limit principal transactions on a more restrictive basis than the Advisers Act. In
general, Cynosure avoids secondary market transactions.
Details of any such transaction typically are disclosed in the offering documents of an Advisory Client. In
other cases, principal transactions may occur after an Advisory Client has held an initial closing. In those
cases and subject to any applicable provisions in the Advisory Client’s Governing Documents as well as
applicable law, either the Advisory Client, an advisory committee or similar body (if applicable) or an
independent representative of the Advisory Client will receive notice of the transaction and consent will
be sought to the transaction prior to Cynosure or an affiliate settling the principal transaction.
Notice and Consent
Cynosure will notify the Advisory Client itself or a duly appointed, independent representative of the
Advisory Client to obtain consent for any principal transaction.
Other Notice and Consent Considerations
In general, Cynosure will not engage in principal transactions with accounts of a retirement plan subject
to ERISA unless approved by Cynosure’s General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, and, if necessary,
competent ERISA counsel.
Cross Transactions
CP from time to time allows Advisory Clients to engage in cross transactions, which occur when a
transaction is affected directly between two or more of Cynosure’s Advisory Clients.
Cross transactions may benefit Advisory Clients because they can avoid certain transaction fees. They also
create conflicts of interest because, by not exposing buy and sell transactions to market forces, advisory
clients may not receive the benefits of best price, or an adviser might seek to prop up the performance of
one advisory client by selling under-performing assets to another advisory client in order, for example, to
earn higher fees.
Cynosure has established policies and procedures that address permissible cross transactions. Subject to
the terms of the Advisory Client’s applicable Governing Documents (which may exclude certain
warehoused investments, follow-on investments and other transactions from any applicable consent
requirements or otherwise permit such transactions): (i) notice must be provided to each Advisory Client
or an independent representative of each such Advisory Client prior to proceeding with the cross
transaction; (ii) if an Investor Advisory Committee or similar body of a particular Advisory Client has been
established under the Advisory Client’s charter and organizational documents, it must provide consent
(generally by majority of the Investor Advisory Committee’s or similar body’s members) prior to engaging
in such cross transaction; and (iii) records of such notices and consents must be maintained as part of
Cynosure’s books and records.
Typically, the applicable Governing Documents for each of the Advisory Clients address permissible cross
transactions.
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Financial Interests in Advisory Client Recommendations
In addition to management fees payable, incentive fees payable and carried interest allocable to Cynosure
and its affiliates, with regards to certain Advisory Clients, Cynosure and its affiliates receive acquisition,
monitoring, disposition, and certain other fees with respect to advisory and related services provided in
connection with investments by Advisory Clients.
Cynosure generally has a conflict of interest to the extent that it has an opportunity to earn such a fee in
connection with
investments by Advisory Clients. However, Cynosure believes that applicable
management fee offset provisions described in Item 5 and the substantial equity commitment by
Cynosure and its affiliates in Advisory Clients substantially mitigates this incentive. Any fees paid to
Cynosure by a portfolio company, or an Advisory Client are generally assessed on an arm’s-length basis
and generally on terms that are no less favorable to the Advisory Client or portfolio company than would
be obtained in a transaction with an unaffiliated party. Accordingly, the agreements pursuant to which
such fees are paid typically are not required to be reviewed by the Investor Advisory Committee or similar
body or the investors of the participating Advisory Clients. Cynosure also has established allocation
policies and procedures addressing Cynosure’s duties to allocate investment opportunities among
Advisory Clients in a fair and equitable manner – please see below for additional information with respect
to such policies.
Further, Cynosure may recommend the securities or loan instruments of portfolio companies for
acquisition by an Advisory Client where Cynosure, its affiliates (including a portfolio company of a different
Advisory Client), or a Cynosure professional renders services to, engages in transactions with, or has a
business relationship with (i.e., board seat), and receives fees from, the portfolio company. These
relationships may influence, or appear to influence, Cynosure’s investment judgment and therefore
present additional conflicts of interest.
Conflicts of Interest
Various potential and actual conflicts of interest may arise between and among CP, its Advisory Clients
and each of their affiliates. The following briefly summarizes some of these conflicts but is not intended
to be an exhaustive list of all such conflicts. Please also see Items 6, 8 and 12 for additional disclosures
related to other potential conflicts of interests that may arise and Cynosure’s efforts to mitigate or address
such risks. Investors in an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle should also review the applicable
Governing Documents of such vehicle, which may contain additional disclosures related to conflicts of
interest that are applicable to that respective vehicle.
Allocation of Investments
Cynosure has established allocation policies and procedures addressing CP’s duties to allocate investment
opportunities among Advisory Clients and, where applicable, other eligible related vehicles or accounts in
a fair and equitable manner. The policies seek to provide consistent treatment of such Advisory Clients
with similar investment objectives and guidelines to the extent possible, consistent with legal, regulatory,
and contractual restrictions. Cynosure’s policies prohibit the allocation of investment opportunities based
solely on anticipated compensation or profits to Cynosure or any affiliates or their professionals. Each
advisory client typically has its own investment guidelines, governing agreements and geographical and
industry focus that must be taken into account when making investment allocation determinations.
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Most investment opportunities that satisfy the investment parameters of a particular Advisory Client will
be allocated to that particular Advisory Client. In certain cases, however, an investment opportunity may
be appropriate for more than one Advisory Client or other eligible vehicle or account. Any such allocation
decisions are initially raised with the investment committee of the relevant Advisory Client that originated
the investment opportunity. That particular investment committee, together with the Conflicts Committee,
will review the opportunity to determine if an allocation to any other Advisory Client or other eligible
vehicle or account may be appropriate in the first instance, taking into account, among other things,
whether the investment satisfies each of the relevant Advisory Client’s investment objectives and the
Advisory Client’s expected allocation based on its available capital commitments. If an investment
opportunity will be allocated (which may include an allocation of 100% of such opportunity to a single
Advisory Client), CP will, to the extent practicable, determine in good faith that the allocation is fair and
reasonable taking into account the relevant facts and circumstances, including (but not limited to)
applicable Governing Document provisions, the sourcing of the opportunity, the nature of the investment
mandate, projected returns, risk profile, target hold period, concentration considerations and the relative
amounts of capital available for investment.
In certain situations, multiple Advisory Clients will invest side-by-side and investment opportunities will
be allocated between such Advisory Clients using a formula-based approach. In other situations,
participation of multiple Advisory Clients in a single transaction may require consent of the Investor
Advisory Committee or similar body or the investors of the participating Advisory Clients.
Allocation decisions are periodically reviewed to determine the reasonableness and fairness of the
allocation decisions. Final allocation decisions will generally align with the allocation of costs and expenses
related to the diligence and structuring of and ongoing supervision of an investment opportunity;
however, in certain situations, there may be costs such as diligence costs that are allocated to Advisory
Clients that considered an investment opportunity but ultimately decided to not pursue such investment
opportunity.
Co-Investment Opportunities
CP may (but is generally not required to) give investors in an Advisory Client or third parties who are not
investors in an Advisory Client the opportunity to co-invest in a particular investment, including where CP
determines a portion of the equity required would unreasonably limit diversification of the Advisory Client.
Co-investment offers of participation are made in CP’s sole discretion and CP may use any criteria it deems
fit when determining which investors to offer such opportunities to, including to investors that are
expected to or currently hold significant capital commitments to Advisory Clients. Except as otherwise set
forth in the Governing Documents of an Advisory Client, investors in Advisory Clients are not entitled to
be offered any co-investment opportunity by virtue of their investment in a particular Advisory Client.
To the extent an investment opportunity is rejected by the investment committee of a general partner of
an Advisory Client, Cynosure, such general partner, and its affiliates may not be restricted from pursuing
such opportunity outside of the Advisory Client’s investment program. In such a circumstance, CP may
allocate such an opportunity to another Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle and/or managed
account or to one or more entities established for the benefit of, or otherwise controlled by, one or more
senior executives of Cynosure and/or their family members.
Possession of Material, Non-Public Information and other Trading Restrictions
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Cynosure espouses a management philosophy of collaboration and information sharing among
investment professionals to create a unified network. Cynosure, its affiliates, and its investment
professionals may come into contact with material, non-public information in connection with their
activities for Cynosure, or its affiliates. Cynosure has established policies and procedures intended to
prevent the abuse of material, non-public information, which includes procedures for, among other
things, the use, and maintenance of restricted trading lists. Under no circumstances may an investment
professional trade in a security while in possession of material, non-public information about that security
for his or her own account, the accounts of certain family members or the account of an Advisory Client.
Side Letters
Cynosure and its related entities routinely enter into side letter agreements with certain investors in an
Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle, or establish separate accounts, providing such investors with
customized terms, which often results in preferential treatment, with respect to, among other things, the
fee structure, including reduced advisory fees or performance-based compensation; the offering of co-
investment opportunities; the ability to be excused from certain types of investments; the reporting
obligations of the Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle; consent rights with respect to certain
amendments to documents that govern their rights and obligations and those of the Advisory Client’s
pooled investment vehicle; the right to transfer interests in the Advisory Client’s pooled investment
vehicle; the right to withdraw from the Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle in the event of adverse
tax or regulatory events; the right to appoint a representative to the advisory committee or similar body
of the Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle, if applicable; additional confidentiality protections; the
right to disclose certain information to underlying investors or to the public; structuring rights with respect
to certain types of investments; or any other terms, whether economic, procedural or otherwise. Such
arrangements may create conflicts of interest and may have the effect of advantaging certain investors
over others, including with respect to economics, information rights, governance, liquidity and access to
investment opportunities.
Cynosure also enters into other customized investment management arrangements with certain investors
who may participate in investment opportunities alongside Cynosure funds.
Valuations of Investments
There may be situations in which CP has an incentive to influence the valuation of investments. For
example, CP could be motivated to overstate valuation in order to: (i) improve the track record of an
Advisory Client, (ii) minimize losses or write-downs that may affect performance-based compensation, or
(iii) for certain Advisory Clients, increase fees due to CP, such as a management fee that is calculated as a
percentage of the value of the Advisory Client’s assets. Investors typically receive more specific
information regarding the valuation procedures applicable to a particular Advisory Client in the offering
and applicable Governing Documents for that Advisory Client.
CP values securities, loans and other instruments at their fair value in accordance with U.S. generally
accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), including Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting
Standards Codification Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements (“ASC 820”). To facilitate this, CP has adopted
a written Valuation Policy and Procedures. If market quotations are readily available, CP generally values
securities and other instruments at their market price, with a discount in certain cases of restricted
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securities. Otherwise, securities and other instruments are valued in good faith using methodologies CP
believes are appropriate under the circumstances, in accordance with CP’s Valuation Policy, guidance, and
templates or the specific valuation procedure outlined in the applicable Governing Documents of the
relevant Advisory Client. Valuation determinations involve subjective judgments and may differ materially
from the values that would have been used by other market participants or from the prices that may
ultimately be realized in a sale, repayment, restructuring or other disposition of an investment. Because
valuation may affect reported performance and, for certain Advisory Clients, fees or performance-based
compensation, these determinations involve conflicts of interest that may not be resolved in favor of
investors.
For certain Advisory Clients, including certain private credit or hybrid strategies, CP may also use third-
party valuation support or other fund-specific valuation procedures as provided in the applicable
Governing Documents.
Allocation of Expenses
Expenses frequently will be incurred by multiple Advisory Clients. CP allocates aggregate costs among the
applicable Advisory Clients (and, in certain cases, among Cynosure and applicable Advisory Clients) in
accordance with allocation policies and procedures and, where applicable, the Governing Documents of
the relevant Advisory Clients, which are reasonably designed to allocate expenses in a fair and reasonable
manner over time among such Advisory Clients. However, expense allocation decisions can involve
potential conflicts of interest (e.g., an incentive to favor Advisory Clients that pay higher incentive fees,
conflicts relating to different expense arrangements with certain Advisory Clients, side letter or other
preferential arrangements, or allocations of certain in-house personnel expenses).
Under its current expense allocation policies, Cynosure generally allocates expenses among Advisory
Clients utilizing allocation methods including applicable rules set forth in fund governing documents, on a
pro rata basis based on committed capital, assets under management, investment cost (and may include
available capital), or fair value of investments, number of investors, number of investments, number of
funds (or legal entities), fund size, department headcount and compensation, or number of users.
Cynosure may, however, use other methods to allocate certain expenses among the Advisory Clients if it
deems another method more appropriate based on the relative use of a product or service, the nature or
source of the product or service, the relative benefits derived by the Advisory Clients from the product or
service, or other relevant factors. Nonetheless, the portion of a common expense that Cynosure allocates
to an Advisory Client for a particular product or service may not reflect the relative benefit derived by
Advisory Client from that product or service in any particular instance. For example, certain expenses may
be allocated across all investment vehicles comprising an Advisory Client regardless of whether each
investment vehicle is directly incurring the expense.
Cynosure’s expense allocations often depend on inherently subjective determinations and, accordingly,
expense allocations made by Cynosure in good faith will be final and binding on the Advisory Clients.
Despite Cynosure’s good faith judgment to arrive at a fair and reasonable expense allocation
methodology, the use of any particular methodology may lead an Advisory Client to bear relatively more
expense in certain instances and relatively less in other instances compared to what an Advisory Client
would have borne if a different methodology had been used. However, Cynosure seeks to make allocations
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that are equitable on an overall basis in its good faith judgment.
Compensation from Certain Board Memberships
From time to time, Cynosure employees are expected in the future to be asked to serve on the boards of
directors of companies in which an Advisory Client has fully exited its ownership interest. Such companies
are not portfolio companies and therefore, to the extent the Cynosure employee is offered standard board
compensation for his or her services post-exit, such standard board compensation is not subject to the
management fee offset or otherwise shared with the Advisory Clients, investors and/or portfolio
companies.
From time to time, former Cynosure employees have been, and are expected in the future to be, asked to
serve on the boards of directors of companies in which an Advisory Client continues to have an ownership
interest. To the extent the former Cynosure employee is offered standard board compensation for his or
her services, depending on the facts and circumstances, including the duration of the separation from
Cynosure, such standard board compensation is not expected to be subject to the management fee offset
or otherwise shared with the Advisory Clients, investors and/or portfolio companies.
Other Potential Conflicts
The legal and/or organizational documents of an Advisory Client, the Investment Management Agreement
between Cynosure (or an affiliate) and the Advisory Client or the agreements in respect of the portfolio
investments establish complex arrangements among the parties, including between investors and
Advisory Clients. Questions may arise from time to time under these agreements regarding the parties’
rights and obligations in certain situations, many of which may not have been contemplated at the time
of the agreements’ drafting and execution. In these instances, the operative provisions of the agreements,
if any, may be broad, general, ambiguous, or conflicting, and may permit more than one reasonable
interpretation. At times there may not be a provision directly applicable to the situation. While Cynosure
will construe the relevant agreements in good faith and in a manner consistent with its legal obligations,
the interpretations adopted may not be, and need not be, the interpretations that are the most favorable
to an Advisory Client. Cynosure has established a Conflicts Committee with the explicit purpose of
reviewing, and where applicable mitigating, resolving or making recommendations with respect to,
conflicts impacting Cynosure’s investors and the firm itself.
ITEM 12: BROKERAGE PRACTICES
CP has discretion to select brokers, dealers and other counterparties to effect transactions in securities
and other instruments for Advisory Clients. Given the strategies employed on behalf of the pooled
investment vehicles, CP may not utilize traditional brokerage arrangements for all such transactions and,
depending on the nature of the investment, may instead transact with banks, lenders, dealers, placement
agents, administrative agents, counterparties or other intermediaries. Where brokers, dealers or other
intermediaries are used, CP seeks to obtain execution and overall terms that it believes are reasonable
under the circumstances and in the best interests of the relevant Advisory Client.
ITEM 13: REVIEW OF ACCOUNTS
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The portfolio investments of certain Advisory Clients are regularly reviewed by a team of investment
professionals. Depending on the Advisory Client, the team generally includes principal executive officers
of Cynosure, Managing Directors, and other investment professionals. These professionals monitor
operations, overall performance, financial performance, and strategic direction of each portfolio company
owned by the Advisory Clients.
Reports to Advisory Clients and Investors
Investors in an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle typically receives quarterly reports and audited
annual financial reports. Investors have the ability to access these reports via a password-protected
website. Depending on the particular Advisory Client, investors may receive monthly reports or letters,
quarterly financial and capital account statements.
Certain investors are expected to have the right to obtain information relating to an Advisory Client.
Accordingly, such investors may possess information regarding the business and affairs of an Advisory
Client that may not be known to other investors. As a result, certain investors will be able to take actions
on the basis of such information which, in the absence of such information, other investors do not take.
ITEM 14:
CLIENT REFERRALS AND OTHER COMPENSATION
As described in more detail in Item 5 – “Fees and Compensation”, in addition to management fees payable
and carried interest allocable to Cynosure and its affiliates, Cynosure and its affiliates are expected to
receive acquisition, monitoring, disposition and certain fees with respect to advisory and related services
provided in connection with investments by Advisory Clients.
Cynosure does, on occasion, enter into cash compensation arrangements with unaffiliated placement
agents or third parties for introducing investors to make a potential investment in an Advisory Client. Any
fees associated therewith will, in most cases (unless otherwise providing in an Advisory Client’s Governing
Documents), ultimately be payable by Cynosure or its affiliates, either directly or through an offset of the
management fee payable by the relevant Advisory Client.
In accordance with Cynosure’s policies, no investor will bear any portion of any fee paid to any third-party
promoter (formerly solicitor) with respect to such investment (whether in the form of higher management
fees or other types of fees) without the consent of Cynosure’s Head of Investor Relations.
ITEM 15:
CUSTODY
Although the underlying assets of its Advisory Clients are typically maintained by third-party custodians,
Cynosure may be deemed to have custody of client assets under Rule 206(4)-2 under the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Custody Rule”), Cynosure generally intends to comply with the
Custody Rule for its pooled investment vehicle Advisory Clients by relying on the pooled investment
vehicle annual audit exception, pursuant to which each such Advisory Client is subject to an annual audit
by an independent public accountant registered with, and subject to regular inspection by, the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board, and audited financial statements are distributed to investors within
120 days of the end of the Advisory Client’s fiscal year (or 180 days, in the case of a fund of funds). To the
extent an Advisory Client is not eligible to rely on the pooled investment vehicle annual audit exception,
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Cynosure will seek to comply with the Custody Rule through another available means, which may include
a surprise examination where applicable. Investors should carefully review account statements, capital
account statements, audited financial statements and other reports they receive from the applicable
Advisory Client, its custodian, administrator or other service providers.
ITEM 16:
INVESTMENT DISCRETION
CP provides investment advice to its Advisory Clients on a discretionary basis. Generally, this discretion is
subject only to the investment guidelines set forth in the applicable Governing Documents of an Advisory
Client. Such governing agreements generally expressly provide that the applicable general partner (or
similar managing fiduciary) has the authority to make all decisions concerning the investigation,
evaluation, selection, negotiation, structuring, commitment to, monitoring of and disposition of
investments.
ITEM 17:
VOTING CLIENT SECURITIES
CP has, or will accept, authority to vote public company securities and other debt instruments (e.g., loans)
held by an Advisory Client and has adopted policies and procedures (the “Proxy Voting Policies and
Procedures”) that it believes are reasonably designed to comply with the requirements of the Advisers
Act. The Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures reflect Cynosure’s commitment to vote such instruments in
a manner consistent with the best interests of the Advisory Clients. Public company proxy voting is
generally not expected to be a significant part of CP’s services. However, in connection with private credit,
hybrid and other privately negotiated investments, CP may exercise consents, waivers, amendments,
restructurings or other similar rights with respect to loans and other instruments when CP has such
authority, in each case in accordance with the applicable Governing Documents and related Proxy Voting
Policies and Procedures.
Proxy voting reports, identifying how proxies were voted where Cynosure has been delegated proxy voting
authority, and Cynosure’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures are available upon written request to The
Cynosure Group, LLC, 111 S. Main Street, Suite 2350, Salt Lake City, UT, 84111, Attn: Investor Relations.
ITEM 18: FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Not applicable.
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Additional Brochure: CYNOSURE STRATEGIES (2026-03-31)
View Document Text
ITEM 1:
COVER PAGE
Cynosure Strategies
(A division of The Cynosure Group, LLC)
111 S. Main Street, Suite 2350
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
www.cynosuregroup.com
March 31, 2026
This brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices of Cynosure Strategies,
a division of The Cynosure Group, LLC. If you have any questions about the contents of this brochure,
please contact us at 801-521-3100. The information in this brochure has not been approved or verified by
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or by any state securities authority.
Additional information about The Cynosure Group, LLC also is available on the SEC’s Investment Adviser
Public Disclosure website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov (click on the link “Investment Adviser Search” and
then select “Firm” and type in our advisory firm name “The Cynosure Group”).
The Cynosure Group, LLC is an investment adviser registered with the SEC (a “registered investment
adviser”). This registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
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ITEM 2:
MATERIAL CHANGES
Please see below for a summary of material updates to the brochure since its last update (March 31, 2025):
• updates to Item 4 relating to sub-advisory services and the Firm’s regulatory assets under
management.
• updates to Items 5, 10, 11, 14 and 15 relating to fees and expenses, affiliations and conflicts
disclosures, personal trading, client referrals and other compensation, and custody; and
• updates to the risk disclosures in Item 8.
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ITEM 3:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Item 1:
Cover Page ......................................................................................................................... 1
Item 2:
Material Changes ............................................................................................................... 2
Item 3:
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................... 3
Item 4:
Advisory Business ............................................................................................................... 4
Item 5:
Fees and Compensation ...................................................................................................... 5
Item 6:
Performance-Based Fees and Side-by-Side Management ................................................... 7
Item 7:
Types of Clients ................................................................................................................... 7
Item 8:
Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss .............................................. 8
Item 9:
Disciplinary Information .................................................................................................... 16
Item 10:
Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations ............................................................ 16
Item 11:
Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions and Personal
Trading .............................................................................................................................. 18
Item 12:
Brokerage Practices ........................................................................................................... 23
Item 13:
Review of Accounts ........................................................................................................... 24
Item 14:
Client Referrals and Other Compensation ......................................................................... 24
Item 15:
Custody ............................................................................................................................. 24
Item 16:
Investment Discretion ....................................................................................................... 24
Item 17:
Voting Client Securities ..................................................................................................... 24
Item 18:
Financial Information ........................................................................................................ 25
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ITEM 4: ADVISORY BUSINESS
General Firm Overview
The Cynosure Group, LLC (“Cynosure” or the “Firm”), is a Utah limited liability company formed in 2015
and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser, with its principal office in Salt Lake City, Utah, and
maintains an additional office in New York. The Cynosure Group is principally owned by The Randal
Quarles and Hope Eccles Legacy Trust and Spencer P. Eccles and Kristine L. Eccles GST Legacy Trust
agreements each owning more than 25%.
Cynosure offers advisory services in the following five divisions: Cynosure Capital Management, Cynosure
Partners, Cynosure Wealth Advisors, Cynosure Strategies, and Cynosure|Checketts Sports Capital
Partners, LLC. Cynosure also has a separate investment advisory firm affiliate, Cynosure Portfolio Advisors
LLC.
As of December 31, 2025, The Cynosure Group collectively managed approximately $9,847,984,409 in
discretionary assets and $144,883,807 in non-discretionary assets under advisement across all five
divisions.
The following sections of this brochure relate solely to Cynosure Strategies. Each other Cynosure division,
and related advisor Cynosure Portfolio Advisors LLC is described in greater detail in its own brochure,
which are available online at adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/281399.
Cynosure Strategies
Assets Under Management
Cynosure Strategies (“CS”), a division of Cynosure, primarily offers investment advisory services to
Cynosure-sponsored open-end pooled investment vehicles (each an “Advisory Client”1). CS is a newly
launched division and, as of December 31, 2025, has $272,922,771 assets under management on a
discretionary basis.
In providing its services to each Advisory Client, CS and its related persons provide advice with respect to
the investment and reinvestment of each Advisory Client’s assets and may assist in coordinating reports
to investors. Advisory services may be provided by CS by its appointment as either the primary investment
manager of the Advisory Client or as a subadviser through a sub-advisory arrangement with the Advisory
Client and/or its primary investment manager. CS manages the assets of each Advisory Client in
accordance with the terms of the private placement memorandums, limited partnership agreements,
investment advisory agreements, side letters, investment guidelines (if any) and other governing
documents (“Governing Documents”) applicable to such Advisory Client.
CS’s investment advice and authority for the Advisory Client is tailored to the investment objectives of that
Advisory Client (i.e., CS does not tailor its advisory services to the individual needs of the Advisory Client’s
investors). These objectives are described in the private placement memorandums, limited partnership
1 “Advisory Client” means any fund, pooled investment vehicle for which Cynosure directly or indirectly provides investment
advice and/or places trades on a discretionary or nondiscretionary basis. The investors and other persons who invest in
Cynosure-sponsored pooled investment vehicles are generally referred to herein as “investors.” Unless otherwise expressly
stated herein, the term “Advisory Clients” does not include “investors”.
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agreements, investment advisory agreements, side letters and other Governing Documents, including (if
applicable) any investment guidelines, of the relevant Advisory Client. Investors in such Advisory Clients
generally cannot impose restrictions on investing in certain securities or types of securities. Investors in
such Advisory Clients participate in the overall investment program for the Advisory Client and generally
cannot be excused from a particular investment except pursuant to the terms of the applicable Governing
Documents.
Interests in Advisory Client pooled investment vehicles advised by CS are privately offered only to eligible
investors pursuant to exemptions available under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the “Securities Act”), and the regulations promulgated thereunder. Such Advisory Client pooled
investment vehicles, including parallel and co-investment vehicles, are not registered with the SEC as
investment companies based on specific exclusions from the United States Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). Typically, interests in Advisory Client investment
vehicles are offered to institutional investors, high net worth individuals as well as non-U.S. investors.
Additionally, CS, Cynosure, its affiliates and equity owners, and certain of its respective professionals
typically invest in or alongside Advisory Clients.
