"To me, that seems like a big number, but in the world of wealth management, it's not a big number," he said.

Another Salt Lake company working well with big numbers is Wasatch Advisors. The Wasatch Micro Cap Fund was named by the Wall Street Journal last month as the top diversified U.S. stock fund, with a 10-year annualized return of 23.5 percent.

Robert Gardiner, director of research for Wasatch and portfolio manager, along with Dan Chace, for the micro cap fund, said more than half of the company's business is through its mutual funds. The rest includes money management for pension plans of large companies and foundations, as well as some high-net-worth people.

"I think the philosophy of the (micro cap) fund is not that different than the philosophy of Wasatch," Gardiner said. "We've really tried to have what we call an enduring investment philosophy. . . . In a nutshell, we're trying to find great companies way before even thinking about their stocks. Our philosophy has been on getting the company right, and then we'll get the stock right."

Wasatch is employee-owned, Gardiner said, and its staff of more than 30 is dedicated to succeeding in Utah.

"We're a pretty big firm now and have about $10 billion under management," he said. "A disadvantage in the past was it was hard to get companies to come through Salt Lake. Now, with our size and reputation, we can pretty much get any company we want to come here if they're traveling."

Getting 'discovered'

Indeed, Alta Capital, Albion and Wasatch Advisors all have found that their reputations mean money is finding them.

Big investors discover money managers because of their returns, Barlow said, and they place money with firms because of their processes.

"You need to have your information on databases so consultants find you," he said, and those consultants will narrow their choices to perhaps 10 possible money managers.

"Then you do a request for proposal that is very lengthy and detailed. Then usually three firms are invited to present to the board. Then you go in and present, and if they like you, they hire you. We've been winning most of them lately, so it's pretty exciting."

Being "found" once may have required clustering with the big boys on the coasts. But advances in technology have made information more readily — and widely — available, Barlow said, which means Wasatch Front firms can compete.

"We have access to information as quickly as anyone else, no matter where they may be," Barlow said. "And the people we have have connections in all of the key financial centers.