I’m obsessed with tennis. It’s mostly a healthy obsession, but this time of year, I start to slip. Why? Wimbledon, the finest tennis tournament in the world, is about to begin. It’s steeped in tradition, and yet its host, the All England Lawn and Tennis Club, isn’t afraid of innovation and science.

Whenever there’s a way to combine statistical analysis, tennis, and investing, I’m all over it. That’s why my life was transformed nearly 20 years ago, when Larry Swedroe did exactly that in the brilliant introduction to his first book (emphasis mine):

“After making what I thought was a great shot, a forehand that landed right in the backhand corner of my opponent, my teaching pro said, ‘That shot will be your worst enemy.’ While it was an exceptional shot, he explained, it was not a high percentage shot for a good ‘weekend player.’ Remembering how good that shot felt, I would try to repeat it. Unfortunately, I would be successful on a very infrequent basis. The pro asked me if I wanted to make great shots or would I rather win matches? (I thought that one was the cause of the other.)”

Playing the winner’s game is what the pro was getting at as he cautioned Larry about falling in love with his special and rare shot. Winning calls for consistent and disciplined play. When players go for shots beyond their skills, they’re playing a loser’s game. This decades-old analogy goes back to a book by Dr. Simon Ramo, Extraordinary Tennis for the Ordinary Player.

With this background, you’ll know why the following ad is so meaningful to our firm. As a minor sponsor for the April 2018 Men’s Clay Court Championship, Hill Investment Group was proud to support an event that has been in play for more than a century – and held near our Houston office since 2001. As our sponsorship ad expressed, we enjoy helping investors play a winning game, by embracing a “long view” game plan.

As much as all of us at Hill Investment Group feel like family to one another, there are times when our actual family members must come first. On that note, it is with regret but considerable affection that we wish Dyanna Jones well as she leaves the HIG team to dedicate more time to her family.

Dyanna asked us to let you know she will miss everyone here at HIG, especially the many friends she quickly made among our Houston office clients and guests. If you would like to convey your own best wishes to Dyanna, please let me know, and I will be sure to pass them on.

While it will difficult to replace Dyanna’s warmth, we are now seeking a new executive assistant for our Houston office. If you know of anyone who might be a good fit for the role, we welcome your referral.

“Dreamy.” “Breathtaking.” “Unforgettable.” Those are a few of the words that come to mind as I try to capture the spirit of Nell Swanson Schiffer’s November 25th wedding to her beloved Walter Schiffer. If ever there were an event for us to be thankful for here at Hill Investment Group, this was it!

While we only just welcomed Nell to our Houston office last May, it’s amazing how quickly she has become a good friend and an essential member of our professional team. Henry and I, plus our spouses, were happily on hand to witness and celebrate her nuptials, as were Matt and his wife Lisa, who joined us from St. Louis.

If it’s not obvious from our smiles, we couldn’t be happier for our newlyweds. Please join us in wishing Walter and Nell a long life of wedded bliss!

Pssst. Want to check out more HIG wedding shots? You’ll find our marriage montage on Instagram.