ITEM 5: FEES AND COMPENSATION
CS generally receives management fees, incentive fees, carried interest or similar profit allocations from
Advisory Clients. Advisory Clients frequently also indirectly incur or generate other fees payable to
Cynosure, depending on the nature of their portfolio activities. In addition, Advisory Clients typically bear
certain out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Cynosure, CS, or its affiliates in connection with the services
provided to such Advisory Clients.
The following sections discuss the most common fees and expenses in more detail.
Common Types of Fees – Management Fees and Administration Fees
Management Fees
To the extent a management fee is charged, the annual management fee payable by an Advisory Client is
typically a set percentage of the capital account balances of the third-party investors in such Advisory
Client, generally paid monthly in advance as set forth in (and calculated in accordance with) such Advisory
Client’s Governing Documents. If a third-party investor makes a capital contribution to an Advisory Client
on a day other than the first day of a month, the management fee payable in respect of such amount will
typically be prorated for such month based on the number of days remaining in such month, as set forth
in such Advisory Client’s Governing Documents. Similarly, if a third-party investor redeems a portion of
their capital account balance in an Advisory Client on a date other than the last day of a month, a portion
of the management fee paid in respect of such redeemed amount typically will be reimbursed to such
Advisory Client (or otherwise credited against future management fees) for the benefit of such third-party
investor, based on the number of days remaining in such month after the date of such redemption, as set
forth in such Advisory Client’s Governing Documents.
Performance-Based Arrangements
Distributions to investors in most Advisory Clients are subject to some form of carried interest or similar
profit allocation for the benefit of CS and affiliates, as set forth in the Advisory Client’s Governing
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Documents. Generally, these profit allocations represent a share of distributions made by an Advisory
Client more than the relevant investors’ invested capital, and allocable fees and expenses. Determinations
of whether performance-based profit allocations will be applied will be made each time an investment is
realized or on an annual (or more frequent) basis with respect to certain Advisory Clients.
For any Advisory Client, performance fees, incentive fees or carried interest allocations may be subject to
certain preferred return hurdles, catch-up allocations, and high-water marks. The manner of calculation
and application of performance fees, incentive fees or carried interest profit allocations are disclosed in
the offering documents for, and detailed in the governing agreements of, each Advisory Client.
Management fees, incentive fees and carried interest or similar profit allocations are subject to
modification, waiver, or reduction in connection with an investment in one or multiple Advisory Clients.
Furthermore, CS, Cynosure, its affiliates and equity owners, and certain of their respective professionals
typically invest in or alongside Advisory Clients. Other qualified individuals who generally are not
employees of Cynosure, but who have or had business relationships with Cynosure, CS, or industry
expertise in the sector in which a particular Advisory Client may be investing (including, without limitation,
operating executives, operating advisors, consultants, former employees, senior advisors, and other
similar professionals), also invest in or alongside Advisory Clients. Fees assessed or profit allocations on
such investments will likely be substantially reduced or as is more typical, waived altogether for these
investors.
Please also see Item 6 for additional disclosures related to performance-based fees.
Side/Commitment Letters
As described more fully in Item 11, Cynosure and its affiliates (including CS) may enter into side letter
agreements or Investment Management Agreements (also referred to as, “Commitment Letters”) with
certain investors in an Advisory Client pooled investment vehicle providing such investors with customized
terms including with respect to economics, reporting, co-investment, governance, tax, regulatory,
liquidity, or other rights which could result in preferential treatment for certain investors.
Common Types of Expenses
Expenses that are typically borne by Advisory Clients (or their respective portfolio companies) generally
include certain organizational expenses that are incurred in connection with the formation of the Advisory
Client’s pooled investment vehicle and the offering of interests in it to potential investors, including but
not limited to: legal fees and expenses, including for preparing offering materials and preparing and
negotiating the Governing Documents, and other expenses related to formation of the Advisory Client’s
pooled investment vehicle.
Additionally, and consistent with its Governing Documents, each Advisory Client’s pooled investment
vehicle also generally bears all of the expenses relating to its activities, operations, meetings and eventual
liquidation, including, without limitation and to the extent provided in the applicable Governing
Documents, all out-of-pocket fees, costs and expenses incurred in evaluating, negotiating, structuring,
purchasing, trading, settling, monitoring, maintaining custody of, financing, accounting, monitoring,
holding and disposing of actual investments. This includes (but is not limited to) investment or trading
related fees, costs and expenses of prime brokers and futures commission merchants and commodities
brokers, including prime brokerage fees, brokerage commissions or spreads, mark-ups and interest, loan
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origination fees or finders’ fees, clearing and settlement charges, custodian fees or other transaction fees
and costs in connection with the Advisory Client’s investments and trading activities; and all fees, costs,
expenses and liabilities related to trading, portfolio management and risk management systems (including
information technology hardware, software or licensing fees related to such services). Additionally, the
Governing Documents of each Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle generally permits the Advisory
Client, subject to certain limitations, to borrow funds to pay the expenses described above.
Expenses incurred on an aggregate basis for the benefit of multiple Advisory Client pooled investment
vehicles are allocated across the participating Advisory Clients’ pooled investment vehicles in a manner
CS determines to be reasonable and fair to all parties. The allocation method used may vary depending
on the relevant facts and circumstances and the applicable Governing Documents. Please also see Item
11 for additional conflicts of interest disclosures related to the allocation of fees and expenses by
Cynosure.
ITEM 6: PERFORMANCE-BASED FEES AND SIDE-BY-SIDE MANAGEMENT
Cynosure currently acts as investment adviser to Advisory Clients, and related persons typically act as
general partners (or similar managing fiduciaries) with respect to such Advisory Clients. As discussed in
Item 5, Cynosure and its affiliates will receive carried interest allocations and management, incentive, and
other fees in connection with advisory and other services provided to certain Advisory Clients. The
relationship of Cynosure, the manner of calculation and application of management fees and carried
interest profit allocations, incentive fees or other performance-based fees, as applicable, with respect to
Cynosure, the affiliated general partner (or similar managing fiduciary) or other affiliates and known or
reasonably anticipated conflicts of interest involving Cynosure or its affiliates, are disclosed in the offering
documents of the applicable Advisory Client provided to potential investors prior to their investment.
In allocating investment opportunities, there could be incentives to favor Advisory Clients with higher
potential management or performance fees, incentive fees or carried interest allocations over Advisory
Clients with lower potential performance fees, incentive fees or carried interest allocations. Additionally,
performance fee, incentive fee or carried interest allocations may create an incentive for the general
partner (or similar managing fiduciary) of an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle to make riskier
or more speculative investments on behalf of an Advisory Client than would be the case in the absence of
this arrangement.
To seek to reduce the effect of such incentives, Cynosure and its affiliates have adopted written policies
and procedures pursuant to which they seek to allocate investment opportunities that may be appropriate
for more than one Advisory Client in a fair and equitable manner, bearing in mind, among other things,
the size, investment objectives, focus, mandate or policies, risk tolerance, return targets, projected
holding periods, diversification considerations, permissible and preferred asset classes, and liquidity needs
of each Advisory Client.
Please see Item 11 for a further description of Cynosure’s investment opportunities allocation policies.
ITEM 7:
TYPES OF CLIENTS
CS’s Advisory Clients are pooled investment vehicles, and in the case of sub-advisory arrangements, the
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pooled investment vehicle and its primary investment manager. The pooled investment vehicles
themselves are exempt from registration under the Investment Company Act pursuant to section 3(c)(1)
or 3(c)(7) and thus are deemed to be “Private Funds” under the SEC’s classification. Investors in such
pooled investment vehicles may include among others, high-net worth individuals and families; trusts,
estates, or charitable organizations; corporations and businesses.
CS typically requires that each third-party investor in an Advisory Client be an “accredited investor” as
defined in Regulation D under the Securities Act and a qualified client as defined under Rule 205-3 under
the Advisers Act but will be specified in the Governing Documents of the applicable pooled investment
vehicle. Typically, a minimum investment amount is imposed on third parties investing in the Advisory
Client for which Cynosure acts as investment adviser. This minimum often is set at $ 5 million but can be
subject to a reduction upon agreement by CS.
METHODS OF ANALYSIS, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISK OF
ITEM 8:
LOSS
Methods of Analysis and Investment Strategies
CS manages global equity long-short strategies that use a quantitative investment process that helps CS
determine which instruments to take a long position, which instruments to take a short position, how to
adjust the hedge ratio over time based on macroeconomic conditions, and how to reallocate capital across
positions based on relative value considerations. Investments may include, without limitation, equity
securities such as common stock and preferred stock, American depositary receipts, exchange-traded
funds, exchange-traded notes, grantor trusts, limited partnership funds, closed-end funds, bonds,
currencies, swaps, forwards, futures contracts and option contracts of any of the foregoing as described
in greater detail in the Governing Documents.
CS’s portfolio manager has the ability to adjust the quantitative investment models over time consistent
with CS’s model management procedures and an Advisory Client’s Governing Documents. In addition, CS’s
portfolio manager retains discretion to determine the timing and manner of executing on, and to override,
trading recommendations from the quantitative investment models.
The investment strategies used for each Advisory Client are more fully described in the relevant Governing
Documents of such Advisory Client.
Risk of Loss
As with any investment strategy, the investment programs developed by CS involve several significant
risks. The following is a discussion of some of the primary risks; however, it is not possible to identify all
the risks associated with investing, and the particular risks applicable to an Advisory Client will depend on
the nature of the investments chosen.
An investment in any Advisory Client involves a high degree of risk and is suitable only for those investors
who have the financial sophistication and expertise to evaluate the merits and risks of an investment in
such Advisory Client and for which such Advisory Client does not represent a complete investment
program. There can be no assurance that the investment objective or targeted returns of any Advisory
Client will be achieved, that any Advisory Client will otherwise be able to successfully carry out its
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investment program, or that an investor will receive a return of its capital contributed to any Advisory
Client. The discussion below enumerates certain, but not all, risk factors that apply generally to an
investment in any Advisory Client. In addition, there will be occasions when the general partner of an
Advisory Client, Cynosure and/or their respective affiliates encounter potential conflicts of interest in
connection with such Advisory Client.
Prior to making any investment in an Advisory Client, investors should carefully review the applicable
offering documents for a more complete description of the risk factors and conflicts of interest relating to
such Advisory Client.
No Assurance of Investment Return
An investment in an Advisory Client requires a long-term commitment, with no certainty of return. CS
cannot provide any assurance whatsoever that it will be able to choose, make and realize investments in
any particular company or portfolio of companies for any Advisory Client. There can be no assurance that
any Advisory Client will (i) be able to generate returns for its investors or that the returns will be
commensurate with the risks of investing in the type of investments in which such Advisory Client
participates or (ii) make any distribution to its investors. Furthermore, distributions to such Advisory
Client’s investors may be subordinated in the event of a default under any credit facility of such Advisory
Client or its related entities. Accordingly, an investment in an Advisory Client should only be considered
by persons for whom a speculative, illiquid, and long-term investment is an appropriate component of a
larger investment program and who can afford a loss of their entire investment. Past activities of
investment entities associated with Cynosure, or any Advisory Client, provide no assurance of future
success. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results, and all investors should be
prepared to lose the value of their investment. There can be no assurance that projected or targeted
returns for any Advisory Client will be achieved.
Limited Operating History
CS and its Advisory Clients were established in February 2024. Therefore, investors have limited operating
history to assess the Advisory Clients’ performance. There can be no assurance that any such Advisory Clients
will be able to implement their investment strategy and investment approach or achieve their investment
objective or that an investor will receive a return of its capital.
General Economic and Market Conditions
The success of an Advisory Client’s activities will be affected by general economic and market conditions,
such as interest rates, availability of credit, credit defaults, inflation rates, economic growth and
uncertainty, changes in applicable laws and regulations (including laws relating to taxation of an Advisory
Client’s investments), trade barriers and tariffs, currency exchange controls, and national and international
political, environmental and socioeconomic circumstances (including wars, terrorist acts, security
operations and public health considerations).
Common Risks Associated with Investing in Securities Generally
Investments in securities may be subject to various risks, including the following:
• Current Market Conditions. Global debt and equity markets regularly experience bouts of
increased volatility, which can adversely affect a portfolio.
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•
Liquidity in Financial Markets. Financial markets in the U.S. and elsewhere have experienced
fluctuations in transaction volumes and the availability of liquidity, which could adversely affect
an investor’s transaction costs and the value of a portfolio’s assets.
•
• Government Intervention and Market Disruptions. Global financial markets have undergone
fundamental disruptions that have led to extensive and unprecedented government intervention
that could prove detrimental to the efficient functioning of the markets and adversely affect a
portfolio.
Inflation and Risk of Recession. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have previously
been had, and could in the future have, negative effects on economies and financial markets,
which may in turn affect the markets in which an Advisory Client invests. For example, wages and
other input prices tend to increase more rapidly during periods of elevated inflation, which can
negatively impact corporate profits and returns on investments. Government efforts to curb
inflation, such as (for example) raising interest rates, could have negative effects on economic
activity and on securities valuations. There can be no assurance that inflation will not become a
serious problem in the future and have an adverse impact on an Advisory Client’s investment
returns. As a result of the above and other market conditions, it is possible that the growth of U.S.
and other regional economies could contract over time leading to a recession in the U.S. and abroad.
It is impossible to predict whether a recession will actually occur and, if it does occur, the length and
severity of any such recession. If a moderate to severe recession were to occur in the U.S. and in
other regional countries for a prolonged period of time, it would be expected to adversely affect the
markets in which an account or fund operates and could materially and adversely affect the
performance of investments and the prospects and returns of a Advisory Client’s portfolio.
• Force Majeure Events. There is a risk that a Client’s investments will be impacted by force majeure
events (i.e., events beyond the control of the party claiming that the event has occurred, such as
energy blackouts, acts of God, fire, flood, earthquakes, outbreaks of an infectious disease,
pandemic or any other serious public health concern, war, terrorism, labor strikes and
telecommunication failures). Certain force majeure events (such as an outbreak of an infectious
disease) could have a broader negative impact on the world economy and international business
activity generally, or in any of the countries or jurisdictions in which investments are located.
Additionally, a major governmental intervention into industry, including but not limited to the
nationalization of an industry or the assertion of control over an investment, could result in a loss
to a client. Any of the foregoing would therefore adversely affect the performance of an Advisory
Client’s investments.
Common Risks Associated with Equity Investments
Investments in equity securities may be subject to a number of specific risks, including the following:
• Equity Securities. Equity securities (stocks) held in a portfolio may decline in value in response to
company-specific factors and/or general market and economic conditions.
• Growth Stocks. Growth stocks may be more sensitive to market movements because their prices
tend to more heavily reflect investor expectations for future growth relative to current profits.
They may also underperform value stocks during given periods.
• Value Stocks. Value stocks may perform differently from the market as a whole and may be
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undervalued by the market for a long period of time. They may also underperform growth stocks
during given periods.
•
• Small-Capitalization Companies. Small cap stocks may exhibit erratic earnings patterns,
competitive conditions, limited earnings history, high levels of indebtedness and a reliance on one
or a limited number of products.
Initial Public Offerings. Initial public offerings (IPOs) are subject to high volatility and limited
availability.
• Private Placements. Private placements may be classified as illiquid and be difficult to value.
• Derivative Securities. Derivatives may be difficult to value, may be illiquid and may be subject to
wide swings in valuation caused by changes in value of the underlying security. The use of
derivatives can result in losses in a portfolio that substantially exceeds the initial amount paid
for or received from the investment.
Common Risks Associated with Fixed Income Investments
Investments in fixed income securities can expose clients to certain specific risks such as the following:
• Credit Risk. Fixed income securities (bonds) are subject to the risk that the bond issuers may not
be able to meet interest or principal payments when the bonds come due.
•
•
• Below Investment Grade Rated Securities. Below investment grade bonds are subject to a higher
probability that the issuers may not be able to meet payment of interest or principal on a timely
basis or at all. These securities also may be less liquid than investment grade securities and
experience higher price volatility. It may not be possible to sell these securities at the desired price
and within a given time period.
Interest Rates. Interest rate changes may adversely affect the value of an investment. An increase
in interest rates typically causes the value of bonds and other fixed income securities to fall.
Investments with longer maturities, which typically provide higher yields than securities with
shorter maturities, may subject a portfolio to outsized price changes resulting from market yield
fluctuations.
Income Risk. The income received by a portfolio may decrease as a result of a decline in interest
rates.
•
• Prepayment Risk. There is a risk of prepayment in mortgage- and asset-backed securities. This risk
arises when market interest rates are below the interest rates charged on the loans that comprise
the securities. Elevated prepayment activity may result in losses in these securities.
Liquidity Risk. Investments that trade less can be more difficult or more costly to buy, or to sell,
than more liquid or active investments. It may not be possible to sell or otherwise dispose of
illiquid securities both at the price and within a time period deemed desirable. Securities subject
to liquidity risk include emerging market securities, stocks of companies with a small
capitalization, Rule 144A securities, below investment grade securities and other securities
without an established market.
• Foreign Investments. Foreign investments often involve additional risks, including political
instability, differences in financial reporting standards, exchange rate risk and less stringent
regulation of securities markets.
• Derivative Securities. Derivatives may be difficult to value, may be illiquid and may be subject to
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wide swings in valuation caused by changes in value of the underlying security. The use of
derivatives can result in losses that substantially exceed the initial amount paid or received.
• Rule 144A Securities. Rule 144A securities are not registered for resale in the general securities
market and may be less liquid than registered securities.
Common Risks Associated with Non-U.S. Investments
In addition to the risks associated with investing in equity securities described above, investments in non-
U.S. securities can expose clients to certain additional risks, including the following:
• Foreign Markets. Foreign markets may be volatile and may decline significantly in response to
adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments.
• Foreign Securities. Foreign securities are subject to interest rate, currency exchange rate,
economic, and political risks, all of which may be magnified in emerging markets.
• Foreign Currency Markets. Investments in foreign securities expose a portfolio to fluctuations in
currency exchange rates, which may adversely affect the U.S. dollar value of investments in foreign
securities held in a portfolio.
• Emerging Markets. Securities traded in certain emerging markets may be subject to risks due to
the inexperience of financial intermediaries, the lack of modern technology, the lack of a sufficient
capital base to expand business operations, and the possibility of temporary or permanent
termination of trading. Political and economic structures in many emerging markets may be
undergoing significant evolution and rapid development, and emerging markets may lack the
social, political, financial and economic stability characteristics of more developed countries.
Risks associated with a Quantitative Strategy
CS has developed and maintains proprietary asset allocation models that seek to identify attractive
investment and hedging opportunities based on numerous factors, including, but not limited to,
macroeconomic trends, company fundamentals and observed historical market returns, volatility and
cross-asset correlations. Depending on economic and market conditions that are used as inputs in
developing various trading algorithms, these models may call for a net long, short or neutral position
in public equities, fixed income, commodity or other markets. These models may, for a variety of reasons,
fail to accurately predict relative returns for, risk levels of, volatilities of, and correlations among strategies
and investments, including because of scarcity of historical data in respect of certain strategies and
investments, erroneous underlying assumptions and estimates in respect of certain data, any other
defects in inputs and the models, or because future events may not necessarily follow historical patterns.
CS’s approach to the investment process requires the programming of software and the reliance on data
feeds from external data providers. Mistakes are periodically made in such programming and in the
provision of data by vendors. In addition, technical issues periodically arise in computer hardware or
software utilized by CS in managing an Advisory Client’s portfolio. Although CS makes substantial
efforts to mitigate the risk and effect of such mistakes, there is no assurance that errors affecting an
Advisory Client’s portfolio and investment return will not occur. Absent a breach of an Advisory Client’s
investment management guidelines, CS does not classify the results of such mistakes as trade errors.
Furthermore, CS seeks to evolve and improve the investment process it uses to manage an Advisory
Client’s portfolio. Changes and improvements based on the review, diagnosis, evolution, and refinement
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of the design or execution of the investment strategy are generally not classified as errors. CS believes
this process of constant improvement benefits all clients and should lead to better investment
performance. Limited Partners and prospective investors of an Advisory Client should understand that
hardware, software and data errors and their ensuing risks are an inherent risk of investing with a data-
driven investment manager such as CS. Moreover, CS generally does not expect to disclose to Limited
Partners any hardware, software or data errors which it may detect.
Highly Volatile Investment Risks
The prices of an Advisory Client’s investments, including securities and derivative instruments like futures,
swaps or options, can be highly volatile. Price movements of securities and derivative instruments in which
the Fund may hold a long or short position are influenced by many factors, including (but not limited to):
(i) macroeconomic conditions, (ii) interest rate fluctuations, (iii) changing relationships between supply
and demand for such instruments, (iv) corporate profitability and operating conditions, (v) the trade,
fiscal, monetary, and exchange rate policies of any governmental bodies which have jurisdiction over the
Fund, (vi) and any regulation by a governing body over the market for securities or derivative instruments.
A change in any of these or other factors may impact, either positively or negatively, the value of an
Advisory Client’s investment in a security or derivative instrument.
Risks associated with Transaction Costs
An Advisory Client may engage in a high rate of trading activity resulting in correspondingly high
transaction costs being borne by an Advisory Client, including substantial brokerage commissions,
fees, and other transaction costs, which could have an adverse effect on such Advisory Client’s
performance. Should an Advisory Client’s net asset value and corresponding position sizes grow
significantly, its transactions could also influence market prices to the detriment of such Advisory Client’s
investment performance. Moreover, position sizes, portfolio turnover and associated transaction costs
are increased by the use of leverage, which itself will incur costs for such Advisory Client. Such Advisory
Client may limit itself to the use of custodians, futures clearers, brokers, clearinghouses, exchanges or
other counterparties that meet certain criteria determined from time to time by CS. These limitations may
result in such Advisory Client paying more for such services than would be the case if it solely chose such
persons on the basis of price.
Illiquid and Long-term Investments
Investment in an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle may require a long-term commitment with
no certainty of return of capital. Investments made by Advisory Clients will in general be highly illiquid,
and there can be no assurance that an Advisory Client will be able to realize on such investments in a
timely manner. Although some investments may generate current income, the return of capital and
realization of gain, if any, from some investments will occur only upon the partial or complete disposition
or refinancing of such investment.
Hedging
In connection with certain investments, an Advisory Client may employ hedging techniques designed to
reduce the risk of adverse movements in interest rates, securities prices, and currency exchange rates.
While an Advisory Client may benefit from the use of these hedging mechanisms, unanticipated changes
in interest rates, securities prices, currency exchange rates, or the transaction costs associated with such
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mechanisms, may result in a poorer overall performance for such Advisory Client than if it had not entered
such hedging transactions.
Cybersecurity Breaches, Identity Theft, Privacy Breaches, and Other Threats
Cynosure’s information and technology systems may be vulnerable to damage or interruption from
computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures,
infiltration by
unauthorized persons and security breaches, usage errors by its professionals, power outages and
catastrophic events such as fires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Cynosure has policies
and procedures and has implemented various measures to manage the risks related to these events;
however, if these systems are compromised, become inoperable for extended periods of time or cease to
function properly, Cynosure may have to make a significant investment to fix or replace them. The failure
of these systems and/or of disaster recovery plans for any reason could cause significant interruptions in
Cynosure’s operations and result in a failure to maintain security, confidentiality, or privacy of sensitive
data, including personal information relating to its clients. Such a failure could harm Cynosure’s reputation
or subject it or its affiliates to legal claims or otherwise affect their business and financial performance,
potentially resulting in financial loss. Additionally, any failure of Cynosure’s information, technology or
security systems could have an adverse impact on its ability to manage the portfolios of clients.
Legal or Legislative Risk
Legislative changes or court rulings may impact the value of investments or the securities’ claim on the
issuer’s assets and finances.
Global Trade Policy
The trade policies of the U.S. and foreign governments have been changing rapidly, creating uncertainty
regarding global free trade and related trade agreements. At this time, it remains unclear what actions
the U.S. and other governments may take with respect to existing or new trade agreements, individual
companies, industries or countries, tariffs and related matters. New or modified trade policy may have a
negative impact on the Firm, its Advisory Clients, service providers to the foregoing, and/or Advisory Client
investments, including by virtue of increased costs. the Firm cannot predict how other countries will
respond to the U.S. administration’s actions or vice versa. Global trade disruption, significant introductions
of trade barriers and bilateral trade frictions, together with any future downturns in the global economy
resulting therefrom, could adversely affect the financial performance of the Funds and their investments.
Health of the Banking Industry
The health of the banking industry can affect, among other things, interest rates and the ability to obtain
loans or similar financing (as well as the terms of such financings) and in turn could potentially affect the
value of Advisory Client investments. Further, to the extent there is a failure of a bank at which Advisory
Client assets are maintained, such failure could result in a delay in deploying and using assets in Advisory
Client accounts at that bank which could have an impact on the Firm’s ability to engage in recommended
transactions for an Advisory Client.
Reliance on CS
The success of each Advisory Client will depend in part upon the skill and expertise of CS’s investment
professionals. There can be no assurance that such professionals will continue to be associated with
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Cynosure, and a loss of the services of key personnel could impair CS’s ability to provide services to
Advisory Clients.
Diverse Investor Group
Investors in an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle may have conflicting investment, tax, and
other interests with respect to their investments. Therefore, conflicts of interest may arise in connection
with decisions made by the managing member (or similar managing fiduciary) or investment adviser of
such investment vehicle, including with respect to the nature or structuring of investments, that may be
more beneficial for one investor than for another investor, especially with respect to limited partners’
individual tax situations.
Limited Access to Information
Investors’ rights to information regarding an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle will be specified,
and strictly limited, in the Governing Documents of such Advisory Client.
No Market for Interests: Restrictions on Transfers
Interests in an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle have not been registered under the Securities
Act, or applicable securities laws of any U.S. state or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction and,
therefore, cannot be resold unless they are subsequently registered under the Securities Act and any other
applicable securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. There is no public market
for the interests in such investment vehicles, and one is not expected to develop. An investor will not be
permitted to directly or indirectly assign, sell, pledge, exchange, or transfer any of its interests or any of
its rights or obligations with respect to its interests without the prior written consent of the managing
member (or similar managing fiduciary) of the Advisory Client in question, which consent may be given or
withheld in accordance with the Governing Documents.
