Rob Pharr is the Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of WestEnd Advisors. Rob is responsible for directing WestEnd's investment strategy and manages WestEnd’s Large-Cap Core Equity portfolio.

From 1995 to 2003, Rob was the President and Founder of Providence Capital Management, Inc., a registered investment advisory firm that is the predecessor to WestEnd Advisors. Rob served from 1988 to 1995 as the Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Eastover Capital Management, a registered investment advisory firm he co-founded. From 1976 to 1985 he was Vice President and Senior Account Executive with Smith Barney, Harris Upham & Co. From 1985 to 1988 Rob served as Vice President of First Charlotte Corporation. At both Smith Barney and First Charlotte he worked primarily with institutional clients, including commercial banks, bank trust departments, mutual funds, corporations, and insurance companies.

Rob has more than 30 years of experience in investment management and has managed portfolios on a discretionary basis for institutional and individual clients since 1988.

Rob is a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.