William Spears

William G. Spears is Principal and portfolio manager at Cannell & Spears, an SEC-registered investment adviser headquartered in New York, NY. He joined Cannell & Spears in 2007 and plays a key leadership role in formulating the firm's investment strategies, leveraging his deep experience as both an advisor and portfolio manager. His responsibilities include overseeing the management of equity and fixed-income portfolios for high-net-worth and institutional clients, as well as guiding the firm's proprietary research and portfolio construction processes.

With expertise spanning public equities, fixed-income, and mutual fund strategies, Spears applies a fundamental, value-oriented approach focused on identifying quality companies with strong management, competitive advantages, and opportunities for long-term appreciation. He supports diversification across sectors and asset classes, with significant experience in technology, financials, consumer, and industrials, as reflected in the firm's substantial holdings in companies such as Microsoft, Berkshire Hathaway, Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, and Oracle.

Spears previously founded Spears, Benzak, Salomon & Farrell, later acquired by KeyCorp, where he served as chairman of KeyCorp Asset Management, and subsequently founded Spears, Grisanti & Brown. He holds a BA from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard Business School, and is a CFA charterholder, recognized for his contributions to investment management and his long-term advisory relationships over multiple market cycles.