Investments in Highly Leveraged Companies; Use of Leverage
While investments in leveraged companies offer the opportunity for capital appreciation, such
investments also involve a higher degree of risk. Advisory Clients’ investments and portfolio transactions
involve varying degrees of leverage, which could magnify the impact of circumstances such as unfavorable
market or economic conditions, operating problems, and other changes that affect the relevant portfolio
company or its industry, resulting in a more pronounced effect of such circumstances on the profitability
or prospects of such companies.
Risk of Investments in Less Established Companies
From time to time, an Advisory Client may invest all or a portion of its assets in investments of less
established companies. Investments in such companies may involve greater risks than are generally
associated with investments in more established companies. To the extent there is a public market for the
securities held by an Advisory Client, such securities may be subject to more abrupt and erratic market price
movements than those of larger, more established companies. Less established companies tend to have
lower capitalizations and fewer resources and therefore are often more vulnerable to financial failure.
Such companies also may have shorter operating histories on which to judge future performance and may
have negative cash flow.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
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Recent technological advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning technology (collectively, “AI
Technology”), including (but not limited to) ChatGPT, Claude and other similar products, pose risks to the
Firm or its Advisory Clients. Additional risks stem from the use of AI Technology by third-party service
providers, business partners or other counterparties, which whether or not known to the Firm or its
Advisory Clients. The Firm and its Advisory Clients will likely not be able to control the manner in which
third-party products are developed or maintained or the manner in which third-party services are
provided, even where it has sought contractual protection regarding such use.
The use of AI Technology by any of the parties described above could include the input of confidential
information, including material non-public information into AI Technology applications, resulting in such
confidential information becoming part of a dataset that is accessible by other third-party AI Technology
applications and users.
AI Technology is generally highly-reliant on the collection and analysis of large amounts of data, which will
inevitably contain a degree of inaccuracy and error, potentially materially so, and could otherwise be
inadequate or flawed, which would be likely to degrade the effectiveness of AI Technology. Any such
inaccuracies or errors could have adverse impacts on the Firm, its affiliates, and their Advisory Clients.
AI Technology continues to develop rapidly, and it is impossible to predict the future risks that may arise
from such developments. These changes could potentially disrupt, among other things, the business and
operations of the Firm, its Advisory Clients and their service providers. In addition, the use of AI
Technology may require compliance with legal or regulatory frameworks that are not fully developed or
tested, and participants and users may face litigation and regulatory actions related to its use of AI
Technology. A person’s ability to use AI Technology could be limited in the future by legal or regulatory
developments.
Other Special Risks
Additional special risks apply to certain types of investments, which will be outlined in the applicable
Governing Documents.
ITEM 9: DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION
Neither Cynosure nor any of its respective professionals have been the subject of any legal or disciplinary
matter of an investment-related nature that would be material to an existing or prospective Advisory
Client’s evaluation of Cynosure’s advisory business or the integrity of its management.
ITEM 10: OTHER FINANCIAL INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES AND AFFILIATIONS
Neither Cynosure nor any of Cynosure’s senior management team is registered as a broker-dealer, or as a
registered representative of a broker-dealer, nor is there any present intention to do so. Likewise, neither
Cynosure nor any of Cynosure’s personnel are registered as a futures commission merchant, commodity
pool operator, commodity trading advisor or as an associated person of any such entities.
Cynosure’s Other Divisions and Advisory Affiliate
In addition to CS, Cynosure has four additional separate business divisions, which are further described
below. Cynosure Partners and Cynosure|Checketts Sports Capital Partners, LLC provide investment
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advisory services, either directly or through co- and sub-advisory arrangements, to pooled investment
vehicles. In addition, Cynosure Capital Management and Cynosure Wealth Advisors provide investment
advisory services to institutional and high net worth clients through separately managed accounts.
These other divisions and affiliates may from time to time advise clients or vehicles with investment
objectives, investment horizons, liquidity parameters or other interests that differ from, overlap with, or
compete with those of CS’s Advisory Clients. As a result, conflicts may arise with respect to the allocation
of investment opportunities, the time and attention of personnel, internal resources, and the provision of
services among CS’s Advisory Clients and other Cynosure businesses and affiliates.
Each Cynosure division employs a separate and distinct investment strategy. Accordingly, it is possible that
clients in Cynosure’s other business divisions may trade the same securities and instruments that CS trades
on behalf of its Advisory Client(s); however, such other Cynosure division clients may trade in different
quantities, at different times and in different directions with respect to any such security or instrument.
For example, a client in another Cynosure division may buy a security at the same time or on the same
day as a CS Advisory Client sells such security.
• Cynosure Partners: is the Firm’s private markets business line. It sponsors, structures, manages,
and oversees private growth equity and private credit pooled investment vehicles and related
portfolio company investments, including related onboarding, monitoring, and portfolio
management activities. These vehicles may be offered under different fund, series, or class names
from time to time and may be organized through affiliated general partners, managing members,
or special purpose vehicles.
• Cynosure Capital Management: is the Firm’s OCIO (Outsourced Chief Investment Officer) division,
managing investment portfolios for foundations and endowments.
• Cynosure Wealth Advisors: is the Firm’s wealth management business line, providing integrated
wealth management services to ultra-high net worth individuals.
• Cynosure|Checketts Sports Capital Partners, LLC: is the Firm’s sports investment advisory
business line, providing advisory services focused on institutional investment in sports and
targeted investments in high-quality sports assets and related companies. This division is a relying
adviser of Cynosure and a joint venture between Cynosure and Checketts Partners Investment
Management, LLC, an unaffiliated investment adviser also registered with the SEC.
Cynosure Portfolio Advisors LLC, an indirect subsidiary of Cynosure, is a separate affiliated SEC-registered
investment adviser and provides advisory services to retail (non-high net worth) individuals.
Pooled Investment Vehicles
Cynosure has a 50 percent interest in 4C GPS GP I, LLC, which is the general partner of 4C GPS I, LP, 4C GPS
II, LP, and 4C GPS III, LP, three private funds that own an interest in GPS Hospitality. The remaining 50
percent interest in 4C GPS GP I, LLC is owned by 4612 Group, LLC, an investment adviser registered with
the SEC, CRD # 287619, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Related General Partners/Managing Members
Cynosure is under common control with several general partners/managing members of Cynosure-
sponsored pooled investment vehicles. Cynosure, either directly or indirectly, enters into investment
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advisory agreements to provide all investment advisory services regulated by the Advisers Act to certain
Cynosure-sponsored pooled investment vehicles. Certain related general partners, managing members or
other affiliates may also be involved in the organization, governance, administration, capital raising,
structuring or operation of such vehicles, which may present conflicts of interest.
Other Activities and Relationships
The employees of Cynosure and its affiliates may serve on the boards of directors of portfolio companies
of Cynosure-sponsored pooled investment vehicles. Serving in such a capacity may give rise to conflicts to
the extent that an employee’s fiduciary duties to a portfolio company as a director may conflict with the
interests of an Advisory Client. In addition, personnel of CS, Cynosure and its affiliates may devote time to
other business activities, affiliated advisory businesses or affiliated investment vehicles, and are not
required to devote all of their business time exclusively to CS or any particular Advisory Client.
ITEM 11: CODE OF ETHICS, PARTICIPATION OR INTEREST IN CLIENT
TRANSACTIONS AND PERSONAL TRADING
Code of Ethics
Cynosure has established and approved a Code of Ethics that sets forth standards of ethical conduct for
employees and is designed to address and avoid potential conflicts of interest as required under Rule 204A-
1 of the Advisers Act. Among other things, the Code of Ethics prescribes standards for dealing with clients
ethically, addresses conflicts of interest issues, and supplements personal trading and operating
procedures, including Cynosure’s Policies and Procedures regarding Material, Non-Public Information and
the prevention of Insider Trading. The Code of Ethics provides guidance in specific areas, including but not
limited to, confidentiality of Cynosure information, personal investments, gifts and entertainment,
protection of persons who engage in “whistle blowing” activities from retaliation and personal political
activities. This Code of Ethics is available to Advisory Clients, investors or prospective clients or investors
by writing to The Cynosure Group, LLC, 111 S. Main Street, Suite 2350, Salt Lake City, UT, 84111, Attn:
Chief Compliance Officer.
Misuse of Nonpublic Information
Cynosure and its supervised persons may, from time to time, come into possession of material nonpublic
and other confidential information which, if disclosed, might affect an investor’s decision to buy, sell or
hold a security. Under applicable law, Cynosure and its supervised persons are prohibited from improperly
disclosing or using such information for their personal benefit or for the benefit of any other person, even
if such other person is an Advisory Client. Accordingly, should Cynosure or its supervised persons come
into possession of material nonpublic or other confidential information with respect to any company, it
may be prohibited from communicating such information to, or using such information for, the benefit of
its clients, and would have no obligation or responsibility to disclose such information to, nor responsibility
to use such information for the benefit of, its clients or Cynosure personnel when following policies and
procedures designed to comply with law.
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Cynosure has adopted as a part of the Code a “Policy Statement on Insider Trading” which establishes
procedures to prevent the misuse of material nonpublic information by Cynosure’s supervised persons.
Among other things, Cynosure maintains a “restricted list” of securities in which Cynosure may not trade
because Cynosure or its personnel may be in possession of material non-public information concerning
the issuer. In addition, Cynosure requires that all personnel must read, sign, and adhere to Cynosure’s
policy on insider trading.
Personal Securities Trading
Cynosure requires its personnel to comply with the firm’s personal trading policies, including pre-
clearance of certain securities transactions and restrictions on investments in initial public
offerings and private placements. Personnel whose account activity is not automatically captured
in the firm’s compliance system must provide periodic reports of personal securities transactions
and holdings to the Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) or her designee. These reports are reviewed
by the CCO to monitor compliance with Cynosure’s Code of Ethics and personal trading
procedures.Principal Transactions
Cynosure, as an investment manager, or an affiliate in limited circumstances, engages in principal
transactions (i.e., transactions in which Cynosure or an affiliate is deemed to be acting for its own account
by buying a security from, or selling a security to, an Advisory Client). These transactions introduce a
potential conflict of interest between its own interests and those of the Advisory Client.
Cynosure has established policies and procedures to comply with the Advisers Act when engaging in
principal transactions with Advisory Clients. Additionally, investment guidelines and an Advisory Client’s
Governing Documents may limit principal transactions on a more restrictive basis than the Advisers Act.
Notice and Consent
Cynosure will notify the Advisory Client itself or a duly appointed, independent representative of the
Advisory Client to obtain consent for any principal transaction.
Other Notice and Consent Considerations
In general, Cynosure will not engage in principal transactions with accounts of a retirement plan subject
to ERISA unless approved by Cynosure’s General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, and, if necessary,
competent ERISA counsel.
Cross Transactions
CS from time to time allows Advisory Clients to engage in cross transactions, which occur when a
transaction is affected directly between two or more of Cynosure’s Advisory Clients. Cross transactions
may benefit Advisory Clients because they can avoid certain transaction fees. They also create conflicts of
interest because, by not exposing buy and sell transactions to market forces, advisory clients may not
receive the benefits of best price, or an adviser might seek to prop up the performance of one advisory
client by selling under-performing assets to another advisory client in order, for example, to earn higher
fees.
Cynosure has established policies and procedures that address permissible cross transactions. Subject to
the terms of the Advisory Client’s Governing Documents (which may exclude certain follow-on
investments and other transactions from any applicable consent requirements): (i) notice must be
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provided to each Advisory Client or an independent representative of each such Advisory Client prior to
proceeding with the cross transaction; (ii) if an Investor Advisory Committee of a particular Advisory Client
has been established under the Advisory Client’s charter and organizational documents, it must provide
consent (generally by majority of the Investor Advisory Committee’s members) prior to engaging in such
cross transaction; and (iii) records of such notices and consents must be maintained as part of Cynosure’s
books and records.
Typically, the Governing Documents for each of the Advisory Clients address permissible cross
transactions.
Conflicts of Interest
Various potential and actual conflicts of interest may arise between and among CS, its Advisory Clients
and each of their affiliates. The following briefly summarizes some of these conflicts but is not intended
to be an exhaustive list of all such conflicts. Please also see Items 6, 8 and 12 for additional disclosures
related to other potential conflicts of interests that may arise and Cynosure’s efforts to mitigate or address
such risks. Investors in an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle should also review the Governing
Documents of such vehicle, which may contain additional disclosures related to conflicts of interest that
are applicable to that vehicle.
Allocation of Investments
Cynosure has established allocation policies and procedures addressing CS’s duties to allocate investment
opportunities among Advisory Clients in a fair and equitable manner. The policies seek to provide
consistent treatment of such Advisory Clients with similar investment objectives and guidelines to the
extent possible, consistent with legal, regulatory, and contractual restrictions. Cynosure’s policies prohibit
the allocation of investment opportunities based solely on anticipated compensation or profits to
Cynosure or any affiliates or their professionals. Each advisory client typically has its own investment
guidelines, governing agreements and geographical and industry focus that must be taken into account
when making investment allocation determinations.
Most investment opportunities that satisfy the investment parameters of a particular Advisory Client will
be allocated to that particular Advisory Client. In certain cases, however, an investment opportunity may
be appropriate for more than one Advisory Client. Any such allocation decisions are initially raised with
the investment committee of the relevant Advisory Client that originated the investment opportunity.
That particular investment committee, together with the Conflicts Committee, will review the opportunity
to determine if an allocation to any other Advisory Client may be appropriate in the first instance, taking
into account, among other things, whether the investment satisfies each of the relevant Advisory Client’s
investment objectives and the Advisory Client’s expected allocation based on its available capital
commitments. If an investment opportunity will be allocated (which may include an allocation of 100% of
such opportunity to a single Advisory Client), CS will, to the extent practicable, determine in good faith
that the allocation is fair and reasonable taking into account the relevant facts and circumstances deemed
relevant, as well as parameters of the Governing Documents of the Advisory Client’s pooled investment
vehicle advised by CS, the sourcing of the transaction, the nature of the investment objective, mandate or
policies, results of underwriting analyses, including projected returns and target hold period for each
investment, the relative amounts of capital available for investment, the nature and extent of involvement
in the transaction on the part of the respective teams of investment professionals for each such Advisory
Client and other considerations deemed relevant by CS in good faith.
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In certain situations, multiple Advisory Clients will invest side-by-side and investment opportunities will
be allocated between such Advisory Clients using a formula-based approach. In other situations,
participation of multiple Advisory Clients in a single transaction may require consent of the Investor
Advisory Committee or the investors of the participating Advisory Clients.
Allocation decisions are periodically reviewed to determine the reasonableness and fairness of the
allocation decisions. Final allocation decisions will generally align with the allocation of costs and expenses
related to the diligence and structuring of and ongoing supervision of an investment opportunity;
however, in certain situations, there may be costs such as diligence costs that are allocated to Advisory
Clients that considered an investment opportunity but ultimately decided to not pursue such investment
opportunity.
Possession of Material, Non-Public Information and other Trading Restrictions
Cynosure espouses a management philosophy of collaboration and information sharing among
investment professionals to create a unified network. Cynosure, its affiliates, and its investment
professionals may come into possession of material, non-public information in connection with their
activities for Cynosure or its affiliates. Cynosure has established policies and procedures intended to
prevent the abuse of material, non-public information, which includes procedures for the use and
maintenance of restricted trading lists, among other things. Under no circumstances may an investment
professional trade in a security while in possession of material, non-public information about that security
for his or her own account, the accounts of certain family members or the account of an Advisory Client.
Side Letters
Cynosure and its affiliates (including CS) routinely enter into side letter agreements with certain investors in
an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle, or establish separate accounts, providing such investors with
customized terms, which often results in preferential treatment, with respect to, among other things, the fee
structure, including reduced advisory fees or performance-based compensation; the offering of co-investment
opportunities; the ability to be excused from certain types of investments; the reporting obligations of the
Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle; consent rights with respect to certain amendments to documents
that govern their rights and obligations and those of the Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle; the right
to transfer interests in the Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle; the right to withdraw from the Advisory
Client’s pooled investment vehicle in the event of adverse tax or regulatory events; the right to appoint a
representative to the advisory committee or similar body of the Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle, if
applicable; additional confidentiality protections; the right to disclose certain information to underlying
investors or to the public; structuring rights with respect to certain types of investments; or any other terms,
whether economic, procedural or otherwise. Such arrangements may create conflicts of interest and may have
the effect of advantaging certain investors over others, including with respect to economics, information
rights, governance, liquidity and access to investment opportunities. Valuations of Investments
There may be situations in which CS has an incentive to influence or manipulate the valuation of
investments. For example, CS could be motivated to overstate valuation in order to: (i) improve the track
record of an Advisory Client, (ii) minimize losses from write-downs that must be returned before an
affiliate may receive performance-based allocations, or (iii) for certain Advisory Clients, increase fees due
to CS, such as a management fee that is calculated as a percentage of the value of the Advisory Client’s
assets. For portfolio holdings set aside in Side Pocket Accounts, and in accordance with the guidelines set
forth in Cynosure’s Valuation Policy, CS will determine the valuation as the sum of (i) the amount of
principal plus any accrued but unpaid interest and fees due and owing by borrowers and (ii) pre-existing
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undistributed income.
CS values securities and instruments at their fair value in accordance with U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles (“GAAP”), including Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards
Codification Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements (“ASC 820”). To facilitate this, CS has adopted a written
Valuation Policy and Procedures. If active market quotations are readily available, CS generally values
securities at their market price, with a discount in certain cases of restricted securities. Otherwise,
securities are valued based on management’s judgment and estimation in accordance with CS’s Valuation
Policy, guidance, and templates or in accordance with the specific valuation procedure outlined in the
Governing Documents of the relevant Advisory Client.
Valuation determinations involve subjective judgments and may differ materially from the values that
would have been used by other market participants or from the prices that may ultimately be realized in
a sale, repayment, restructuring or other disposition of an investment. Because valuation may affect
reported performance and, for certain Advisory Clients, fees or performance-based compensation, these
determinations involve conflicts of interest that may not be resolved in favor of investors.
Allocation of Expenses
Expenses frequently will be incurred by multiple Advisory Clients. CS allocates aggregate costs among the
applicable Advisory Clients (and, in certain cases, among Cynosure and applicable Advisory Clients) in
accordance with allocation policies and procedures which are reasonably designed to allocate expenses in a
fair and reasonable manner over time among such Advisory Clients. However, expense allocation decisions
can involve potential conflicts of interest (e.g., an incentive to favor Advisory Clients that pay higher incentive
fees, conflicts relating to different expense arrangements with certain Advisory Clients, side letter or other
preferential arrangements, or allocations of certain in-house personnel expenses).
Under its current expense allocation policies, Cynosure generally allocates expenses among Advisory Clients
utilizing allocation methods including applicable rules set forth in fund governing documents, on a pro rata
basis based on assets under management, investment cost (and may include available capital), or fair value of
investments, number of investors, number of investments, number of funds (or legal entities), fund size,
department headcount and compensation, or number of users. Cynosure may, however, use other methods
to allocate certain expenses among the Advisory Clients if it deems another method more appropriate based
on the relative use of a product or service, the nature or source of the product or service, the relative benefits
derived by the Advisory Clients from the product or service, or other relevant factors. Nonetheless, the portion
of a common expense that Cynosure allocates to an Advisory Client for a particular product or service may
not reflect the relative benefit derived by an Advisory Client from that product or service in any particular
instance. For example, certain expenses may be allocated across all investment vehicles comprising an
Advisory Client regardless of whether each investment vehicle is directly incurring the expense.
Cynosure’s expense allocations often depend on inherently subjective determinations and, accordingly,
expense allocations made by Cynosure in good faith will be final and binding on the Advisory Clients. Despite
Cynosure’s good faith judgment to arrive at a fair and reasonable expense allocation methodology, the use of
any particular methodology may lead an Advisory Client to bear relatively more expense in certain instances
and relatively less in other instances compared to what an Advisory Client would have borne if a different
methodology had been used. However, Cynosure seeks to make allocations that are equitable on an overall
basis in its good faith judgment.
Other Potential Conflicts
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The legal and/or organizational documents of an Advisory Client, the Investment Management Agreement
between Cynosure (or an affiliate) and the Advisory Client establish complex arrangements among the
parties, including between investors and Advisory Clients. Questions may arise from time to time under
these agreements regarding the parties’ rights and obligations in certain situations, many of which may
not have been contemplated at the time of the agreements’ drafting and execution. In these instances,
the operative provisions of the agreements, if any, may be broad, general, ambiguous, or conflicting, and
may permit more than one reasonable interpretation. At times there may not be a provision directly
applicable to the situation. While Cynosure will construe the relevant agreements in good faith and in a
manner consistent with its legal obligations, the interpretations adopted may not be, and need not be,
the interpretations that are the most favorable to an Advisory Client. Cynosure has established a Conflicts
Committee with the explicit purpose of reviewing, and where applicable mitigating, resolving or making
recommendations with respect to, conflicts impacting Cynosure’s investors and the firm itself.
ITEM 12: BROKERAGE PRACTICES
Generally: CS has discretion to select brokers and dealers to execute transactions in securities and other
instruments for Advisory Clients. In executing portfolio transactions, CS seeks to obtain the best net result
for the Advisory Client. Prices paid to dealers generally include a “spread,” which is the difference between
the prices at which the dealer is willing to purchase or sell a specific security at the time. An Advisory Client
may invest in securities traded in “over-the-counter” markets and for such transactions will engage
primarily in transactions with the dealers who make markets in such securities, unless a better price or
execution could be obtained by using a broker or another financial institution.
In seeking best execution, the determinative factor evaluated by CS is not necessarily the lowest possible
observable cost, but whether the transaction represents the best qualitative execution. CS considers
several factors in selecting a broker-dealer to execute transactions (or series of transactions) and
determining the reasonableness of the broker-dealer’s compensation. Such factors include, but are not
limited to, the broker-dealer’s ability to execute the transaction effectively and in a timely manner; its
ability to minimize the market impact of such execution; and its provision of other services, including
research and consulting services.
Soft Dollar Arrangements:
CS may receive research and other products or services other than execution from a broker-dealer and/or
a third party in connection with Advisory Client securities transactions. This is commonly known as a “soft
dollar” relationship. With respect to CS’s receipt of such research and other products or services in
connection with Advisory Client securities transactions, CS intends to limit the use of “soft dollars” to
obtain research and brokerage services to services that constitute research and brokerage within the
meaning of Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Section 28(e)”).
The use of Advisory Client commissions to obtain research and brokerage products and services raises
potential conflicts of interest. For example, CS may not have to pay for the products and services itself
under a soft dollar arrangement. This creates an incentive for CS to select or recommend a broker-dealer
based on its interest in receiving those products and services. CS may also cause Advisory Clients to pay
commissions higher than those charged by other broker-dealers in return for soft dollar benefits (known
as paying-up), resulting in higher transaction costs for Clients. With respect to the usage of soft dollars, CS
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has adopted soft dollar policies and procedures in an effort to address these above requirements and the
requirements under Section 28(e), including to determine in good faith whether, with respect to any
research or other products or services received from a broker-dealer, the commissions used to obtain
those products and services were reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage, research or other
products or services provided by the broker-dealer.
ITEM 13: REVIEW OF ACCOUNTS
The portfolio investments of CS’s current Advisory Client are regularly reviewed by CS’s Chief Investment
Officer.
Reports to Advisory Clients and Investors
Investors in an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle will receive audited annual financial
statements. Depending on the Advisory Client, investors may receive monthly financial and capital
account statements and quarterly letters. Investors have the ability to access these reports via a password-
protected website.
Certain investors are expected to have the right to obtain information relating to an Advisory Client.
Accordingly, such investors may possess information regarding the business and affairs of an Advisory
Client that may not be known to other investors. As a result, certain investors will be able to take actions
on the basis of such information which, in the absence of such information, other investors do not take.
ITEM 14: CLIENT REFERRALS AND OTHER COMPENSATION
CS does not currently have any cash compensation arrangements with unaffiliated placement agents or
third parties for introducing investors to CS in respect of an Advisory Client. If any such arrangements are
entered into, any fees associated therewith will, in most cases (unless otherwise provided in an Advisory
Client’s Governing Documents), ultimately be payable by Cynosure or its affiliates, either directly or
through an offset of the management fee payable by the relevant Advisory Client.
In accordance with Cynosure’s policies, no investor will bear any portion of any fee paid to any third-party
promoter (formerly solicitor) with respect to such investment (whether in the form of higher management
fees or other types of fees) without the consent of Cynosure’s Head of Investor Relations.
ITEM 15:
CUSTODY
Although the underlying assets of its Advisory Clients are typically maintained by third-
party custodians, Cynosure may be deemed to have custody of client assets under
Rule 206(4)-2 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Custody
Rule”). Cynosure generally intends to comply with the Custody Rule for its pooled
investment vehicle Advisory Clients by relying on the pooled investment vehicle
annual audit exception, pursuant to which each such Advisory Client is subject to an
annual audit by an independent public accountant registered with, and subject to
regular inspection by, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, and audited
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financial statements are distributed to investors within 120 days of the end of the
Advisory Client’s fiscal year (or 180 days, in the case of a fund of funds). To the extent
an Advisory Client is not eligible to rely on the pooled investment vehicle annual audit
exception, Cynosure will seek to comply with the Custody Rule through another
available means, which may include a surprise examination where applicable.
Investors should carefully review account statements, capital account statements,
audited financial statements and other reports they receive from the applicable
Advisory Client, its custodian, administrator or other service providers.ITEM 16:
INVESTMENT DISCRETION
CS provides investment advice to its Advisory Clients on a discretionary basis. Generally, this discretion is
subject only to the investment guidelines set forth in the Governing Documents of an Advisory Client. Such
governing agreements generally expressly provide that the applicable general partner (or similar
managing fiduciary) has the authority to make all decisions concerning the investigation, evaluation,
selection, negotiation, structuring, commitment to, monitoring of and disposition of investments.
