FUNK, David G. 1938–

PERSONAL: Born August 2, 1938, in Oak Park, IL. Education: Amherst College, B.A., 1960; Harvard University, Ph.D., 1965.

ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o Author Mail, Info Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 811414, Boca Raton, FL 33481-1414. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, assistant professor of economics, 1963–66; John Hancock Life Insurance Co., Boston, MA, economist, 1966–68; Buttonwood Securities Corp. of Massachusetts, Boston, treasurer, 1968–86; Tennis Partners, Inc., Margate, FL, president, 1987–. John Magee, Inc., president, 1975–86.

WRITINGS:

Uncommon Stock Market Strategies, Info Publications (Boca Raton, FL), 2003.

SIDELIGHTS: David G. Funk told CA: "I wrote Uncommon Stock Market Strategies after witnessing the impact of the stock market meltdown on the financial hopes and dreams of many of my friends. People simply stopped reading the financial section of the newspapers and stopped opening their monthly account statements. Many swore never to buy common stocks again. Some sold their stocks, sold their houses, and quietly moved to more affordable accommodations.

"I was shocked to discover how unfamiliar these investors were with the many improved investment tools available to them, including the writing of put and call options, near simultaneous executions on the various option exchanges, and the availability of online order execution. I resolved to write a book on how to benefit from stock market volatility, based on over forty years of experience in the stock market and real estate investment industries.

"The process of writing Uncommon Stock Market Strategies sharpened but did not change the investment approach that I set out to write about and that had served me so well. The book utilizes the invest-ment strategy of selling options short (writing option contracts), not buying options. The options contracts are sold (sell to open) prior to buying them (buy to close). The book targets stock market fluctuations, then stock market rates of return. Retail Wall Street does not do that, and when it does measure volatility, it uses that measure primarily as an investment indicator. "Uncommon Stock Market Strategies explains an investment approach that uses common stocks, puts, and calls in an uncommon way and can benefit from price movements in either direction. It is time for stock market investors to recognize that Wall Street is a two-way street, and to structure their investment tools accordingly."