Dianne Brewer is Vice President, Vice President Business Development, Butterfield Asset Management Ltd.

When and what was your first-ever investment?

I bought a couple of corporate bonds after I had been working at my first job on Wall Street for approximately 2 years.

Do you do your own investing, or do you use a money manager?

Well, my husband is one of the best professional money managers out there, so I consult him. Ultimately though, I make the decisions as I'm more conservative.

What was the best (most successful) investment you ever made?

Any stock that I buy tends to instantly lose half its value, so my best strategy has been to buy high grade corporate or government bonds. I've had much better success with bonds.

Close associates will often ask me which stocks I like and then purchase Put Options and make a fortune.

What was the worst (least successful) investment you ever made?

Our first house in Boca Raton, Florida... but also any stock that I've ever bought with the exception of Nike.

Biggest missed opportunity? Shorting Enron. (Shorting is selling stocks when the amount is not in hand, relying on getting the deficit at a lower price in time for delivery.)

What is your investment goal?

The highest returns at the lowest risk, of course. Ultimately we need to have enough to raise 3 daughters to completion, an extremely expensive task. My goal is to accomplish this and then have enough to comfortably retire and buy our own island somewhere, maybe Rhode Island.

Advice for first-time investors?

Start saving as soon as possible...it's NEVER too soon. Diversify, Diversify, Diversify. Be sure to only take on as much risk as you can stomach. Have reasonable return expectations. Look at the long term.

Throw your un-opened investment statements in the trash during rough parts of the market- My philosophy is, if I don't see it, I haven't lost anything...

Those interested in being featured in the My Portfolio column, which is to run weekly in Saturday's Personal Finance section, should contact business reporters Magnus Henagulph (278 0148) or Lilla Zuill (278 0147) or by E-mail: businessgazette.newsmedia.bm.