ITEM 17:
VOTING CLIENT SECURITIES
CS has, or will accept, authority to vote public company securities and other debt instruments (e.g., loans)
held by an Advisory Client and has adopted policies and procedures (the “Proxy Voting Policies and
Procedures”) that it believes are reasonably designed to comply with the requirements of the Advisers Act
and to manage any conflicts of interest that may arise. The Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures reflect
Cynosure’s commitment to vote such instruments in a manner consistent with the best interests of the
Advisory Clients.
Proxy voting reports identifying how proxies were voted where Cynosure has been delegated proxy voting
authority, and Cynosure’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures, are available upon written request to The
Cynosure Group, LLC, 111 S. Main Street, Suite 2350, Salt Lake City, UT, 84111, Attn: Chief Compliance
Officer.
ITEM 18: FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Not applicable.
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Additional Brochure: CYNOSURE WEALTH ADVISORS (2026-03-31)
View Document Text
ITEM 1:
COVER PAGE
Cynosure Wealth Advisors
(A division of The Cynosure Group, LLC)
111 S. Main Street, Suite 2350
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
www.cynosuregroup.com
March 31, 2026
This brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices of Cynosure Wealth
Advisors (“CWA”), a division of The Cynosure Group, LLC. If you have any questions about the contents of
this brochure, please contact us at 801-521-3100. The information in this brochure has not been approved
or verified by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or by any state securities
authority.
Additional information about The Cynosure Group, LLC also is available on the SEC’s Investment Adviser
Public Disclosure website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov (click on the link “Investment Adviser Search” and
then select “Firm” and type in our advisory firm name “The Cynosure Group”).
The Cynosure Group, LLC is an investment adviser registered with the SEC (a “registered investment
adviser”). This registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
1
ITEM 2:
MATERIAL CHANGES
Please see below for a summary of material updates to the brochure since its last update (July 29, 2025):
• updates to the description of the Investment Consulting Services product as well as the Firm’s
regulatory assets under management figure in Item 4.
•
certain updates to the risk disclosures included in Item 8, and updates to the disclosure in Item
14 (Client Referrals and Compensation).
2
ITEM 3:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ITEM 1: COVER PAGE ................................................................................................................................ 1
ITEM 2: MATERIAL CHANGES ................................................................................................................... 2
ITEM 3: ......................................................................................................................................................... 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................................................... 3
ITEM 4: ADVISORY BUSINESS ............................................................................................................... 4
ITEM 5:
FEES AND COMPENSATION ......................................................................................................... 7
ITEM 6: PERFORMANCE-BASED FEES AND SIDE-BY-SIDE MANAGEMENT ............................................... 9
ITEM 7:
TYPES OF CLIENTS ..................................................................................................................... 10
ITEM 8: METHODS OF ANALYSIS, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISK OF LOSS .................................... 10
ITEM 9: DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION ............................................................................................... 16
ITEM 10: OTHER FINANCIAL INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES AND AFFILIATIONS .............................................. 17
ITEM 11: CODE OF ETHICS, PARTICIPATION OR INTEREST IN CLIENT TRANSACTIONS AND PERSONAL
TRADING ..................................................................................................................................................... 18
ITEM 12: BROKERAGE PRACTICES ......................................................................................................... 20
ITEM 13: REVIEW OF ACCOUNTS ......................................................................................................... 21
ITEM 14:
CLIENT REFERRALS AND OTHER COMPENSATION ................................................................ 22
ITEM 15:
CUSTODY ............................................................................................................................... 22
ITEM 16:
INVESTMENT DISCRETION .................................................................................................... 22
ITEM 17: VOTING CLIENT SECURITIES .................................................................................................. 22
ITEM 18:
FINANCIAL INFORMATION .................................................................................................... 23
3
ITEM 4: ADVISORY BUSINESS
General Firm Overview
The Cynosure Group, LLC (“Cynosure” or the “Firm”), is a Utah limited liability company formed in 2015
and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. The Firm’s principal office is located in Salt Lake
City, Utah, and it maintains an additional office in New York. Cynosure is principally owned by The Randal
Quarles and Hope Eccles Legacy Trust and Spencer P. Eccles and Kristine L. Eccles GST Legacy Trust
agreements each owning more than 25%.
Cynosure offers advisory services in the following five divisions: Cynosure Capital Management, Cynosure
Partners, Cynosure Wealth Advisors, Cynosure Strategies and Cynosure|Checketts Sports Capital Partners,
LLC. Cynosure also has a separate investment advisory firm affiliate, Cynosure Portfolio Advisors LLC.
As of December 31, 2025, The Cynosure Group, LLC collectively managed approximately $9,847,984,409
in discretionary assets and $144,883,807 in non-discretionary assets under advisement across all five
divisions.
in greater detail
in
The following sections of this brochure relate solely to Cynosure Wealth Advisors. Each other division is
described
their own Brochure, which are available online at
adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/281399.
Cynosure Wealth Advisors
Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2025, CWA managed approximately $1,550,109,195 in discretionary assets under
management and $144,883,807 in non-discretionary assets under advisement.
Wealth Management Services
In 2023, Cynosure established a new investment advisory practice, Cynosure Wealth Advisors (“CWA”),
that provides Portfolio Advisory, Integrated Financial Planning, Consolidated Reporting, Investment
Consulting, and Non-Discretionary Mandate services (“Wealth Management Services”) to high-net worth
families and individuals, trusts, estates, family limited partnerships, family offices, foundations,
endowments, charitable organizations, corporations, and other business entities (“Advisory Clients”).
CWA may also provide the above-mentioned Wealth Management Services as a subadvisor to certain
family offices managing assets held by one or more associated “Family clients,” as such term is defined in
Rule 202(a)(11)(G)-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (collectively referred to herein as the
“Family”) where such family office has the authority to hire one or more third party investment advisers
to manage assets of the Family.
This Brochure describes the portfolio advisory, integrated financial planning, consolidated reporting,
investment consulting and non-discretionary mandate services CWA offers to Advisory Clients. In
partnership with our Advisory Clients, CWA assesses the investment, planning, and reporting objectives
and needs of our Advisory Clients based on information they provide, to determine which of CWA’s
services, if any, are appropriate to recommend to each Advisory Client. CWA seeks to tailor portfolio
advisory, integrated financial planning, consolidated reporting, investment consulting, and non-discretionary
4
mandate services to each Advisory Client’s individual needs. CWA encourages Advisory Clients to share
their current financial situation, needs, and objectives as well as changes in their financial and personal
circumstances with CWA so that appropriate recommendations can be made.
• Portfolio Advisory Services: CWA develops and implements a continuous investment program on
behalf of Advisory Clients with respect to their investment portfolio, including:
o
o The development of an investment program for the portfolio, determined in consultation
with the Advisory Client, based on an analysis of various factors, including, without
limitation, the Advisory Client’s
investment goals, tax position, diversification
requirements, social concerns, and risk tolerance.
Implementation of an investment program through allocation and rebalancing of the
Advisory Client’s investable assets of the investment portfolio that may include various
liquid and illiquid investment strategies through investments in the Advisory Client’s
managed account(s).
o Oversight and monitoring of an Advisory Client’s investment program, including portfolio
characteristics, cash flows, and risk, on an on-going basis and adjustment of the same
in response to changing market conditions, Advisory Client
from time-to-time
circumstances, or other factors.
Specific services that are available include the following:
Investment policy objectives and financial goals
Investment program implementation and rebalancing
o Current portfolio evaluation
o Assessment of investment objectives
o
o Strategic asset allocation planning
o Manager search and evaluation
o
o Portfolio monitoring and risk management
o Performance measurement and attribution analysis
•
Integrated Financial Planning Services: CWA provides Advisory Clients with integrated financial
planning services based upon the individual needs, goals, and objectives identified by the Advisory
Client. Specific services that are available include the following:
o Net worth analysis
o Retirement, cash flow and budget planning
o
Insurance planning and risk management
o Liquidity and liability management
o Estate and wealth transfer planning
o Philanthropy and charitable gift planning
o Education planning
o Compensation and benefits analysis
o Select family office services
• Consolidated Reporting Services: CWA provides Advisory Clients with consolidated performance
reporting on liquid and illiquid assets as agreed by CWA and the relevant Advisory Client from time
5
to time, regardless of where held, which may or may not be advised on by CWA as either assets
under management (“AUM”) or assets under advisement (“AUA”).
•
Investment Consulting Services: CWA provides certain non-discretionary Investment Consulting
Services to Advisory Clients with respect to their investment assets, regardless of where held, and
other financial matters. Specific services include one or more of the following:
o
Investment Policy and Asset Allocation Solutions - Collaborate in the development of an
asset allocation framework aligned with the Advisory Client’s investment objectives and
risk tolerance.
o Analysis of Current Investment Program - Conduct a review of all existing investments,
considering the Advisory Client’s identified asset allocation, performance, and risk
objectives.
o
o Trading Strategy Advice - Offer research and recommendations regarding Advisory Client-
requested specialized securities trading activities (e.g., options, hedging), trading
individual securities, managing concentrated portfolios or positions, and other
customized situations.
Investment Idea Generation - Introduce potential investment opportunities, such as
private equity or private investments, that align with the Advisory Client’s overall
investment framework.
o Customized Access and Services – Facilitate upon request, lending, custody, and related
services with banks, custodians, and other solution providers.
o Analysis of Investment Program with Estate Planning, Insurance and Overall Family
Planning Goals - Analyze Advisory Client investments and provide recommendations on
relevant financial and estate planning techniques.
o Consolidated Financial Reporting/Investment Monitoring – As agreed upon with CWA,
provide Advisory Client with consolidated periodic statements of financial holdings,
including investment accounts, retirement accounts, real estate holdings, and private
investments.
With respect to Investment Consulting Services, Advisory Clients may choose between two service
options:
1. Consulting mandate: In providing the Consulting mandate, CWA’s role is limited to
that of a consultant providing non-discretionary advice and Advisory Clients are
responsible for any investment decisions with respect to their portfolio and other
financial matters. CWA will not provide any ongoing monitoring and evaluation of
any evaluated investments under this mandate. The Advisory Client is responsible for
the implementation of any CWA recommendations provided as part of the above
services.
2. Consulting Plus mandate: Under the Consulting Plus mandate, CWA will periodically
make non-discretionary investment recommendations to the Advisory Client as part
of the above services. If an Advisory Client approves a specific CWA investment
recommendations, CWA will be responsible for arranging the implementation of such
approved recommendation with broker-dealers and other counterparties. CWA will
also provide ongoing monitoring of the portfolio as part of the Consulting Plus
6
Mandate.
• Non-Discretionary Mandate: For this mandate, CWA provides certain non-discretionary
investment advice and recommendations to Advisory Clients upon their request in connection
with potential investment opportunities specifically identified by the Advisory Client and
presented to CWA for evaluation. It is important to note that the Advisory Client (as opposed to
CWA) will make any decisions as to whether to invest in this potential opportunity following
receipt of CWA’s non-discretionary advice and CWA will not provide any ongoing monitoring and
evaluation of any evaluated investments under this mandate, nor will it provide further advice
with respect to such asset (including whether to hold, sell, or make additional transactions). Non-
Discretionary Mandates are generally only available to clients that also receive one or more of
the other services above provided by CWA.
CWA provides these services in accordance with the terms of portfolio advisory, integrated financial
planning, consolidated reporting, investment consulting and/or non-discretionary mandate agreements
applicable to each Client, collectively referred to as “Wealth Management Agreements.”
ITEM 5:
FEES AND COMPENSATION
Advisory Fees
Fees for all CWA Wealth Management Services (“Advisory Fees”) are negotiated with each Advisory Client
based upon many factors, including, but not limited to, the size and scope of the engagement, Advisory
Client needs, related accounts, services required, planning and reporting requirements, anticipated assets
to be managed, and future additional assets.
With respect to CWA’s Portfolio Advisory Services, Advisory Fees for such mandates are subject to
negotiation and will be determined as either: (1) an asset-based fee calculated as a percentage of the
market value of the assets in the Portfolio, (2) a fixed annual amount, or (3) an asset-based fee calculated
as a percentage of the market value of the assets in the Portfolio with a fixed annual minimum amount.
The Advisory Fee for Portfolio Advisory Services generally will not exceed a maximum of 1.5% based on
assets under management (AUM). Fees for Integrated Financial Planning, Consolidated Reporting,
Investment Consulting, and/or Non-Discretionary Mandates, if charged separately, will vary based on the scope
of responsibilities pursuant to agreed-upon terms and conditions with each Advisory Client in their
respective Wealth Management Agreement(s).
While Advisory Fees for CWA’s Portfolio Advisory Services are usually inclusive of Portfolio Advisory,
Integrated Financial Planning, and Consolidated Reporting services, Advisory Fees for Integrated Financial
Planning, Consolidated Reporting, Investment Consulting, and/or Non-Discretionary Mandates, may, from
time-to-time, and depending on an Advisory Client’s needs and circumstances, be charged separately and
quoted based on an hourly fee, fixed fee, minimum fee, fixed annual fee retainer, or as a percentage of
assets under advisement (AUA) for certain of those services, or other services CWA offers, prior to the
services being rendered. These additional fees will be based upon the scope of each specific Advisory
Client engagement. See below for further details on the Advisory Fees with respect to these mandates.
7
CWA calculates fees quarterly in advance as detailed in each Advisory Client’s Wealth Management
Agreement(s). Where an Advisory Client has made fee payments to CWA, and either party subsequently
determines to terminate the relationship pursuant to the Wealth Management Agreement prior to
quarter end, CWA will prorate the quarterly fee and refund any unearned portion.
Wealth Management Services fees are typically assessed and deducted from the Advisory Client’s
account(s) quarterly. CWA will aggregate the combined assets under management of related Advisory
Client accounts for determining the fee schedule. Advisory Fees are calculated and prorated quarterly, in
advance, based upon the assets in the account(s) as of the last day of the preceding quarter, as reported
by the account custodian, of all assets under management or advisement within the Advisory Client’s
account(s).
Fees for Integrated Financial Planning, Consolidated Reporting, and/or Investment Consulting
Services
Advisory Clients may negotiate Integrated Financial Planning, Consolidated Reporting, and/or Investment
Consulting Services fees with CWA. Fees charged for these services may depend upon the anticipated time
allocated to provide the services requested, the complexity of the planning, breadth of reporting
responsibilities, or the Advisory Client’s financial situation. The services the Advisory Client selected and
the fees the Advisory Client agree to in advance are disclosed in the appropriate Wealth Management
Agreement signed by the Advisory Client.
The fees for Integrated Financial Planning Services, Consolidated Reporting, and/or Investment Consulting
Services can be structured as an hourly rate, a fixed (flat) dollar amount, an annual fixed-fee retainer, or
as a percentage of assets under advisement (AUA) depending on the services provided as agreed upon by
the Advisory Client. Integrated Financial Planning Services and Consolidated Reporting may also be offered
using a hourly rate with hourly fees generally charged at a rate of up to $400 per hour. If charged as a
percentage of assets under advisement (AUA), the fee for Investment Consulting Services is not to exceed
2.00% of the value of assets under advisement (AUA), regardless of where held. Fees for Consolidated
Reporting Services, when not inclusive of other advisory services provided such as Portfolio Advisory or
Investment Consulting, are usually charged as a percentage of reportable assets (regardless of where
held), not to exceed 3 basis points.
Fees associated with the Integrated Financial Planning, Consolidated Reporting, and/or Investment
Consulting Services agreed to by the Advisory Client are disclosed in the appropriate Wealth Management
Agreement(s). The engagement begins at the time CWA accepts the agreement. Fees are payable in
accordance with the schedule selected in the agreement, which may include payment at the start of,
during, or at the end of the contract period. Payment can be made by check, ACH, or wire from the
Advisory Client’s financial institution or by debit from an account designated by the Advisory Client as an
authorized account owner.
Fees charged pursuant to a Client’s Wealth Management Agreement(s) shall be prorated and paid
quarterly, in advance, based upon the assets in the account as of the last day of the preceding quarter as
detailed in each Client’s Wealth Management Agreement. Where an Advisory Client has made fee
payments to CWA, and either party subsequently determines to terminate the relationship pursuant to
the Wealth Management Agreement prior to quarter end, CWA will prorate the fee and refund any
8
unearned portion. Any Client engagements billed on an hourly basis will be charged quarterly based on
the hours incurred during the previous quarter, or on a pro-rata basis if not for the full prior quarter.
It is possible that an Advisory Client may pay more or less for similar services than may be available through
another firm. In addition, fees for Portfolio Advisory, Integrated Financial Planning, Consolidated
Reporting, and/or Investment Consulting Services may be offered to CWA’s employees, family members,
and friends at a reduced rate.
Fees for the Non-Discretionary Mandate
The fee charged for the Non-Discretionary Mandate, are generally 10 basis points (0.10%) per annum based
on AUM. However, CWA will waive this fee during any calendar quarter that certain fees payable to CWA
by the Advisory Client are greater than or equal to $10,000 (or such other amount as may be negotiated).
For purposes of calculating this minimum fee, CWA will include fees paid/payable for discretionary managed
CWA accounts of the Advisory Client (as well as accounts of their immediate family members) and fees
paid/payable by the Advisory Client in a commingled fund managed by Cynosure. Because, as noted above,
the Non-Discretionary Mandate is generally only made available to Clients that receive other advisory
services from CWA, CWA generally expects that under normal circumstances, all advisory fees for the Non-
Discretionary Mandate will be waived.
Other Fees and Expenses
CWA’s fees are exclusive of, and in addition to, charges imposed by custodians, brokers, third party
investment managers, sales charges, odd-lot differentials, transfer taxes, wire transfer and electronic fund
fees, and other fees and taxes at custodians and on securities transactions.
Advisory Clients are responsible for paying certain fees and other expenses separately and in addition to
the management fees paid to Cynosure for the management of the Advisory Client’s portfolio pursuant to
the Wealth Management Agreement. In addition to those already listed above, these may include (but are
not limited to) separately managed accounts with sub-advisor fees as well as fees charged to investors in
mutual funds (including money market funds for cash management purposes), exchange traded funds
(“ETFs”) or privately offered investment vehicles. Specifically, Advisory Clients invested in one or more
funds and other pooled investment vehicles will pay their pro rata share of additional expenses incurred
through each vehicle, including payments made by such vehicle for third-party services such as
management fees, performance fees or special allocations paid to such vehicle’s investment manager,
audit, tax, accounting, legal, custody and other administrative fees.
These fees and expenses are disclosed to Advisory Clients more fully in various disclosure documents
provided by the sub-advisor, fund manager or other authorized party responsible for each investment
Strategy into which a client’s assets are allocated.
ITEM 6:
PERFORMANCE-BASED FEES AND SIDE-BY-SIDE MANAGEMENT
Not applicable.
9
ITEM 7:
TYPES OF CLIENTS
CWA generally provides advisory services to, among others, high-net worth families; trusts, estates, or
charitable organizations; corporations and businesses. Clients must be a “qualified client” as defined
under Rule 205-3 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”). Typically,
a minimum investment amount of $10 million is imposed but can be subject to a reduction upon prior
agreement by CWA. Advisory Client account values may be combined for family members to meet the
stated minimum. The Non-Discretionary Mandate is not subject to an account minimum but is generally
only offered to Clients to receive other advisory services from CWA.
METHODS OF ANALYSIS, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISK OF
ITEM 8:
LOSS
Methods of Analysis and Investment Strategies
CWA uses a range of methods to identify, analyze and assess potential and existing investment
opportunities with respect to its provision of Wealth Management Services. More specific descriptions
are provided below regarding the investment strategies and investment processes.
For Portfolio Advisory Services Clients, Cynosure Wealth Advisors works with each of its Advisory Clients to
develop customized investment strategies based on an analysis of various factors, such as each Advisory
Client’s investment objectives, tax position, diversification requirements, other assets held, social
concerns, risk tolerance, etc.
Once this analysis has been completed, CWA constructs a portfolio by allocating assets among various
strategies through mutual funds, exchange traded funds (ETFs), investments in separately managed
accounts (SMAs) with sub-advisors, or pooled investment vehicles (including alternative private
investment funds). The process for portfolio construction and management involves the following steps:
1. Advisory Client financial objectives and risk tolerances are identified and factored into the
analysis. Risk tolerances are determined by the objective capacity and the subjective
willingness to take risk.
2. CWA begins the portfolio construction process considering the investment asset classes
available. The asset classes constitute the building blocks of an Advisory Client portfolio.
3. Risk and return projections for various combinations of asset classes are developed by
applying various capital market assumptions based on asset class valuations, historical
relationships, market risk premiums and the investing environment.
4. Once a strategic asset allocation is identified, investments are made or recommended in what
CWA believes to be an appropriate mix of asset classes.
For Portfolio Advisory Clients, CWA performs ongoing monitoring and rebalancing based on the need to
maintain appropriate risk levels and targeted returns, subject to tax, trading and liquidity considerations.
For Investment Consulting Services Clients, CWA may provide some or all the above-listed methods of
analysis and investment strategies based on the terms and conditions of the engagement entered into
with each client subject to the same risks of loss described herein.
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Risk of Loss
As with any investment strategy, the investment programs developed by CWA involve significant risks.
The following is a discussion of some of the primary risks; however, it is not possible to identify all the risks
associated with investing, and the particular risks applicable to an Advisory Client’s account will depend
on the nature of the investments chosen.
No Assurance of Investment Return
All investments in securities include a risk of loss of principal (invested amount) and any profits remaining
in the account. The performance of any investment is not guaranteed. CWA cannot guarantee
performance or that a loss will not be experienced. Investing in securities involves a risk of loss that each
Advisory Client must be prepared to bear.
General Economic and Market Conditions
The success of an Advisory Client’s activities will be affected by the continued economic volatility as well
as general economic and market conditions, such as interest rates, availability of credit, credit defaults,
inflation rates, economic uncertainty, changes in applicable laws and regulations (including laws relating
to taxation of an Advisory Client’s investments), trade barriers and tariffs, currency exchange controls, and
national and international political, environmental and socioeconomic circumstances (including wars,
terrorist acts or security operations or public health considerations).
Common Risks Associated with Investing in Securities Generally
Investments in securities may be subject to a number of risks, including the following:
• Current Market Conditions. Global debt and equity markets have experienced increased volatility
•
and turmoil, which can adversely affect a portfolio.
Liquidity in Financial Markets. The financial markets in the U.S. and elsewhere have experienced
a variety of difficulties and changed economic conditions, which could adversely affect the value
of a portfolio’s assets.
•
• Government Intervention and Market Disruptions. The global financial markets have undergone
fundamental disruptions that have led to extensive and unprecedented government intervention
that could prove detrimental to the efficient functioning of the markets and adversely affect a
portfolio.
Inflation and Risk of Recession. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have been in the
past and could in the future have negative effects on the economies and financial markets, which
may in turn affect the markets in which an Advisory Client invests. For example, wages and prices
of inputs increase during periods of inflation, which can negatively impact returns on investments.
Governmental efforts to curb inflation, such as (for example) raising interest rates, often have
negative effects on the level of economic activity. There can be no assurance that inflation will
not become a serious problem in the future and have an adverse impact on an Advisory Client’s
investment returns. As a result of the above and other market conditions, it is possible that the
growth of U.S. and other regional economies could contract over time leading to a recession in the
U.S. and abroad. It is impossible to predict whether a recession will actually occur and, if it does
occur, the length and severity of any such recession. If a moderate to severe recession were to occur
in the U.S. and in other regional countries for a prolonged period of time, it would be expected to
11
adversely affect the markets in which an account or fund operates and could materially and
adversely affect the performance of investments and the prospects and returns of an Advisory
Client’s portfolio.
• Force Majeure Events. There is a risk that a Client’s investments will be impacted by force majeure
events (i.e., events beyond the control of the party claiming that the event has occurred, such as
energy blackouts, acts of God, fire, flood, earthquakes, outbreaks of an infectious disease,
pandemic or any other serious public health concern, war, terrorism, labor strikes and
telecommunication failures). Certain force majeure events (such as an outbreak of an infectious
disease) could have a broader negative impact on the world economy and international business
activity generally, or in any of the countries or jurisdictions in which investments are located.
Additionally, a major governmental intervention into industry, including but not limited to the
nationalization of an industry or the assertion of control over an investment, could result in a loss
to a client. Any of the foregoing would therefore adversely affect the performance of an Advisory
Client’s investments.
Common Risks Associated with Equity Investments
Investments in equity securities may be subject to specific risks, including the following:
• Equity Securities. Equity securities (stocks) held in a portfolio may decrease in response to
activities of companies or market and economic conditions.
• Growth Stocks. Growth stocks may be more sensitive to market movements because their prices
tend to more heavily reflect future investor expectations rather than just current profits. They
may also underperform value stocks during given periods.
• Value Stocks. Value stocks may perform differently from the market as a whole and may be
undervalued by the market for a long period of time. They may also underperform growth stocks
during given periods.
•
• Small-Capitalization Companies. Small cap stocks may exhibit erratic earnings patterns,
competitive conditions, limited earnings history, and a reliance on one or a limited number of
products.
Initial Public Offerings. Initial public offerings (IPOs) are subject to high volatility and limited
availability.
• Private Placements. Private placements may be classified as illiquid and be difficult to value.
• Derivative Securities. Derivatives may be difficult to value, may be illiquid and may be subject to
wide swings in valuation caused by changes in value of the underlying security. The use of
derivatives can result in losses in a portfolio that substantially exceeds the initial amount paid or
received from the investment.
Common Risks Associated with Fixed Income Investments
Investments in fixed income securities can expose clients to certain specific risks such as the following:
• Credit Risk. Fixed income securities (bonds) are subject to the risk that the bond issuers may not
be able to meet interest or principal payments when the bonds come due.
• Below Investment Grade Rated Securities. Below investment grade bonds are subject to a higher
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•
•
probability that the issuers may not be able to meet payment of interest or principal on a timely
basis or at all. These securities also may be less liquid than investment grade securities and
experience higher price volatility. It may not be possible to sell these securities at the desired price
and within a given time period.
