Morningstar announced the winners of its 2017 U.S. Fund Managerof the Year awards, given in four major categories: domestic stock,international stock, fixed income and allocation/alternatives.

All four category winners “used their proven investmentapproaches to come out on top,” said Laura Pavlenko Lutton,Morningstar’s director of manager research, North America, in astatement. All four also winners also had “impressive long-termrecords,” said Lutton.

Indeed, all four funds ranked in the top 10% for theirMorningstar category over 10 years and two of the funds, thePrudential Total Return Bond Fund and T. Rowe Price CapitalAppreciation Fund, placed in the top 1% over 10 years.

Unfortunately, two of the four funds, Fidelity Growth Company Fund and T. RowePrice Capital Appreciation Fund, are closed to new investors.

Here are some highlights from the Morningstar announcement:

1. Domestic Stock Fund Manager of the Year

Steven Wymer, Fidelity Growth Company Fund

2017 Return: 36.8%

2017 Ranking: Top 5%

10-year Ranking: Top 4%

Wymer has run the fund since 1997, searching for above averagetop-line growth prospects and distinctive products, according toMorningstar. As a result, the fund is heavily invested intechnology and health care (biotech) stocks, including Nvidia(NVDA), its single biggest holding, which gained over 80% in 2017.Below-average fees also helped along with the fund’s closure to newinvestors, which protects Wymer’s ability to invest in small- andmid-cap shares, according to Morningstar.

2. International Stock Fund Manager of the Year

Sarah Ketterer, Harry Hartford and Team, CausewayInternational Value Fund

2017 Return: 27.1%

2017 Ranking: Top 14%

10-year Ranking: Top 10%

Eight portfolio managers run the Causeway fund, led by Kettererand Hartford, using fundamental and quantitative analysis to select50 to 60 stocks that are held for the long term. Morningstardescribes the strategy as aggressive and contrarian, which can alsolead to extended slumps. The fund’s bet on Volkswagen (VOW3) in2017, however, paid off as the stock gained more than 40%.

3. Fixed Income Fund Manager of the Year

Michael Collins, Robert Tipp, Richard Piccirillo andGregory Peters, Prudential Total Return Bond Fund

2017 Return: 6.6%

2017 Ranking: Top 2%

10-year Ranking: 1%

These four portfolio managers have at least 23 years of industryexperience each, but they also access research from a much largerteam of fundamental analysts who are also focused on riskmanagement. Sector selection, sector allocation and yield curve andduration position all contributed to the fund’s 2017outperformance, according to Morningstar.

“This team has shown it can weather the storm when it comes tomarket volatility, and the managers have the flexibility to adjustthe fund when necessary,” said Lutton.

The fund focuses on corporate bonds and securitized assets.

4. Allocation/Alternatives Fund Manager of the Year

David Giroux, T. Rowe Price CapitalAppreciation

2017 Return: 15.4%

2017 Ranking: top 22%

10-Year Ranking: 1%

This is Giroux’s second win; the first was in 2012. The fund,which invests in a split of 60% stocks/40% bonds, convertibles,leveraged loans and cash, has beaten its category average everyyear since 2008 and returned a 9.2% annualized gain since June 2006when Giroux took the helm.

“Strong health care picks such as Abbott Laboratories andUnitedHealth Group and a bias toward corporate bonds in thefixed-income sleeve contributed to the funds success in 2017,” saidLutton. Also, a sizable weighting in high-yield bonds helped offsetthe almost nonexistent gain from the fund’s 14% cash position,according to Morningstar.