Shiloh Investment Club #2

Few members are aware that Shiloh Baptist Church is home to one of Washington DC’s oldest and most successful investment clubs – Shiloh Investment Club #2 (also referred to as the Club). Organized by a Partnership Agreement on April 5, 1975, Shiloh Investment Club #2 is one of four investment clubs organized in Shiloh by Deacon John Williams in the mid-1970’s and early 1980’s. The Club’s purpose as stated in its Partnership Agreement is to “invest the assets of the partnership solely in stocks, bonds, and securities for the education and benefit of the partners.”

The Club was guided in its early years by the late Grafton Daniels, a stock analysis guru who helped to form several investment clubs in the DC area, and the late Dorothy Christian, the Club’s first Presiding Partner. Under their tutelage, the Club and its members became actively involved in the National Association of Investors Corporation (NAIC), the leading organization and gold standard for investment clubs. From the Club’s inception to now, it has adhered to NAIC’s four core investing principles:

• • Invest regularly
  • Reinvest earnings
  • Invest in quality growth stocks and mutual funds
  • Diversify

Fast-forward 30+ years and today Shiloh Investment Club #2 is an award-winning organization with 21 members and a robust, diversified investment portfolio that consistently beats market average returns. The Club has been recognized as one of the DC area’s best investment clubs by the DC Chapter of NAIC and its 33 years of continued operations was recognized in March 2008 with an award from NAIC during Better Investing Club Appreciation Day.

Shiloh Investment Club #2 continues to emphasize education as a way to help its members to be good stewards of their personal finances and to provide the tools necessary to understand and participate in the stock market. Club members gather on the first Saturday of each month to pool their resources and decide collectively which stocks to buy, sell or hold based on the analysis and recommendations of Education Partner (Deacon) Henry Patterson, the Club’s resident stock analysis expert. The monthly meetings include stock analysis training, lively and informative member discussions about current stock market trends and events, the economy and related topics, such as retirement and financial planning and other current events. Fellowship has always been an important element of the Club and is one of the attributes that Partner (Deaconess) Mabel Thornton, the Club’s only remaining founding member, credits for its longevity.