Interest Rates. Interest rates may adversely affect the value of an investment. An increase in
interest rates typically causes the value of bonds and other fixed income securities to fall. Interest
rates continue to be at historic lows. Investments with longer maturities, which typically provide
higher yields than securities with shorter maturities, may subject a portfolio to increased price
changes resulting from market yield fluctuations.
Income Risk. The income received by a portfolio may decrease as a result of a decline in interest
rates.
•
• Prepayment Risk. There is a risk of prepayment in mortgage- and asset-backed securities. This risk
arises when market interest rates are below the interest rates charged on the loans that comprise
the securities. Elevated prepayment activity may result in losses in these securities.
Liquidity Risk. Investments that trade less can be more difficult or more costly to buy, or to sell,
than more liquid or active investments. It may not be possible to sell or otherwise dispose of
illiquid securities both at the price and within a time period deemed desirable. Securities subject
to liquidity risk include emerging market securities, Rule 144A securities, below investment grade
securities and other securities without an established market.
• Foreign Investments. Foreign investments often involve additional risks, including political
instability, differences in financial reporting standards and less stringent regulation of securities
markets.
• Derivative Securities. Derivatives may be difficult to value, may be illiquid and may be subject to
wide swings in valuation caused by changes in value of the underlying security. The use of
derivatives can result in losses that substantially exceed the initial amount paid or received.
• Rule 144A Securities. Rule 144A securities are not registered for resale in the general securities
market and may be less liquid than registered securities.
Common Risks Associated with Alternative Investments
Investments in alternative investment strategies (such as private equity, private debt, hedge fund, real
asset and dynamic allocation strategies) can expose clients to certain specific risks associated with the
following:
• Derivative Securities. Derivatives may be difficult to value, may be illiquid and may be subject to
wide swings in valuation caused by changes in value of the underlying security. The use of
derivatives can result in losses that substantially exceed the initial amount paid or received.
• Short Sales. A short sale involves the risk of a theoretically unlimited increase in the market price
of a security sold short, which could result in an inability to cover the short position and a
theoretically unlimited loss.
• High Yield Securities. High yield securities are rated in the lower rating categories by the various
credit agencies and are subject to greater risk of loss of principal and interest than higher rated
securities. High yield securities generally are considered predominantly speculative with respect
to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal.
13
• Options. Purchasing options involves the risk that the underlying instrument will not change price
in the manner expected, so an investor loses their premium. Selling options involves potentially
greater risk because the investor is exposed to the extent of the actual price movement in the
underlying security, which could result in a potentially unlimited loss.
• Foreign Securities. Foreign securities are subject to interest rate, currency exchange rate,
economic, and political risks, all of which are magnified in emerging markets.
• Foreign Currency Markets. Investments in foreign securities expose a portfolio to fluctuations in
currency exchange rates, which may adversely affect the value of investments in foreign securities
held in a portfolio.
• Currency Risks. Investments denominated in a foreign currency are subject to the risk that the
•
•
•
value of a particular currency will change in relation to one or more currencies.
Interest Rates. Interest rates may adversely affect the value of an investment. An increase in
interest rates typically causes the value of bonds and other fixed income securities to fall.
Leverage. The use of borrowing (leverage) exposes an investor to additional levels of risk including
greater losses from investments than would otherwise have been the case without borrowing;
margin calls or changes in margin requirements may force premature liquidations of investments;
and losses on investments where the investment fails to earn a return that equals or exceeds the
cost of the leverage.
Lack of Diversification. Alternative investment funds may not generally be as diversified as other
investment vehicles. Accordingly, such investments may be subject to more rapid change in value
than would be the case if the funds were required to maintain a wide diversification among types
of securities, geographical areas, issuers, and industries.
• Event-Driven Trading. Event-driven trading involves the risk that the event identified may not
occur as anticipated or may not have the anticipated effect, which may result in a negative impact
upon the market price of securities held in the portfolio.
•
Liquidity. A portfolio’s assets may, at any given time, include securities and other financial
instruments or obligations that are thinly traded or for which no market exists and/or which are
restricted as to their transferability under applicable securities laws. The sale of any such
investments may be possible only at substantial discounts, and it may be extremely difficult to
value accurately any such investments.
Common Risks Associated with Non-U.S. Investments
In addition to the risks associated with investing in equity securities described above, investments in non-
U.S. securities can expose clients to certain additional risks, including the following:
• Foreign Markets. Foreign markets are volatile and can decline significantly in response to adverse
issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments.
• Foreign Securities. Foreign securities are subject to interest rate, currency exchange rate,
economic, and political risks, all of which are magnified in emerging markets.
• Foreign Currency Markets. Investments in foreign securities expose a portfolio to fluctuations in
currency exchange rates, which may adversely affect the value of investments in foreign securities
held in a portfolio.
14
• Emerging Markets. Securities traded in certain emerging markets may be subject to risks due to
the inexperience of financial intermediaries, the lack of modern technology, the lack of a sufficient
capital base to expand business operations, and the possibility of temporary or permanent
termination of trading. Political and economic structures in many emerging markets may be
undergoing significant evolution and rapid development, and emerging markets may lack the
social, political, and economic stability characteristics of more developed countries.
Private Equity and Hedge Funds
An Advisory Client may invest in securities representing limited partnership interests (or their equivalent)
in private equity and hedge funds. Such investments are generally subject to the risks with respect to
restrictions on transfer or resale, the lack of liquidity to which such investments may be subject and the
effect of such illiquidity on valuations, and the loss of certain protections offered under the securities laws
to holders of registered securities. In addition to the foregoing, an Advisory Client’s investments in hedge
funds could be subject to other risks, including, without limitation, the risk that restrictions on
redemptions may prevent a client from exiting a hedge fund investment during periods of market stress.
Investments in private equity and hedge funds are speculative and could subject a client to the risk that
the strategy chosen by the fund’s investment manager to achieve the fund’s objective will not be
successful. As a limited partner (or its equivalent), the client will have little or no control over the
management of a private equity or hedge fund in which it is invested or the investment decisions of the
fund’s investment manager.
Cybersecurity Breaches, Identity Theft, Privacy Breaches, and Other Threats
Cynosure’s information and technology systems may be vulnerable to damage or interruption from
infiltration by
computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures,
unauthorized persons and security breaches, usage errors by its professionals, power outages and
catastrophic events such as fires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Cynosure has policies
and procedures and has implemented various measures to manage the risks related to these events;
however, if these systems are compromised, become inoperable for extended periods of time or cease to
function properly, Cynosure may have to make a significant investment to fix or replace them. The failure
of these systems and/or of disaster recovery plans for any reason could cause significant interruptions in
Cynosure’s operations and result in a failure to maintain security, confidentiality, or privacy of sensitive
data, including personal information relating to its clients. Such a failure could harm Cynosure’s reputation
or subject it or its affiliates to legal claims or otherwise affect their business and financial performance,
potentially resulting in financial loss. Additionally, any failure of Cynosure’s information, technology or
security systems could have an adverse impact on its ability to manage the portfolios of clients.
Legal or Legislative Risk
Legislative changes or court rulings may impact the value of investments or the securities’ claim on the
issuer’s assets and finances.
Global Trade Policy
The trade policies of the U.S. and foreign governments have been changing rapidly, creating uncertainty
regarding global free trade and related trade agreements. At this time, it remains unclear what actions
the U.S. and other governments may take with respect to existing or new trade agreements, individual
15
companies, industries or countries, tariffs and related matters. New or modified trade policy may have a
negative impact on the Firm, its Advisory Clients, service providers to the foregoing, and/or Advisory Client
investments, including by virtue of increased costs. the Firm cannot predict how other countries will
respond to the U.S. administration’s actions or vice versa. Global trade disruption, significant introductions
of trade barriers and bilateral trade frictions, together with any future downturns in the global economy
resulting therefrom, could adversely affect the financial performance of the Funds and their investments.
Reliance on CWA
The success of each Advisory Client will depend in part upon the skill and expertise of CWA’s investment
professionals. There can be no assurance that such professionals will continue to be associated with
Cynosure, and a loss of the services of key personnel could impair CWA’s ability to provide services to
Advisory Clients.
Health of the Banking Industry
To the extent there is a failure of a bank at which Advisory Client assets are maintained, such failure could
result in a delay in deploying and using assets in Advisory Client accounts at that bank which could have
an impact on the Firm’s ability to engage in recommended transactions for a Advisory Client.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Recent technological advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning technology (collectively, “AI
Technology”), including (but not limited to) ChatGPT, Claude and other similar products, pose risks to the
Firm or its Advisory Clients. Additional risks stem from the use of AI Technology by third-party service
providers, business partners or other counterparties, which whether or not known to the Firm or its
Advisory Clients. The Firm and its Advisory Clients will likely not be able to control the manner in which
third-party products are developed or maintained or the manner in which third-party services are
provided, even where it has sought contractual protection regarding such use.
The use of AI Technology by any of the parties described above could include the input of confidential
information, including material non-public information into AI Technology applications, resulting in such
confidential information becoming part of a dataset that is accessible by other third-party AI Technology
applications and users.
AI Technology is generally highly-reliant on the collection and analysis of large amounts of data, which will
inevitably contain a degree of inaccuracy and error, potentially materially so, and could otherwise be
inadequate or flawed, which would be likely to degrade the effectiveness of AI Technology. Any such
inaccuracies or errors could have adverse impacts on the Firm, its affiliates, and their Advisory Clients.
AI Technology continues to develop rapidly, and it is impossible to predict the future risks that may arise
from such developments. These changes could potentially disrupt, among other things, the business and
operations of the Firm, its Advisory Clients and their service providers. In addition, the use of AI
Technology may require compliance with legal or regulatory frameworks that are not fully developed or
tested, and participants and users may face litigation and regulatory actions related to its use of AI
Technology. A person’s ability to use AI Technology could be limited in the future by legal or regulatory
developments.
ITEM 9: DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION
16
Neither Cynosure nor any of its respective professionals have been the subject of any legal or disciplinary
matter of an investment-related nature that would be material to an existing or prospective Advisory
Client’s evaluation of Cynosure’s advisory business or the integrity of its management.
ITEM 10: OTHER FINANCIAL INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES AND AFFILIATIONS
Neither Cynosure, nor any of Cynosure’s senior management team is registered as a broker-dealer, or as
a registered representative of a broker-dealer, nor is there any present intention to do so. Likewise,
neither Cynosure, nor any of Cynosure’s personnel are registered as a futures commission merchant,
commodity pool operator, commodity trading advisor or as an associated person of any such entities.
Cynosure’s Other Divisions and Advisory Affiliate:
In addition to CWA, Cynosure has four additional separate business divisions:
investments,
• Cynosure Partners: is the Firm’s private markets business line. It sponsors, structures, manages,
and oversees private growth equity and private credit pooled investment vehicles and related
including related onboarding, monitoring, and portfolio
portfolio company
management activities. These vehicles may be offered under different fund, series, or class names
from time to time and may be organized through affiliated general partners, managing members,
or special purpose vehicles.
• Cynosure Capital Management: is the Firm’s OCIO (Outsourced Chief Investment Officer) division,
managing investment portfolios for foundations and endowments.
• Cynosure Strategies: is the Firm’s hedge fund division, managing pooled investment vehicles
pursuing a global equity long-short strategy through a quantitative asset allocation and portfolio
construction framework.
• Cynosure|Checketts Sports Capital Partners, LLC: is the Firm’s sports investment advisory business
line, providing advisory services focused on institutional investment in sports and targeted
investments in high-quality sports assets and related companies. This division is a relying adviser of
Cynosure and a joint venture between Cynosure and Checketts Partners Investment Management,
LLC, an unaffiliated investment adviser also registered with the SEC.
Cynosure Portfolio Advisors LLC, an indirect subsidiary of Cynosure, is another investment adviser
registered with the SEC and provides advisory services to retail (non-high net worth) individuals.
Pooled Investment Vehicles
Cynosure has a 50 percent interest in 4C GPS GP I, LLC, which is the general partner of 4C GPS I, LP, 4C GPS
II, LP, and 4C GPS III, LP, three private funds that own an interest in GPS Hospitality. The remaining 50
percent interest in 4C GPS GP I, LLC is owned by 4612 Group, LLC, an investment adviser registered with
the SEC, CRD # 287619, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Related General Partners/Managing Members
Cynosure is under common control with several general partners/managing members of Cynosure-
sponsored pooled investment vehicles. Cynosure, either directly or indirectly, enters into investment
17
advisory agreements to provide all investment advisory services regulated by the Advisers Act to certain
Cynosure-sponsored pooled investment vehicles.
Other Activities and Relationships
The employees of Cynosure and its affiliates may serve on the boards of directors of portfolio companies
of Cynosure-sponsored pooled investment vehicles. Serving in such a capacity may give rise to conflicts to
the extent that an employee’s fiduciary duties to a portfolio company as a director may conflict with the
interests of an Advisory Client.
ITEM 11: CODE OF ETHICS, PARTICIPATION OR INTEREST IN CLIENT
TRANSACTIONS AND PERSONAL TRADING
Code of Ethics
Cynosure has established and approved a Code of Ethics that sets forth standards of ethical conduct for
employees and is designed to address and avoid potential conflicts of interest as required under Rule
204A-1 of the Advisers Act. Among other things, the Code of Ethics prescribes standards for dealing with
clients ethically, addresses conflicts of interest issues, and supplements personal trading and operating
procedures, including Cynosure’s Policies and Procedures regarding Material, Non-Public Information and
the prevention of Insider Trading. The Code of Ethics provides guidance in specific areas, including but not
limited to, confidentiality of Cynosure information, personal investments, gifts and entertainment,
protection of persons who engage in “whistle blowing” activities from retaliation and personal political
activities. This Code of Ethics is available to Advisory Clients, investors or prospective clients or investors
by writing to The Cynosure Group, LLC, 111 S. Main Street, Suite 2350, Salt Lake City, UT, 84111, Attn:
Chief Compliance Officer.
Misuse of Nonpublic Information
Cynosure and its supervised persons may, from time to time, come into possession of material nonpublic
and other confidential information which, if disclosed, might affect an investor’s decision to buy, sell or
hold a security. Under applicable law, Cynosure and its supervised persons are prohibited from improperly
disclosing or using such information for their personal benefit or for the benefit of any other person, even
if such other person is an Advisory Client. Accordingly, should Cynosure or its supervised persons come
into possession of material nonpublic or other confidential information with respect to any company, it
may be prohibited from communicating such information to, or using such information for the benefit of,
its clients and have no obligation or responsibility to disclose such information to, nor responsibility to use
such information for the benefit of, its clients or Cynosure personnel when following policies and
procedures designed to comply with law.
Cynosure has adopted as a part of the Code a “Policy Statement on Insider Trading” which establishes
procedures to prevent the misuse of material nonpublic information by Cynosure’s supervised persons.
Among other things, Cynosure maintains a “restricted list” of securities in which Cynosure may not trade
because Cynosure or its personnel may be in possession of material non-public information concerning
the issuer. In addition, Cynosure requires that all personnel must read, sign, and adhere to Cynosure’s
policy on insider trading.
18
Personal Securities Trading
Cynosure requires its personnel to pre-clear all personal trades in securities transactions, an initial public
offering, or a private placement. In addition, employees are required to submit quarterly reports of their
personal transactions in any reportable securities accounts within 30 days of the end of each calendar
quarter to the CCO or designee. Employees also must report all securities holdings in reportable accounts
to the CCO or her designee initially upon commencement of employment and annually thereafter. These
are reviewed by the CCO to ensure compliance with Cynosure’s policies.
Principal Transactions
Cynosure, as an investment manager, or an affiliate in limited circumstances, engages in principal
transactions (i.e., transactions in which Cynosure or an affiliate is deemed to be acting for its own account
by buying a security from, or selling a security to, an Advisory Client). These transactions introduce a
potential conflict of interest between its own interests and those of the Advisory Client.
Cynosure has established policies and procedures to comply with the Advisers Act when engaging in
principal transactions with Advisory Clients. Additionally, investment guidelines and an Advisory Client’s
charter documents may limit principal transactions on a more restrictive basis than the Advisers Act. In
general, Cynosure avoids secondary market transactions.
Notice and Consent
Cynosure will notify the Advisory Client itself or a duly appointed, independent representative of the
Advisory Client to obtain consent for any principal transaction.
Other Notice and Consent Considerations
In general, Cynosure will not engage in principal transactions with accounts of a retirement plan subject
to ERISA unless approved by Cynosure’s General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, and, if necessary,
competent ERISA counsel.
Conflicts of Interest
Various potential and actual conflicts of interest may arise between and among CWA, its Advisory Clients
and each of their affiliates. The following briefly summarizes some of these conflicts but is not intended
to be an exhaustive list of all such conflicts. Please also see Items 6, 8 and 12 for additional disclosures
related to other potential conflicts of interests that may arise and Cynosure’s efforts to mitigate or address
such risks.
Subject to any reasonable investment guidelines or restrictions imposed in the Advisory Client’s Wealth
Management Agreement and when in accordance with CWA’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, CWA
may recommend investing all or a portion of the assets of an Advisory Client’s managed portfolio in various
pooled investment vehicles sponsored or managed by Cynosure or its affiliates (“Cynosure Investment
Vehicle”). Under such circumstances, the Advisory Client will pay two separate levels of compensation to
Cynosure or its affiliates: (i) the management fee paid to CWA described in Item 5, and (ii) the Advisory
Client’s pro rata share of additional expenses incurred as an investor in each affiliated vehicle, including
(as applicable) such vehicle’s payments for management fees, performance fees or special allocations to
the Cynosure Investment Vehicle, affiliated investment manager, general partner and/or managing
19
member under the relevant Governing Documents. This represents a conflict of interest as CWA has an
incentive to invest Advisory Client portfolio assets in affiliated vehicles for which Cynosure or its affiliates
receive such additional compensation, as opposed to investing portfolio assets in unaffiliated vehicles that
may have more or less favorable fee terms. CWA’s ability to invest portfolio assets in Cynosure’s
Investment Vehicles is disclosed in the Advisory Client’s Investment Management Agreement and Advisory
Clients will have the ability to impose reasonable limits in the amount of portfolio assets that can be
invested in affiliated vehicles as part of such agreement’s investment guidelines or restrictions.
Allocation of Investments
Cynosure has established allocation policies and procedures addressing Cynosure’s duties to allocate
investment opportunities among Advisory Clients in a fair and equitable manner. The policies seek to
provide consistent treatment of such Advisory Clients with similar investment objectives and guidelines
to the extent possible, consistent with legal, regulatory, and contractual restrictions. Cynosure’s policies
prohibit the allocation of investment opportunities based solely on anticipated compensation or profits
to Cynosure or any affiliates or their professionals. Each Advisory Client typically has its own investment
guidelines, governing agreements and geographical and industry focus that must be taken into account
when making investment allocation determinations.
ITEM 12: BROKERAGE PRACTICES
The following applies to CWA managed accounts over which CWA has discretion to select brokers and
dealers to execute transactions in securities and other instruments for Advisory Clients, or if an Advisory
Client requests that CWA arrange for the execution of particular account trades on their behalf.
CWA seeks to obtain best execution for orders executed for Advisory Clients, taking into account
quantitative and qualitative factors affecting the execution quality of portfolio transactions. In particular,
CWA reviews factors, such as (among others) the experience of the broker or the dealer, its ability to
handle the order to the best advantage of the Advisory Client, the nature of the investments to be bought
or sold, special circumstances affecting the instrument (e.g., redemption features), and the overall price
of the order. As a result, although Cynosure will seek competitive commissions and spreads, it may not
necessarily obtain the most competitive price/commission/spread for portfolio transactions.
Bunching or Aggregating Trades
Individual Advisory Client trades may be aggregated if aggregation is believed to benefit the Advisory
Client and to be consistent with CWA’s obligation to seek best execution. CWA is not obligated to
aggregate Advisory Client trades, however, and there may be reasons, such as Advisory Client
specifications or logistics of the trade itself, where aggregation is not possible. In such situations, the
inability to aggregate the trade could result in an increase in transaction costs for the Advisory Client.
CWA may trade the same instruments for multiple Advisory Clients with a particular broker throughout
the day. Where possible, the price at which that particular broker handles these multiple orders generally
will be averaged among the multiple Advisory Client accounts during a trading day. Trades with a particular
broker that occurs in the same instruments for multiple Advisory Clients on the same day may be averaged
across multiple Advisory Client accounts if determined by CWA to be fair, reasonable, and appropriate
20
under the circumstances. All exceptions to Cynosure’s policy on the aggregation of trades must be
approved by Cynosure’s Chief Compliance Officer or designee.
Trade Errors
CWA seeks to detect and correct trade errors. Should a trade error occur, CWA will address such error in
accordance with Cynosure’s trade error policies and procedures.
Soft Dollars
Cynosure Wealth Advisors does not currently participate in any soft dollar relationships with brokers for
research or any other service. To the extent Cynosure engages in soft dollar arrangements in the future,
it will adopt soft dollar policies and procedures in accordance with applicable law.
ITEM 13: REVIEW OF ACCOUNTS
With the exception of Non-Discretionary Mandate accounts, CWA regularly monitors investment accounts
to ensure compliance with the Advisory Client’s stated goals and objectives. Generally, Advisory Client
investment accounts are reviewed on a quarterly basis, and no less than annually, to assess the past
investment performance, manager recommendations, portfolio risk, opportunities to rebalance and the
overall effectiveness of the investment program.
For those Advisory Clients to whom CWA provides Integrated Financial Planning Services, reviews are
conducted on an “as needed” basis. All Advisory Clients are encouraged to discuss their needs, goals, and
objectives with CWA and keep it informed of any changes thereto. CWA shall contact Advisory Clients at
least annually to review its previous services and/or recommendations and to discuss any changes in the
Advisory Client’s financial situation and/or investment objectives.
For Investment Consulting Services Clients, CWA’s responsibilities for conducting account reviews will vary
based on the terms and conditions of the engagement entered with each client.
CWA personnel are available to meet with Advisory Clients upon request and, upon reasonable request,
will tailor reporting to meet the particular needs of an Advisory Client.
Reporting
The broker-dealer or custodian of the Advisory Client’s account provides the Advisory Client with
transaction confirmation notices and regular summary account statements independent of CWA. Those
Clients to whom CWA provides Portfolio Advisory Services may also receive a written report that may
include such relevant account and/or market-related information such as inventory of account holdings
and account performance on a quarterly basis. The written report’s accounts and values are reconciled
and prepared by a third-party provider. CWA reviews the reports for possible inconsistencies between the
custodian and the third-party provider’s report. Those Advisory Clients to whom CWA provides Integrated
Financial Planning, Consolidated Reporting, and/or Investment Consulting Services will receive relevant
reports from CWA, depending on the services provided, which may include a summary of an Advisory
Client’s portfolio as well as certain analysis and conclusions requested by the Advisory Client or otherwise
agreed to in writing with CWA.
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ITEM 14:
CLIENT REFERRALS AND OTHER COMPENSATION
From time to time, CWA may receive client referrals from both affiliated and unaffiliated parties. In these
circumstances, Cynosure may pay the referral source a referral fee in accordance with the requirements
of Rule 206(4)-1 of the Advisers Act and any applicable corresponding state securities law requirements.
CWA will pay any referral fee solely from its fee and will not increase the Advisory Client’s fee nor impose
any additional charge on the Advisory Client. If the Advisory Client is introduced to CWA by an unaffiliated
party, the Advisory Client will be provided with a copy of the Brochure and a copy of a disclosure statement
containing the terms and conditions of the referral arrangement including compensation. Any affiliation
party of CWA making a referral will disclose the nature of the affiliation to the prospective Advisory Client
at the time of the referral and all prospective Advisory Clients will be provided with a copy of CWA’s
Brochure.
ITEM 15:
CUSTODY
CWA does not take possession of or physical custody of Advisory Client assets. Advisory Client assets will
be maintained at a Qualified Custodian. However, under Rule 206(4)-2 of the Advisers Act, where standing
letters of authority are maintained for certain Advisory Client accounts, Cynosure is deemed to have
custody of Advisory Client assets. Cynosure maintains policies and procedures regarding Advisory Client
assets over which it is deemed to have custody. All Advisory Clients will receive at least quarterly
statements from the broker-dealer, bank, or other custodian (“Qualified Custodian”) that holds and
maintains the Advisory Client’s cash and investment assets. CWA urges its Advisory Clients to carefully
review these statements and compare them to the account statements that CWA provides. CWA’s
statements may vary from the statements of the Qualified Custodian based on accounting procedures,
reporting dates or valuation methodologies of certain securities. The statements of the Qualified
Custodian are the official record of the Advisory Client accounts.
ITEM 16:
INVESTMENT DISCRETION
At the outset of an advisory relationship, CWA typically receives authority to exercise investment
discretion on behalf of Advisory Clients. CWA is considered to exercise investment discretion over an
Advisory Client’s account if it can effect and/or direct transactions in Advisory Client accounts without first
seeking consent. CWA is given this authority through applicable provisions included in the Wealth
Management Agreement between CWA and the Advisory Client. Advisory Clients may request, in writing,
reasonable limitations on this authority (such as certain securities not to be bought or sold). For
discretionary advisory mandates, CWA takes discretion over the following activities: 1) the individual
securities to be purchased and sold; 2) the amount of the securities to be purchased or sold; 3) the timing
of when transactions are made; and 4) the hiring and firing of independent managers.
ITEM 17: VOTING CLIENT SECURITIES
CWA will accept the authority to vote an Advisory Client’s securities (i.e., proxies) on their behalf. This
authority is generally granted through the execution of the Wealth Management Agreement. However,
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CWA does not accept proxy authority with respect to Non-Discretionary Mandate accounts. If an
Advisory Client elects to vote proxies themselves or in the case of Non-Discretionary Mandate clients,
they shall receive proxies directly from the custodians and may contact CWA at the contact information
on the cover of this brochure with any questions about any such issuer solicitations.
