Richard C. Young (Dick) is quite a unique guy. Yes, he's a financial wizard, beginning his investment career in 1963 with Clayton Securities in Boston, and founding Young Research & Publishing, Inc. in 1978 to publish Young's World Money Forecast. In 1989, Dick founded Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd. (Newport & Naples) to manage portfolios for substantial investors.

But that's not what makes him unique. Here's what does: He's the guy often called in by America's wealthiest families to do a little "repair work" on portfolios that have lost a couple…or ten million dollars.

And yes, he's a wealthy guy. His personal mantra is, "Why would you take advice from someone who had made less money than you have?"

Dick rarely gives interviews. Reporters declare him "curmudgeonly" but he despises the media circus. "Everyone's got an angle they're trying to push. Even the journalists. I don't have an angle. I just want top returns without risk to principal. Not much of a story there."

He's a devoted follower of Graham and Dodd, the founding fathers of financial analysis. Graham's definition of an investment is taped to Young's computer. It says, "An investment operation is one which, upon thorough analysis, promises safety of principal and satisfactory return. Operations not meeting these requirements are speculative." Young's Intelligence Report is so named as a tip-of-the-hat to Graham's most important work, The Intelligent Investor.

Best of all, he sees Young's Intelligence Report as his life-work. "I can make a real, lasting difference to so many private investors this way. I know that all the work that goes in is worthwhile, because subscribers tell me so."

Indeed, it is a rare occurrence for a subscriber to drop off the rolls.