For Advisory Client accounts where proxy authority has been granted, CWA has, or will accept, authority
to vote public company securities and other debt instruments (e.g., loans) held by an Advisory Client and
has adopted policies and procedures (the “Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures”) that it believes are
reasonably designed to comply with the requirements of the Advisers Act.
Under the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures, unless faced with a conflict of interest between or among
Advisory Clients, CWA will vote proxies in a manner that serves the best interest of its Advisory Clients.
The Proxy voting process is facilitated and monitored by CWA’s Operation Team who is responsible for
arrangements with Cynosure’s proxy voting vendor, ProxyEdge, to vote in line with management
recommendations unless a conflict of interest is identified. As conflicts of interest may arise, CWA will
address such conflict in accordance with its Proxy Voting Conflict of Interests policies and procedures.
CWA’s Proxy Voting Policy is assigned by default to all discretionary advisory accounts. As a result,
depending on the Advisory Client’s particular circumstances, CWA may vote one Advisory Client’s securities
differently than it votes those of another Advisory Client, or may vote differently on various proposals, even
though the securities or proposals are similar (or identical). In some instances, CWA may determine that it
is in the Advisory Client’s best interest for CWA to “abstain” from voting or not to vote at all and will do so
accordingly.
Proxy voting reports, identifying how proxies were voted where Cynosure has been delegated proxy voting
authority, and Cynosure’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures are available upon written request to The
Cynosure Group, LLC, 111 S. Main Street, Suite 2350, Salt Lake City, UT, 84111, Attn: Chief Compliance
Officer.
Class Actions
Generally, CWA will not render any advice to or take any actions on behalf of Advisory Clients with respect
to the initiation or pursuit of any legal proceedings, including bankruptcies and shareholder litigation, to
which any securities or other investments transacted or held in Advisory Client accounts, or the issuers
thereof, become subject. The right to take any actions with respect to any legal proceedings, including
bankruptcies and shareholder litigation, and the right to initiate or pursue any legal proceedings, including
shareholder litigation, with respect to transactions, securities or other investments held in an Advisory
Client’s account is the Advisory Client’s responsibility. The Advisory Client shall maintain exclusive
responsibility for all legal proceedings or other type events pertaining to the assets managed by CWA,
including, but not limited to, class action lawsuits.
ITEM 18:
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Not applicable.
23
Additional Brochure: CYNOSURE | CHECKETTS SPORTS CAPITAL (2026-03-31)
View Document Text
ITEM 1: COVER PAGE
Cynosure|Checketts Sports Capital
Partners, LLC
(A relying adviser of The Cynosure Group, LLC)
111 S. Main Street, Suite 2350
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
www.cynosurecheckettssportcapital.com
March 31, 2026
This brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices of Cynosure|Checketts
Sports Capital Partners, LLC, a relying adviser of The Cynosure Group, LLC. If you have any questions
about the contents of this brochure, please contact us at 801-521-3100. The information in this brochure
has not been approved or verified by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”)
or by any state securities authority.
Additional information about Cynosure|Checketts Sports Capital Partners LLC also is available on the SEC’s
Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov (click on the link “Investment
Adviser Search” and then select “Firm” and type in the advisory firm name “Cynosure|Checketts Sports
Capital Partners, LLC”).
Cynosure Checketts Sports Capital Partners, LLC is a relying adviser of The Cynosure Group, LLC, which
is an investment adviser registered with the SEC (a “registered investment adviser”). This registration
does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
1
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ITEM 2:
MATERIAL CHANGES
Please see below for a summary of material updates to the brochure since its initial version (November 26,
2025):
• updates to Item 4 relating to the Firm’s regulatory assets under management;
• updates to Item 5 relating to Fees; and
• updates to the risk disclosures in Item 8 and the disclosure in Item 14 relating to client referrals and other
compensation.
2
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ITEM 3:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ITEM 2: MATERIAL CHANGES ................................................................................................................... 2
ITEM 3:
TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................................. 3
ITEM 4: ADVISORY BUSINESS ..................................................................................................................... 4
ITEM 5: FEES AND COMPENSATION .......................................................................................................... 5
ITEM 6: PERFORMANCE-BASED FEES AND SIDE-BY-SIDE MANAGEMENT ................................................. 9
ITEM 7: TYPES OF CLIENTS ....................................................................................................................... 10
ITEM 8: METHODS OF ANALYSIS, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISK OF LOSS ...................................... 10
ITEM 9: DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION ..................................................................................................... 20
ITEM 10:
OTHER FINANCIAL INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES AND AFFILIATIONS .............................................. 20
ITEM 11:
TRADING
CODE OF ETHICS, PARTICIPATION OR INTEREST IN CLIENT TRANSACTIONS AND PERSONAL
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ITEM 12: BROKERAGE PRACTICES ............................................................................................................ 29
ITEM 13: REVIEW OF ACCOUNTS ............................................................................................................. 29
ITEM 14:
CLIENT REFERRALS AND OTHER COMPENSATION ................................................................ 29
ITEM 15:
CUSTODY .............................................................................................................................. 30
ITEM 16:
INVESTMENT DISCRETION .................................................................................................... 30
ITEM 17:
VOTING CLIENT SECURITIES .................................................................................................. 30
ITEM 18: FINANCIAL INFORMATION ........................................................................................................ 31
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ITEM 4: ADVISORY BUSINESS
For purposes of this brochure, “Cynosure” refers to The Cynosure Group, LLC, the SEC-registered investment
adviser, and “CCSC” or the “Firm” refers to Cynosure Checketts Sports Capital, the relying adviser of Cynosure.
General Firm Overview
Cynosure|Checketts Sports Capital Partners, LLC (“the “Firm”), is a Utah limited liability company formed
in 2025 and is registered as a relying adviser of The Cynosure Group, LLC (“Cynosure”), an investment
adviser registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers
Act”).
The Firm’s principal office is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it maintains an additional office in New
York. The Firm is a 50/50 joint venture between Cynosure Sports Capital, LLC, a subsidiary of Cynosure,
and Checketts Sports Capital Partners, LLC, a subsidiary of Checketts Partners Investment Management,
LLC (“CPIM”). The Cynosure Group is principally owned by The Randal Quarles and Hope Eccles Legacy
Trust and Spencer P. Eccles and Kristine L. Eccles GST Legacy Trust agreements each owning more than
25%. CPIM’s principal owner is David Checketts.
As of December 31, 2025, The Cynosure Group, LLC collectively managed approximately $9,847,984,409
in discretionary assets across all divisions.
The following sections of this brochure relate solely to Cynosure Checketts Sports Capital. Each other
Cynosure division, and related adviser Cynosure Portfolio Advisors LLC, is described in greater detail in
their own brochure, which are available online at adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/281399.
Cynosure Checketts Sports Capital Assets Under Management
The Firm primarily provides investment advisory services that focus on institutional investment in sports
and seeking to make targeted investments on behalf of its clients in high-quality sports assets and related
companies. The Firm provides such investment advisory services to Firm-sponsored pooled investment
vehicles (each an “Advisory Client”).1
As of the December 31, 2025, the relying adviser/Firm managed approximately $163,500,000 in
discretionary assets and $144,883,807 in non-discretionary assets under advisement across all divisions.
In providing its services to each Advisory Client, the Firm and its related persons provide advice with
respect to the investment and reinvestment of each Advisory Client’s assets and may assist in coordinating
reports to investors. The Firm manages the assets of each Advisory Client in accordance with the terms of
the private placement memorandums, limited partnership agreements, investment advisory agreements,
side letters, and other governing documents (“Governing Documents”) applicable to such Advisory Client.
The Firm’s investment advice and authority for the Advisory Client is tailored to the investment objectives
of the Advisory Client (i.e., the Firm does not tailor its advisory services to the individual needs of the
Advisory Client’s investors). These objectives are described in the private placement memorandums,
1 “Advisory Client” means any fund, pooled investment vehicle for which the Firm directly or indirectly provides
investment advice and/or places trades on a discretionary or nondiscretionary basis. The investors and other persons
who invest in Firm-sponsored pooled investment vehicles are generally referred to herein as “investors.” Unless
otherwise expressly stated herein, the term “Advisory Clients” does not include “investors”.
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4
limited partnership agreements, investment advisory agreements, side letters and other Governing
Documents of the relevant Advisory Client. Investors in such Advisory Clients generally cannot impose
restrictions on investing in certain securities or types of securities. Investors in such Advisory Clients
participate in the overall investment program for the Advisory Client and generally cannot be excused
from a particular investment except pursuant to the terms of the applicable Governing Documents.
Interests in Advisory Client pooled investment vehicles advised by the Firm are privately offered only to
eligible investors pursuant to exemptions available under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the “Securities Act”), and the regulations promulgated thereunder. Such Advisory Client pooled
investment vehicles, including parallel and co-investment vehicles, are not registered with the SEC as
investment companies based on specific exclusions from the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the “Investment Company Act”). Typically, interests in Advisory Client investment vehicles are
offered to institutional investors, high net worth individuals as well as non-U.S. investors. Additionally, the
Firm, Cynosure, its affiliates, and equity owners, and certain of its respective professionals typically invest
in or alongside Advisory Clients. Other qualified individuals who generally are not employees of Cynosure,
but who have or had business relationships with Cynosure or industry expertise in the sector in which a
particular Advisory Client may be investing (including, without limitation, operating executives, operating
advisors, consultants, former employees, senior advisors, and other similar professionals) are also
expected to invest in or alongside Advisory Clients. Some of these outside investors and industry experts
are current or former executives of portfolio companies in which an Advisory Client investment vehicle
will invest.
ITEM 5: FEES AND COMPENSATION
The Firm generally receives management fees, incentive fees, carried interest or similar profit allocations
from Advisory Clients. These fees are negotiated between the Firm and the Advisory Client at the time of
the Advisory Client’s establishment and are described in the applicable Governing Documents. Advisory
Clients frequently also indirectly incur or generate other fees payable to Cynosure, CCSC and/or their
affiliates, depending on the nature of their portfolio activities. In addition, Advisory Clients typically bear
certain out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Cynosure, CCSC and/or their affiliates in connection with
the services provided to such Advisory Clients.
The following sections discuss the most common fees and expenses in more detail.
Common Types of Fees – Management Fees and Administration Fees
Management Fees
Management fees of an Advisory Client are described in the applicable Governing Documents. The annual
management fee is typically a set percentage of third-party investors’ committed capital during the
relevant Advisory Client’s investment period. After such investment period, the fee percentage is typically
applied only to the amount of third-party capital remaining in investments that have not yet been exited,
and the fee percentage also may be reduced. However, to the extent such reduction in fee is triggered
during a management fee period of the applicable Advisory Client, such reduction may not be effective
until the first day of the next management fee period. Also, if the fee base changes during a period for
which fees have been called in advance, any excess fees paid generally are not returned to the investor.
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5
Management fees are generally paid by or on behalf of an Advisory Client by (i) requiring investors in such
Advisory Clients to make capital contributions in respect of such fees, or (ii) withholding the amount of
such fees from investment proceeds that would otherwise be distributable to the investors of such
Advisory Client.
Performance-Based Arrangements
Distributions to investors in most Advisory Clients are subject to some form of carried interest, incentive
distribution, or similar profit allocation for the benefit of the Firm and affiliates, which are described in
such Advisory Client’s Governing Documents. Generally, these profit allocations represent a share of
distributions made by an Advisory Client in excess of applicable thresholds, invested capital, preferred
returns and/or allocable fees and expenses, as set forth in the relevant Governing Documents.
Determinations of whether performance-based profit allocations will be applied will be made each time
an investment is realized or on an annual (or more frequent) basis with respect to certain Advisory Clients.
For any Advisory Client, performance fees, incentive fees or carried interest allocations may be subject to
certain preferred return hurdles, catch-up allocations, and high-water marks. The manner of calculation
and application of performance fees, incentive fees or carried interest profit allocations are disclosed in
the offering documents and detailed in the Governing Documents of, each Advisory Client.
Management fees, incentive fees and carried interest or similar profit allocations are subject to
modification, waiver, or reduction in connection with an investment in one or multiple Advisory Clients.
Furthermore, the Firm, Cynosure, its affiliates, and equity owners, and certain of their respective
professionals typically invest in or alongside Advisory Clients. Other qualified individuals who generally are
not employees of Cynosure, but who have or had business relationships with the Firm, Cynosure, its
affiliates, or industry expertise in the sector in which a particular Advisory Client may be investing
(including, without limitation, operating executives, operating advisors, consultants, former employees,
senior advisors, and other similar professionals), also invest in or alongside Advisory Clients. Fees assessed
or profit allocations on such investments will likely be substantially reduced or, more typically, as is more
typical, waived altogether for these investors.
Please also see Item 6 for additional disclosures related to performance-based fees.
Side/Commitment Letters
As described more fully in Item 11, Cynosure and its affiliates may enter into side letter agreements or
Investment Management Agreements (also referred to as, “Commitment Letters”) with certain investors
in an Advisory Client pooled investment vehicle providing such investors with customized terms, including
with respect to economic, reporting, co-investment, governance, tax, regulatory, liquidity or other rights,
which could result in preferential treatment for certain investors.
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Portfolio Company Service Fees
The Firm earns fees and other compensation from prospective and actual portfolio companies,
purchasers, sellers, and other parties as compensation for services (collectively, “Service Fees”). These
Service Fees can include project, structuring, topping, termination, break-up, directors’, organizational,
set-up, syndication, closing, commitment, advisory, consulting, and other similar fees in connection with
the purchase, monitoring, or disposition of underlying investments or from unconsummated transactions.
In general, the specific legal and/or organizational documents of the relevant Advisory Client, the
investment management agreement between the Firm (or an affiliate) and such Advisory Client or the
6
agreements in respect of the portfolio investments describe the basic fee structure relevant to the
investors in such Advisory Client. To the extent provided in such organizational documents or investment
management agreement, the Firm’s management fees from Advisory Clients generally are reduced
(offset) by a specified portion of the Service Fees that arise out of such Advisory Client’s investment
activities. The amount of any such offset, and the categories of fees subject to offset, may differ among
Advisory Clients. The Service Fees can be and often are substantial, and if not fully offset pursuant to
organizational documents will be indirectly borne by investors.
Certain fees are excluded from the definition of “Service Fees” and not subject to a management fee
offset. In addition, the Firm and its personnel can be expected to receive certain intangible and/or other
benefits and/or perquisites arising or resulting from their activities on behalf of Advisory Clients that will
not be subject to the management fee offset or otherwise shared with the Advisory Clients, investors
and/or portfolio companies. For example, airline travel or hotel stays incurred as Advisory Client expenses
typically result in “miles” or “points” or credit in loyalty/status programs, and such benefits and/or
amounts will, whether or not de minimis or difficult to value, inure exclusively to the Firm and/or such
personnel (and not the Advisory Clients, investors and/or portfolio companies) even though the cost of
the underlying service is borne by the Advisory Clients, investors and/or portfolio companies.
Other Fees
To the extent the Firm or an affiliate thereof is entitled to receive certain fees from portfolio companies
of an Advisory Client, a portion of such Advisory Client’s share of such fees paid to the Firm or such affiliate
typically reduces the management fees otherwise payable to the Firm. The Governing Documents of each
Advisory Client sets forth the basis on which such fees reduce management fees, if at all. Certain of these
fees are described below.
Acquisition and disposition fees are one-time fees paid to the Firm or one of its affiliates in connection
with an investment or disposition by an Advisory Client. Such fees are generally paid by portfolio
companies, but in limited circumstances are paid directly by an Advisory Client. Such fees are common to
some, but not all Advisory Clients.
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The Firm engages and retains operating executives, operating advisors, consultants, former employees,
senior advisors, and other similar professionals, in all cases, who are not employees of Cynosure
(“Operating Professionals”). Operating Professionals receive payments from, or allocations with respect
to, portfolio companies (as well as from Advisory Clients) for their services (including for serving on a
portfolio company’s board of directors). In such circumstances, such payments from, or allocations with
respect to, portfolio companies and/or Advisory Clients will not, even if they have the effect of reducing
any retainers or minimum amounts otherwise payable by the Firm, be deemed paid to or received by the
Firm (nor will such amounts be deemed paid to or received by affiliates or personnel of the Firm) and such
amounts will not be subject to the management fee offset provisions described in Item 5 (meaning that
such compensation received from the portfolio company will be indirectly borne by the Advisory Client
without any offset to such Advisory Client’s management fee). To the extent Operating Professionals are
engaged through a retainer agreement with the Firm, the Firm may elect to bear the expense of base
retainer fees, while in other cases, Advisory Clients may bear such fees. These Operating Professionals
may have the right or may be offered the ability to co-invest without fees or carry alongside or in Advisory
Clients, including in those investments in which they are involved, receive in-kind compensation such as
special profits interests, stock or stock options, or otherwise participate in equity plans for management
of any such portfolio company (which may have the effect of reducing the amount invested by and
returned in respect of an Advisory Client investment). Additionally, and notwithstanding the foregoing,
these Operating Professionals may be (or have the preferred right to be) investors alongside or in other
Advisory Clients. Operating Professionals are expected to be compensated (including pursuant to
retainers and expense reimbursement) by the Firm, an Advisory Client and/or portfolio companies or
7
otherwise uncompensated unless and until an engagement with a portfolio company develops. Certain
Operating Professionals will be subject to contractual obligations to exclusively provide certain services
to the Firm.
The Firm may have a conflict of interest to the extent that it has an opportunity to earn a fee from an
investment held by an Advisory Client. Other than transactions expressly permitted by the governing
agreements of the relevant Advisory Client, any fees paid to the Firm or its affiliates by a portfolio company
or an Advisory Client are generally assessed on an arm’s-length basis on terms that the Firm believes are no
less favorable to the Advisory Client or portfolio company than would be obtained in a transaction with an
unaffiliated party, are generally no less favorable than market terms, or such fees may be subject to approval.
Among the measures the Firm uses to mitigate such conflict is involving outside counsel to review and advise
on such agreements and provide insights into commercially reasonable terms. Please also see Item 11 for
additional information on how the Firm addresses certain conflicts of interest.
Common Types of Expenses
Pooled Investment Vehicles – General Expenses
Expenses that are typically borne by Advisory Clients (or their respective portfolio companies) generally
include, certain organizational expenses, set forth in the Governing Documents of each Advisory Client,
that are incurred in connection with the formation of the Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle and
the offering of interests in it to potential investors, including but not limited to: legal fees and expenses,
including for preparing offering materials and preparing and negotiating the Governing Documents; and
other expenses related to formation of the Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle.
Additionally, and consistent with its Governing Documents, each Advisory Client’s pooled investment
vehicle also generally bears all of the expenses relating to its activities, operations, meetings and eventual
liquidation, including, without limitation and to the extent provided in the applicable Governing
Documents, all out-of-pocket fees, costs and expenses incurred in developing, bidding on, evaluating,
negotiating, structuring, obtaining regulatory approvals for, purchasing, trading, settling, monitoring,
maintaining custody of, financing, refinancing, servicing, administering, valuing, accounting, monitoring,
holding and disposing of actual investments or proposed but unconsummated investments (to the extent
not reimbursed by an entity in which the Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle has invested or
proposes to invest, or other third parties). Additionally, the Governing Documents of each Advisory Client’s
pooled investment vehicle generally permit the Advisory Client, subject to certain limitations, to borrow
funds to pay the expenses described above.
Please also see Item 11 for additional conflicts of interest disclosures related to the allocation of fees and
expenses by the Firm.
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Broken Deal Expenses
Investors in certain Advisory Clients generally are required to bear out-of-pocket costs and expenses
incurred in connection with developing, negotiating, and structuring deals or other transactions that are
not ultimately completed. Typically, these expenses include (i) legal, accounting, advisory, consulting or
other third party expenses (including, without limitation, amounts payable to Operating Professionals and
other third parties) in connection with making an investment that is not ultimately consummated, and any
related travel and accommodation expenses (whether incurred by third parties or by the Firm), although,
in some cases, the Firm and its affiliates may be required to bear travel and accommodation expenses,
8
(ii) all fees (including commitment fees), costs and expenses of lenders, investment banks and other
financing sources in connection with arranging financing for a proposed investment that is not ultimately
made (including all fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with the offering of interests in any
Cynosure/Firm-affiliated investment vehicle formed for co-investors to participate in an Advisory Client’s
proposed investment that is not ultimately made), (iii) any out of pocket fees, costs and expenses paid to
an individual or group pursuing a business plan that is not successfully implemented, (iv) any break-up,
reverse break-up, topping, termination and other similar fees payable by an Advisory Client in connection
with investments are that are not ultimately made and (v) any deposits or down payments of cash or other
property which are forfeited in connection with a proposed investment that is not ultimately made (in
each case, to the extent such investment is not ultimately made by another Advisory Client). Co-
investment vehicles (particularly those formed to invest alongside an Advisory Client fund in a single
investment) generally will not share in broken deal expenses. Except as otherwise set forth in the
Governing Documents of an Advisory Client, investing in an Advisory Client does not give investors any
rights, entitlements, or priority to co-investment opportunities.
Expenses incurred on an aggregate basis for the benefit of multiple Advisory Client’s pooled investment
vehicles are allocated across the participating Advisory Clients’ pooled investment vehicles in a manner
the Firm determines to be reasonable and fair to all parties. The allocation method used may vary
depending on the relevant facts and circumstances and the applicable Governing Documents. Please also
see Item 11 for additional conflicts of interest disclosures related to the allocation of fees and expenses
by the Firm and Cynosure.
ITEM 6: PERFORMANCE-BASED FEES AND SIDE-BY-SIDE MANAGEMENT
The Firm currently acts as investment adviser to Advisory Clients, and related persons typically act as
general partners (or similar managing fiduciaries) with respect to such Advisory Clients. As discussed in
Item 5, the Firm and its affiliates will receive carried-interest allocations and management, incentive, and
other fees in connection with advisory and other services provided to certain Advisory Clients. Certain
investment opportunities also may be pursued alongside or allocated among Advisory Clients and other
Cynosure/Firm- or affiliate-sponsored vehicles or accounts, including co-investment vehicles, parallel
vehicles and, where applicable, separate accounts, which may have different economic or other terms.
The relationship of the Firm, the manner of calculation and application of management fees and carried
interest profit allocations, incentive fees or other performance-based fees, as applicable, with respect to
the Firm, the affiliated general partner (or similar managing fiduciary) or other affiliates and known or
reasonably anticipated conflicts of interest involving the Firm or its affiliates, are disclosed in the offering
documents of the applicable Advisory Client provided to potential investors prior to their investment.
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In allocating investment opportunities, there could be incentives to favor Advisory Clients or other related
vehicles or accounts with higher potential management or performance fees, incentive fees or carried
interest allocations over Advisory Clients with lower potential performance fees, incentive fees or carried
interest allocations. Additionally, performance fee, incentive fee or carried interest allocations may create
an incentive for the general partner (or similar managing fiduciary) of an Advisory Client’s pooled
investment vehicle to make riskier or more speculative investments on behalf of an Advisory Client or to
9
dispose of investments sooner than it otherwise would in the absence of this arrangement.
To seek to reduce the effect of such incentives, Cynosure and its affiliates (which includes the Firm) have
adopted written policies and procedures pursuant to which they seek to allocate investment opportunities
that may be appropriate for more than one Advisory Client or other eligible vehicle or account in a fair
and equitable manner, bearing in mind, among other things, the size, investment objectives, focus,
mandate or policies, applicable Governing Document provisions, risk tolerance, return targets, projected
hold periods, diversification considerations, permissible and preferred asset classes, and liquidity needs
of each Advisory Client or account.
Please see Item 11 for a further description of Cynosure’s investment opportunities allocation policies.
ITEM 7: TYPES OF CLIENTS
The Firm’s Advisory Clients are pooled investment vehicles and are exempt from registration under the
Investment Company Act pursuant to Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) and thus are deemed to be “Private Funds”
under the SEC’s classification. Investors in such pooled investment vehicles may include among others,
institutional investors, high-net worth individuals, and families; trusts, estates, or charitable organizations;
corporations and businesses, and non-U.S. investors.
The Firm typically requires that each third-party investor in an Advisory Client be an “accredited investor”
as defined in Regulation D under the Securities Act, qualified clients as defined under Rule 205-3 under
the Advisers Act and a “qualified purchaser” as defined in the Investment Company Act, in each case as
may be specified in the Governing Documents of the applicable pooled investment vehicle. Typically, a
minimum investment amount is imposed on third parties investing in the Advisory Client for which the
Firm acts as investment adviser.
ITEM 8: METHODS OF ANALYSIS, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISK OF LOSS
Methods of Analysis and Investment Strategies
As noted in Item 4, the Firm primarily provides investment advisory services to its clients that focus on
institutional investment in sports and seeking to make targeted investments on behalf of its clients in high-
quality sports assets and related companies. The Firm intends to pursue a disciplined, value-oriented
strategy for its Advisory Clients focused on acquiring and growing high quality assets across multiple
segments of the sports industry, including professional and collegiate sports teams, clubs and franchises
(“Teams”), sports leagues and governing bodies (“Leagues”), stadiums, arenas, and other sports facilities
(“Facilities”), sports technology and innovation companies, media rights and broadcasting ventures and
other sports-related assets.
Any investment made by an Advisory Client in a Team or League will be subject to both (a) the applicable
governing documents, rules, regulations, memoranda, resolutions, directives, declarations, requirements,
objectives and policies of the Teams and Leagues and (b) any written agreement between the Fund, the
General Partner or the Management Company and the applicable Team or League (collectively, the
“League Rules”). Investments made by the Fund in Facilities may be subject to League Rules and written
agreements between the Fund, the General Partner or the Management Company and the municipalities
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or other political or geographic sub-divisions in which such Facilities are located or the rules, laws,
regulations or ordinances established by such municipalities or sub-divisions.
The Firm uses a range of methods to identify, analyze and assess potential and existing investment
opportunities, descriptions of which are included in the applicable Governing Documents. As a general
matter, analytical methods used by the investment teams can include gain/loss forecast models, cash-flow
models, other financial modeling and simulation, risk sensitivity analyses, charting, and fundamental,
technical, and cyclical analysis.
In evaluating a potential investment, the Firm conducts extensive due diligence to analyze, among other
things, the potential investment’s market, and competitive position within that market; cost and revenue
structures; unique assets, such as brand strength, distribution capability and intellectual property;
management team and compensation structure; contingent liabilities (environmental, regulatory,
accounting or otherwise); potential growth opportunities; and potential exit strategies.
Risk of Loss
As with any investment strategy, the investment programs developed by the Firm involve several
significant risks. The following is a discussion of some of the primary risks; however, it is not possible to
identify all the risks associated with investing, and the particular risks applicable to an Advisory Client will
depend on the nature of the investments chosen.
An investment in any Advisory Client involves a high degree of risk and is suitable only for those investors
who have the financial sophistication and expertise to evaluate the merits and risks of an investment in
such Advisory Client and for which such Advisory Client does not represent a complete investment
program. There can be no assurance that the investment objective or targeted returns of any Advisory
Client will be achieved, that any Advisory Client will otherwise be able to successfully carry out its
investment program, or that an investor will receive a return of its capital contributed to any Advisory
Client. The discussion below enumerates certain, but not all, risk factors that apply generally to an
investment in any Advisory Client. In addition, there will be occasions when the general partner of an
Advisory Client, the Firm and/or their respective affiliates encounter potential conflicts of interest in
connection with such Advisory Client.
Prior to making any investment in an Advisory Client, investors should carefully review the applicable
offering documents for a more complete description of the risk factors and conflicts of interest relating to
such Advisory Client.
No Assurance of Investment Return
An investment in an Advisory Client requires a long-term commitment, with no certainty of return. The
Firm cannot provide any assurance whatsoever that it will be able to choose, make and realize investments
in any particular company or portfolio of companies for any Advisory Client. There can be no assurance
that any Advisory Client will (i) be able to generate returns for its investors or that the returns will be
commensurate with the risks of investing in the type of investments in which such Advisory Client
participates or (ii) make any distribution to its investors. Furthermore, distributions to such Advisory
Client’s investors may be subordinated in the event of a default under any credit facility of such Advisory
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Client or its related entities. Accordingly, an investment in an Advisory Client should only be considered
by persons for whom a speculative, illiquid, and long-term investment is an appropriate component of a
larger investment program and who can afford a loss of their entire investment. Past activities of
investment entities associated with the Firm, Cynosure, or any Advisory Client provides no assurance of
future success. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results, and all investors should
be prepared to lose the value of their investment. There can be no assurance that projected or targeted
returns for any Advisory Client will be achieved.
Risks Related to Investments in the Sports Industry
An Advisory Client’s investments will be subject to the risks associated with the professional sports
industry, which is highly competitive and subject to rapidly evolving consumer preferences. The value and
financial performance of professional sports teams and leagues may be significantly affected by factors
such as league-wide economic conditions, changes in league rules or revenue-sharing arrangements, team
performance, player injuries, management decisions, and fluctuations in fan engagement and sponsorship
revenues. Negative events—such as poor team or player performance, the loss of key players, coaches or
executive or other personnel, or scandals involving such persons— can materially reduce the team’s value
and revenue streams.
Additionally, sports franchises are subject to league governance and team rules and policies, which may
impose restrictions or require approvals for certain actions, potentially limiting an Advisory Client’s ability
to influence key decisions or realize liquidity from its investments. These rules may impose significant
conditions and limitations on an Advisory Client’s investments, including requirements for league approval
of certain actions and ongoing compliance with league and team policies, which may change over time.
League and team rules may impact the activities of an Advisory Client’s investors, including restrictions on
tampering with opposing team players, salary cap circumvention, sports betting and other limitations.
Non-compliance with these requirements could result in significant penalties. An Advisory Client will have
little or no ability to challenge or influence league decisions, and an Advisory Client’s ability to influence
team rules and policies may also be limited. An Advisory Client’s investments will also be exposed to
operational and regulatory risks arising from league collective bargaining agreements and the broader
regulatory environment. Labor disputes, such as lockouts or strikes, can disrupt league operations, reduce
revenues, and negatively impact the value of the team.
There is also a limited market for ownership interests in sports teams and leagues, which may make it
difficult to sell or otherwise monetize an Advisory Client’s investments on favorable terms or within a
desired timeframe. As a result, prospective investors should be aware that an Advisory Client’s
investments may be illiquid, subject to significant volatility, and exposed to risks that are distinct from
those associated with other private investments.
Media Rights
Media rights sales constitute a significant portion of the revenue stream for the Leagues and Teams in
which an Advisory Client may invest. Media rights contracts are often negotiated at the League level,
meaning an individual Team may not be a direct party to the sale, lack contractual privity with the
purchaser, or be involved in the negotiations relating to such media rights contract. Consequently, the
terms and conditions of such media rights sales may be beyond the Team’s control and there can be no
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assurances that the current commercial arrangements will continue or that the terms of any future media
rights sales will be favorable to a Team in which an Advisory Client may invest. Moreover, such media
rights markets and revenues could plateau or decline for various reasons, including, but not limited to,
the financial health and viability of traditional media outlets, a decline in the popularity of a particular
sport or League, or broader trends within the entertainment industry, regardless of the on-field success
of the Teams. Any decline in revenues from media rights sales will have a material negative effect on an
Advisory Client’s Investment in a Team and, indirectly, on the Fund’s performance. Certain contracts
regarding local media rights may be negotiated at the Team level. Since the Firm expects to pursue
minority investments in Teams for Advisory Clients, it must rely on the Team’s management to negotiate
favorable terms in such contracts. Failure to secure a profitable media contract could negatively impact
the Team’s value and, consequently, an Advisory Client’s performance.
Non-Team Sports Investment Assets
An Advisory Client may invest in assets other than Teams and Leagues, including, but not limited to,
licensing or media rights, leasing land related to sports or entertainment venues, broadcasting
technologies, social media platforms, merchandising and real estate (particularly stadiums or venues for
live sporting and other entertainment events) (any such assets, the “Non-Team Assets”). An Advisory
Client may be required to make its Investment in a Team through a holding company that owns both the
Team and other Non-Team Assets. The performance of Non-Team Assets can be impacted by factors and
conditions unrelated to the Team and its performance. For example, a downturn in the real estate market
would likely decrease the value of any real estate Non-Team Assets. The underperformance or loss (e.g.,
a sale of the relevant Team’s stadium) of one or several Non-Team Assets would likely have a negative
effect on the overall value of the Fund’s Investment in the relevant Team and, consequently, on the Fund’s
performance. Additionally, Non-Team Assets can expose an Advisory Client to risks not traditionally
associated with sports or sports-related investments. Sports properties may require significant capital
expenditures for stadium construction, renovations, or technological upgrades, exposing the Fund to
construction delays, cost overruns, financing risks, and long-term lease or debt obligations that may not
be recoverable if anticipated attendance, sponsorship, or media revenues fail to materialize. Disputes or
negative publicity related to stadium ownership, financing, renovations or other similar concerns could
adversely affect the relevant Team and its valuation. For example, if a stadium construction or renovation
is wholly or partly financed by state and/or local government—and thus, indirectly, by taxpayers—such
financing arrangements may be the target of significant public criticism and push-back. This could lead to
delays or even cancellation of the relevant construction or renovation plans and also have a trickle-down
effect on game attendance, merchandise sales and other revenue streams of a Team. Moreover, in
circumstances where a Team is only a partial owner of its stadium, or where a stadium is owned entirely
by a third party, such third parties (which can include municipalities) can interfere with the continued
operation and management of the stadium to the detriment of the Team. Relatedly, any changes or
improvements to an existing stadium, or the construction of a new stadium, may require municipal
approvals. These approvals may delay or entirely prevent completion of any such projects, potentially
having a negative impact on the value of the relevant stadium, which will also adversely impact the
relevant Team and, indirectly, an Advisory Client.
Dependence on Intellectual Property
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Companies operating in the sports, media and entertainment sector depend heavily on trademarks,
copyrights and related intellectual property, particularly their brands, logos and broadcast footage—to
preserve revenue streams and enterprise value. Determining the validity, scope and enforceability of
these rights in any given jurisdiction can be legally and factually complex, and such rights are increasingly
threatened by counterfeiting, piracy and illicit online streaming. Rapid technological advances, lower-cost
devices, greater broadband penetration and faster mobile data transmission have made unauthorized
digital distribution of televised sporting content easier and enforcement more difficult. If a portfolio
company cannot curtail widespread infringement, it may suffer significant revenue losses and diminished
value of its broadcast rights, which could materially and adversely affect its business, financial condition
and results of operations and, consequently, have a material adverse effect on the Advisory Client’s
investments.
Lack of Operating History
Each Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle will initially be a newly formed entity which has not
commenced operations and therefore will have no operating history upon which an investor may evaluate
its performance. There can be no assurance that any such Advisory Client pooled investment vehicle will
be able to implement its investment strategy and investment approach or achieve its investment objective
or that an investor will receive a return of its capital. Past performance of investment entities associated
with the Firm is not necessarily indicative of future results and there can be no assurance that an Advisory
Client’s pooled investment vehicle will achieve comparable results or that targeted returns will be met.
Moreover, each such Advisory Client is subject to all the business risks and uncertainties associated with
any new investment vehicle, including the risk that it will not achieve its investment objective and that the
value of an interest in such investment vehicle could decline substantially. Accordingly, investors should
draw no conclusions from the prior experience of the Firm, the investment professionals of the Firm, or
the performance of any other Firm investments and should not expect to achieve similar returns.
General Economic and Market Conditions
The success of an Advisory Client’s activities will be affected by the continued economic volatility as well
as general economic and market conditions, such as interest rates, availability of credit, credit defaults,
inflation rates, economic uncertainty, changes in applicable laws and regulations (including laws relating
to taxation of an Advisory Client’s investments), trade barriers, currency exchange controls, and national
and international political, environmental and socioeconomic circumstances (including wars, terrorist acts
or security operations or public health considerations).
Illiquid and Long-term Investments
Investment in an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle may require a long-term commitment with
no certainty of return of capital. Investments made by Advisory Clients will in general be highly illiquid,
and there can be no assurance that an Advisory Client will be able to realize on such investments in a
timely manner. Although some investments may generate current income, the return of capital and
realization of gain, if any, from some investments will occur only upon the partial or complete disposition
or refinancing of such investment.
Minority Investing
An Advisory Client’s Investments will include minority, non-control investments. Minority investing carries
certain risks. Not having a controlling interest may compromise the ability to implement value creation
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initiatives, control or otherwise impact the structure, terms and timing of future liquidity events or to
influence other events that may adversely affect an Advisory Client’s investment. In addition, while an
Advisory Client will seek to have a board seat, observer rights and other minority protections in its
Investments, it may have limited ability to obtain or retain such positions and exercise such protections
and may have limited ability to influence the portfolio companies’ management teams. As a minority
investor, an Advisory Client may also be subject to the decisions of controlling investors, boards of
directors, or management teams whose interests may not align with those of an Advisory Client. A
minority or non-controlling interest may be especially disadvantageous in situations where a portfolio
company faces distress, as an Advisory Client’s ability to influence restructuring and recapitalization
events may be limited.
Control Positions
An Advisory Client may take control positions in portfolio companies as part of its strategy. The exercise
of control over a company imposes additional risks of liability for environmental damage, product defects,
failure to supervise management and employees, violation of laws and other potential liabilities. If an
Advisory Client experiences control liability with respect to an Investment, it could materially and
adversely affect the returns with respect to such Investment and an Advisory Client’s overall returns.
Syndications and Joint Ventures
investments,
including
An Advisory Client may invest in portfolio companies alongside third parties through consortiums of
private equity investors, joint ventures, or other similar arrangements. Such investments may involve risks
in connection with such third-party involvement, including the possibility that a third-party co-venturer
may have financial, legal, or regulatory difficulties, resulting in a negative impact on such investment, may
have economic or business interests or goals that are inconsistent with those of the Fund or may be in a
position to take (or block) action in a manner contrary to an Advisory Client’s investment objectives. In
those circumstances where such third parties involve a management group, such third parties may receive
incentive compensation
compensation arrangements relating to such
arrangements. In such circumstances, the joint venture partners could provide services similar to those
provided by the Firm and its affiliates to an Advisory Client, but the compensation or fees paid to the joint
venture partners would not reduce or offset the management fee payable to the Firm and its affiliates,
which may create a conflict of interest, particularly if a joint venture partner is related to the Firm or its
affiliates.
Common Risks Associated with Investing in Securities Generally
Investments in securities may be subject to a number of risks, including the following:
• Current Market Conditions. In recent years, global debt and equity markets have experienced
•
increased volatility and turmoil, which can adversely affect a portfolio.
Liquidity in Financial Markets. The financial markets in the U.S. and elsewhere have experienced
a variety of difficulties and changed economic conditions, which could adversely affect the value
of a portfolio’s assets.
• Government Intervention and Market Disruptions. The global financial markets have undergone
fundamental disruptions that have led to extensive and unprecedented government intervention
that could prove detrimental to the efficient functioning of the markets and adversely affect a
portfolio.
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•
•
Inflation and Risk of Recession. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have been in the
past and could in the future have negative effects on the economies and financial markets, which
may in turn affect the markets in which an Advisory Client invests. For example, wages and prices
of inputs increase during periods of inflation, which can negatively impact returns on investments.
Governmental efforts to curb inflation, such as (for example) raising interest rates, often have
negative effects on the level of economic activity. There can be no assurance that inflation will not
become a serious problem in the future and have an adverse impact on an Advisory Client’s
investment returns. As a result of the above and other market conditions, it is possible that the
growth of U.S. and other regional economies could contract over time leading to a recession in the
U.S. and abroad. It is impossible to predict whether a recession will actually occur and, if it does
occur, the length and severity of any such recession. If a moderate to severe recession were to occur
in the U.S. and in other regional countries for a prolonged period of time, it would be expected to
adversely affect the markets in which an account or fund operates and could materially and
adversely affect the performance of investments and the prospects and returns of a Advisory Client’s
portfolio.
Force Majeure Events. There is a risk that a Client’s investments will be impacted by force majeure
events (i.e., events beyond the control of the party claiming that the event has occurred, such as
energy blackouts, acts of God, fire, flood, earthquakes, outbreaks of an infectious disease,
pandemic or any other serious public health concern, war, terrorism, labor strikes and
telecommunication failures). Certain force majeure events (such as an outbreak of an infectious
disease) could have a broader negative impact on the world economy and international business
activity generally, or in any of the countries or jurisdictions in which investments are located.
Additionally, a major governmental intervention into industry, including but not limited to the
nationalization of an industry or the assertion of control over an investment, could result in a loss
to a client. Any of the foregoing would therefore adversely affect the performance of an Advisory
Client’s investments.
Common Risks Associated with Equity Investments
Investments in equity securities may be subject to a number of specific risks, including the following:
• Equity Securities. Equity securities (stocks) held in a portfolio may decrease in response to
activities of companies or market and economic conditions.
• Growth Stocks. Growth stocks may be more sensitive to market movements because their prices
tend to more heavily reflect future investor expectations rather than just current profits. They
may also underperform value stocks during given periods.
•
• Value Stocks. Value stocks may perform differently from the market as a whole and may be
undervalued by the market for a long period of time. They may also underperform growth stocks
during given periods.
Small-Capitalization Companies. Small cap stocks may exhibit erratic earnings patterns,
competitive conditions, limited earnings history, and a reliance on one or a limited number of
products.
•
Initial Public Offerings. Initial public offerings (IPOs) are subject to high volatility and limited
availability.
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• Private Placements. Private placements may be classified as illiquid and be difficult to value.
• Derivative Securities. Derivatives may be difficult to value, may be illiquid and may be subject to
wide swings in valuation caused by changes in value of the underlying security. The use of
derivatives can result in losses in a portfolio that substantially exceeds the initial amount paid or
received from the investment.
Hedging
In connection with certain investments, an Advisory Client may employ hedging techniques designed to
reduce the risk of adverse movements in interest rates, securities prices, and currency exchange rates.
While an Advisory Client may benefit from the use of these hedging mechanisms, unanticipated changes
in interest rates, securities prices, or currency exchange rates, or the transactional fees associated with
such mechanisms may result in a poorer overall performance for such Advisory Client than if it had not
entered such hedging transactions.
Nature of Fund Investments; Risk of Single Investments
The Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle can make single investments in companies, which may
include under-performing, leveraged, or financially stressed or distressed companies. Such investments
will necessarily have significant risks as a result of business, financial or legal uncertainties. There can be
no assurance that the nature and magnitude of the various factors that could affect the value of such
investments will be evaluated correctly. In addition, certain portfolio companies of the Advisory Client’s
pooled investment vehicle investments may be in businesses with little or no operating history.
Cybersecurity Breaches, Identity Theft, Privacy Breaches, and Other Threats
Cynosure’s information and technology systems may be vulnerable to damage or interruption from
infiltration by
computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures,
unauthorized persons and security breaches, usage errors by its professionals, power outages and
catastrophic events such as fires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Cynosure has policies
and procedures and has implemented various measures to manage the risks related to these events;
however, if these systems are compromised, become inoperable for extended periods of time, or cease
to function properly, Cynosure may have to make a significant investment to fix or replace them. The
failure of these systems and/or of disaster recovery plans for any reason could cause significant
interruptions in Cynosure’s operations and result in a failure to maintain security, confidentiality, or
privacy of sensitive data, including personal information relating to its clients. Such a failure could harm
Cynosure’s reputation or subject it or its affiliates to legal claims or otherwise affect their business and
financial performance, potentially resulting in financial loss. Additionally, any failure of Cynosure’s
information, technology or security systems could have an adverse impact on its ability to manage the
portfolios of clients.
Legal or Legislative Risk
Legislative changes or court rulings may impact the value of investments or the securities’ claim on the
issuer’s assets and finances.
Global Trade Policy
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The trade policies of the U.S. and foreign governments have been changing rapidly, creating uncertainty
regarding global free trade and related trade agreements. At this time, it remains unclear what actions
the U.S. and other governments may take with respect to existing or new trade agreements, individual
17
companies, industries or countries, tariffs and related matters. New or modified trade policy may have a
negative impact on the Firm, its Advisory Clients, service providers to the foregoing, and/or Advisory Client
investments, including by virtue of increased costs. the Firm cannot predict how other countries will
respond to the U.S. administration’s actions or vice versa. Global trade disruption, significant introductions
of trade barriers and bilateral trade frictions, together with any future downturns in the global economy
resulting therefrom, could adversely affect the financial performance of the Funds and their investments.
Public Health Emergencies
Any public health emergency, including any outbreak of COVID-19, SARS, H1N1/09 flu, avian flu, other
coronavirus, Ebola or other existing or new epidemic diseases, or the threat thereof, could have a
significant adverse impact on an Advisory Client and its investments. The extent of the impact of any public
health emergency on the operational and financial performance of an Advisory Client will depend on many
factors, including the duration and scope of such public health emergency, the extent of any related travel
advisories and restrictions implemented, the impact of such public health emergency on overall supply
and demand, goods and services, investor liquidity, consumer confidence and levels of economic activity
and the extent of its disruption to important global, regional and local supply chains and economic
markets, all of which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted. The effects of a public health
emergency may materially and adversely impact the value and performance of an Advisory Client’s
investments as well as the ability to achieve its investment objectives, all of which could result in significant
losses to the Advisory Client. In addition, Cynosure may be significantly impacted, or even halted, either
temporarily or on a long-term basis, as a result of government quarantine and curfew measures, voluntary
and precautionary restrictions on travel or meetings and other factors related to a public health
emergency, including its potential adverse impact on the health of any such entity’s personnel.
Health of the Banking Industry
The health of the banking industry can affect, among other things, interest rates and the ability to obtain
loans or similar financing (as well as the terms of such financings) and in turn could potentially affect the
value of Advisory Client investments. Further, to the extent there is a failure of a bank at which Advisory
Client assets are maintained, such failure could result in a delay in deploying and using assets in Advisory
Client accounts at that bank which could have an impact on the Firm’s ability to engage in recommended
transactions for an Advisory Client.
Reliance on the Firm and its Affiliates
The success of each Advisory Client will depend in part upon the skill and expertise of the Firm’s
investment professionals, who are shared with and also provide advisory services on behalf of the Firm’s
affiliates, Cynosure and CPIM. There can be no assurance that such professionals will continue to be
associated with the Firm, Cynosure or CPIM, and a loss of the services of key personnel could impair the
Firm’s ability to provide services to Advisory Clients.
Limited Regulatory Oversight
Notwithstanding that Cynosure is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC, the Advisory Clients’
pooled investment vehicles are not required and do not intend to register as investment companies under
the Investment Company Act and, accordingly, investors in such vehicles are not afforded the protections
of the Investment Company Act.
Diverse Investor Group
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Investors in an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle may have conflicting investment, tax, and other
interests with respect to their investments. Therefore, conflicts of interest may arise in connection with
decisions made by the managing member (or similar managing fiduciary) or investment adviser of such
investment vehicle, including with respect to the nature or structuring of investments, that may be more
beneficial for one investor than for another investor, especially with respect to limited partners’ individual
tax situations.
Limited Access to Information
Investors’ rights to information regarding an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle will be specified,
and strictly limited, in the Governing Documents of such Advisory Client.
No Market for Interests: Restrictions on Transfers
Interests in an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle has not been registered under the Securities
Act, or applicable securities laws of any U.S. state or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction and,
therefore, cannot be resold unless they are subsequently registered under the Securities Act and any other
applicable securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. There is no public market
for the interests in such investment vehicles, and one is not expected to develop. An investor will not be
permitted to directly or indirectly assign, sell, pledge, exchange, or transfer any of its interests or any of
its rights or obligations with respect to its interests without the prior written consent of the managing
member (or similar managing fiduciary) of the Advisory Client in question, which consent may be given or
withheld in accordance with the Governing Documents.
Risks in Effecting Operating Improvements
In some cases, the success of an investment strategy will depend, in part, on the ability to restructure and
effect improvements in the operations of a portfolio company. There can be no assurance that the Firm
will be able to successfully identify and implement such restructuring programs and improvements.
Investments in Highly Leveraged Companies; Use of Leverage
While investments in leveraged companies offer the opportunity for capital appreciation, such
investments also involve a higher degree of risk. Advisory Clients’ investments and portfolio transactions
involve varying degrees of leverage, which could magnify the impact of circumstances such as unfavorable
market or economic conditions, operating problems, and other changes that affect the relevant portfolio
company or its industry, resulting in a more pronounced effect of such circumstances on the profitability
or prospects of such companies.
Risk of Investments in Less Established Companies
From time to time, an Advisory Client may invest all or a portion of its assets in, or a portfolio company of
an Advisory Client may acquire, less established companies. Investments in such companies may involve
greater risks than are generally associated with investments in more established companies. To the extent
there is any public market for the securities held by an Advisory Client, such securities may be subject to
more abrupt and erratic market price movements than those of larger, more established companies. Less
established companies tend to have lower capitalizations and fewer resources and therefore are often
more vulnerable to financial failure. Such companies also may have shorter operating histories on which
to judge future performance and in many cases, if operating, will have negative cash flow.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
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Recent technological advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning technology (collectively, “AI
Technology”), including (but not limited to) ChatGPT, Claude and other similar products, pose risks to the
Firm or its Advisory Clients. Additional risks stem from the use of AI Technology by third-party service
providers, business partners or other counterparties, whether or not such use is known to the Firm or its
Advisory Clients. The Firm and its Advisory Clients will likely not be able to control the manner in which
third-party products are developed or maintained or the manner in which third-party services are
provided, even where it has sought contractual protection regarding such use.
The use of AI Technology by any of the parties described above could include the input of confidential
information, including material non-public information into AI Technology applications, resulting in such
confidential information becoming part of a dataset that is accessible by other third-party AI Technology
applications and users.
AI Technology is generally highly reliant on the collection and analysis of large amounts of data, which will
inevitably contain a degree of inaccuracy and error, potentially materially so, and could otherwise be
inadequate or flawed, which would be likely to degrade the effectiveness of AI Technology. Any such
inaccuracies or errors could have adverse impacts on, its affiliates and their Advisory Clients.
AI Technology continues to develop rapidly, and it is impossible to predict the future risks that may arise
from such developments. These changes could potentially disrupt, among other things, the business and
operations of the Firm, its Advisory Clients and their service providers. In addition, the use of AI
Technology may require compliance with legal or regulatory frameworks that are not fully developed or
tested, and participants and users may face litigation and regulatory actions related to the use of AI
Technology. A person’s ability to use AI Technology could be limited in the future by legal or regulatory
developments.
Other Special Risks
Additional special risks apply to certain private investments, which will be outlined in the applicable
Governing Documents.
ITEM 9: DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION
Neither the Firm, Cynosure, or any of its respective professionals have been the subject of any legal or
disciplinary matter of an investment-related nature that would be material to an existing or prospective
Advisory Client’s evaluation of Cynosure’s advisory business or the integrity of its management.
ITEM 10:
OTHER FINANCIAL INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES AND AFFILIATIONS
Neither the Firm, Cynosure, nor any of their senior management team is registered as a broker-dealer, or
as a registered representative of a broker-dealer, nor is there any present intention to do so. Likewise,
neither the Firm, Cynosure, nor any of their personnel are registered as a futures commission merchant,
commodity pool operator, commodity trading advisor or as an associated person of any such entities.
Affiliation with Cynosure and CPIM
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As discussed in Item 4, the Firm is a 50/50 joint venture between Cynosure and CPIM. Cynosure and CPIM
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are each registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act. The Firm itself is a
relying adviser of Cynosure. Additional information about the Firm’s affiliation with Cynosure and CPIM
appears below.
Cynosure’s Other Divisions and Advisory Affiliate
In addition to its joint venture interest in the Firm, Cynosure has four additional separate business
divisions:
investments,
• Cynosure Partners: is the Firm’s private markets business line. It sponsors, structures, manages,
and oversees private growth equity and private credit pooled investment vehicles and related
including related onboarding, monitoring, and portfolio
portfolio company
management activities. These vehicles may be offered under different fund, series, or class names
from time to time and may be organized through affiliated general partners, managing members,
or special purpose vehicles.
• Cynosure Capital Management: is the Firm’s OCIO (Outsourced Chief Investment Officer) division,
managing investment portfolios for foundations and endowments.
• Cynosure Wealth Advisors: is the Firm’s wealth management business line, providing integrated
wealth management services to ultra-high net worth individuals.
• Cynosure Strategies: is the Firm’s hedge fund division, managing pooled investment vehicles
pursuing a global equity long-short strategy through a quantitative asset allocation and portfolio
construction framework.
Cynosure Portfolio Advisors LLC, an indirect subsidiary of Cynosure, is a separate affiliated SEC-
registered investment adviser and provides advisory services to retail (non-high net worth) individuals.
These other divisions and affiliates may from time to time advise clients or vehicles with investment
objectives, investment horizons, liquidity parameters or other interests that differ from, overlap with,
or compete with those of the Firm’s Advisory Clients. As a result, conflicts may arise with respect to the
allocation of investment opportunities, the time and attention of personnel, internal resources, and the
provision of services among the Firm’s Advisory Clients and other Cynosure/Firm businesses and
affiliates. Please also see Item 11.
Related General Partners/Managing Members
Cynosure is under common control with several general partners/managing members of Cynosure-
sponsored pooled investment vehicles. Cynosure, either directly or indirectly, enters into investment
advisory agreements to provide all investment advisory services regulated by the Advisers Act to certain
Cynosure-sponsored pooled investment vehicles. Certain related general partners, managing members or
other affiliates may also be involved in the organization, governance, administration, capital raising,
structuring or operation of such vehicles, which may present conflicts of interest.
CPIM is affiliated with Checketts Gravity GP, LLC, Checketts Rhone SPV GP, LLC, and Checketts Rhone SPV
2 GP, LLC, which are Delaware limited liability companies that serve as general partners of Checketts
Gravity Partners, LP, Checketts Rhone SPV, LP, and Checketts Rhone SPV 2, LP, respectively.
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Other Activities and Relationships
The employees of the Firm and its affiliates have and are expected from time to time to serve on the
boards of directors of portfolio companies of Cynosure-sponsored pooled investment vehicles. Serving in
such a capacity may give rise to conflicts to the extent that an employee’s fiduciary duties to a portfolio
company as a director may conflict with the interests of an Advisory Client. In addition, personnel of the
Firm, Cynosure and its affiliates may devote time to other business activities, affiliated advisory businesses
or affiliated investment vehicles, and are not required to devote all of their business time exclusively to
the Firm or any particular Advisory Client.
CODE OF ETHICS, PARTICIPATION OR INTEREST IN
ITEM 11:
CLIENT TRANSACTIONS AND PERSONAL TRADING
Important Note: As a relying adviser of Cynosure, the Firm, its employees and persons acting on its behalf
are subject to Cynosure’s supervision and control, and the Firm, its employees and the persons acting on
its behalf are supervised persons of Cynosure and are subject to Cynosure’s compliance policies and
procedures, including its Code of Ethics. The following describes information in Item 11 generally refers
to Cynosure policies and procedures and related activities, which unless otherwise noted, also apply to
the Firm, its employees and persons acting on its behalf.
Code of Ethics
Cynosure has established and approved a Code of Ethics that sets forth standards of ethical conduct for
employees and is designed to address and avoid potential conflicts of interest as required under Rule
204A-1 of the Advisers Act. Among other things, the Code of Ethics prescribes standards for dealing with
clients ethically, addresses conflicts of interest issues, and supplements personal trading and operating
procedures, including Cynosure’s Policies and Procedures regarding Material, Non-Public Information, and
the prevention of Insider Trading. The Code of Ethics provides guidance in specific areas, including but not
limited to, confidentiality of Cynosure information, personal investments, gifts, and entertainment,
protection of persons who engage in “whistle blowing” activities from retaliation and personal political
activities. This Code of Ethics is available to Advisory Clients, investors or prospective clients or investors
by writing to The Cynosure Group, LLC, 111 S. Main Street, Suite 2350, Salt Lake City, UT, 84111, Attn:
Investor Relations.
Misuse of Nonpublic Information
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Cynosure and its supervised persons may, from time to time, come into possession of material nonpublic
and other confidential information which, if disclosed, might affect an investor’s decision to buy, sell or
hold a security. Under applicable law, Cynosure and its supervised persons are prohibited from improperly
disclosing or using such information for their personal benefit or for the benefit of any other person, even
if such other person is an Advisory Client. Accordingly, should Cynosure or its supervised persons come
into possession of material nonpublic or other confidential information with respect to any company, it
may be prohibited from communicating such information to, or using such information for the benefit of,
its clients, and have no obligation or responsibility to disclose such information to, nor responsibility to
use such information for the benefit of, its clients or Cynosure personnel when following policies and
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procedures designed to comply with law.
Cynosure has adopted as a part of the Code a “Policy Statement on Insider Trading” which establishes
procedures to prevent the misuse of material nonpublic information by Cynosure’s supervised persons.
Among other things, Cynosure maintains a “restricted list” of securities in which Cynosure may not trade
because Cynosure or its personnel may be in possession of material non-public information concerning
the issuer. In addition, Cynosure requires that all personnel must read, sign, and adhere to Cynosure’s
policy on insider trading.
Personal Securities Trading
Cynosure requires its personnel to comply with the firm’s personal trading policies, including pre-
clearance of certain securities transactions and restrictions on investments in initial public offerings and
private placements. Personnel whose account activity is not automatically captured in the firm’s
compliance system must provide periodic reports of personal securities transactions and holdings to the
Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) or her designee. These reports are reviewed by the CCO to monitor
compliance with Cynosure’s Code of Ethics and personal trading procedures.
Principal Transactions
The Firm, as an investment manager, or an affiliate in limited circumstances, engages in principal
transactions (i.e., transactions in which the Firm or an affiliate is deemed to be acting for its own account
by buying a security or other instrument from, or selling a security or other instrument to, an Advisory
Client). These transactions introduce a potential conflict of interest between its own interests and those
of the Advisory Client.
The Firm, as a relying adviser of Cynosure, has established policies and procedures to comply with the
Advisers Act when engaging in principal transactions with Advisory Clients. Additionally, investment
guidelines and an Advisory Client’s charter documents may limit principal transactions on a more
restrictive basis than the Advisers Act. In general, the Firm avoids secondary market transactions.
Details of any such transaction typically are disclosed in the offering documents of an Advisory Client. In
other cases, principal transactions may occur after an Advisory Client has held an initial closing. In those
cases and subject to any applicable provisions in the Advisory Client’s Governing Documents as well as
applicable law, either the Advisory Client, an advisory committee or similar body (if applicable) or an
independent representative of the Advisory Client will receive notice of the transaction and consent will
be sought to the transaction prior to the Firm or an affiliate settling the principal transaction.
Notice and Consent
The Firm will notify the Advisory Client itself or a duly appointed independent representative of the
Advisory Client to obtain consent for any principal transaction.
Other Notice and Consent Considerations
In general, the Firm will not engage in principal transactions with accounts of a retirement plan subject to
ERISA unless approved by Cynosure’s General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, and, if necessary,
competent ERISA counsel.
Cross Transactions
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Cynosure from time to time allows Advisory Clients to engage in cross transactions, which occur when a
transaction is affected directly between two or more Advisory Clients.
Cross transactions may benefit Advisory Clients because they can avoid certain transaction fees. They also
create conflicts of interest because, by not exposing buy and sell transactions to market forces, advisory
clients may not receive the benefits of best price, or an adviser might seek to prop up the performance of
one advisory client by selling under-performing assets to another advisory client in order, for example, to
earn higher fees.
Cynosure has established policies and procedures that address permissible cross transactions. Subject to
the terms of the Advisory Client’s Governing Documents (which may exclude certain warehoused
investments, follow-on investments and other transactions from any applicable consent requirements or
otherwise permit such transactions): (i) notice must be provided to each Advisory Client or an independent
representative of each such Advisory Client prior to proceeding with the cross transaction; (ii) if an Investor
Advisory Committee or similar body of a particular Advisory Client has been established under the Advisory
Client’s charter and organizational documents, it must provide consent (generally by majority of the
Investor Advisory Committee’s or similar body’s members) prior to engaging in such cross transaction; and
(iii) records of such notices and consents must be maintained as part of Cynosure’s books and records.
Typically, the applicable Governing Documents for each of the Advisory Clients address permissible cross-
transactions.
Financial Interests in Advisory Client Recommendations
In addition to management fees payable, incentive fees payable and carried interest allocable to Cynosure
and its affiliates, with regards to certain Advisory Clients, Cynosure and its affiliates receive acquisition,
monitoring, disposition, and certain other fees with respect to advisory and related services provided in
connection with investments by Advisory Clients.
Cynosure generally has a conflict of interest to the extent that it has an opportunity to earn such a fee in
investments by Advisory Clients. However, Cynosure believes that applicable
connection with
management fee offset provisions described in Item 5 and the substantial equity commitment by
Cynosure and its affiliates in Advisory Clients substantially mitigates this incentive. Any fees paid to
Cynosure by a portfolio company, or an Advisory Client are generally assessed on an arm’s-length basis
and generally on terms that are no less favorable to the Advisory Client or portfolio company than would
be obtained in a transaction with an unaffiliated party. Accordingly, the agreements pursuant to which
such fees are paid typically are not required to be reviewed by the Investor Advisory Committee or the
investors of the participating Advisory Clients. Cynosure also has established allocation policies and
procedures addressing Cynosure’s duties to allocate investment opportunities among Advisory Clients in
a fair and equitable manner – please see below for additional information with respect to such polices.
Further, Cynosure may recommend the securities or loan instruments of portfolio companies for
acquisition by an Advisory Client where Cynosure, its affiliates (including a portfolio company of a different
Advisory Client), or a Cynosure professional renders services to, engages in transactions with, or has a
business relationship with (i.e., board seat), and receives fees from, the portfolio company. These
relationships may influence, or appear to influence, the Firm’s investment judgment and therefore present
additional conflicts of interest.
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Conflicts of Interest
Various potential and actual conflicts of interest may arise between and among the Firm, Cynosure, its
Advisory Clients and each of their affiliates. The following briefly summarizes some of these conflicts but
is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all such conflicts. Please also see Items 6, 8 and 12 for additional
disclosures related to other potential conflicts of interests that may arise and Cynosure’s efforts to
mitigate or address such risks. Investors in an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle should also
review the Governing Documents of such vehicle, which may contain additional disclosures related to
conflicts of interest that are applicable to that respective vehicle.
Allocation of Investments
Cynosure has established allocation policies and procedures addressing its duties to allocate investment
opportunities among Advisory Clients, and, where applicable, other eligible related vehicles or accounts
in a fair and equitable manner. The policies seek to provide consistent treatment of such Advisory Clients
with similar investment objectives and guidelines to the extent possible, consistent with legal, regulatory,
and contractual restrictions. Cynosure’s policies prohibit the allocation of investment opportunities based
solely on anticipated compensation or profits to Cynosure or any affiliates or their professionals. Each
advisory client typically has its own investment guidelines, governing agreements and geographical and
industry focus that must be taken into account when making investment allocation determinations.
Most investment opportunities that satisfy the investment parameters of a particular Advisory Client will
be allocated to that particular Advisory Client. In certain cases, however, an investment opportunity may
be appropriate for more than one Advisory Client or other eligible vehicle or account. Any such allocation
decisions are initially raised with the investment committee of the relevant Advisory Client that originated
the investment opportunity. That particular investment committee, together with the Conflicts
Committee, will review the opportunity to determine if an allocation to any other Advisory Client may be
appropriate in the first instance, taking into account, among other things, whether the investment satisfies
each of the relevant Advisory Client’s investment objectives and the Advisory Client’s expected allocation
based on its available capital commitments. If an investment opportunity will be allocated (which may
include an allocation of 100% of such opportunity to a single Advisory Client), Cynosure will, to the extent
practicable, determine in good faith that the allocation is fair and reasonable taking into account the
relevant facts and circumstances, including (but not limited to) applicable Governing Document
provisions, the sourcing of the opportunity, the nature of the investment mandate, projected returns, risk
profile, target hold period, concentration considerations and the relative amounts of capital available for
investment.
In certain situations, multiple Advisory Clients will invest side-by-side and investment opportunities will
be allocated between such Advisory Clients using a formula-based approach. In other situations,
participation of multiple Advisory Clients in a single transaction may require consent of the Investor
Advisory Committee or the investors of the participating Advisory Clients.
Allocation decisions are periodically reviewed to determine the reasonableness and fairness of the
allocation decisions. Final allocation decisions will generally align with the allocation of costs and expenses
related to the diligence and structuring of and ongoing supervision of an investment opportunity;
however, in certain situations, there may be costs such as diligence costs that are allocated to Advisory
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Clients that considered an investment opportunity but ultimately decided to not pursue such investment
opportunity.
Co-Investment Opportunities
The Firm may (but is generally not required to) give investors in an Advisory Client or third parties who are
not investors in an Advisory Client the opportunity to co-invest in a particular investment, including where
the Firm determines a portion of the equity required would unreasonably limit diversification of the
Advisory Client. Co-investment offers of participation are made in the Firm’s sole discretion and the Firm
may use any criteria it deems fit when determining which investors to offer such opportunities to,
including to investors that are expected to or currently hold significant capital commitments to Advisory
Clients. Except as otherwise set forth in the Governing Documents of an Advisory Client investors in
Advisory Clients are not entitled to be offered any co-investment opportunity by virtue of their investment
in a particular Advisory Client.
To the extent an investment opportunity is rejected by the investment committee of a general partner of
an Advisory Client, the Firm, such general partner, and its affiliates may not be restricted from pursuing
such opportunity outside of the Advisory Client’s investment program. In such a circumstance, the Firm
may allocate such an opportunity to another Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle and/or managed
account or to one or more entities established for the benefit of, or otherwise controlled by, one or more
senior executives of Cynosure and/or their family members.
Possession of Material, Non-Public Information and other Trading Restrictions
Cynosure and its affiliates espouse a management philosophy of collaboration and information sharing
among investment professionals to create a unified network. Cynosure, its affiliates, and its investment
professionals may come into contact with material, non-public information in connection with their
activities for Cynosure, or its affiliates. Cynosure has established policies and procedures intended to
prevent the abuse of material, non-public information, which includes procedures for, among other things,
the use, and maintenance of restricted trading lists. Under no circumstances may an investment
professional trade in a security while in possession of material, non-public information about that security
for his or her own account, the accounts of certain family members or the account of an Advisory Client.
Side Letters
Cynosure and its affiliates (including the Firm) routinely enter into side letter agreements with certain
investors in an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle, or establish separate accounts, providing such
investors with customized terms, which often results in preferential treatment, with respect to, among
other things, the fee structure, including reduced advisory fees or performance-based compensation; the
offering of co-investment opportunities; the ability to be excused from certain types of investments; the
reporting obligations of the Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle; consent rights with respect to
certain amendments to documents that govern their rights and obligations and those of the Advisory
Client’s pooled investment vehicle; the right to transfer interests in the Advisory Client’s pooled
investment vehicle; the right to withdraw from the Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle in the
event of adverse tax or regulatory events; the right to appoint a representative to the advisory committee
or similar body of the Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle, if applicable; additional confidentiality
protections; the right to disclose certain information to underlying investors or to the public; structuring
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rights with respect to certain types of investments; or any other terms, whether economic, procedural or
otherwise. Such arrangements may create conflicts of interest and may have the effect of advantaging
certain investors over others, including with respect to economics, information rights, governance,
liquidity and access to investment opportunities.
Cynosure also enters into other customized investment management arrangements with certain investors
who may participate in investment opportunities alongside Cynosure funds.
Valuations of Investments
There may be situations in which Cynosure/the Firm has an incentive to influence or manipulate the
valuation of investments. For example, Cynosure could be motivated to overstate valuation in order to: (i)
improve the track record of an Advisory Client, (ii) minimize losses from write-downs that must be
returned before an affiliate may receive performance-based allocations, or (iii) for certain Advisory Clients,
increase fees due to Cynosure, such as a management fee that is calculated as a percentage of the value
of the Advisory Client’s assets. For portfolio holdings set aside in Side Pocket Accounts, and in accordance
with the guidelines set forth in Cynosure’s Valuation Policy, Cynosure will determine the valuation as the
sum of (i) the amount of principal plus any accrued but unpaid interest and fees due and owing by
borrowers and (ii) pre-existing undistributed income.
Cynosure values securities and instruments at their fair value in accordance with U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles (“GAAP”), including Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards
Codification Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements (“ASC 820”). To facilitate this, Cynosure has adopted a
written Valuation Policy and Procedures. If active market quotations are readily available, Cynosure
generally values securities at their market price, with a discount in certain cases of restricted securities.
Otherwise, securities are valued based on management’s judgment and estimation in accordance with
Cynosure’s Valuation Policy, guidance, and templates or in accordance with the specific valuation
procedure outlined in the Governing Documents of the relevant Advisory Client. Valuation determinations
involve subjective judgments and may differ materially from the values that would have been used by
other market participants or from the prices that may ultimately be realized in a sale, repayment,
restructuring or other disposition of an investment. Because valuation may affect reported performance
and, for certain Advisory Clients, fees or performance-based compensation, these determinations involve
conflicts of interest that may not be resolved in favor of investors.
Allocation of Expenses
Expenses frequently will be incurred by multiple Advisory Clients. Cynosure and its affiliates (including the
Firm) allocate aggregate costs among the applicable Advisory Clients (and, in certain cases, among
Cynosure and applicable Advisory Clients) in accordance with allocation policies and procedures which are
reasonably designed to allocate expenses in a fair and reasonable manner over time among such Advisory
Clients. However, expense allocation decisions can involve potential conflicts of interest (e.g., an incentive
to favor Advisory Clients that pay higher incentive fees, conflicts relating to different expense
arrangements with certain Advisory Clients, side letter or other preferential arrangements, or allocations
of certain in-house personnel expenses).
Under its current expense allocation policies, Cynosure generally allocates expenses among Advisory
Clients utilizing allocation methods including applicable rules set forth in fund governing documents, on a
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pro rata basis based on committed capital, assets under management, investment cost (and may include
available capital), or fair value of investments, number of investors, number of investments, number of
funds (or legal entities), fund size, department headcount and compensation, or number of users.
Cynosure may, however, use other methods to allocate certain expenses among the Advisory Clients if it
deems another method more appropriate based on the relative use of a product or service, the nature or
source of the product or service, the relative benefits derived by the Advisory Clients from the product or
service, or other relevant factors. Nonetheless, the portion of a common expense that Cynosure allocates
to an Advisory Client for a particular product or service may not reflect the relative benefit derived by
Advisory Client from that product or service in any particular instance. For example, certain expenses may
be allocated across all investment vehicles comprising an Advisory Client regardless of whether each
investment vehicle is directly incurring the expense.
Cynosure’s expense allocations often depend on inherently subjective determinations and, accordingly,
expense allocations made by Cynosure in good faith will be final and binding on the Advisory Clients.
Despite Cynosure’s good faith judgment to arrive at a fair and reasonable expense allocation
methodology, the use of any particular methodology may lead an Advisory Client to bear relatively more
expense in certain instances and relatively less in other instances compared to what an Advisory Client
would have borne if a different methodology had been used. However, Cynosure seeks to make allocations
that are equitable on an overall basis in its good faith judgment.
Compensation from Certain Board Memberships
From time to time, Cynosure employees are expected in the future to be asked to serve on the boards of
directors of companies in which an Advisory Client has fully exited its ownership interest. Such companies
are not portfolio companies and therefore, to the extent the Cynosure employee is offered standard board
compensation for his or her services post-exit, such standard board compensation is not subject to the
management fee offset or otherwise shared with the Advisory Clients, investors and/or portfolio
companies.
From time to time, former Cynosure employees have been, and are expected in the future to be, asked to
serve on the boards of directors of companies in which an Advisory Client continues to have an ownership
interest. To the extent the former Cynosure employee is offered standard board compensation for his or
her services, depending on the facts and circumstances, including the duration of the separation from
Cynosure, such standard board compensation is not expected to be subject to the management fee offset
or otherwise shared with the Advisory Clients, investors and/or portfolio companies.
Other Potential Conflicts
The legal and/or organizational documents of an Advisory Client, the Investment Management Agreement
between Cynosure (or an affiliate) and the Advisory Client or the agreements in respect of the portfolio
investments establish complex arrangements among the parties, including between investors and
Advisory Clients. Questions may arise from time to time under these agreements regarding the parties’
rights and obligations in certain situations, many of which may not have been contemplated at the time
of the agreements’ drafting and execution. In these instances, the operative provisions of the agreements,
if any, may be broad, general, ambiguous, or conflicting, and may permit more than one reasonable
interpretation. At times there may not be a provision directly applicable to the situation. While Cynosure
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will construe the relevant agreements in good faith and in a manner consistent with its legal obligations,
the interpretations adopted may not be, and need not be, the interpretations that are the most favorable
to an Advisory Client. Cynosure has established a Conflicts Committee with the explicit purpose of
reviewing, and where applicable mitigating, resolving or making recommendations with respect to,
conflicts impacting Cynosure’s investors and the firm itself.
ITEM 12: BROKERAGE PRACTICES
The Firm has discretion to select brokers, dealers and other counterparties to effect transactions in
securities and other instruments for Advisory Clients. Given the strategies employed on behalf of the
pooled investment vehicles, the Firm may not utilize traditional brokerage arrangements for all such
transactions and, depending on the nature of the investment, may instead transact with banks, lenders,
dealers, placement agents, administrative agents, counterparties or other intermediaries. Where brokers,
dealers or other intermediaries are used, the Firm seeks to obtain execution and overall terms that it
believes are reasonable under the circumstances and in the best interests of the relevant Advisory Client.
ITEM 13: REVIEW OF ACCOUNTS
The portfolio investments of certain Advisory Clients are regularly reviewed by a team of investment
professionals. Depending on the Advisory Client, the team generally includes principal executive officers,
Managing Directors, and other investment professionals. These professionals monitor operations, overall
performance, financial performance, and strategic direction of each portfolio company owned by the
Advisory Clients.
Reports to Advisory Clients and Investors
Investors in an Advisory Client’s pooled investment vehicle typically receive quarterly reports and audited
annual financial reports. Investors have the ability to access these reports via a password-protected
website. Depending on the particular Advisory Client, investors may receive monthly reports or letters,
quarterly financial and capital account statements.
Certain investors are expected to have the right to obtain information relating to an Advisory Client.
Accordingly, such investors may possess information regarding the business and affairs of an Advisory
Client that may not be known to other investors. As a result, certain investors will be able to take actions
on the basis of such information which, in the absence of such information, other investors do not take.
ITEM 14:
CLIENT REFERRALS AND OTHER COMPENSATION
As described in more detail in Item 5 – “Fees and Compensation”, in addition to management fees payable
and carried interest allocable to Cynosure and its affiliates, Cynosure and its affiliates are expected to
receive acquisition, monitoring, disposition and certain fees with respect to advisory and related services
provided in connection with investments by Advisory Clients.
The Firm, on occasion, enters into cash compensation arrangements with unaffiliated placement agents
or third parties for introducing investors to make a potential investment in an Advisory Client. Any fees
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associated therewith will, in most cases (unless otherwise providing in an Advisory Client’s Governing
Documents), ultimately be payable by Cynosure or its affiliates, either directly or through an offset of the
management fee payable by the relevant Advisory Client.
In accordance with Cynosure’s policies, no investor will bear any portion of any fee paid to any third-party
promoter (formerly solicitor) with respect to such investment (whether in the form of higher management
fees or other types of fees) without the consent of Cynosure’s Head of Investor Relations.
ITEM 15:
CUSTODY
Although the underlying assets of its Advisory Clients are typically maintained by third-party custodians,
Cynosure may be deemed to have custody of client assets under Rule 206(4)-2 under the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Custody Rule”), Cynosure generally intends to comply with the
Custody Rule for its pooled investment vehicle Advisory Clients by relying on the pooled investment
vehicle annual audit exception, pursuant to which each such Advisory Client is subject to an annual audit
by an independent public accountant registered with, and subject to regular inspection by, the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board, and audited financial statements are distributed to investors within
120 days of the end of the Advisory Client’s fiscal year (or 180 days, in the case of a fund of funds). To the
extent an Advisory Client is not eligible to rely on the pooled investment vehicle annual audit exception,
Cynosure will seek to comply with the Custody Rule through another available means, which may include
a surprise examination where applicable. Investors should carefully review account statements, capital
account statements, audited financial statements and other reports they receive from the applicable
Advisory Client, its custodian, administrator or other service providers.
ITEM 16:
INVESTMENT DISCRETION
The Firm provides investment advice to its Advisory Clients on a discretionary basis. Generally, this
discretion is subject only to the investment guidelines set forth in applicable Governing Documents of an
Advisory Client. Such governing agreements generally expressly provide that the applicable general
partner (or similar managing fiduciary) has the authority to make all decisions concerning the
investigation, evaluation, selection, negotiation, structuring, commitment to, monitoring of and
disposition of investments.
ITEM 17:
VOTING CLIENT SECURITIES
The Firm has, or will accept, authority to vote public company securities and other debt instruments (e.g.,
loans) held by an Advisory Client and has adopted policies and procedures (the “Proxy Voting Policies and
Procedures”) that it believes are reasonably designed to comply with the requirements of the Advisers
Act. Public company proxy voting is generally not expected to be a significant part of the Firm’s services.
However, when the Firm has such authority, will vote such instruments in accordance with the applicable
Governing Documents and related Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures.
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Proxy voting reports, identifying how proxies were voted where the Firm has been delegated proxy voting
authority, and Cynosure’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures are available upon written request to The
Cynosure Group, LLC, 111 S. Main Street, Suite 2350, Salt Lake City, UT, 84111, Attn: Investor Relations.
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ITEM 18: FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Not applicable.
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